 Photo: Bill Hackwell |
Velazquez excelled in a group of young photographers who developed on the staff of Granma, newspaper of the Communist Party of Cuba, in the 1980s. He frequently traveled with Cuban President Fidel Castro on international trips. Velazquez accumulated a prolific body of work for a photographer so young, including a social documentary project on Cuban health workers and educators in Africa.
In 2003 alone, 568 of his photographs appeared in 52 issues of Granma International. For two consecutive years, Velazquez won the Juan Gualberto Gomez Prize, an honor given to the top Cuban photojournalist. He received the Cuban Cultural Union National Vanguard award in 2003. This prestigious award is bestowed upon workers in the Cultural Union who display the most dedication to their craft.
During the 1990s, Velazquez generously contributed many of his images to calendars produced by the U.S.-based Cuba solidarity group, International Peace for Cuba Appeal. Ahmed also contributed his photos to Socialism and Liberation magazine.
Velazquez’s photography covered many areas of life in Cuba, ranging from nature to industry to sports and culture. He will be remembered best for his poignant and compassionate photographs that captured the modern-day spirit of the Cuban Revolution. His powerful images of recent mass demonstrations denouncing the Bush Administration’s new measures against Cuba illustrate the resilience and strength of the Cuban people.
Ahmed Velazquez continued the legacy of the great Cuban photographers before him who captured the historical significance of the Revolution. His work now stands beside Corrales, Korda, Salas, Joya and others.
The Party for Socialism and Liberation will remember Ahmed for his quick sense of humor, and his commitment and compassion to his people and the revolution.
