Let's Talk: Hispaniola
Haitian, Dominican students share thoughts on two countries, one island
4:15 p.m., Oct. 21, 2015--In response to a rise in racial tensions between the Dominican Republic and Haiti, University of Delaware students of both Haitian and Dominican descent were given the opportunity to talk about their experiences on the island the two nations share, Hispaniola, and within their families here on American soil.
The Oct. 17 discussion was organized by the sisters of the Delta Pi chapter of Lambda Theta Alpha Latin sorority, and cosponsored by the Zawadi chapter of Lambda Sigma Upsilon Latino fraternity and The Campus Alliance de La Raza.
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“As an organization, we wanted to create a space on campus where students are able to have conversations about this topic that affects them whether they know it or not,” said Monica Lindsay, a senior sociology and English double major and vice president of Lambda Theta Alpha. “The topics we discuss are thought-provoking and allow student voices to be validated.”
Emily Davis, associate professor of English at UD, assisted the students by providing a brief timeline on the history of Hispaniola, summarizing how its bloody past has led to a tumultuous present. Davis has studied issues involving globalization and colonization and how they affect countries and cultures.
Joselys Cornelio, a sister of Lambda Theta Alpha who is of Dominican descent, and Talisa Baptiste, a psychology student of Haitian descent, shared some of their personal experiences both on UD’s campus and back home on their island. Attending student guests also discussed their experiences concerning Hispaniola.
This event was part of the “Let’s Talk” series the sorority will be hosting throughout the semester. Lindsay plans to have various cosponsors take part, with each bringing a unique part of its own identity to the event. “For our Hispaniola event, we asked Campus Alliance de la Raza and Lambda Sigma Upsilon because both organizations have Latin American influences and care about the topic we were addressing,” she said.
Andrew Garda, president of Campus Alliance de La Raza, said the discussion “fosters an understanding of what’s going on outside of our social bubbles.” He said he was honored to take part and hopes to see more such events in the future.
“It is important to have events like this [that] provide our community with an opportunity to speak on issues we may not all be aware of,” said Luis Abadia, president of Lambda Sigma Upsilon. “For me, it provides a different perspective on the college student experience.”
The next discussion will be “Let’s Talk: 2016 Presidential Election and You,” cosponsored with the Black Student Union and the College Democrats. It will take place at 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16, in George Read North Lounge.
Article, art and photograph by Juwan Montalvo