Summer Internship Program

Andrés F. Acosta De La Cruz holds a B.A. in history from the University of Puerto Rico- Mayagüez Campus and M.A. in history of Puerto Rico and the Caribbean from the University of Puerto Rico-Río Piedras Campus. Andrés is currently a Ph.D. student of history of Latin America and the Caribbean at Stony Brook University. His research focuses on the management of natural disasters, its effects on diasporic communities, their forced migration, and humanitarian assistance from within the Caribbean. By mapping humanitarian actions between Puerto Rico, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic, Andrés intends to show deep historical links of intra-Caribbean peoples.

Ana Maria Belique is a sociologist, human rights defender, researcher, and community leader with a strong academic background. In 2025, Ana Maria earned a Master's degree in Latin American and Caribbean Studies from New York University. She also holds a B.A. in Sociology from Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo, which she earned in 2019. Ana Maria’s professional interests include birth rights, migration, reproductive justice, and traditional maternal care. Ana Maria is passionate about storytelling and oral history. She has coordinated writing workshops that resulted in the publication of two books, Nos cambió la vida (Our Lives Transformed) and Somos quienes somos (We Are Who We Are), which document the experiences and life stories of Dominicans of Haitian ancestry.  

Gabriel Bencosme attends Herbert H. Lehman College, CUNY, and majors in Latin American and Caribbean Studies with a concentration in English Literature. Committed to advocating for his community, Gabriel has taken a variety of courses, including Latino Media and Family & Gender Relations Among Latinos with Professor of History Mila Burns, who has proven to be an important mentor to him. Gabriel proudly identifies as Dominican and Latino, and embraces Washington Heights, the neighborhood where he was raised, as a central part of his identity. In January 2025, Gabriel participated in the Winter in Puerto Rico study abroad program, where he had the opportunity to study with Professors Teresita Levy and Magdalena Sagardía. Once he completes his B.A., Gabriel hopes to pursue a doctorate and work as an administrator in higher education.

Víctor Chacón Cabrera is a recent graduate from SUNY Stony Brook University where he recently graduated with a B.A. in Hispanic Languages and Literatures with a concentration in teaching and a minor  in Latin American and Caribbean Studies. Victor migrated to the U.S. in 2016 from Morona Santiago, Ecuador. His migration experience fuels his passion for migration and border issues and reinforces his commitment to immigrant communities and their struggles. After the summer internship at the CUNY DSI, Victor plans to begin graduate studies at Boston College this coming fall.

Darlene De La Cruz was born and raised in Harlem, NY. Identifying as a queer Afro-Dominican, Darlene is an advocate, researcher, and writer focusing on coalition building between Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and the broader African Diaspora. Darlene’s work also advocates for health care access for non-cisgender men. Darlene recently earned a B.A. in Sociology and African American Studies from Wesleyan University, completing a High Honors thesis on decolonial connections between Dominican ethnobotanical knowledge and the historical neglect of Dominican Black women in the U.S. and the Dominican Republic. In the future, Darlene hopes to earn a JD in Health Care Law, and become a doula and an herbalist.

Samantha Diaz identifies as a Dominican-American. She is currently attending Fordham University, majoring in journalism with a minor in Film & Television. Samantha is a staff writer for the Culture section of the school newspaper, The Fordham Ram. Samantha has also written for Trill Mag, exhibition booklets for Bronx Council on the Arts, and for Mangú & Media, a personal Substack publication. Samantha aims to uplift the Bronx and people of Latino/a ancestry through her work.

Randy Hernández is currently a M.A. student in Spanish Literature at Herbert H. Lehman College, CUNY. Prior to joining the CUNY DSI Summer Research Internship Program, Randy worked as a paraprofessional and a substitute teacher in New York City public schools. Starting in the fall, Randy will join the faculty of George Washington Educational Campus as a Spanish teacher. After completing his M.A., Randy plans to pursue a Ph.D.

Meldis Jiménez identifies as a proud Dominican who was born and raised in Harlem, New York City. She is currently pursuing a B.A. in Sociology at The City College of New York, CUNY. While attending college, Meldis has worked at various community-based organizations, including Broadway Housing Communities, where she helped launch the Youth Leadership Institute and co-published Dreaming of Home: Youth Researchers of Color Address NYC’s Housing Crisis. Meldis’ earlier work at Catholic Charities focused on supporting families facing eviction, hunger, and other urgent challenges. Whether organizing neighborhood initiatives, mentoring youth, or advocating for systemic change, Meldis remains driven by a lifelong conviction: every person deserves a safe and dignified place to call home.

