The Dominican Republic has the historic distinction of being the landing spot of Christopher Columbus in 1492 after he sailed the ocean blue, but that European invasion set off a series of historical and social events that reverberate to this day.
As we've discussed here on Alt.Latino many times, the Dominican Republic is also a musical hot house. Countless musicians have sailed beyond the beautiful island environment to spread sounds like merengue and bachata throughout the Spanish-speaking world.
It's also the source of a distinct literary tradition. Writers from the island and from the Dominican diaspora, such as Julia Alvarez and Rita Indiana to name just two, have blessed us with stories, essays and deep thoughts about the effects of colonialism and the beauty of the indigenous Taíno culture as well as everyday life on the island.
Which brings us to this week's show. On this episode, we'll talk to three Afro Dominicana writers who are part of a recent wave of authors who use literature, poetry and even social media to reflect the contemporary Dominican experience. Danyeli Rodriguez del Orbe, Amanda Alcantara and Elizabeth Acevedo join us as does NPR Kroc Fellow and current Alt.Latino contributor Jessica Diaz-Hurtado.
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