Latest posts by Sandra Abd'Allah-Alvarez Ramírez
Cubans can now join public debates on new Constitution through digital platforms
"In a space like this no one has to ask to speak up, there is no schedule for debate."
A new law threatens artistic expression in Cuba
"Your censorship is in the closure of concerts...It was always there, you only legalized it. Then you accuse us of politicizing art...Stop already with the repression...."
Michel Gonzalez Nuñez: “I imagine it is shocking to approve a ‘homosexual’ law in a ‘revolution’ so pumped with testosterone.”
"If only partially granting rights and liberties makes a society "revolutionary", then someone needs to explain to me what "revolutionary" means. To me, this is a contradiction."
Boycott against Argentinian musician in France sparks debate on cultural appropriation
The cancellation of Argentinian reggaeton singer Romina Bernardo by Black French activists open the door to discussions about appropriation that had so far had little space online.
Same-sex love ‘is just as legitimate’ as heterosexual love, says Cuban activist Yadiel Cepero
"The concept of 'normal' or 'natural' is as relative as humanity itself."
Cuba's parliament now has three black vice presidents. How come that didn't make the news?
"For opponents everywhere [...] everyone is so equally oppressed that racial discrimination is unworthy of special attention. These dynamics hijack the discussion and keep us from moving forward."
Cuban activists launch detailed agenda for LGBTIQ rights in Cuba
"What could be considered the first document of its kind in Cuba [...] includes 63 specific demands and is divided into two sections: legislative measures and policies, plans and strategies."
‘Mixing isn't new, it isn't modern, it isn't cool. It simply is, has been, and will be.’
In the second part of our interview, journalist Lucía Asué Mbomío Rubio discusses her writings about racism in Spain.
‘Sometimes, embracing the Afro identity…means having unpleasant conversations with people you love’
In Spain, "it's not uncommon to hear phrases like 'I'm not racist, but,' as if that preamble were to invalidate the racist remark that usually follows."
New Sexual Harassment Accusations Against Professor Jorge I. Domínguez Spark Heated Online Debate
"...it seems incredible that, at this point, our testimony is still put into question."
LGBTQI Rights Defenders Sound Alarm over Costa Rica's Presidential Election
"Imagine what a global disgrace, Costa Rica, flirting with the Middle Ages and asking to enter the darkest corners of fundamentalism that still exist on the planet."
Ulises Padrón: “In [Cuban] Society, LGBTQI People and Groups are Becoming More Visible”
"...[A]lthough the country recognizes...an important set of rights (health, education, culture, employment), there are others that fall to the wayside in the current national and regional situation."
An LGBT Blog Is Suspended Over Mention of Cuba’s 1960s-Era Labor Camps
"I honestly hoped it was a technical glitch...I don't know how this 'defames the Revolution,' as the judgment issued to us says."
Cuban LGBT Activist Takes On Conservative ‘Family Code’
An article published in the state newspaper Granma has fueled a debate about the obsolescence of the Cuban Family Code.
I Have Never Known A Cuba That Wasn't Blockaded
A personal take on the rapprochement between the United States and her native land by Cuban journalist and activist Sandra Alvarez.
‘Grito de Guerra’, a Cumbia Composed to Fund the Family of #Ayotzinapa Victims
Mexican artist Michelle Solano composed a cumbia, "Grito de Guerra", to raise funds to support the family of the 43 missing students of Ayotzinapa.
These Cubans Are Puckering Up in Support of LGBT Rights
The second kissing sit-in, or "besada" in Spanish, protested the New Cuban Labor Code, which excludes gender identity as a motive for workplace discrimination.
A Kissing Sit-In and An Open Letter for LGBT Rights in Cuba
The second "Kiss Sit-In for Diversity and Equality" in Havana takes place this year during challenging moments for the LGBT community on the Island.
The Debate on Internet Access in Cuba Intensifies
Cubans are increasingly asking for cheaper and broader access to the Internet.
Increasing Connection Between the Online and the Offline in Cuba
In Cuba, an intrepid connection between virtuality and reality has flourished.
LGBT Conference in Cuba Surrounded by Expectations and Controversy
Against the backdrop of Cuba's complicated LGBT rights situation, the conference has been praised for its importance but also criticized for the high cost of registration.
