Graciela Rodriguez Carmona

B.A in Ethnic Studies and Visual Arts, Hampshire College
Certificate in Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies, Five college consortium

Graciela has a love for working with communities and people in service.

Her interest and fellowship in understanding people from different cultures and backgrounds stem from her experiences growing up as an immigrant in the United States. Originally from the Dominican Republic, she grew up in The Bronx, went to college in Massachusetts, and then spent 2 years in Thailand working as an experiential program manager. Graciela has designed and facilitated youth empowerment workshops and outdoor education programs for diverse populations throughout North America, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and East Africa. She is keenly interested in understanding what people have to offer and how they contribute to our world, and she is skilled at creating spaces where people feel comfortable and brave enough to express themselves.

As a born creator and teacher, what ignites Graciela is learning about the specifics of a particular place – its people and what they care about, its history, society, and culture. She is wildly creative: – an artist by training and a student of anthropology. Her past research has focused on memory, loss, and identity within the context of a black-Caribbean immigrant experience in the U.S. Themes of race, liberation, language, transnational identities, and reflexive and socially engaged art practices anchor Graciela’s research and writing.

Graciela is interested in reflective art practices as a tool for character development and community building. She values critical thinking, authenticity, and determination and brings these attributes with her to Dragons as an admissions associate excited to innovate traditional systems of operating.