Castro's estranged daughter tells her story today at Lake Forest College

She fled her homeland and relinquished her position as one of Cuba's elite.

Alina Fernandez, daughter of former Cuban president Fidel Castro, could no longer take the political practices of her father's regime and escaped to Spain in 1993.

Fernandez, 52, will share the story of her estrangement from her dictator father, of whom she has been a critic, tonight at Lake Forest College.

The ailing Fidel Castro resigned the presidency he held for nearly five decades last month to his brother, Raul Castro.

"As the transition of power has happened in the last month between Fidel and Raul, it has made what was going to be a timely topic even more timely," said Erin Mink Garvey, program coordinator of intercultural relations for Lake Forest College.

Fernandez will talk about her autobiography, "Castro's Daughter: An Exile's Memoir of Cuba," at 7 p.m. in the Lily Reid Hold Memorial Chapel, and her experiences growing up in the shadow of Fidel Castro.

The chapel is on the college's Middle Campus at Sheridan and College roads. For information, call (847) 234-3100.

The free event is sponsored by Lake Forest College's Office of Intercultural Relations and is open to the public.

"I think we're expecting a pretty good size crowd," Garvey said. "The goal of the office is to provide intercultural learning opportunities for the campus community, as well as the area community."