2006 Alternative Spring Break, March 18th-26th / Programa de Primavera Alternativo, Marzo 18-26, 2006

Objectives of the Delegation:

• Explore the way gender and culture have an impact on migration policies and experiences from the point of view of Dominican and Haitian women across various disciplines particularly literature and human development perspectives.
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• Acknowledge the work of community based organizations and community efforts to end violence against women, migrants, and people of color.
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• Address the commitment of the local government and international organizations (the United Nations) with regards to issues of migration, gender and Afro-Dominican identity and culture.
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• Develop a plan of action to be presented at the US embassy or U.S. Aid office from the perspective of U.S. students who want to unify their efforts to end discrimination and violence against particular populations of people such as Dominican women, migrants and people of color.

Saturday March 18th, 2006: -

Arrive Santo Domingo, Montesinos University Residence, Sector UASD.

Orientation Workshop with Professor Karin Weyland, International Exchange Program Coordinator, Melassa Foundation and Professor of Intec (Institute of Technology of Santo Domingo). Discussion of security measures and activities for the week

Late Lunch or Snack (depending time of arrival)

Visit to the Colonial City

 

Sunday, March 19th

Day at the Beach

Monday, March 20th, 2006:

8:30 am Breakfast

9:30 am Talk with Adriana Velazco, United Nations Human Development Program Coordinator (PNUD), “Latest Reports on Economic Growth and Human Development in the Dominican Republic: The Involvement and Effects of International Organization’s Programs in Local Dynamics”.

12:30 pm Lunch at the residence

2:00 pm  Trip to the community of Mata de Los Indios.  Visit to the Primary School of the community where Melassa has developed several programs and projects, including a computer lab and a library, and Visit to the Salve Group, Enerolisa Nuñez (Palos, Salve and Congo music).  Stop at the Community Museum in Villa Mella, one of the first towns of free Blacks, today known for its Afro-descendant traditions like “chicharrones”, the pork meat slaves used to sell to buy their freedom.  After being marginalized and abandoned by the state and local governments, communities like Villa Mella, have fought to survive and exercise their cultural and economic rights and, and in their day-to-day resistance, have been able to maintain their music and religious traditions for centuries. In 2001 the community was declared oral patrimony for the humanity by the United Nations. Meet musicians and talk with residents, school children, teachers and families. 

5:00 pm Return to Santo Domingo

6:30 pm Snack, Reflection with Professor Karin Weyland, Data show presentation on Afro-Dominican cultural and music manifestations; screening of documentary video: “Congo Pa Ti: Afro-Dominican Identity in Dominican Culture”.         

8:30 pm  Free Time

 

Tuesday, March 21st, 2006:

8:30 am Breakfast

9:30 am Travel to San Pedro and La Romana—known for its sugar cane industry, and meet the Folk Group Los Guloyas, afro-descendants of the British Caribbean Islands who were once part of the Marcus Garvey’s and Black Star Movement.  Visit the sugar cane fields, and the surrounding community. 

12:30 pm Lunch to Go  

1:30 pm  Visit to the Indigenous Caves, “Cuevas de las Maravillas” where Taínos indigenous people used to hide from the Spaniards and carry out the ritual of the Jojoba. (Entrance: RD$100 per person).

2:30 pm Visit to Altos de Chavón, where the famous Chavón School of the Arts is located, as well as a Cultural Center and Arts Museum, all placed in a movie-like Italian Village in La Romana; scenario of several Hollywood movies like “Apocalypsis Now”.

4:30 pm Stop at Bayahibe Beach Town for a swim (beautiful small fishermen’s town).

Wednesday, March 22nd, 2006:

8:30 am Breakfast

9:30 am Visit to the Batey Palave and the local Food Kitchen of ADASEC (Association of Social, Cultural and Ecological Aid).  A day of community service with 50 children of the Batey Palave, one of the oldest peripheral bateyes, that is a batey that does not have a sugar mill but provides sugar cane for a larger one that does.  After the privatization of the sugar industry in the late nineties, though, Palave does no longer lives of this industry, falling its members into deep unemployment.  Today Palavé is a small town with some cement houses and the commonly old barracks assigned to Haitian migrants. We’ll visit the barracks and talk with the children’s families.

