IDENTIDADES 1 ENGLISH IDENTIDADES 7 ENGLISH | Page 19

Responsibility or social commitment?
A few years ago, Arte Corte took an important step: it began to work in the community in the Barrio de Santo Ángel neighborhood (it gets its name from the church
there). He has not only continued his work
to dignify hairstyling as a profession, but
also has created social benefits or good.
“I always say that it is now time for the private sector to commit to society. In today’s
world one hears talk of social responsibility;
we talk about social commitment. I think a
sense of responsibility can go only so far; it
does not have the impact commitment does,
which is tied to a sense of belonging to the
place where you live, for example.”
Despite the fact that taxes are too high for
many private workers, Papito believes that
we are living at a moment in history in
which the private sector has grown and is
promoted by the country’s leadership. He
thinks alliances that go beyond those that
already exist between the State sector and
private sector need to be created. “They can
also be created to generate social good;
when we stop talking about sectors we will
have taken a huge step.”
One hand washes the other and both…
One of the projects between Papito, the Institute Superior de Diseño (ISDI, Superior
Design Institute), and the Office of the City
Historian (OHC) is Barbeparque. Arte Corte
started the initiative and ISDI students took
it up. Ivette Ortega, an ISDI student back
then, presented the project’s design at a national competition and won her category.
At Barberparque, the things children climb
on are shaped like hairstyling implements;

the slide looks like a barber razor; the seesaw is a pair of scissors, etc. There is a barbershop in the park at which kids can get
haircuts. “The OHC created the park using
the young woman’s design; I put up the
small salon, provided the chair, mirrors,
etc.”
Papito also has another project involving a
Círculo de Abuelos (a senior citizen or
‘grandparents’ group) tied to Public Health.
He takes hairstyling students there to play
dominos. One of the senior men who was a
professor of art (painting) teaches th e kids.
The place also offers a children’s archaeology workshop and any senior who wants to
join in, can. There are different cultural activities at which numerous generations interrelate. The Havana Club firm has the “Tú
decides” [You Decide] project, which offers
children and adolescents information so that
they learn the importance of delaying the
age at which they begin to consume rum.
“We offer that workshop at the Círculo de
Abuelos and three of them who are alcoholics are involved.”
Teach how to fish; don’t give away fish
“I went from being a poor student to starting
a school and becoming a teacher. I did not
ever imagine this would happen when I
started. Life is ironic. I started the first
course in 2010. It took me about two years
to fix up the locale, which is not mine, and
belongs to the OHC. It was in very bad
shape. I just went on working while also
paying for my dream, not with what I had
left over, but with my earnings. When folks
see you are working, they begin to help you.
For example, I have ten chairs in my classroom I was gifted by the National Sports and

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