Back in the 1980’s during a period when the Dominican community in the United States, especially in NYC, did not have a great reputation, there was a need to show another side of that community. With the aim of projecting a different image of the Dominican diaspora, a group of Dominican artists lead by pianist Tilsia Brens, created the Association of Dominican Classical Artists, a non-profit 501(c)(3) performing arts organization dedicated to promoting classical music, along with its composers and interpreters from the Dominican Republic and Latin America. Today ADCA has as its mission to foster appreciation for the classical and folkloric music of the Dominican Republic and Latin America; to create performance spaces for its artists, and to bring live performances and music education to communities in Upper Manhattan that have been historically underserved in the areas of music and art instruction. Our two major projects furthering our mission are the ADCA Concert Series and the Washington Heights Community Conservatory of Fine Arts (WHCCFA).