The Black 6 Project’s most recent humanitarian mission was located in San Borja, Bolivia. This particular mission was driven by a shared commitment between the Black 6 Project and Huellas Y Futuro. Together we share a common a common goal to alleviate the suffering and enhance the quality of life for underserved communities. In collaboration with this new partner, we aimed to provide vital medical support and holistic care while facilitating solutions for local needs.
Our Mission was comprised of two essential pillars. First, we provided comprehensive medical assistance and conducted thorough assessments, necessary to address critical healthcare gaps. Secondly, as part of our commitment, we are in support of our partnering organization in their construction of a sustainable water source. We recognize the pivotal role fresh water will play in the overall well-being of the affected communities.
Meet the Team
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Dan Show
U.S. Marine Corps
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Joe Zoleta
CEO & Co-Founder of Black6Project & Black6Coffee / U.S. Marine Corps
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Rachel Kim
Active Duty Major, U.S. Army
“...by performing and receiving the opportunity to interact with new perspectives different from your own, you can appreciate and respect how others live their lives.”
“Helping others has helped me more than I would have ever thought possible. It has gave me the chance to see life from a different point in the world. ”
“...by performing and receiving the opportunity to interact with new perspectives different from your own, you can appreciate and respect how others live their lives.”
General Overview:
The Black 6 Project is a non-profit organization that aims to re-purpose military veteran’s skills by applying them to humanitarian work. By working alongside first responders and other mission-driven individuals, we look to solve the big problems of getting basic needs. Through the experience of service, we learn that service to others is what keeps us moving forward.
We did a Q&A with our crew while deployed,
read below for some insight:
Before we start, how do you envision making a positive impact through your participation in this mission?
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I have found human connection to be important in my life. I believe that to connect with others genuinely; some relatability must be used as a fulcrum point shared through experiences. A starting point to form such experiences may begin by embracing others’ perspectives and how they see and interact in their world. This process can be achieved by stepping into someone else's environment and experiencing their world directly. By learning how others create the foundations of their world, human connection is more possible. Thus, by performing and receiving the opportunity to interact with new perspectives different from your own, you can appreciate and respect how others live their lives. Therefore, with the participation of this mission, I hope to gain a new insight into how such indigenous communities live and interact with each other. I hope to add this experience with the Black 6 Project to provide leverage for future interactions with others in a counseling environment to form a better genuine connection to help create trust and relatability in clinical and non formal settings.
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I clearly don’t see how I will be making a positive impact on the community we choose to serve during this trip. There’s a lot of unknowns that we are waiting to find out. One thing I am sure of though is the positive impact this will have on my life. Helping others has helped me more than I would have ever thought possible. It has gave me the chance to see life from a different point in the world. One that I would never have had the chance to do if I didn’t do this type of work. The chance to meet perfect strangers halfway around the world and take care of some basic needs that I take for granted is a grand thought. Turning that into action is what makes me know anything is possible when the will is there.
-Joe Zoleta
Can you share a personal experience or moment that ignited your passion for helping others?
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A few years back, I had an individual reach out to me who was suffering from a depressive episode concerning suicide. What inspired me was that they felt comfortable coming to me about their current mental state of crisis and asking for help. We began to discuss the matter seriously without jumping to conclusions or judgment and calmly focused on the matter at hand to resolve the immediate situation. Later on, we remained in contact to discuss future contingencies if this mental state were to repeat and devised a plan that would utilize aspects of positive cognitive techniques so they could defuse the situation on their own if no immediate help was available. Following this event, I realized that this type of mentorship was important to me, and I pursued further education and opportunities to help others in need.
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I can’t remember the single moment but I do know how I felt after 9/11. I was an intern at the World Trade Center at the time and I felt hopeless. I felt I there was nothing I can do to make the situation better. There was that feeling that something must be done and I just didn’t know what it would be for me. This feeling of serving began to grow inside me. The following week, I went into the Marine recruiting office and signed the papers to join the Marines and I was going away to bootcamp in 3 months. It was history after that.
How do you plan to foster connections and build relationships with the individuals and communities we interact with during the mission?
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Building connections with individuals brings me joy and fulfillment. I aim to form a genuine connection with others on this mission through an empathic approach that allows positive communication via listening and introspection of their perspectives. From there, relationships can occur with an approach free of judgments but full of support and acceptance.
