José J. Nieves is a Cuban journalist in exile since 2019, when he left Cuba and settled in Miami, Florida. He holds a B.A. in Journalism from Universidad Central “Marta Abreu” de Las Villas (2011). He began his career in Cuban state media across radio, television, and print before joining the independent press in 2014.

Since 2017, he has led El Toque, a transnational newsroom known for its innovative use of artificial intelligence and distributed data-gathering methods to monitor Cuba’s informal economy. Under his leadership, El Toque has become a primary reference for tracking the informal currency market in Cuba and is also recognized for using AI to fight disinformation and support fact-checking efforts.

His work is grounded in a deep commitment to the sustainability of journalism and the role of media as a public service, especially in authoritarian contexts. He has explored these themes further as a Newmark J+ Social Impact Fellow at CUNY (2023) and a Knight Fellow at the International Center for Journalists (2024), focusing on sustainability strategies for exiled newsrooms.

Nieves currently serves as Executive Director of Mas Voces Foundation, INC., a nonprofit organization that supports Cuba’s independent media and civic ecosystem. In recognition of his contributions to independent journalism, he received the LASA Media Award in 2023. His experience managing media as a tool for democratization in repressive environments enables him to connect with and advise peers navigating similar challenges.