Karina Rieke

   Karina Rieke was born in Santo Domingo, the capital of Dominican Republic, in 1971, to a Dominican mother and a German father. She lived in her native country until the age of 11 when she moved with her family to New York, where  she has lived ever since.  In 2002, she published her first book of poetry, "Semejanza de lo Eterno" which enabled her to win a prestigious prize in Madrid for the poem "Ser de Migajas". Her second book of poetry is titled, "Mitologia del Instante",and it  was published by a prestigious publisher “Isla Negra” in 2009. Her third book is Ontología de la Palabra, 2012, published by Editora Nacional, the most important Publisher from Domincan Republic. Karina Rieke's work has appeared in the following anthologies:  "Metapoesía de Mi" 2003,"Voces de Ultramar" 2005, "Directorio de Escritores Dominicanos en los Estados Unidos" in 2005. "Voces Metapoéticas" 2003, "Cayenas Publication" 2009, "Mujeres de Palabra" 2010 and  "Vino & Rosas", 2010.  And la Palabra Revelada, el poder de contarnos 2011, as a writer.  Karina Rieke was chosen to participate, along with 9 other prestigious poets in the CD "From Poetry to Song" which circulated in March 2008. Karina Rieke is also the creator of the women's literary workshop, "Camila Enriquez Urena" which intends to enrich the creativity and talent of new authors as its  main objective. Karina has been teaching  Latin American and Latin- Caribbean literature courses at  the Institute of Journalism. She has also been a prominent art teacher at a program  she designed herself for adults in the area of Washington Heights,N.Y. In the year 2000 she served as the  Director of Visual Arts and Theater for  the Dominican government at "La Casa de la Cultura", which is now called "Comisionador Dominicano de Cultura en Los Estados Unidos." In the year 2001 she created "Fundacion Dominicana Culturarte de New York",  of which she is the Executive Director/CEO. It was in this school that she established "The School of the Arts in Washington Heights" which offers weekly classes in art, music, theater, dance, photography, film, journalism, ballet, and poetry to more than a hundred students from the area, thanks to a three year proposal that was granted in 2005 with the Department of Youth of the city of New York, DYCD. Under Karina's direction, Culturarte was able to found" Anacaona Dominican Theater" the first Dominican theater in Washington  Heights, which was established with the exclusive support of New York City's Department of Culture and New York State's Council of the Arts. As the director of Culturarte, Karina Rieke has organized widespread cultural events such as "Cultural Retreat" outside of New York and "La Feria del Libro" which is going on its fifth year. She also hosts "Simposio de Cultura y Literatura Dominicana" and "Noche de Periodistas y Escritores" on a monthly basis.      Karina Rieke graduated with a BA in Art and a Master Degree in Creative Literature from City College of New York. She also graduated with honors as a journalist from the Dominican Institute of Journalism, New York, with a concentration in television and the written press. Karina is the producer and host of "Karina Rieke in New York", a TV show that promotes literature and cultural tourism through interviews and reports.  She was the co-founder and editor of the cultural column "Art and culture" in, "Periodico La Republica, 2001" In 2007, she was invited to work as a newscaster, where she played the lead female role in the show "Contacto" which is broadcasted throughout the United States.  From an early age Karina has been involved in the arts and literature. She studied theater and acting with well renown individuals such as Osvaldo Dragun and participated in different theater groups. She studied painting intensively as well as drawing in the "Art Student League School" in New  York. She graduated from City College with a degree in Painting and Drawing and a concentration in photography, ceramics, and the use of the wheel. For many years she dedicated herself to working as an art and handicrafts teacher in public schools in the school districts 3, 4, 5 and 6 in Manhattan. Karina Rieke is without a doubt a creative and passionate artist who is  capable of facing any challenges  in order to promote culture, art, journalism and poetry. She is  equally a socially conscious individual;a prominent figure whose capability makes her a great female role model to her community.  Karina is the Educational Program Director for the DWDC and is the Director of the International Book Fair for Dominican Writers.