Aurelio Andres Gonzalez Perez was born on July 31, 1959, in Avila City, Cuba.  He was a biology professor, but left Cuba on December 17, 1999, because he could no longer practice his profession.  He settled in New Orleans, Louisiana, to be near his father, who was an American citizen.  Perez was a dance instructor at the Cervantes Art School in New Orleans at the time of the interview.