IN ENGLISH: Who is Cesar Alejandro Becerra?

 IN ENGLISH: Who is Cesar Alejandro Becerra? 

 

© Xiomara J. Pages

July 30, 2025

Today, as I have on previous occasions, I once again mention a great friend of many years: Cesar Alejandro Becerra [*]....son of Cuban parents (a teacher and a well-known architect, now retired), born in Miami, Cesar is a historian, teacher, lecturer, writer, film producer, digital creator,tour guide, a globetrotter or modern vagabond. For him, there is no job or activity that dishonors him, as long as it is honorable and brings culture to those who listen to him and follow his many projects. He has friends in every state and city in the United States, and in other places around the world: Australia, cities in Europe, Greece, India, etc. etc. There are no limits for this adventurer from whom you learn a lot.

With Cesar, I have worked on several of his projects: 'Cuban Dreams,' celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Spanish-Cuban-American War with a grant from FIU (Florida International University)...in 1998. Cuban Dreams were weekly newsletters with a lot of history and information about this war and about many Cubans in exile, including my crusade with my sick daughter Sandra with RETT Syndrome and about one of the most prominent psychiatrists on the island of Cuba: Dr. Manuel Galigarcía Hernández, and other different topics such as the Cuban Women's Club in Miami, and of Cesar's own family history, and in those newsletters, I was the Spanish editor and together with him, I met local historians and personalities and others from the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.


Then in 2021, I was the translator of her book about Mary B. Brickell (Orange Blossom 2.0) from English to Spanish.... But there are many other projects of his and mine that further intensified our mutual help, and our friendship all these years.

I met Cesar A. Becerra when I read in the Miami Herald, the city newspaper, in 1996, about his project, then titled "Echos of South Florida." He appeared photographed with octogenarian women who had played an important role in the development and progress of the city and South Florida. Since my youngest son, Juan Pablo, loves history just as much as I do, and before becoming a middle school teacher, he was a tour guide and lecturer at the Miami Museum of History in downtown Miami,I didn't hesitate to call Cesar at the number listed in the article. The rest is history.

 

Cesar Becerra became a close family friend, with whom I shared my books. He was always present at my book presentations whenever possible, just as I have been at his. We communicate frequently, through social media, technology, and old-fashioned letters. And whenever he's in Miami, since his parents live in Kendall very close to me, he always stops by to visit and chat and catch up on our lives.

He has even helped me with personal projects, including moving several times, and selling many of my books by various authors, or donating them to universities like FIU or the University of Miami, since I no longer use them. I have promoted him about his presentations and activities, as he has with mine...
And we have grown into a great friendship, since when my sick daughter Sandra was alive he would always come visit at home.

It is not unusual to find an envelope in my mailbox from time to time with news from Cesar, written in his own handwriting, sending me information about some of his new projects and always affectionate greetings... which make me so happy, or bringing me some memorabilia from my favorite cartoon: Betty Boop... He appreciates and values my intelligence and abilities as much as I value his.

 

Cesar has worked on biographies of city figures (such as Frankie's Pizza; Robert is Here) and many others. He has produced institutional memoirs and photo books, which is another of his passions: photography. He has created travel guides and many other publishing and film projects. He has participated with books and given lectures at the Miami Book Fair. He is not only a historian, but also an author and adventurer, whose activities and projects have been covered in major newspapers across the United States. He has traveled the world bringing us unimaginable culture and history, and he has been interviewed countless times. He is a very likeable and interesting person.

He brought us information from every state in the United States, traveling in an old car that had been renovated for road trips everywhere. Every week, we received extremely interesting information, photos, and videos by email. He was involved in another project involving a metal large alligator in Miami Beach. He was working about a very old boat, the Kaimaloa, that they exhibited with a wealth of history. And, as I said, he traveled to Australia to bring us everything and more about Mary Brickell, a co-founder of the city of Miami. Not only was Julia Tuttle considered the mother of Miami, but Mary Brickell as well. And we mustn't forget her.

That's why he wrote his book, Orange Blossom 2.0, with all these discoveries. Mary Brickell's granddaughter, Beatrice B. Brickell, has been with Cesar at presentations about this entire story, and they have formed another beautiful friendship.

I am honored to have translated that book into Spanish and to have learned so much in doing so. Cesar has even conducted home interviews with me from his phone, asking me questions about my way of thinking... And so many, many other activities and projects that I would tire of writing about my great friend Cesar Alejandro Becerra...

 
[*] Cesar A. Becerra...Author, Historian, *Adventurer and Modern Day Nomad (Working as onboard lecturer for Celebrity and Holland America Cruise Lines) plus corporate tour manager for Expedition South Florida. *A veteran of a 50 state road trip in one calendar year for the Travel Channel, a 2,160 mile hike on the Appalachian Trail (thru all 4 seasons, a true "thorough-hike") a 250 mile coastal paddle on kayak and canoe around the tip of South Florida and a 3,000 mile + walk from Key West to Phoenix (so far) over the course of 14 summers. Written and published 4 books, now engaged at writing book 5 on the subject of the centennial journey of the 230 foot long 4 masted schooner the SS Kaimiloa which in 1924 went from San Francisco to Tahiti. Past books include Orange Blossom 2.0; the story of the birth of Miami and the defense of Mary Brickell as a co-mother of Miami.