From Communist Cuba to the American Dream: Heydi Martínez’s Journey to Freedom

What happens when a young girl raised under communism is given a second chance—in the land of the free? In this gripping episode of American Potential , host David From sits down with Heydi Martínez, a courageous woman who grew up under Cuba’s authoritarian regime, arrived in the U.S. as a teenager with nothing, and is now working with Americans for Prosperity to protect the very freedoms she once lived without. Heydi shares what it was like to live in survival mode—brushing her teeth with soap, relying on rationed food, using newspaper as toilet paper, and being taught to fear and hate America. But her perspective shifted dramatically when she arrived in Florida at age 16. With no English, no money, and no connections, she fought through every obstacle, eventually graduating with honors and finding her voice as a passionate advocate for liberty. She also reflects on the emotional journey of reuniting with her mother after a decade apart, bringing her family to safety, and the warning she wants every American to hear: Communism doesn’t arrive overnight—it seeps in slowly. This episode is a heartfelt, firsthand reminder of why freedom must be protected, why the American Dream is still real, and why the voices of those who lived under tyranny must never be ignored. If you’ve ever needed a reason to believe in the power of liberty, this is it.