Lizbet Martínez | |
---|---|
Born | Lizbet Martínez 1981 or 1982 (age 41–42) |
Alma mater | Florida International University |
Occupation | Elementary English educator |
Known for | playing " The Star-Spangled Banner" after being rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard |
Lizbet Martínez [1] is a Cuban violinist and English teacher at M.A. Milam K-8 Center. [2]
During the " "balsero crisis" of 1994, over 30,000 Cubans immigrated to the United States from Cuba on rafts. [3] Seen as a symbol of the balsero exodus, Martínez first became known on August 21, 1994, as a 12-year-old rafter from Cuba. [4] [5] This was when the U.S. Coast Guard picked her and her family out of her raft. [6] The Coast Guard wanted to take her violin because they thought the case might contain a weapon. She then opened the case and started to play " The Star-Spangled Banner" on her violin. [7] She spent five months at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base before being relocated to Miami. [8] [9]
Martínez attended Florida International University and received a Bachelor of Science degree in music education. [10] At her graduation at Florida International University she played the anthem in front of her fellow graduates to kick off the university's commencement ceremony. [11] Martínez later played on her violin in front of United States Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. [8] [12] [13] Martínez also performed alongside Gloria Estefan and Jon Secada. [14]
She later became a teacher at Emerson Elementary, before teaching at M.A. Milam K-8 Center. [2] [15] She taught music, until budget cuts took away Milam's music program, leading her to teach English. Martínez has two children. [3] Martínez was also featured in the film Voices from Cuba. [16] After 20 years passed since Martínez emigrated from Cuba, a follow-up article was published about the situation. [3]
Lizbet Martínez | |
---|---|
Born | Lizbet Martínez 1981 or 1982 (age 41–42) |
Alma mater | Florida International University |
Occupation | Elementary English educator |
Known for | playing " The Star-Spangled Banner" after being rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard |
Lizbet Martínez [1] is a Cuban violinist and English teacher at M.A. Milam K-8 Center. [2]
During the " "balsero crisis" of 1994, over 30,000 Cubans immigrated to the United States from Cuba on rafts. [3] Seen as a symbol of the balsero exodus, Martínez first became known on August 21, 1994, as a 12-year-old rafter from Cuba. [4] [5] This was when the U.S. Coast Guard picked her and her family out of her raft. [6] The Coast Guard wanted to take her violin because they thought the case might contain a weapon. She then opened the case and started to play " The Star-Spangled Banner" on her violin. [7] She spent five months at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base before being relocated to Miami. [8] [9]
Martínez attended Florida International University and received a Bachelor of Science degree in music education. [10] At her graduation at Florida International University she played the anthem in front of her fellow graduates to kick off the university's commencement ceremony. [11] Martínez later played on her violin in front of United States Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. [8] [12] [13] Martínez also performed alongside Gloria Estefan and Jon Secada. [14]
She later became a teacher at Emerson Elementary, before teaching at M.A. Milam K-8 Center. [2] [15] She taught music, until budget cuts took away Milam's music program, leading her to teach English. Martínez has two children. [3] Martínez was also featured in the film Voices from Cuba. [16] After 20 years passed since Martínez emigrated from Cuba, a follow-up article was published about the situation. [3]