(En español abajo)

Dominicans Love Haitians Movement is proud to present its third annual Nou Akoma Nou Sinèrji (We Heart We Synergy) Haitian Dominican Transnational Symposium with the theme: “Unarmed Truth and Unconditional Love.”

"I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality."
— Martin Luther King, Jr., Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech, 1964

We invite artists, thinkers, and cultural workers to envision and create the world Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. dreamed of—a world of justice, dignity, and radical love. A world where diverse voices flourish, where we protect the vulnerable, and where truth dismantles oppression. A world where we hold systems accountable—not to destroy them, but to transform them into instruments of liberation and democracy. 

Unarmed Truth & Unconditional Love: A Call to Action

At the heart of Dr. King’s philosophy was a profound belief in the transformative power of truth and love—not as passive ideals, but as radical forces for justice.

• Unarmed Truth represents the courage to speak and uphold truth, even in the face of oppression. It is an urgent call to confront historical and systemic injustices without distortion or fear. In a time when truth is manipulated, rewritten, and suppressed, how do we reclaim narratives that honor justice?

• Unconditional Love is not passive—it is an act of resistance. It is the radical commitment to seeing each other's full humanity and working toward collective liberation, even when systems seek to divide us. When fear, division, and oppression threaten communities, how do we use love as a force that not only heals but transforms?

Through this open call, we ask: How can artists embody and amplify these principles in a time of crisis?

The Urgency of This Moment

We stand in a moment of great reckoning. More than sixty years of progress is being erased—diversity, equity, and civil rights are under attack by those who fear the power of an equitable future. The struggle for justice is not only racial but also economic, as systemic inequality continues to deny basic rights and opportunities to the most marginalized.

In times like these, it is easy to devolve into political and social rhetoric, where words like “conservative” become coded language for repression, and the erasure of inclusive language serves to solidify systemic oppression. But Dr. King reminds us that we cannot fight injustice by mirroring its tactics—we must meet hatred with truth, fear with courage, and silence with voices that refuse to be erased.

In response, we call on movement makers to rise—to create, disrupt, and resist through the power of art and truth. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy of nonviolent struggle reminds us that truth and love are not passive ideals—they are radical forces for justice. Inspired by his belief that a just world is not only possible but our moral responsibility, we recognize that creativity, like activism, must be grounded in a spirit of compassion, solidarity, and transformation.

The Unarmed Truth & Unconditional Love Open Call

We seek bold artistic proposals that engage with Dr. King’s philosophy, interrogate today’s injustices, and imagine a future rooted in collective liberation. Art has always been a weapon of resistance, a means to reclaim narratives, and a force to awaken consciousness. As policies roll back civil rights and erase diversity initiatives, we ask:

How do we continue to stand in truth and move with love?

While we center the voices and experiences of Haitian and Dominican communities, we welcome proposals from all who are committed to truth, justice, and transformative solidarity.

We invite submissions from all disciplines—visual art, film, performance, writing, and interdisciplinary projects—that reflect on King’s vision and the urgency of creative activism today.

For the Third Annual Nou Akoma Nou Sinèrji (We Heart We Synergy) Haitian-Dominican Transnational Symposium, inspired by Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Nobel Peace Prize Speech, artists can delve into these underpinnings: History, Memory, Narrative, Erasure, Resistance, Solidarity, Healing, Kinship, Empathy, Justice, Liberation, Dignity, Protest, Repression, Courage, Testimony, Futurism, Ritual, Survival, Revolution, Truth, Love, Power, Spiritual. 

About the Dominicans Love Haitians Movement and Nou Akoma Nou Sinèrji (We Heart We Synergy) Haitian Dominican Transnational Symposium

The Dominicans Love Haitians Movement is dedicated to advancing solidarity and understanding between the Dominican and Haitian communities through art, education, and cultural exchange. Through the annual Nou Akoma Nou Sinèrji (We Heart We Synergy) Haitian Dominican Transnational Symposium, we create a space for artists and thinkers to explore themes of justice, healing, and collective liberation. This event embodies our belief in the power of unity and collaboration to overcome division and build a more equitable future.

This year’s theme, “Unarmed Truth and Unconditional Love,” was chosen in a time of escalating division and erasure. We must continuously uphold and uplift the messages of our forebears and activist leaders who paved the way for the world they envisioned—continuing to deepen our resolve to lead by love and truth.

For consideration, please submit proposals by Sunday, August 3rd, 2025, 11:59 PM EST