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I think one of the best ways to make connections is to show your sincerity in that you’ve come to help the best you can. Also, to build relationships, you have to ask questions and learn about the people you are interacting with. It’s important to listen more than it is to speak. I will find connections and similarities in our lives and I see that we aren’t that much different after all.
Our Mission:
The Black 6 Project will be providing medical support to the Huellas Y Futuro team and its water filtration installment team as they travel to San Borja, Bolivia the closet village to where the Tsimane community resides. While with the Tsimane community, the team will be conducting a medical needs assessment to help determine the medical needs of the people.
Our teams bio:
Click below to read more about each of our deploying members!
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Hey everyone, I'm Joseph Zoleta, and I'm honored to share a bit about my journey with you. As the co-founder of The Black 6 Project and the founder of Black 6 Coffee Trading Co., I've dedicated my life to service and making a positive impact wherever I can.
My journey began in 2002 when I joined the US Marine Corps in response to the events of 9/11. As a Rifleman in the infantry, I was stationed in Camp Pendleton and deployed twice, first in 2003 to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom, and then in 2004 to the Al-Anbar province capital of Ramadi. It was during these deployments that I was honored to receive the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device.
After my enlistment, I returned to NYC and transitioned into a new role as a NYC EMT. Through hard work and dedication, I received the Keith Fairben Paramedic Scholarship, enabling me to further my training and become a NYC paramedic. Over the years, I've had the privilege of serving as an EMS Supervisor and eventually as an EMS Manager for Flushing Hospital in Queens, NY.
In 2017, I co-founded The Black 6 Project with a group of paramedics and veterans, driven by a shared commitment to help those in need. Together, we provided crucial assistance to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria and brought medical aid to a remote tribe in Mindoro, Philippines.
Inspired by my experiences and a desire to continue supporting important causes, I founded Black 6 Coffee Trading Co. After bringing back raw coffee from a disaster relief trip, I decided to donate 100% of the company's sales to The Black 6 Project.
Currently, I work as a paramedic supervisor for NYU Langone – Long Island, where I continue to serve my community and strive to make a difference every day.
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Dan is passionate about living a life of self-discovery and experiencing cultural diversities, all while finding ways to impact others positively.
Born in Maryland and raised with values of empathy, compassion, and service, it was a natural decision for Dan to join the United States Marine Corps upon graduating high school. Dan acquired the skills to face challenges with bravery and the ability to bounce back from adversity while serving in the Marines. He was motivated by the steadfastness and courage demonstrated by his Marine brothers, which encouraged him to uphold the fundamental principles of the Corps long after completing his service.
As a Marine veteran, Dan found his greatest fulfillment in helping and serving others. Whether instructing scuba divers in Hawaii or training labor workers on Florida’s sunny coast, witnessing moments of courage and drive challenges inspired him and fueled his determination to support the success of anyone he meets in any way he can.
Dan continues taking opportunities to better himself and elevate those around him throughout his journey. This is just one reason why the chance to join the Bolivia Mission with the Black 6 Project came as naturally as serving in the Marines those years ago.
As he lives by the personal motto that “true fulfillment lies not in personal achievements but in the impact that is made on the lives of others,” Dan believes it is a privilege and honor to align these values with fellow veterans in Black 6’s humanitarian efforts and, together, to enrich the global communities that need it most.
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Hi! I'm Rachel and I am so excited to be part of this amazing mission. I was born and raised in Queens, NY and am a fervent advocate for public service and volunteering. I currently am an Active Duty Major in the U.S. Army and teach Economics at West Point, where I continue to support organizations in the tri-state area committed to the ideals that fuel this great nation.
A special thank you to our sponsors…
Backpacks For Life, Veterans of Foreign Wars (Post 1384: Long Beach, NY) and Black6Coffee. Click on the logos below to learn more about these amazing organizations.
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Veterans of Foreign Wars
Post 1384: Long Beach, NY
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Backpacks for Life
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Black 6 Coffee
Huellas Y Futuro is a Bolivia based non-profit organization whose work is based mostly on social justice projects such as women and children’s rights and educational projects. This pilot project, titled "Clean Water for All", has as its main objective to improve the living conditions of the T'simanne community in the department of Beni, located 3 hours from San Borja, in the Amazon region. Our main objective was to implement a water filtration system to satisfy the vital needs of the beneficiary populations, allowing them access to drinking water for direct human consumption, personal hygiene and food preparation. The final purpose is to improve the quality of life of the community and promote the subsistence of its original indigenous culture.
Huellas y Futuro
Follow us on Instagram! @black6project
