Carla Colomé Santiago
Carla Gloria Colomé Santiago is a Cuban journalist based in New York and co-founder of the independent magazine El Estornudo. She writes for El País, covering Cuba and Latino communities in the United States.
In 2021, she became the first recipient of the Mario Vargas Llosa International Prize for Young Journalism for her coverage of the mass protests that took place throughout Cuba against the government, due to popular dissatisfaction with the economic, political, and social crisis.
Her work spans outlets including People en Español, Vice, Univision News, and Internazionale, with coverage ranging from migration and human rights to gender, health, and the environment. She has documented Cuban migration routes to Europe, telling the stories of migrants in refugee camps in Holland and Serbia. She has also covered routes through Central America and the Mexico-United States border.
Carla holds a master’s degree in bilingual journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY and is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.
Reflecting on her recent experience with Alfred Friendly Press Partners, she says: "One of the most rewarding experiences I've had this year, both professionally and personally, is being a member of Alfred Friendly Press Partners. Exiled journalists sometimes think that their work ends the day they go into exile, but this space shows you that there are opportunities beyond your country's borders, without losing the essence of who you are. Among the many things I can take away from these weeks as a fellow is the drive to never give up on journalism. In a world that can be so lonely for immigrants, Alfred Friendly Press Partners makes you feel like you belong to a family of professionals who, like you, are committed to continuing to practice journalism."
Looking ahead, she aims to continue building cross-border stories that connect Latin America, Cuba, and U.S. communities, bridging cultures and amplifying underreported voices.
Carla Colomé Santiago
