Journalism graduates Marcia Dubsky and Luis Felipe Mussalem participated in an incredible opportunity to travel to the Dominican Republic to put their storytelling skills into practice.
It started with a callout to fifth-semester Journalism students to document a several-year project students in Centennial's Community Development Work (CDW) program initiated, which focused on the coffee-growing community of Pedro García, a city in Santiago, Dominican Republic. Luis and Marcia were selected, and just ten days later, they jetted off.
With various angles to choose from and even more footage to sort through, Marcia and Luis worked with the CDW program coordinator, Rachel Larabee, to plan the story they wanted to tell. "We came up with an Instagram page, looked at previous footage of the community and, with that, came up with a colour palette and a brand for them. The goal is to hand the account to the Pedro García community once the project is done (in 2028), so we wanted it to represent them the best we could," Luis explains.
A Snapshot of the Trip
Over the span of seven days, Marcia and Luis, prepped with their DSLR cameras, microphones, tripods, and batteries, embarked on this opportunity to experience a new environment and tell important stories.
When they first arrived, Luis explains that they headed to their ecolodge. “I'll always remember an overview of green mountains from a large wooden cabin and the feeling of peace, even though we had a lot to do and work with,” he shares.
Each day began with a Dominican breakfast at the ecolodge’s commons area. From there, Luis says they would gather their equipment, pack a lunch, and head to a new place that would be part of the CDW students’ research and learning experience. Afterward, Luis and Marcia would go back to store the footage they took and do some much-needed equipment charging after a full day of recording.
“In a nutshell, we did a little bit of everything,” Marcia explains. She adds how she and Luis came up with ideas on how to tell the story and the questions for interviews, in addition to creating the content to post on social media.
You can view the short documentary Luis and Marcia created here.
The Impact of the Experience
This trip provided an incredible opportunity for Luis and Marcia to strengthen their journalistic skills and tap into their passion for telling stories. “I wanted to take part in the project because I wanted to take on a new challenge in my life—do something that would take me out of my comfort zone. Although I felt scared and nervous, taking this opportunity was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life. It opened and still opens so many doors for me,” Marcia says.
She adds, “I enjoyed the opportunity to travel and document something that I wasn’t aware of. Being able to meet the community of Pedro Garcia and hear so many stories opened my eyes to another reality.”
For Luis, this trip allowed him to expand on his interests. “I was always very interested in covering research, but when I saw I could do it outside the country with people I had never even met before, it felt like a challenge worth considering,” he explains. “I would totally recommend this experience for any student. It has empowered me in ways I'm still learning about, and everyone who can do this type of voluntary service abroad should. It's life-changing, and I'm glad I got to tell their story.”
Similarly, Marcia wants those who are considering taking on an experience like this to embrace the change from what they might be used to. “It might be scary to participate in something that you don’t have much knowledge about, when all you know is writing the news, doing interviews and talking about sources in most cases, but it will be worth getting out of your comfort zone,” she explains. “It requires a lot of commitment, open-mindedness, and responsibility, but it’s an opportunity that can change someone’s perspective forever.”
Article by: Alexandra Few
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