As Camilo and I waited for our suitcases, I sent a selfie to his mother, Ara. We had made it. The officer at passport control didn’t ask a single question—just stamped our passports and said, “Welcome.” After more than two years of longing, the moment Ara had dreamed of was finally real: her son had arrived. When they embraced, time seemed to both stand still and rush forward—her little boy had grown into a teenager.

Cuba is experiencing the largest migration wave in its history, driven by a combination of political turmoil, economic collapse, and the enduring effects of the U.S. embargo. Since 2022, more than a million Cubans—10% of the country’s population—have left the island. While the U.S. remains the top destination, Spain has become the second most common.

As a first-hand witness, I have sought to humanize these statistics through long-term, largely self-funded projects across Cuba, Russia, the US and Spain. As thousands, particularly young people, leave in search of a better future, many are forced to say goodbye to loved ones they may not see for years.

Ara, a 34-year-old single mother, is one of them. In March 2022, struggling to provide for her 12-year-old son, she accepted a job as a babysitter in Sweden. Leaving Camilo behind in Cuba with a trusted friend, she hoped they would be reunited soon. Instead, it took more than two years. During that time, Camilo grew from a child into a teenager—one who will forever carry the weight of absence.

The emotional toll of migration is profound. Cuban psychologists report a rise in cases of children left behind by migrating parents, many of whom experience anger, sadness, and sense of abandonment. Ara and Camilo’s story is more than a personal journey—it is a beacon of hope for the countless families navigating the same painful reality, as the migration crisis forces more families to endure prolonged separations.

In late 2024, after years of documenting these stories, I witnessed a mother and son’s reunion for the first time. This story is not just about them—it's about the support networks and emotional ties that sustain families in times of separation. In an increasingly hostile global landscape where migration policies grow more restrictive, I wonder what will happen to the families still waiting for that longed-for embrace.