Vias RD Featured in Voyage Utah: A Utah Nonprofit Changing Lives in the Dominican Republic

Voyage Utah featured Vias RD as part of their ongoing series highlighting inspiring people and organizations across the state of Utah. The piece gave Brian Straley the opportunity to share the full story — from his LDS mission in Santo Domingo West in the late 1990s, to founding what was then Empower Baseball in 2020, to the rebrand to Vias RD in 2026.

What the Feature Covered

The interview touched on the origins of the program, the reality of running an international nonprofit while working full-time at Northrop Grumman, and what the program means to the families in Barahona who are living it. Brian talked about Bernarda Acosta, Coach Ulises Batista, and the 48 student-athletes currently enrolled in Los Piratas del Sur.

He also addressed the harder question that comes up in any conversation about Dominican baseball nonprofits: how do you actually know it's working? The answer is straightforward. 100% of our players are enrolled in school. 100% are on track to graduate. Julio Zenón graduated high school in 2026 — the first of our players to do so — and is now heading to college. He's tutoring the next kid coming up.

Why Utah?

The connection between Utah and the Dominican Republic runs deeper than geography might suggest. Thousands of Utah residents have served LDS missions in the DR and carry deep affection for the country, its people, and its culture. Brian's own mission in Santo Domingo West from 1998 to 2000 — including time in Barahona itself — is the direct origin of Vias RD.

The returned missionary network is one of Vias RD's most natural donor communities: people who already know the DR, already love Dominicans, and are looking for a way to continue investing in a place that shaped them. If that's you, we'd love to connect. Reach out here or donate today.

See our full impact, read stories from Barahona, or explore corporate partnership opportunities.

I work full-time in Utah and run Vias RD on nights and weekends for free. That's not a complaint — it's context. This is what it looks like to build something you believe in.