iASO Cultural Foundation
Mission Statement
The mission of the iASO Cultural Foundation is to empower underserved youth in the Caribbean to cultivate their artistry, to grow as community leaders, and to be global ambassadors of Latin music. Through programs like Academia de Bachata and Konpa Akademi, we engage children in the Dominican Republic and Haiti in free, intensive instruction in the traditional music of Latin America and the Caribbean. Our teacher training and scholarship programs transform talented students into the next generation of professional instructors, building capacity for the future.
Academia de Bachata and
the iASO Cultural Foundation
The Academia de Bachata program was founded in 2013 by Benjamin de Menil in collaboration with the DREAM Project. The Academia has grown over the years into a flourishing institution that became fully independent from the DREAM Project in January 2026. Academia de Bachata founder and longtime program director Benjamin de Menil established the iASO Cultural Foundation, a U.S. 501(c)(3), in 2024 as a vehicle to support the Academia de Bachata and similar programs envisioned for other communities. In 2025, Fundación iASO, a Dominican-registered foundation, was formed to operate the Academia de Bachata. The iASO Cultural Foundation currently supports the Academia de Bachata in Cabarete, Dominican Republic, a new Konpa Akademi in Cap-Hacien, Haiti, and scholarship programs for higher education in music.
About the iASO Cultural Foundation
The iASO Cultural Foundation provides strategic and fiscal oversight for two Caribbean music schools and associated music scholarship programs. Based in New York, we provide governance and resources necessary for our specialized academies to provide high-impact, free music education to over 650 students each year.
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The U.S.-based iASO Cultural Foundation acts as the primary grantee and fiscal sponsor for our international activities. The Dominican-based Fundación iASO operates under the oversight of the U.S. and Dominican board to ensure funds are used for their intended purposes. Execution for our Caribbean programs is localized, managed by President Benjamin de Menil, Operational Coordinator Jildania Sanchez, CFO Alla Korotyaeva, and Konpa Akademi Director Emmanuel Civil.