Season 1, Episode 1: The Arrival

In 1825, invited by the Haitian government, a group of free Black Americans from the Northeast left the U.S. in search of a new beginning. They settled in the lush peninsula of Samaná, where their descendants continue to thrive nearly two centuries later. Following in their footsteps, Taina Perez—a Dominican American and newly single mother of two teenagers—decides to start over in Las Terrenas. For Taina, it is not only about building a new life but also about reconnecting with her ancestral roots and uncovering the history her family carries within this land.

Season 1, Episode 2: The Sea

The waters of Samaná are alive with stories. Each year, humpback whales migrate thousands of miles, passing along the same Atlantic coastlines where Black families once set sail from Philadelphia and Baltimore to reach Hispaniola. When Taina learns this, she sees a striking parallel to her own journey—how the sea has always been a bridge for migration, survival, and discovery. The episode explores the symbolism of the ocean as both a divider and a unifier, guiding Taina to look deeper into her own origins.

Season 1, Episode 3: The Church

Faith and identity intertwine in the history of Samaná. Many of the early Black American settlers brought with them strong Protestant traditions, building churches that remain central to the community today. As Taina visits these historic congregations, she discovers how religion, music, and hairstyles—particularly the natural Afro—became enduring expressions of resilience, dignity, and cultural pride. The episode uncovers how both faith and style shaped a people’s sense of belonging.

Season 1, Episode 4: Rhythms of the Bachata

No story of Dominican identity is complete without music. Taina immerses herself in the origins of Bachata, once dismissed as music of the marginalized but now a global rhythm of passion and longing. Through lessons, community gatherings, and her own attempts at dancing, Taina experiences how music is more than entertainment—it is memory, history, and a living heartbeat of the Dominican Republic.

Season 1, Episode 5: Afro Descendant

To close her journey, Taina travels to meet extended family and hear the oral histories of how their ancestors arrived in Samaná nearly 200 years ago. Through personal stories, family archives, and community voices, she uncovers the legacy of Afro-descendants in the Dominican Republic and the ways in which identity continues to evolve. This final episode ties together Taina’s search for self, belonging, and the broader story of a people whose resilience carried them across seas and generations.

Afro Descendant

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