xx inspritation spotlight: Yoani Sanchez

Yoani Sanchez, a Cuban blogger and graduate student at the University of Havana in philology, was recently attacked by Cuban thugs who warned her about her blogging.

She is fighting her oppression one day -one word- at a time through her blog. Courageous beyond words.

Yoani's blog, Generation Y, published in many languages and read worldwide.

Generation Y is a Blog inspired by people like me, with names that start with or contain a "Y". Born in Cuba in the '70s and '80s, marked by schools in the countryside, Russian cartoons, illegal emigration and frustration. So I invite, especially, Yanisleidi, Yoandri, Yusimí, Yuniesky and others who carry their "Y's" to read me and to write to me.

From CNN article today :

Before agents released Sanchez, they warned her that her writings had gone too far, the nonprofit said. Freedom of speech is limited in the island nation, where media are controlled by the government.

There was no immediate comment from the Cuban government on Sanchez's claims, which CNN could not independently verify.

Earlier this year, the blogger was named one of the world's 100 most influential people by Time magazine. The government barred her from traveling to New York in October to receive a journalism award.

She is able to publish despite censorship in Cuba by e-mailing entries to friends outside the country, who then post them online.

How brave is this woman?! Many of us here cannot even begin to imagine, and therefor are completely detached from issues of censorship and oppression, but do not look away. Forward. Talk about it. Tweet, or facebook. Just a little effort goes a long way. Especially here in the blogosphere.

Chantel translated an excerpt about the attack.