MOAD Talks: Dr. Mauricio Castro on the Cuban Refugee Program and the Freedom Tower — November 4
Author of "Only a Few Blocks to Cuba," Dr. Mauricio Castro joins MOAD at the Freedom Tower on November 4 for an evening exploring Cold War refugee policy, the Cuban diaspora, and the building's history as a processing center for Cuban exiles.
Premier Guide Miami
Part of our ongoing curation of what it means to live, love, and play in the Magic City.
On Wednesday, November 4, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, MOAD Talks returns to the Freedom Tower with an evening of reflection and learning. Dr. Mauricio Castro, author of Only a Few Blocks to Cuba: Cold War Refugee Policy, the Cuban Diaspora, and the Transformations of Miami, will share his research on the Cuban Refugee Program and its deep relationship to the history of the Freedom Tower itself.
The Freedom Tower — Miami's landmark on Biscayne Boulevard — served as a processing center for Cuban refugees from 1962 to 1974, welcoming more than 650,000 exiles who fled the Castro regime. Dr. Castro's book examines the Cold War policy decisions that shaped that program, the human stories of the Cuban diaspora, and the lasting transformations those arrivals brought to Miami's culture, politics, and identity.
The event is free and open to the public. Registration is required. The Freedom Tower is located at 600 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33132. Register at moamiami.org.
The PGM Edit
The Freedom Tower processed more than 650,000 Cuban refugees between 1962 and 1974. It is one of the most consequential buildings in Miami's history — and one of the least understood. Dr. Castro's book traces the policy decisions, the human stories, and the city that emerged from that moment. Hearing him speak inside the building itself is the kind of experience that doesn't come around often. Register before it fills.
Premier Guide Miami
The Live · Love · Play Dial
On November 4, the Freedom Tower becomes the setting for a conversation that belongs there. Dr. Mauricio Castro, author of "Only a Few Blocks to Cuba: Cold War Refugee Policy, the Cuban Diaspora, and the Transformations of Miami," will speak at MOAD Talks about the Cuban Refugee Program and its direct relationship to the building's history. This is the kind of evening that makes Miami's past feel present. Free with registration. 6:30 to 8:30 PM.
Explore Live Miami →The Freedom Tower processed more than 650,000 Cuban refugees between 1962 and 1974. It is one of the most consequential buildings in Miami's history — and one of the least understood. Dr. Castro's book traces the policy decisions, the human stories, and the city that emerged from that moment. Hearing him speak inside the building itself is the kind of experience that doesn't come around often. Register before it fills.
Explore Love Miami →Wednesday, November 4. 6:30–8:30 PM. Freedom Tower, 600 Biscayne Blvd, Miami. MOAD Talks presents Dr. Mauricio Castro, author of "Only a Few Blocks to Cuba: Cold War Refugee Policy, the Cuban Diaspora, and the Transformations of Miami." Free event. Registration required at moamiami.org.
Explore Play Miami →Free Admission to the Freedom Tower This Weekend — Bank of America Museums on Us, October 3–4
Eligible Bank of America cardholders get free entry to the Freedom Tower this Saturday and Sunday, including all three permanent exhibitions and MOAD's Abstraction as Legacy featuring Joan Mitchell, Willem de Kooning, Carmen Herrera, and more.
Madrid–Miami: Celebrando la Hispanidad — Free Cultural Exchange at Freedom Tower, October 4
The Freedom Tower hosts a free, family-friendly celebration of Hispanic culture on October 4, featuring a live international broadcast of La Cabalgata de la Hispanidad 2026 from Madrid, plus flamenco, Don Quixote theater, salsa, and more.
Arsht Plus: Rhythm & Roots — Free Cuban Culture Celebration Through October 4, Inspired by Buena Vista Social Club
The Adrienne Arsht Center invites the community to a free, all-ages plaza celebration through October 4 — live music, DJs, dancing, domino games, artisan vendors, and exhibitions exploring Cuban and Latin American culture.
Dirk Salz: Dissolving Boundaries — On View Now at DLFA in the Design District
German artist Dirk Salz brings his luminous, boundary-dissolving works to DLFA's new Design District space through November 7. A Progressive Art Brunch on October 3 opens the show to the public, with the exhibition exploring the duality of the tangible and the ethereal through resin, light, and his new "multishapes" series.