Achy Obejas, a Havana-born member of the In These Times Board of Editors, is the author of Ruins (Akashic 2009, akashic​books​.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.
Viewpoint
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
Achy Obejas
Viewpoint
Why Cuba, Why Now?
The 5 likeliest reasons behind Obama's surprise move to reverse a 53-year-old policy.
Achy Obejas
Viewpoint
Obama’s Delay on Immigration: Shameful, But Savvy
Latinos won't tip the midterms. Anti-immigrant right-wingers might.
Achy Obejas
Viewpoint
Venezuela Tries the Talking Cure
Amidst turmoil, President Maduro meets with opposition leaders. But will it help?
Achy Obejas
Feature
Cuban Players, Caught in a Pickle
U.S. law pushes Cuban baseball players into exile if they wish to go pro.
Achy Obejas
Viewpoint
Ending the Pain in Venezuela
A call for civility between Venezuela's warring factions.
Achy Obejas
Viewpoint
Citizens of Nowhere
Thousands of Haitian-Dominicans were stripped of Dominican citizenship. Where's the U.S. outrage?
Achy Obejas
Viewpoint
Obamacare After Obama
The Affordable Care Act's issues will be far from resolved by 2016.
Achy Obejas
Viewpoint
How Cuba’s Bitter Sons Shut Down the U.S. Government
In Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, the Tea Party found the perfect pawns.
Achy Obejas
Viewpoint
Which Box Would Zimmerman Check?
How Trayvon Martin's killing challenged our assumptions about Latinos.
Achy Obejas
Viewpoint
Robbing Peter to Pay DePaul
As Rahm Emanuel decimates public schools, he's gifting a private college $55 million in public funds.
Achy Obejas
Viewpoint
Our Iron Curtain
The 'border security' provisions of the new immigration bill solve a problem that isn't.
Achy Obejas
Viewpoint
The Next Chavez?
A narrow victory bought Nicolás Maduro immense power.
Achy Obejas
Viewpoint
The Gay Old Party
Republicans are waving a white flag in their battle against marriage equality--or is that a rainbow flag?
Achy Obejas
Viewpoint
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.
Achy Obejas
Viewpoint
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.
Achy Obejas
Viewpoint
Extreme Makeover: GOP Edition
Fearful of being outflanked by far-right extremists, the GOP is pushing for moderation in its ranks.
Achy Obejas
Viewpoint
Who’s Afraid of Homophobia?
The Associated Press's decision to favor 'anti-gay' over 'homophobic' isn't as bad as some say.
Achy Obejas
Viewpoint
Castro’s Greatly Exaggerated Demise
Rumors of Fidel's failing health are likely overplayed yet again.
Achy Obejas
Viewpoint
Voting for Obama with No Illusions
Four reasons to keep Obama in the White House and Romney out.
Achy Obejas
Feature
Cuba Goes Both Ways on Gay Rights
United Nations vote opens room for dissent
Achy Obejas
Feature
INSIDE CUBA: Voices From the Island
Welcome to Cuba.
Achy Obejas
Culture
The Big Other
A giant stalks the literary landscape.
Achy Obejas
Culture
Portrait of the Awkward Artist
Achy Obejas
Culture
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
Achy Obejas
Culture
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
Achy Obejas
Culture
No Happy Endings
Escape from North Korea, the world's most repressive regime
Achy Obejas