Southington Resident Publishes Inspiring Memoir On Journey From Cuba

SOUTHINGTON, CT — A longtime Southington resident has published a memoir documenting his family's journey from Cuba to the United States and the experiences that shaped generations of his family.

Jesús "Laz" Montano's new book, "My Cuban American Life," recounts his family's immigration to America more than 60 years ago and reflects on themes of faith, perseverance, sacrifice and opportunity.

The memoir begins with one of Montano's earliest memories as a child, when Cuban authorities detained and questioned his family before allowing them to leave the country.

That experience marked the start of a journey that eventually led to a new life in the United States.

Featuring more than 100 family photographs and historical images, the book chronicles the family's transition to life in America, the challenges they faced while starting over, and the values that guided them along the way.

"I wrote this book so my children, grandchildren and future generations would always know where our family came from," Montano said in a statement. "My parents sacrificed everything to give us opportunities they never had. This memoir is my way of honoring them and ensuring our family's story is never forgotten."

While the memoir follows Montano's own path—including a career as a technology and cybersecurity executive with several Fortune 500 financial services companies—it primarily focuses on his family's pursuit of freedom, opportunity and the American dream.

Montano and his wife, Debbie, have lived in Southington for more than 40 years and have been active in the community through volunteer work, church leadership and civic involvement.

Montano said writing the memoir fulfilled a lifelong goal of preserving his family's history before those firsthand memories were lost.

He said he hopes the book will inspire others to record and preserve their own family stories for future generations.

My Cuban American Life is available in paperback and Kindle editions through Amazon at this link.