Mario Cartaya

ABOUT THE BOOK

Can one write a memoir when they have no childhood memories? 

Mario Cartaya was born in Havana, Cuba, in 1951. Eight years later, the turbulent winds of change forced his family to immigrate to the United States in search of a new life lived in freedom. 

Fifty-six years later, Mario returned to Cuba in search of the long-forgotten memories of his childhood. Now a successful American architect, this once “unsung child” of the Cuban diaspora went back to face his old demons (who were no longer there) and to recall his earliest experiences. Mario eventually regained the memories of the first 8 years of his life, repaired the tattered tapestry of his existence, and found an inner peace he never knew he needed. 

In Journey Back Into The Vault, Mario confronts the contents of the mental lockbox he had built to protect him from his challenging past. In his journey of self-discovery, each chapter reveals relics deliberately buried by his subconscious mind. 

Mario’s personal story is also a universal one: how love and enlightenment can only begin with our search for self-actualization and peace of mind. More than a memoir of a Cuban refugee, it’s a story that uncovers the psychological forces that help define us, the power of enduring hope, and how—by achieving purity of heart, reconciliation, and a soul at rest—we can evolve into better versions of ourselves. 

ABOUT THE 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.

SUGGESTED INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

1. Before returning there as an adult, what could you remember from your early childhood in Cuba? 
2. What moment or circumstance led you to decide that your personal story of childhood and exile deserved to be told in book form and not kept only as a private memory?
3. The book reconstructs a Cuban childhood based on fragmented memories. In addition to your journey of rediscovery, did you consult personal, family, or documentary sources to corroborate or complete those memories?
4. You describe your journey—both the returning to Cuba and the writing of this book—as the process of unlocking your childhood memories from a protective subconscious vault. When do you think that vault was constructed and why?
5. During the writing process, what findings or revelations emerged that you hadn’t anticipated when you started the project?
6. How can confronting the past—flawed, complex, and emotional as it may be—serve as a foundation for growth, healing, or even creativity?
7. Your life journey—from exile to success—reflects resilience and reinvention. How did your cultural background and immigrant experience influence the way you understand memory, identity, and belonging?
8.  What about your experience do you feel can resonate with anyone, even if they didn’t experience childhood displacement or culture change?