Reclaim your story in the very streets where our ancestors’ footsteps still echo. Live seven days immersed in Zona Colonial’s centuries-old history and vibrant contemporary culture. Write alongside fellow Dominican-American voices and seasoned authors who guide you to unearth forgotten tales. Discover hidden archives, wander sunlit plazas, and let the city’s layered past fuel your creativity. Return home with new work and renewed pride in the narrative only you can claim.
Imagine stepping off a motoconcho onto cobblestones laid in 1502, so old they still echo the footsteps of Bartholomew Columbus, Nicolás de Ovando, and our Taino ancestors—all of whom shaped this place. Santo Domingo’s Zona Colonial is more than a quaint “old quarter”; it’s the very birthplace of European colonization in the Americas, where the first cathedral, the first hospital (Hospital San Nicolás de Bari, built in 1503), and the oldest paved street (Calle Las Damas, from 1502) still stand as silent witnesses to centuries of conquest, resistance, and survival. For seven days, you’ll live inside this living museum declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1990 soaked in the layered stories etched into every worn flagstone and sunbaked plaza. But this retreat isn’t about watching history from the outside. It’s about climbing down into those hidden pages, pulling up the voices of Taino survivors, African ancestors, Spanish colonists, and modern Dominicans, and weaving them back into a narrative that belongs to us.
What You’ll Do
Each day begins with focused writing workshops where you’ll work through guided exercises and develop new drafts or ideas. Afternoons are dedicated to cultural immersion and exploration: you’ll experience local traditions, from food tastings and music demonstrations to visits at community hubs that reveal the rhythms of daily life. These activities are designed to spark inspiration and connect your writing to lived experiences. In the evenings, small-group conversations with established authors will discuss their research methods, creative processes, and how they incorporate heritage into their work. Finally, late-night open mic sessions offer a supportive space for you to share poems, essays, or stories with fellow participants, fostering community and helping you find your voice.
Who Should Come
This retreat is for anyone who’s ever felt torn between worlds Dominican by blood, American by circumstance; whose abuela’s stories get lost next to job deadlines and “adulting.” It’s for the writer who’s only sketched “merengue” in a paragraph but wants her to leap off the page. For the poet who’s recited “Soy de aquí” but written “I am from here” instead. If you’ve wondered, “Where does my story fit, if I’m neither fully ‘here’ nor ‘there’?” we’ll help you stitch those fragments into something powerful.
Retreat Dates: July 6-13th, 2026
Application Open By: Sept. 15th, 2025
WHAT TO EXPECT
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A collection of new writing—poems, memoir excerpts, short stories—tinted with the aroma of café con leche, the grit of colonial stones, and the hum of Caribbean drums.
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Rediscovered pieces of family lore (maybe unearthed from a Registro Civil record or whispered by a street vendor in “Spanglish”).
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The confidence to insist, “Yes, I am part of this story,” whether you’re crafting a novel about a 16th-century sugar mill or an essay about abuela’s plantation memories.
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A community of Dominican-American writers who now share your mission: to rescue our narratives from oblivion and put them center stage.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS:
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Join a supportive community focused on healing and growth through writing.
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Experience collective healing in a nurturing environment.
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Participate in workshops exploring personal memories for creative expression.
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Elevate your writing skills with sessions for personal and professional growth.
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Engage with Afro-Dominican heritage to enrich your narratives.
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Explore decolonization, crafting stories that challenge and celebrate cultural authenticity.
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Join an organization with members who have published award-winning works and secured prestigious residencies.
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Leverage the success of past participants to advance your literary career.
Can you be from a place you have never been? You can find the island stamped all over me, but what would the island find if I was there? Can you claim a home that does not know you, much less claim you as its own?” - Elizabeth Acevedo
frequently asked questions & PAYMENT INFO