Irenys Reyes is a senior at Cornell University majoring in Biology and Society with a concentration in Public Health. With her degree in hand, Irenys plans to work in public policy, addressing health disparities in communities of Latino/a ancestry. Before this summer, Irenys gained diverse research experience in various health settings and worked as a legal assistant for Cornell’s Parole Initiative Club. Outside of academics, Maria volunteers as a college advisor for Circle Match, a nonprofit that has helped over 100 students get into top colleges.

Arlette Reynoso is currently completing a B.A. at The City College of New York, CUNY (CCNY), with a double major in Sociology and Black Studies. She is a member of the prestigious and highly selective Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship program at CCNY. Arlette’s current research at CUNY DSI focuses on how queer Dominicans navigate their identity and positionality within different physical spaces throughout New York City. Arlette’s goal is to create a digital archive to preserve the presence of queer Dominicans in New York City and to assert the value of the lives and work of those overlooked by dominant archival practices. After completing a B.A., Arlette plans to pursue graduate studies, with the goal of earning a Ph.D. in a field that centers community organizing.

Heby Rodriguez, a first-generation Dominican-Mexican college student, will begin at. Bronx Community College, in the fall, where she plans to major in Political Sciences. Driven by a strong desire to understand systems of governance and how to use them as tools for positive change, Heby is deeply committed to civic engagement and public service. Before joining the CUNY DSI summer research internship, Heby volunteered for NYC Council Member Pierina Sanchez, where she witnessed firsthand how an elected woman leader serves her constituencies. Heby is especially passionate about promoting grassroots participation in local elections to empower her community

Edgar Román Almánzar identifies as a queer Dominican from the town of Esperanza in the Cibao region of the Dominican Republic and from the Bronx. Edgar recently graduated from the College of the Holy Cross with a B.A. in Anthropology and a concentration in Latin American and Caribbean Studies. At Holy Cross, Edgar joined the Caribbean and African Student Assembly, collaborating with peers to celebrate cultural pride across the African Diaspora. Edgar is deeply committed to exploring the intersections of queerness, Caribbean identity, and Afro-indigenous spirituality. After the summer, Edgar plans to enroll in graduate school, aspiring to one day earn a Ph.D.

Marlyn Santos-De La Rosa identifies as second-generation Dominican-American, who was born and raised in East Harlem, New York City. Marlyn is a recent graduate of The City College of New York, CUNY, where she earned a B.A. in Theatre and Speech with minors in Black Studies and Portuguese Language and Lusophone Cultures. Marlyn developed a passion for archival work while at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, where she gained hands-on experience in the Photographs and Prints Division. In the fall, she will begin an M.A. in Library Science and History at Queens College, CUNY. During her internship at CUNY DSI, Marlyn will be studying the presence of Dominican women in bachata.

Alex Taveras holds a B.S. in Psychology from The City College of New York, CUNY, a field he values for its power to help people understand themselves and place in society. He also holds a M.S. in Neuroscience and Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Alex is interested in working in underrepresented communities, particularly on themes that deal with neurodevelopmental disorders. As a summer intern at the CUNY DSI, Alex hopes to gain a deeper understanding of Dominican history and culture, knowledge he hopes to apply in the labor market.  

Matthew Taveras is currently pursuing a B.A. in Sociology at The City College of New York, CUNY (CCNY), with plans to minor in History and Black Studies. He is also a fellow in the prestigious and highly competitive Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship program at CCNY. His interests focus on the evolution of culture in Caribbean societies, particularly the roles of anti-imperialism, resistance, and solidarity. Education has deeply shaped Mathew’s understanding of the world and collective action. Mathew aims to complete his undergraduate degree and pursue a Ph.D. and become a college professor.

Paola Yuli identifies as a Dominican-American, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in English Literature at Howard University. Paola’s research on Caribbean literature explores the relationship between people and the environment, with a particular focus on bodies of water, including oceans, seas, hurricanes, and tempests. Interdisciplinary in nature, Paola's work draws from the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, allowing her to offer a more comprehensive analysis of the texts she studies.

Paola’s dissertation project is tentatively titled “Bodies of Water: Caribbean Literature and the Waterscape.” The project focuses on reading and mapping water in the literature to better understand how contemporary Caribbean and diasporic women writers, such as Elizabeth Acevedo and Rita Indiana, use literary waterscapes that reflect the ecological, social, political, and economic conditions that shape the societies that inspire their work.