[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 717 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 717

  Recognizing the Dominican community's presence and contributions to 
                     Washington Heights and Inwood.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 12, 2021

Mr. Espaillat submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Committee 
on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Recognizing the Dominican community's presence and contributions to 
                     Washington Heights and Inwood.

Whereas, in 1613, Juan Rodriguez, a free Black man from La Espanola, was the 
        first immigrant, the first Latino, and the first Dominican to have 
        resided in what became New York City, intertwining the history of the 
        Dominican people with the city forever;
Whereas Juan Rodriguez's biological brothers and sisters settled everywhere in 
        New York City, and they established the largest concentration in 
        Washington Heights and Inwood for decades;
Whereas, from 1892 to 1924, hundreds of thousands of Dominicans entered New York 
        through the famous port of Ellis Island, with many settling in or 
        passing through Washington Heights, including the Brea and Lample 
        families;
Whereas Roumula A. Brea arrived in the United States on April 23, 1915;
Whereas 9 years later, on December 23, 1924, Mr. Brea became a naturalized 
        United States citizen;
Whereas, at the time, Mr. Brea lived with his wife, Julia Brea, on 838 Riverside 
        Drive, located between 159th and 160th Streets;
Whereas Mr. Brea participated in both World War I and World War II;
Whereas Federico Lample, a successful merchant, arrived in New York City in 1917 
        to join his wife Elizabeth Lample at 565 W. 162nd Street;
Whereas the Lample's son, Federico Lample, Jr., later joined them in 1921 to 
        further his studies, but ended up staying permanently;
Whereas, by 1947, Federico Lample, Jr., had already become a bona fide United 
        States citizen, an act which at the time meant giving up his Dominican 
        citizenship;
Whereas, since the 1960s, Washington Heights has been the cultural heartland and 
        the fountain of memory of Dominicans in New York City and more broadly, 
        the United States;
Whereas, for the past 40 years, people of Dominican descent have consistently 
        made up the majority of Washington Heights residents as compared to any 
        other single national group;
Whereas in Washington Heights and Inwood, Dominicans found a neighborhood that 
        was vibrant and diverse and wholeheartedly embraced it, placing their 
        own indelible marks on a neighborhood they have transformed and made 
        their own with their contributions and legacy;
Whereas Dominicans have been an integral part of Washington Heights and Inwood, 
        actively involved in the life of the neighborhood, including advocacy, 
        art, culture, literature, sports, business, and government;
Whereas Dominicans have contributed to make Washington Heights and Inwood into 
        an entrepreneurial community that boasts vibrant cultural centers, 
        strong nonprofit organizations, and a growing and diverse business 
        sector;
Whereas, in the 1950s, Casa Dominicana, located at 3825 Broadway, was founded by 
        Dominican activists as a gathering space for political activities to 
        dismantle the dictatorial Trujillo regime;
Whereas Casa Dominicana regularly organized fundraising events to support the 
        anti-Trujillista movement, as well as other liberatory causes in Latin 
        America;
Whereas people of notable stature, including Columbia University Professor Dr. 
