Adventures of an Immigrant

By Tess

José Picayo immigrated from Cuba to America in 1966. José was six years old when he immigrated to America. He moved because his dad did not like what was happening in Cuba. Jose and his family took a plane to get to America from Cuba.

When José and his family came to America they first went to Miami for a week because José’s grandfather lived there and was sponsoring José and his family because they did not have visas. After José lived in Miami for a week he went to Queens. José stayed in Queens for 9 months. Then José and his family stayed in Puerto Rico for a few years. Jose and his family moved back to New York and have been in New York since 1981.

After José lived in America for some time he made a trip back to Cuba. Jose’s most recent trip to Cuba was in the summer of 2015. Back in Cuba José took a lot of pictures (José is a photographer.) A photo he took was of a girl he knew from Cuba smoking. Another picture was of an alley in Cuba. He also reunited with some people he knew when he did live in Cuba when he was little. José brought his children as well to show them his history.

José Picayo emigrated half a century ago from Cuba. He still remembers details of living in Cuba then coming to America. José is a professional photographer and has used his trips back to Cuba to take pictures of the culture and people he remembered.

Picayos Around The World

By: Violet Zimmerman Wexler

Ever moved six times? Well, José Picayo has. In 1966, when José was six, he moved from his hometown, Reparto Arturo Mañanas, Cuba. He moved because his dad did not agree with the change in government but his mom did. His parents finally agreed on moving. They took an airplane to get to America. Then, they stayed with his Grandpa in Miami for a week. José later recalls,

The first thing I remember seeing was an ad for Strawberry Quik. It was so confusing to me.

After a week in Miami, his family moved to Queens, New York City. The Picayos once again took on another place. After nine months, the Picayos decided they had had enough of Queens. The Picayos just felt Queens wasn’t for them. So, they moved again. This time the Picayos made a bolder choice. They traveled to Puerto Rico.

Meanwhile, more than just moving was happening. José had found a new interest in photography when he became ten. José was inspired to take mugshots by the Augustus Sherman would take (during 1905-1920) of immigrants when they got to Ellis Island. José and his family stayed in Puerto Rico for nine years before moving again.

José moved to Ohio this time. He went through High School and two years of college at Kent State. Then he went back to New York City but, this time he didn’t go to Queens. He went to Manhattan where he started a career in photography. He also went to Parsons School of Design. José has lived there since 1981 and still is there.

José visited Cuba 28 years after he left and took photos there. “It was strange and emotional to go back.” He says, “You just sit down and talk and nothing else matters.” José has found a new home and is happy to be in New York City.

José Picayo Went Back in Time?

By Grace MacGillivray

On Wednesday 13, 2016, the Fourth Grade interviewed José Picayo. He emigrated from Cuba to New York City in 1966. He had quite a journey, he went from Cuba to Miami to Queens to Puerto Rico to Ohio to New York City.

José left Cuba when he was Six in 1966. He left Cuba because his dad did not agree with the new government. Of course, José had no choice because he was six. They left one night on the last flight. When José got to Puerto Rico he took English classes because he didn’t speak English. Now he speaks perfect English but he can still speak Spanish.

José’s dad died in 1996. His dad worked as a cigar maker. So did José’s Grandmother.

He visited Cuba 30 years later, where he found that nothing had changed. When José went to visit Cuba, he walked through the gates of the town he grew up in, Reparto Arturo Mananas, and his best friend ran towards him crying.

José now lives in New York City. He has three children, two live at home and one doesn’t. He works in a studio as a photographer. Our class visited him in his studio and he photographed each one of us in “mugshots” that he made into a collage which he donated to be sold in the LREI auction.

The Past Creates The Future

By Ella

Who is José Picayo? José Picayo is a famous photographer who also happens to be an immigrant. He is was born in Cuba in 1959. When the government changed in 1966 he moved with his family to Miami, Florida. His mother wanted to leave but his father didn’t. “Nothing really affected my family,” José said. He loved the calmness of Cuba and talking to people all day. One day José was getting out of school when all of a sudden people started congratulating him. He asked them, why are you congratulating me? They told him that he was leaving that night. He and his family got home and packed, then they hopped on the airplane and left for Miami. “Miami was an adventure,” José said. It was very different for them. They stayed there for a week and then moved to Queens for a month. After Queens they moved to Puerto Rico for nine years. José and his family felt at home in Puerto Rico, they felt at home because they spoke the same language and that made it very easy for them. Later on they moved to Ohio for six years.

José Picayo’s first trip back to Cuba was twenty eight years after he left. He photographed his neighborhood, Reparto Arturo Mañanas, and the people who lived there. When José’s family left they lost their rights. José’s mother got hers back and now has an apartment there, sadly the father died in 1996, so she lives by herself.

It has been fifty eight years since the government changed. José and his family visit Cuba every once and awhile. If José had a choice he said he would stay there in Cuba, but he can’t change the past.

Now José’s job is taking photographs of adults and kids. He has been doing this for a long time. He started photography when he was ten. Later on it became something he did for a living. He has been doing it ever since that first picture.