CUNY Dominican Studies Institute Library

Dr. Vanessa K. Valdés donates edited volume to the CUNY DSI library

We are grateful to Dr. Vanessa K. Valdés, Associate Provost and esteemed scholar who purchased and donated a copy of her book: Racialized Visions: Haiti and the Hispanic Caribbean (SUNY Press, SUNY series, Afro-Latinx Futures 2020) to the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute Library. 

Racialized Visions: Haiti and the Hispanic Caribbean is the first volume in English to explore the cultural impact of Haiti on the surrounding Spanish-speaking nations of Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.

To check Dr. Valdés's most recent project, please visit the exhibition: Juan de Pareja, Afro-Hispanic Painter at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) in New York City. To learn more about the exhibit, please click here. 

By Prof. Sarah Aponte and Librarian Jhensen Ortiz

Delightful Visit and Conversation with Gina B Voices

It was a pleasure meeting and spending time with Gina Bess-Bonilla who shared information about her family history, including Dominican musician Ramón E. García (1907-1989).

From left to right: Dr. Vanessa K. Valdés, Prof. Sarah Aponte, Gina Bess-Bonilla, and Librarian Jhensen Ortiz, April 3, 2023

To see photos that feature Ramón E. García, you can visit A History of Dominican Music in the United States website:

1. Press photo of Ramón García's band the Conjunto Típico Cibao, please click here
2. Ramón García with Angel Viloria y su Conjunto Típico Cibaeño performing at the legendary Palladium Ballroom in New York City with Haydee Malagon in 1953, please click here
3. Ramón García with Dominican bandleader Josecito Roman and his orchestra Quisqueya in 1949, including his brothers Brunito Garcia (1909-1972), José Garcia (1904-1965), Tito Garcia, Nino Garcia, sisters Ana Luisa (1905-2002) and Ligia García (1921-2005), please click here
4. Ramón García with brother Brunito Garcia and Dominican percussionist Luis Quintero in Washington D.C. at the Dominican embassy in 1953, please click here 
5. Front cover of the concert program for the "Merengue Songbook/Cancionero del Merengue" which took place on September 29, 1951, please click here
6. Press photo of Angel Viloria y su Conjunto Típico Cibaeño where Ramón García is pictured with the alto saxophone, please click here

 Gina Bess-Bonilla is the voice narrator for the exhibition Juan de Pareja, Afro-Hispanic Painter at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) in New York City. To learn more and hear the Audio Guide, please click here. The exhibit was co-curated by Dr. Vanessa K. Valdés, Associate Provost at the City College of New York (pictured above).

By Prof. Sarah Aponte and Librarian Jhensen Ortiz

Dr. Norma Fuentes-Mayorga donates latest publication to CUNY DSI Library

We would like to thank Dr. Norma Fuentes-Mayorga, Associate Professor in Sociology and Latin American and Latina/o Studies at the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership, The City College of New York for donating her recent publications to the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute Library.

Dr. Norma Fuentes-Mayorga signing a copy of her PhD dissertation for the library. 

Prof. Sarah Aponte with Dr. Norma Fuentes-Mayorga holding a copy of her recent book and PhD dissertation on April 4, 2023.

We are grateful that Prof. Fuentes-Mayorga donated a copy of her PhD dissertation back in 2005 and has now signed and dedicated a copy of her recent book From Homemakers to Breadwinners to Community Leaders: Migrating Women, Class, and Color (Rutgers University Press, 2023) to the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute Library.

In addition, she shared her recent article: "Migraciones sin hombres y en contextos racializados. Contribuciones de las mujeres
dominicanas migrantes a las comunidades de origen y de destino," Ronddhha (Revista del Centro Internacional para la Promoción de los Derechos Humanos, CIPDH-UNESCO), N0. 1, Vol. 1, Feb. 2023, 98-103. You can read the article by clicking here.

We are are grateful for her support!

By Prof. Sarah Aponte and Librarian Jhensen Ortiz