Achy Obejas - In These Times

Achy Obejas, a Havana-born member of the In These Times Board of Editors, is the author of Ruins (Akashic 2009, akashicbooks.com) and Aguas & Otros Cuentos (Editorial Letras Cubanas, 2009). A former staff writer for the Chicago Tribune, she is also the translator, into Spanish, of Junot Diaz’s Pulitzer Prize-winning The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Riverhead 2008). She is currently the Distinguished Visiting Writer at Mills College, Oakland, Calif.

Obama’s Cuba Visit Reflects Shift of Cuban-Americans Away From the GOP

Younger Cuban Americans are radically departing from the political views of their elders

Why Cuba, Why Now?

The 5 likeliest reasons behind Obama's surprise move to reverse a 53-year-old policy.

Obama’s Delay on Immigration: Shameful, But Savvy

Latinos won't tip the midterms. Anti-immigrant right-wingers might.

Venezuela Tries the Talking Cure

Amidst turmoil, President Maduro meets with opposition leaders. But will it help?

Cuban Players, Caught in a Pickle

U.S. law pushes Cuban baseball players into exile if they wish to go pro.

Ending the Pain in Venezuela

A call for civility between Venezuela's warring factions.

Citizens of Nowhere

Thousands of Haitian-Dominicans were stripped of Dominican citizenship. Where's the U.S. outrage?

Obamacare After Obama

The Affordable Care Act's issues will be far from resolved by 2016.

How Cuba’s Bitter Sons Shut Down the U.S. Government

In Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, the Tea Party found the perfect pawns.

Which Box Would Zimmerman Check?

How Trayvon Martin's killing challenged our assumptions about Latinos.

Robbing Peter to Pay DePaul

As Rahm Emanuel decimates public schools, he's gifting a private college $55 million in public funds.

Our Iron Curtain

The 'border security' provisions of the new immigration bill solve a problem that isn't.

The Next Chavez?

A narrow victory bought Nicolás Maduro immense power.

The Gay Old Party

Republicans are waving a white flag in their battle against marriage equality--or is that a rainbow flag?

The GOP’s Cuban Conundrum

As they begin to lose their Cuban-American base, Republicans start seeing faults in a Cold War-era immigration policy.

How Long Can Hugo Chavez Call In Sick?

Venezuela's ailing president has kept the wolves at bay for 69 days, but restlessness is brewing.

Extreme Makeover: GOP Edition

Fearful of being outflanked by far-right extremists, the GOP is pushing for moderation in its ranks.

Who’s Afraid of Homophobia?

The Associated Press's decision to favor 'anti-gay' over 'homophobic' isn't as bad as some say.

Castro’s Greatly Exaggerated Demise

Rumors of Fidel's failing health are likely overplayed yet again.

Voting for Obama with No Illusions

Four reasons to keep Obama in the White House and Romney out.

Cuba Goes Both Ways on Gay Rights

United Nations vote opens room for dissent

INSIDE CUBA: Voices From the Island

Welcome to Cuba.

A giant stalks the literary landscape.

Portrait of the Awkward Artist

Prairie Style Romance

Though Nancy Horan takes great liberty in imagining intimate scenes between Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamah Borthwick Cheney--of which there is no evidence--Loving Frank ultimately rests on historical record

Survival of the Adapted

The History of My Shoes and the Evolution of Darwin's Theory takes the theory of evolution--"survival of the fittest," a phrase that appeared only in a later printing of Charles Darwin's classic text--and, in alternating chapters, juxtaposes the relationship between Darwin and fellow biologist Alfred Russel Wallace with Fries' curiosity about his own adaptations to a world unprepared for his body and his means of motion

No Happy Endings

Escape from North Korea, the world's most repressive regime