EP 97 It’s Never Too Late to Remember
What happens when you return to the memories you buried for more than half a century? In this moving episode of Don't Be Caged By Your Age, I chat with Mario Cartaya, acclaimed architect, Cuban exile, and debut author for a deeply human conversation about memory, identity, resilience, and reinvention. Born in Havana in 1951, Mario left Cuba at the age of eight when his family immigrated to the United States in search of freedom. Decades later, after building a celebrated architectural caree...
What happens when you return to the memories you buried for more than half a century?
In this moving episode of Don't Be Caged By Your Age, I chat with Mario Cartaya, acclaimed architect, Cuban exile, and debut author for a deeply human conversation about memory, identity, resilience, and reinvention.
Born in Havana in 1951, Mario left Cuba at the age of eight when his family immigrated to the United States in search of freedom. Decades later, after building a celebrated architectural career and having his life’s work entered into the U.S. Congressional Record, Mario found himself drawn back to the memories of his childhood and ultimately back to Cuba itself.
His memoir, Journey Back Into the Vault: In Search of My Faded Cuban Childhood Footprints, explores that emotional journey of rediscovery.
In this episode, we discuss:
- How childhood memories quietly shape our identity
- Leaving Cuba and adapting to life in America
- The moment Mario realized architecture was his calling
- Building spaces that serve humanity and community
- Becoming an author later in life
- Why it’s never too late to reconnect with your story
Learn more about Mario and purchase a copy of his book via his website here.
If you found inspiration from this conversation, please rate, review and share this episode.
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Author
Mario Cartaya was born in Havana, Cuba, in 1951. Eight years later, the turbulent winds of political change swept over the land of his birth, leaving his family with little choice but to immigrate toward the United States in search of a new life lived in freedom. There, he realized his earliest Cuban childhood dreams of becoming an architect and started an enduring and highly acclaimed architectural firm in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. His life’s story and award-winning architectural designs were entered into the United States Congressional Record of the House of Representatives in 2019, forever enshrined into the US Library of Congress. An American flag was flown over the US Capitol to celebrate his American legacy in 2022.
With the same dedication and love that made him an architectural success and iconic designer, Mario has now turned his attention to writing books. His debut, Journey Back Into the Vault: In Search of my Faded Cuban Childhood Footprints, was recently released in new hardcover and paperback editions. The Spanish-language book, La Bóveda: En busca de mi niñez cubana was released in 2026. His fresh voice and humanist values will refresh one’s soul.
