Julio Louis
B.A., Business Administration and Hospitality, Universidad Tecnologica de Santiago, Dominican Republic
Community Solutions Program, Tolerance and Conflict Resolution – The United States Department of State, IREX, the Community Leadership Institute (CLI) and George Mason University
Women’s Economic Empowerment at the Presidential Precinct, Virginia, U.S.A
Julio envisions a world with equitable access to economic, educational and social opportunities. Since 2008, he has worked in the field of experiential education and has led diverse groups of American high school and college students in both short-term and longer-term experiences in the Dominican Republic. He has collaborated with local and international organizations to empower his community and young leaders in different capacities by providing youth with necessary workforce development training, life skills, and internship opportunities. In addition to working with young people, he is also a human rights defender. Over the years, he has worked with different organizations to provide legal identification to migrants and their children which helps them access appropriate documentation to work, study, and live as full citizens in the Dominican Republic.
His life has also been personally impacted by experiential education. He has witnessed the positive impact of such programs within his community as well as the transformation in program participants. The most impactful part for him has been watching the long-term connections developed between participants and communities. Ultimately, this type of engagement leads to ongoing learning and collaboration, which transforms the participants into more inclusive leaders. He believes that experiential learning and cross-cultural exchange has the power to eradicate misconceptions and discrimination and provide a deeper understanding of humanity as a whole.
Julio plans to continue supporting his community by providing vocational, entrepreneurial, and financial training to provide access to more sustainable and steady employment. Additionally, he is working to create a network of local and international partners to connect his community to resources and create opportunities for engagement via social projects and investment. He is currently working as a cross-cultural and community engagement expert to spread best practices in sustainable community development.
Julio speaks Haitian Creole, Spanish, English, and French. When he is not working, you can find him developing new music with his band, attending local and international cultural events, and enjoying tropical food and juices throughout the island. Julio is excited to work with Dragons on the island of Hispaniola (shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic).