Ruth C. Pión Vizcaíno

Ruth Pión is an Afro-Caribbean scholar-activist from the Dominican Republic. Her work challenges anti-Blackness and systemic racism, bridging rigorous academic research with community-based frameworks. She is the founder of AfrohistoriaRD, an initiative that reclaims Afrodescendant memory and promotes critical public engagement through immersive experiences and cultural itineraries. With an academic background in Anthropology, a master's in Gender Equality, and certifications in Cultural Heritage Management and Underwater Archaeology, she brings an interdisciplinary and decolonial lens to the study of history and heritage, highlighting Afrodescendant legacies in Ayiti (Hispaniola). 

She is the co-founder of the Instituto Antropológico y Arqueológico Antillano, where she has led Public Archaeology programs that meaningfully integrate local communities, students, and stakeholders. In addition, as a co-founder of Junta de Prietas, a leading Afrofeminist collective, she advocates for racial justice and the recognition of Black people’s rights. 

Ruth has cultivated platforms for political formation and public scholarship rooted in liberatory principles. Her academic and activist trajectories are deeply interwoven, reflecting a sustained commitment to the democratization of cultural heritage and the preservation of Afrodescendant memory. In recognition of the political risks she faces due to her work, she was named the inaugural fellow of the Dominican Threatened Scholar Program at CUNY DSI in 2023.