        Jesus de Galindez, delivered speeches at Casa Dominicana;
Whereas one day after class, Dr. Galindez, who had written a thesis denouncing 
        the Dominican Government, disappeared and is presumed to have been 
        kidnapped and murdered by Trujillo's henchmen;
Whereas the disappearance of Dr. Galindez is regarded as one of the most 
        horrendous, still unresolved, episodes in the shared history of the 
        Dominican Republic and the United States;
Whereas the Centro Civico Cultural Dominicano, a nonprofit community 
        organization founded in 1962, continues to build on the invaluable 
        contributions of Dominicans by engaging and empowering Dominican and 
        Hispanic communities locally;
Whereas, in 1966, Club Juan Pablo Duarte was founded on Dominican Independence 
        Day to educate the public on Dominican history, and the organization 
        remains active today and is now known as Instituto Duartiano;
Whereas Centro Cultural Deportivo Dominicano, a social club founded in 1966, 
        remains a longstanding pillar of the local community, where the sound of 
        traditional merengue tipico continues to expand the cultural roots of 
        the Dominican immigrant experience;
Whereas Dominican native Normandia Maldonado had a long history of cultural 
        activism in Washington Heights, founding, alongside other notable 
        Dominicans, several prominent and long-lasting organizations, such as 
        the Instituto Duartiano of the United States in 1966, the Centro 
        Cultural Ballet Quisqueya in 1967, and the Dominican Day Parade, Inc., 
        in 1983;
Whereas, in 1979, the pioneering Community Association of Progressive Dominicans 
        was founded at 3940 Broadway to deliver services in a culturally 
        competent manner to Dominicans and other Latinos who were facing 
        economic hardship and faced language and cultural barriers to access 
        aid;
Whereas the Dominican Women's Development Center has been a vital resource to 
        the Washington Heights and Inwood communities since 1988, providing 
        comprehensive services specifically to the working class, poor women, 
        and families;
Whereas Alianza Dominicana, a leading Dominican organization in Washington 
        Heights for over two decades, became an economic engine that provided 
        jobs to over 350 individuals who worked on issues such as domestic 
        violence, drug abuse, and other social ills;
Whereas Alianza Dominicana also played a vital role in helping families of the 
        Flight 587 tragedy to secure the services they needed;
Whereas Alianza Dominicana also created a Cultural Center that serves as a hub 
        for local artists who enrich northern Manhattan with their art, 
        including literature, performing, and visual programs, fostering the 
        artistic development of the neighborhood's youth;
Whereas Dominican cultural and educational activists organized to reverse 
        inequities in public schools within the area, and developed Gregorio 
        Luperon High School for Science and Mathematics to meet the needs of 
        immigrant Spanish-speaking adolescents and to create an inclusive 
        learning environment;
Whereas 6 schools in the area have been named after historic Dominican figures: 
        I.S. 218 Salome Urena, P.S. 132 Juan Pablo Duarte School, Gregorio 
        Luperon High School for Science and Mathematics, Mirabal Sisters Campus, 
        Professor Juan Bosch Public School, and P.S. 8 Luis Belliard;
Whereas 21 streets, avenues, boulevards, corners, and ways commemorate the 
        Dominican figures and events that have propelled the Dominican people 
        forward: Juan Pablo Duarte Boulevard, Staff Sergeant Riayan Agusto 
        Tejeda Street, Wilson Batista Corner, Corporal Juan M. Alcantara Way, 
        Professor Juan Bosch Way, Miguel Amaro Way, Manolo Tavarez Justo Way, 
        Juan Rodriguez Way, Altagracia Dilone Levat Way, Freddy Beras-Goico Way, 
        Flight 587 Way, Luis ``El Terror'' Dias Way, Flor Maria Miolan Way, 
        Rafael Corporan de los Santos Way, Rafael A. Estevez Way, Mirabal 
        Sisters Way, 27 de Febrero Way, Carlos Alberto Martinez Way, Carmen 
        Georgina Acosta-Cruz Way, Dr. Nasry Michelen Way, and Pedro Rafael 
        Landestoy Duluc Way;
Whereas an array of small- and medium-size businesses in Washington Heights and 
        Inwood continue to be fueled by Dominican entrepreneurs and loyal 
        patrons, creating a sense of a prosperous people within the entire 
        neighborhood;
Whereas Dyckman Street restaurants have witnessed a renaissance creatively 
        fusing Dominican cuisine with cuisines of different cultures, such as 
        Japanese and Italian, and local staples, such as 809 Bar and Grill, 
        Mamajuana, La Nueva Espana, and La Casa Del Mofongo, continue to attract 
        patrons citywide to dine on the new-Dominican cuisine as they visit the 
        neighborhood;
Whereas the National Supermarket Association and the Bodega Association of the 
        United States, the 2 largest Dominican food-retail businesses, have a 
        strong presence in Washington Heights and Inwood, providing a vital 
        service, but also creating jobs and contributing to the neighborhood 
        economic progress;
Whereas the National Supermarket Association distributes its scholarships, with 
        awards from $1,000 to $5,000, only to college students who live in the 
