Perla Tabares Hantman, chairman of the Miami-Dade County School Board, is joined by Hialeah Mayor Carlos Hernandez and a group of students at M.A. Milam K-8 Center during a celebration of the 20th of May, Cuban Independence Day. On that date, Cuba ceased being a colony of Spain and joined the community of free democratic republics in the Western Hemisphere. For the past 11 years, Hantman has been sponsoring this celebration at the school under the guidance of its principal Anna M. Hernandez.