Our Team
Founded in 2022, our small team has been growing over the past four years…
Sophia de la cruz
Co-DirectorSophia De La Cruz is a Dominican-American advocate and researcher with a background in youth-engaged participatory research and oral history. After graduating from the University of Florida, she now works as a paralegal with the Public Defender Service for DC's Juvenile Services Program.
Sophia established Kiskeya Youth with an amazing team of 30+ partners in 2022 to build solidarity between Haitian and Dominican diaspora youth to lead community-embedded research and development projects. In 2024, a $10,000 Middlebury Projects for Peace grant supported the organization's first pilot “Semillero de Lideres” summer program for over 40 youth ages 11–18.
Kevin lyberal
Co-DirectorKevin Lyberal is a mechanical engineering student at the University of Florida with a strong interest in battery storage systems. He is passionate about contributing to the growth of Caribbean countries, particularly Haiti.
Kevin believes that providing students with the right educational resources can help build discipline, which in turn supports the development of the infrastructure these communities need.
Program FacilitatorDiana Rodriguez earned her MA in Latin American Studies after producing a short documentary on the lives of Haitian migrants and Dominicans of Haitian descent in Batey Libertad, Dominican Republic. Her work centers on oral history and social justice, with a focus on amplifying marginalized voices and making their stories accessible to broader publics.
She is currently a high school English teacher, where she encourages students to engage critically with literature, history, and lived experiences while recognizing the power of storytelling to illuminate overlooked perspectives.
Diana rodriguez-allende
Program FacilitatorJoey is a Haitian-American from Broward County, Florida. An alumna of the University of Florida (UF), she graduated with her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Studies with a minor in African American Studies.
During her time at UF, she served as Webmaster for Club Creole and a committee member on the Philanthropy Committee of CaribSA. She also worked as a Language Assistant and the Conversation Partner Program Assistant at the English Language Institute, improving with the English proficiency of international students. She is now working in Higher Education in Admissions, working with non-traditional and international students.