The Latino Institute » Blog Archive » NJ Conference on Dominican Affairs To Celebrate 10th Anniversary Releasing Pioneering Book & Documentary on New Jersey Dominicans

The Institute for Latino Studies’ New Jersey Conference on Dominican Affairs (CODA), the only state-wide Dominican organization representing and advocating for the rights and interests of over 250 thousand Dominicans in New Jersey, is thrilled to host its 10th Anniversary on Sunday, February 21, 2010, 8am to 4pm at Rutgers School of Law – Center for Law & Justice, 123 Washington Street, Newark, NJ 07102.

“CODA is the major Dominican state gathering on the Dominican and Latino calendars in the United States,” said Dr. María Teresa Feliciano, President of CODA and the Institute for Latino Studies. “During this Conference, attendees will be able to participate and learn from experts, share experiences, network with professionals from around the state and beyond and enjoy the celebration of our 10^th Anniversary.”

(visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvspkv2izyQ to watch an audiovisual invitation).

In commemoration of its 10th anniversary, CODA will release a pioneering research film documentary and a book titled New Jersey Dominicans: A Decade of Accomplishments. Authored by Dr. Maria Teresa Feliciano and edited and produced by Néstor Montilla, President of the Common Roots Project, the book and accompanying documentary depict the Dominican presence in the State of New Jersey dating back to the arrival of the Ocasio-Ravelo family, credited as being the first Dominicans who settled in Newark, NJ in the second half of the 1940s.

Guest speakers include distinguished Political Strategist Luis Miranda, NYC University Professor Howard Jordan and journalist Nuria Piera, known for her investigative reports in the Dominican Republic.

Miranda will join NYS Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat, Martin Perez, President of the Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey, Mayor William Lantigua and other Dominican elected officials from Massachusetts at “Positioning for Empowerment,” a panel highlighting the current positioning and political participation of Dominicans and Latinos in the State of New Jersey and across major urban centers in the United States.

Professor Jordan and other experts will talk about Dominicans and Puerto Ricans in terms of their historical relationship from colonial times to the present and how both people have related with each other in dealing with their socio-economic and political realities in Puerto Rico and across the inner city neighborhoods of urban America.

Journalist Nuria Piera will travel from the Dominican Republic to New Jersey to present at a panel titled: “The Role of Investigative Reporting as Agent of Social Change.” “It is an honor for me to have an opportunity to address Dominicans in New Jersey about the role of investigative journalism as an agent of social change,” Piera said over the phone to President Feliciano when confirming her participation in the conference.

The conference includes a health workshop to talk about the advantages and disadvantages of traveling to DR for affordable medical procedures. In this panel, practitioners will take a pragmatic approach to provoke a dialogue about this issue. Dr. Jesús Abreu Montero, Postgrado Clínica Fluminense de Cirugía Plástica in Rió de Janeiro, Brasil will present in this panel.

Other track panels include a workshop to discuss the inner strength that propels women in politics, in government and the private sector to succeed personally and professionally; a session on economic development to address how to start and maintain a small business, and

a panel on the youth convening educators, mentors, leaders and college students from the tri-state area and beyond to reflect on retention and other issues impacting students’ quest to graduate from college. Workshop attendees and participants include junior and senior students from High Schools in Paterson, Passaic, Newark and Perth Amboy.

By public demand, the Institute for Latino Studies is also proud to announce again the presentation of Los Panfleteros de Santiago (Santiago’s Pamphleteers) at the youth workshop scheduled to take place from 9:45 am to 11:00 am. The production is an English-subtitled documentary film about the courage and heroism of 27 young Dominican rebels who used flyers to exercise freedom of speech in an attempt to reclaim the Dominican Republic from Dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo. Dr. Ramón Antonio Veras (El Negro Veras), a survivor pamphleteer, will be at the workshop to interact with panel attendees.

(To watch announcement visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spTYzgnw7b0).

The CODA’s 10th Anniversary Welcoming Reception will be held on Friday, February 19, 2010 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at the Paterson Museum located on 2 Market Street in Paterson, NJ (RSVP and pre-registration required for admission; admission is subject to space availability).

The Conference is made possible thanks to the generous support of UNIVISION, Cibao Meat Products, US 2010 Census, HealthFirst, among other sponsors and supporters.

For more information, and to register for CODA’s 10th Annual Conference, visit www.thelatinoinstitute.org or via e-mail at info@thelatinoinstitute.org or by calling at 973-345-3624.

About CODA

Established in 2000, The New Jersey Conference on Dominican Affairs (CODA) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that serves as the state forum for analisis, strategic planning and project development on behalf of over 250 thousand Dominicans in New Jersey. It has held nine annual conferences and implemented the following programs and projects: The First Visual Exhibit of New Jersey Dominicans at the Newark Public Library; The First Socio-Demographic Study of New Jersey Dominicans; Tu Cuentas! Naturalization Project; Youth Leadership & Mentoring Program (LAMP); The Latino Leadership Academy (LALEA); The Book & Documentary Los Panfleteros de Santiago (Santiago’s Pamphleteers), and the first research study film documentary and book entitled New Jersey Dominicans: A Decade of Accomplishments to be released at this year’s conference at the Rutgers School of Law on Sunday, February 21, 2010.

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