1:00 pm Lunch

2:30 pm  Screening of the video, “How to prevent contamination in Palave”, realized by Melassa and the children of ADASEC Food Kitchen.

3:30pm  Talk with representatives of MUDHA (Dominican/Haitian Women’s Movement), “The situation of Dominican/Haitian migrants in the Dominican Republic, the problem of obtaining a nationality, and life conditions in the Batey Communities”.

6:30 pm  Snack and Reflection with Dominican/Haitian Youth from the Dominican/Haitian Cultural Center, “Then and Now: Achievements in Journalism, in the Educational and Cultural Area, and in Law” and Artistic Presentation by youth of the Mata de Los Indios/Melassa Dance Group.

8:30 pm Free Time   

 
 

   

   

 

   
 

Thursday, March 23rd, 2006:

8:30 am Breakfast

9:30 am Visit to the Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo, Think Tank for Dominican Government founded by current president, Dr. Leonel Fernández, and meet the General Director, Frederic Emam-Zade.  Discussion with civil society and Dominican government officials regarding gender, migration, socio-economic and political issues (democracy).

11:30 am Visit to the Museum Plaza where the Museum of Anthropology, Arts and History are located.

1:00 pm Lunch at the residence

3:00 pm Visit to the INTEC University, tour site and talk with Lucero Quiroga from the Center of Gender Studies, “A socio-economic view of Gender Issues and Recent Debates in Gender Studies”

6:30 pm Snack Time o reflect on issues exposed: cultural rights, government’s efforts, environmental, poverty, women’s rights, Dominican/Haitian migrants, the Bateyes, the Dominican diaspora, and the role of international organizations, and create a coherent discourse to present at the U.S. embassy and U.S. Aid office as concerned citizens of the United States.

Friday, March 24th, 2006:

8:30 am Breakfast

9:30 am Talk by representatives of the Secretary of State of Women, state office specialist on gender issues regarding domestic violence, gender and migration, women and politics and the government’s efforts to address women’s rights in general, including the rights of Dominican migrant women in other countries; the Dominican Republic occupies the third place in the sex industry and human trafficking in the world, and women and families are the most affected (recent laws and campaigns to stop abuses).

12:00 pm Lunch

2:00 pm U.S. Embassy visit (Centro Franklin) and U.S. Aid Office. Offer U.S. government officials an informed opinion/action plan on the issues observed, i.e. make a request on behalf of Dominican/Haitian migrants, women’s issues, the Dominican Diaspora, environmental or cultural issues, etc.; after the students spend some time on each issue, they can pick what’s most important, or advocate for several things if they divide themselves in groups.  It’s an opportunity for students to motivate themselves and take some action; feel part of a larger cause for the trip, besides exploring and learning.  The embassy has recently launched a campaign with Juan Luis Guerra to stop illegal trips to Puerto Rico; we can ask them to tell us more about this and other projects the U.S. Aid Office and the embassy are implementing.

6:30 pm Snack and Reflection; Latin American Film Dinner Activity, Edward Olmo’s movie “In the Time of the Butterflies” after Julia Alvarez’ novel on the Mirabal sisters during Trujillo’s Dictatorship (1930-1961). November 26^th was declared an International Day of No Violence Against Women after the assassination of the Mirabal’s sisters ordered by Trujillo.

Saturday, March 25th, 2006:

8:30 am Breakfast

9:30 am Visit to the First Cathedral in the New World, Tour of the Colonial City.

11:00 am Stop at the Market for souvenirs

12:30 pm Lunch at the residence

3:00 Interactive Workshop with artist Dichens Salcedo, learn about the history of the merengue and the bachata, and learn how to play and dance these and other popular rhythms. 

6:30 pm Snack

8:00 pm Dinner at El Conuco.

 

   

Sunday, March 26th, 2006:

Leave Santo Domingo