Dominican, Haitian Americans to convene for Decolonizing ‘Hispaniola’ Conference
A Brooklyn-based group of Dominican and Haitian Americans wants to change the traditional narrative of hostility between their two communities.
Members of In Cultured Company (inculturedco.org) are using events, art, and educational programming to create opportunities for community members to connect and build solidarity.
“So, the mission I guess you could say of In Cultured Company is to train a new generation of Dominicans and Haitians with the knowledge and skills to advocate for justice and peace and to heal our communities from generational trauma instilled by essentially state-sponsored violence in the D.R. against Haitians,” Christian Arias, an In Cultured Company spokesperson, told the AmNews.
Arias added that the group wants to help create an interconnected island that is “healed and liberated from colonial narratives and historical manipulation.”
Haiti and the Dominican Republic have a centuries-long, infamous animosity. Though both nations share the island of Hispaniola, they have deep historical and philosophical differences.
After liberating itself from French colonial enslavement in 1804, the free Black Republic of Haiti looked to capture the Dominican Republic. Haiti did end up occupying the D.R. for around two decades, from 1822 to 1844. But once the D.R. gained its independence, fears about the return of Haitian rule played a large role in pitting the two communities against each other. The D.R. has remained proud of its Spanish colonial roots and rejected most of Haiti’s fealty to African and non-European traditions.
In recent years, human rights groups like the International Institute on Race, Equality, and Human Rights have condemned the D.R. for its violent detentions and race-based expulsions of Haitian-Dominicans from their homes in the Dominican Republic. The Dominican Republic has, since 2013, even gone so far as to deny nationality to Haitian-Dominicans born in the D.R., despite them never having lived in Haiti.
Healing circles
In 2018, the social justice advocate France François created In Cultured Company to bring small groups of Haitians and Dominicans together so they could deal with their differences and recognize the cultures they share. François is no longer with the organization, but the main group of around 10 people continues to offer workshops, webinars, healing circles, and other activities that encourage Dominicans and Haitians to unite.
Though based in Brooklyn, the organization does not have an established physical location. For years now, its central objective has been the sponsoring of its annual Decolonizing ‘Hispaniola’ Conference.
“The Decolonizing ‘Hispaniola’ Conference is essentially a series of workshops where we go over the very beginning of the history that the island of Ayiti [Haiti] and the Dominican Republic have, including our Indigenous people’s history, up until essentially the present. It takes two days because it’s quite time-consuming and it’s just filled with a bunch of research, like, for example, specific laws implemented by the Dominican state and specific historical incidents like massacres and genocide.”
Arias explained that the workshops, webinars, and healing circles conducted by In Cultured Company members are meant to help participants heal from the historical trauma they share, reflect on what would be best for the community going forward, and look at how individuals can tackle any situations they may encounter.
This year’s Decolonizing ‘Hispaniola’ Conference will take place on July 12 and 13, and takes place at Ilé Oyin, a community art space owned by the Caribbean Cultural Center and African Diaspora Institute, located at 208 East 126th Street in East Harlem. Tickets for the conference have to be reserved because organizers want to set aside 30 tickets for people of Haitian descent, 30 tickets for Dominicans, and five tickets for non-Haitian/Dominicans. Those interested in purchasing tickets can find the event listed on Eventbrite.
The workshop is designed for adults but is also inclusive of high school students who want to learn about this history. “At the conclusion of this workshop,” Arias added in a written note to the AmNews, “we anticipate that participants will leave with increased self-confidence, enhanced leadership skills, and a clearer understanding of their personal and community responsibilities. We also aim to establish a network of workshop graduates who can become active in the community and can support and inspire each other in their ongoing personal and activist journeys.”
