The Inspiration Behind the La Victoria Miami Collection
Growing up in Miami and then moving to Seattle gave me a unique perspective on identity and belonging. My father, Eddie Antuña Montalvo, always wanted us to embrace being American. We didn’t speak Spanish at home, and we rarely talked about Cuba. He would say, “You’re American now, and we can never go back.” The only story he ever shared was about my grandmother’s house in Miramar—a beautiful estate she rented to the Japanese ambassador for just $1 a month, believing, like so many Cubans, that they would one day return home.
In 2002, my father passed away from pancreatic cancer at the age of 61. In his final days, he confided in me something I’ll never forget. He said he was sorry for hiding our family’s past and asked me to promise that one day, I would try to uncover our history.
That promise led me, in 2019, to Cuba for the first time. My husband Jimmy and I traveled there and hired Geo Darder of Copperbridge as our guide. Geo had done research before we arrived—he found the wholesale hardware store Jimmy’s family once owned in Havana. And every night, he arranged for a different historian to meet with us and tell us stories about the Montalvos and the Lasas. My head was spinning from all I was learning—stories of influence, legacy, and the lives of Cuban ancestors I had never known.
Since Jimmy had worked with Japanese carmakers for years, we reached out to the Japanese embassy to request a visit to my grandmother’s house. After a series of interviews and background checks, we were granted permission. When we arrived at the grand colonial home in Miramar, we were greeted by the Japanese Ambassador and his wife, as well as a team of photographers. Ambassador Watanabe welcomed me with the words: “Welcome to your home, Mrs. Montalvo.” They honored us with a traditional tea ceremony.
As he led us on a tour, Jimmy and I noticed a photo of Fidel Castro sitting in a familiar chair. When I asked why Fidel had been there, the ambassador looked at me and said, “You don’t know?” I admitted, “I don’t know anything about this house. I’m only now learning about my family history.”
During the tea ceremony, Ambassador Watanabe said something that changed my life:
“Your family was one of the most important and influential in Cuba. In Japan, we believe that knowing our ancestors is essential. If you don’t know who they are, how can you truly know who you are?”
His words struck a deep chord. That moment ignited my journey to reclaim my heritage—and now, through the La Victoria Miami Collection, I hope to share that history with others. Each of our townhomes is named after a Cuban ancestor, preserving their legacy and inviting guests to experience Cuban culture in a personal, meaningful way.
More about this house can be found: https://www.amazon.com/Havana-History-Architecture-Romantic-City/dp/158093238X