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Home / Writers at Risk / Ileana Álvarez
A woman with short, curly brown hair smiles while looking slightly to the side. She wears a sheer black top and a bright green scarf against a yellow background.

Ileana Álvarez

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Álvarez González, founder of Alas Tensas (Tense Wings), launched Cuba’s first feminist magazine in 2016. The independent outlet courageously centers on gender-based violence, femicide, LGBTQ+ rights, and Afro-Cuban women’s representation—topics typically marginalized in Cuban media. Her activism quickly drew state scrutiny and harassment, targeting not only her but also her children. In 2018, under escalating pressure and fearing for their safety, she and her husband, award-winning author Francis Sánchez, went into exile in Madrid.