Haiti and the Dominican Republic have a troubled history.  However, there are pockets of people who are trying to heal past hurts through community engagement.  I had the opportunity to travel to DR to work with Haitians who live in the bateys (communities) surrounding the sugar cane plantations and mills.  Many of them are living in extreme poverty yet show a spirit of resistance.  I met a young man, Clarens, who is using hip-hop to unite people.  He is the manager of The Street Boys.  This rap group is made up of two Haitians and two Dominicans brought together by a love of hip-hop culture.  They want their music to unite their communities.  I am raising money to support their efforts.

As stated in the video, all money raised will go towards equipment for a community studio.  The Street Boys have recorded one song, but do not have the funds to continue recording.  The equipment purchased by your donations will allow them to continue recording and healing through hip-hop.  The equipment will also benefit other community members interested in learning about music production as well as recording oral history.

In the spirit of collaboration, I plan to have the Haitian and Dominican students record at least three songs with graduates of the Crossroads Collective in New Haven, CT.  The Crossroads Collective is a program I developed using hip-hop culture to (re)engage Black and Latino males with school.  As a result of the program, student disciplinary referrals decreased while grades increased for the young men. This program highlighted the importance of creating safe spaces where youth are respected, challenged, nurtured, and loved.

I am trying to purchase the equipment by May 2017.  Once purchased, the equipment will be delivered to the community in the DR.  We will keep you posted with project updates so you can see the impact of your donations.  We would be honored to have you support such a powerful endeavor. #HipHopHeals