ISLAND SOCIAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE

Discover the influence of the African diaspora in the Caribbean though activities such as cooking and dance. Taste new and rich flavors and then learn a few steps of merengue and bachata dance. Meet the Congos of the Holy Spirit, a group of people who celebrate and promote the Afro-dominican identity through music, dance and festivities. Learn firsthand from a community-based non-profit about the importance of sustainable community development, and the promotion of human rights. End your trip with an excursion to the historical center of Santo Domingo, where you’ll explore important historical and cultural sites of the first city of the Americas through an Afro-Caribbean lens.

Do some laps in the pool, spread a blanket out on the rolling lawn, or gather around the kitchen table to play a round of Dominican dominoes. Your Home Base on this program is an enclosed compound that contains ample outdoor space, a pool, and one large house where students and staff will stay. When not at service or on the road, make yourself at home in this roomy villa and enjoy all the amenities it has to offer. Students will share rooms with roommates and share bathrooms with cold and hot water showers. The Home Base is located in a safe, residential suburb of San Pedro de Macorís in the Dominican Republic. Food will be healthy and locally sourced, including meats, beans, rice, vegetables and fresh fruit. This program does include one night in Santo Domingo and two multiple-day excursions that will involve students staying in other accommodations. Students will primarily stay at locally-owned hotels and can expect similar quality accommodations while on excursions.