Meet The Facilitators

Gerald Lopez

Gerald Lopez was born in the United States but spent much of his early childhood and many summers in San Francisco de Macorís, where his passion for history, genealogy, and Palo music began to take root. His interest in history and genealogy was sparked by conversations with elders, listening to and remembering their stories. During celebrations, he learned to play Palo music from his relatives, which became a significant part of his cultural experience. This blend of history, genealogy, and music grew into a deep passion, eventually becoming a hobby and a support to his career in information security. Today, Gerald runs a genetic-genealogy consulting company called Buscafamily, where he helps others discover their roots. In addition to his work, he continues to play music for those who wish to celebrate their heritage.

Jasmin Kateri

Jasmin Kateri Rivera is a writer and genealogist specializing in Dominican genealogy. Her literary work has been published in Rigorous magazine and DWA's De Eso No Se Habla. Jasmin has conducted genealogical research interning at the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute and more recently as an assistant on a historical-fiction project with a Harvard professor and author. She also contributed to the NYPL LibGuide "An Introduction to Dominican Genealogy", developed in collaboration with a genealogy librarian to assist researchers in exploring Dominican heritage. Passionate about uncovering and preserving family histories, Jasmin has guided many individuals on their genealogical journeys. She is a recent graduate of Harvard University Extension School and is excited to share her expertise in this six-week course on Dominican genealogy.

Cleyvis Natera

Cleyvis Natera is a Dominican-American novelist and essayist whose work examines class, power, and belonging within Dominican and Caribbean communities. Her debut novel, Neruda on the Park, was a New York Times Editors’ Choice and received widespread critical acclaim for its sharp social insight and character-driven storytelling.

Natera has received fellowships and support from organizations including the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference and the Hermitage Artist Retreat. Her writing often interrogates systems of inequality while centering intimate, complex portrayals of Dominican life, both on the island and in the diaspora.

Jasminne Mendez

Jasminne Mendez is a Dominican-American poet, playwright, and author based in Houston, Texas. A Pura Belpré Honor Award recipient, she is the author of books for children and adults including Islandborn, Josefina’s Habichuelas, and Night-Blooming Jasmin(n)e. Her work centers Afro-Caribbean identity, disability justice, and cultural memory

Erika Morillo

​Erika Morillo is a Dominican-American writer and visual artist whose work explores memory, erasure, and intergenerational trauma through archival storytelling. Her book Mother Archive blends memoir, photography, and found materials to reconstruct family history across the Dominican Republic, the United States, and Chile

Nelly Rosario

Nelly Rosario is a Dominican-American novelist and educator born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She is the author of Song of the Water Saints, a sweeping, multigenerational novel that traces the lives of Dominican women across the twentieth century and the diaspora. The novel received the PEN Open Book Award and is widely taught in universities.

Rosario holds an MFA from Columbia University and has spent decades teaching creative writing, literature, and Latina/o studies. Her work explores memory, migration, gender, spirituality, and the ways personal and familial narratives intersect with national history. Through both her writing and teaching, she has played a vital role in shaping Dominican-American literary studies.

Elizabeth Villaman

Eli Villamán is a Dominican writer, screenwriter, actress, director, and creative writing teacher. She holds degrees in Industrial Engineering (PUCMM) and two master’s degrees in Narrative and Creativity Strategies. Founder of Escribir es HOY, she has led workshops in Europe and the U.S. and received numerous awards, including the 2023 Federico García Godoy Novel Prize. Her works include Sesiones de Ablepsia, Las Islas Rotas, and the upcoming novel El día en que mamá no regresó.