Meet The Facilitators for the
2026 Cabarete Retreat
Teaching: Digital Storytelling
Lizbel Ortiz
Lizbel Ortiz is a Dominican-American writer and multifaceted creative force whose unapologetic authenticity has propelled her to the forefront of cultural discourse. A proud Dominican and Brooklynite, her fearless storytelling abilities as a content creator, speaker, author, producer and soon-to-be documentary filmmaker have resonated with audiences. Her writing, including the poem she authored for STARZ and Lionsgate for Hispanic Heritage Month, For Our Own, and her debut book, Let's Talk About It: Por La Buena O La Mala, solidified her reputation as a raw, honest story teller who dismantles stereotypes with surgical precision. She is a host of the award winning podcast “Victory Light” with the Kid Mero & Rainey Ovalle and is a believer in telling your stories how ever they come through you. She directs and produces stories, poems, lessons and skits online and recently coproduced a sold out show in the United Palace Theatre. Beyond her beloved voice and perspective on her podcast, Lizbel is sought after for her unique perspective on contemporary issues, including appearances on CBS' Dr. Phil Show, where she shares deeply personal narratives that connect with audiences regarding religious trauma and power dynamics in the church.
Teaching: Children's Book Writing
Lissette Norman
Lissette Norman is a poet and author of picture books, including My Feet Are Laughing and Plátanos Go with Everything. She co-authored On the Line: The First African-American Rockette and Until Someone Listens. Lissette has received the NYFA 2018 Artist Fellowship in Fiction, the Barbara Deming Memorial Fund Grant, and residencies at Hedgebrook and Martha’s Vineyard. She was also an Author-in-Residence for the National Book Foundation's BookUpNYC program. Lissette holds a BA in English from SUNY-Binghamton and lives in New York City.
Teaching: Understanding Blackness & Race in Dom. Rep.
Ruth Pion
Ruth Pion Vizcaino, a social researcher, anthropologist and activist focusing on racial justice and gender equality in her homeland, is the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute’s (CUNY DSI) inaugural Threatened Scholars Fellow. She will spend the fall semester at The City College of New York-based CUNY DSI, benefitting from a safe space to continue working in favor of promoting cultural inclusiveness in the Dominican Republic.
Teaching: Prose Writing
JP Infante
JP Infante is the author of On the Tip of Your Mother’s Tongue and Aquí y Allá: un retrato de la comunidad Dominicana en Washington Heights. He is the winner of PEN’s Robert J. Dau Short Story Prize and Thirty West’s Chapbook contest. His writing has appeared in Kweli, The Poetry Project, Rigorous, A Gathering of the Tribes, and elsewhere. He has been awarded scholarships and fellowships from the NY State Writers Institute, PEN America and The Center for Fiction. He holds an MFA from The New School
Teaching: Memoir
Alicia Anabel Santos
Alicia Anabel Santos credits her spiritual journey for shaping every facet of who she is. As a writer, producer, playwright, speaker, activist, teaching artist, and priestess in the Lucumi-Ifa-Regla de Ocha tradition, her path has been one of profound soul work and healing. Her memoir, Finding Your Force: A Journey to Love, explores this journey, though she admits the search for love continues. Santos' work exists at the intersection of radical self-love, community service, and sharing her gifts as LA SANTERA.
Teaching: Poetry
Roberto Carlos Garcia
Roberto Carlos Garcia, a poet, essayist, and storyteller, writes deeply about the Afro-Latinx experience, blending influences from the Harlem Renaissance to the Black Arts Movement. His collections include [Elegies], black / Maybe: An Afro Lyric, and Melancolía. His work appears in POETRY Magazine, The BreakBeat Poets, and more. Garcia also founded Get Fresh Books Publishing and holds an MFA in Poetry from Drew University.
Teaching: Performance/Storytelling
Modesto "Flako" Jimenez
​Modesto “Flako” Jiménez, a Dominican-born, Bushwick-raised poet, playwright, and educator, creates work that explores migration, identity, and community. He is the founder of ¡Oye! Group, recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, an Obie Special Citation, and the Princess Grace Award. His acclaimed projects include Taxilandia, staged inside a moving taxi to examine gentrification, and Mercedes, a multidisciplinary work honoring his grandmother and ancestral memory. He has taught in NYC public schools for over a decade and currently teaches at Sarah Lawrence College.
Teaching: Narrativa -Español
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.
Teaching: Food Insecurity
Moraima Capellán Pichardo
Moraima Capellán Pichardo is a Dominican-born, Brooklyn-raised, professional writer, visual creator, organizer, and yoga teacher. After completing her undergraduate degree in Journalism and Cinema and Screen Studies from the State University of New York at Oswego, Moraima worked in marketing and web management with communications companies such as the Bushwick Film Festival and American Telecommunications Inc. She has written for Oprah Daily, The Huffington Post, La Galeria Magazine, and Healthista, among others. Her published work often focuses on the cultural analysis of the immigrant experience and social justice on and off screen. After living in New York, Moraima returned home and is based in Cabarete, Dominican Republic.
The Dominican Writers Association retreats bring writers, educators, and graduate students together for immersive experiences rooted in culture, research, and storytelling. Through daily writing workshops, cultural immersion, and community building, participants gain the tools to strengthen their work and deepen their connection to Dominican identity.
​
For more information reach out to Program Director Mariela Regalado: Mariela@dominicanwriters.com