Project: "Beach Blanket Capitalism," focusing on four aspects of the Cuban government's effort to increase tourism: American laws and their effect on Cuban travel policy; the changing fortune of underground entrepreneurs; the effects of "tourism apartheid" on local citizens; and the role that tourism training schools play in exacerbating prejudices against race, class and political creed.

Bio:

Damien spent 18 months on assignment for The New York Timesin Iraq.  He is a foreign correspondent for the New York Times covering Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. He previously worked as an associate editor at Rolling Stone, a senior writer for Salon.com, and as a staff writer for the Keene Sentinel in New Hampshire. He received a B.A. in English from Boston College and an M.S. in journalism from Columbia University.