"I felt guilty for being the chosen one": Ada Ferrer on her memoir about leaving Cuba

Ada Ferrer, a historian and author, has released a new memoir titled "Keeper of My Kin," which explores the profound impact of her departure from Cuba. Ferrer describes a deep sense of guilt associated with being the "chosen one" when her mother made the difficult decision to leave their homeland. This singular choice, to take only one of her two children, has cast a long shadow, influencing generations of their family and prompting extensive reflection in Ferrer's writing.

The memoir delves into the complex emotional landscape surrounding this separation. Ferrer's narrative grapples with the reverberations of her mother's decision, examining how it shaped family dynamics and individual identities over time. The act of leaving, and the inherent selection process it entailed, is presented as a pivotal moment that continues to resonate within the family's history, prompting Ferrer to confront the lasting consequences of that singular, life-altering choice.

"Keeper of My Kin" serves as a vehicle for Ferrer to process these deeply personal experiences and their intergenerational effects. By recounting her story and her family's journey, Ferrer aims to understand the weight of such decisions and their enduring influence. The memoir offers a window into the personal cost of displacement and the complex emotional legacies that can arise from familial separation, particularly in the context of political upheaval and migration.