        neighborhoods where National Supermarket Association and the Bodega 
        Association supermarkets are located;
Whereas professional associations, such as Dominicans on Wall Street (DOWS), the 
        Association of Dominican-American Supervisors and Administrators 
        (ADASA), the New York Dominican Officers Organization (NYDO), the 
        Dominican Bar Association (DBA), the Dominican Medical Association 
        (DMA), and the Dominican Medical-Dental Society (DMDS), highlight the 
        contributions of professional Dominicans nationwide to the development 
        of their communities;
Whereas the Dominican community was heavily involved in the advocacy and 
        restoration efforts to bring local parks back to life in the 1990s from 
        their state of neglect and vandalism, such as High Bridge Park, Inwood 
        Hill Park, Riverside Park, and Fort Tryon Park;
Whereas Dominican artists and artists born to immigrant Dominican parents in 
        Washington Heights add to the dynamic blending of cultures that has 
        historically personified the neighborhood's identity;
Whereas, from the late 1950s to mid-1960s, the Malagon Sisters, one of the first 
        Dominican music acts to successfully cross over, lived in Washington 
        Heights at 600 West 164th Street, Apt. 47;
Whereas the Malagon trio contributed to the exposure of merengue, cha-cha-cha, 
        and other Latin American genres, and their vocal and wide variety of 
        instrumental talents earned them opportunities to perform at prestigious 
        venues such as the Apollo Theater, and on iconic platforms such as the 
        Ed Sullivan Show;
Whereas Milly Quezada, the ``Queen of Merengue'', was raised and rose to stardom 
        in Washington Heights with Milly y los Vecinos, a band she created with 
        her siblings;
Whereas Quezada arrived in the neighborhood at age 11 and lived at 500 West 
        171st Street, and she attended George Washington High School;
Whereas Dominican-American artists Lucia Hierro and M. Tony Peralta have both 
        been recognized internationally for their thought-provoking work 
        exploring the Dominican-American experience in intersecting areas of 
        class, culture, identity, and gender;
Whereas Dominican theater artist Mino Lora cofounded the People's Theater 
        Project, which provides creative youth development programs for children 
        growing up in the immigrant communities of upper Manhattan;
Whereas playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda conceived ``In the Heights'', the Tony 
        Award-winning musical set in Washington Heights, which tells the tale of 
        immigrant Usnavi de la Vega who longs to return to his native Dominican 
        Republic, yet ultimately staying because he, like so many Dominicans, 
        has become part of a vibrant community and has made it his permanent 
        home;
Whereas Cayena Publications is a publishing firm based in Washington Heights and 
        founded by Mary Ely Pena-Gratereaux that shines a light on the immigrant 
        experience by supporting literary works that project a positive 
        representation of Dominicans and other Latinos in the United States;
Whereas author and activist Angie Cruz is a native of Washington Heights whose 
        books, ``Soledad'', ``Let It Rain Coffee'', and ``Dominicana'', 
        highlight the issues of working-class life, gender, and race in New York 
        City;
Whereas the Dominican Film Festival in New York showcases filmmakers from 21 
        countries including the Dominican Republic who reflect the city's 
        diverse and multicultural population;
Whereas Semana Dominicana en Estados Unidos (Dominican Week in the United 
        States) has been celebrated for 25 years, highlighting the social and 
        cultural ties between the Dominican Republic and the United States, in 
        addition to economic, commerce, and academic collaboration;
Whereas the Dominican Day Parade in New York City has celebrated the vibrant 
        Dominican heritage through history, traditions, and music since its 
        beginnings in 1982 on Audubon Avenue, and now attracts thousands of 
        people who gather to enjoy the reverence of Dominican culture on the 
        Avenue of the Americas;
Whereas 3-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) Alex Rodriguez and 4-time Major League 
        Baseball All-Star Dellin Betances of the New York Yankees were born in 
        Washington Heights, and Manny Ramirez, the award- winning MVP and 12-
        time All-Star baseball player, moved from the Dominican Republic to New 
        York City where he attended George Washington High School in Washington 
        Heights and became a baseball prodigy;
Whereas Guillermo Linares became the first Dominican elected to public office in 
        New York City in 1991, and also served on President Bill Clinton's 
        Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans;
Whereas Adriano Espaillat is the first Dominican immigrant to be elected to the 
        New York State Assembly in 1996, and the first formerly undocumented 
        person elected to the United States Congress in 2016, representing New 
        York's 13th Congressional District which is predominantly Dominican 
        American;
Whereas Rolando Acosta was elected as the first Dominican-American New York 
        State Supreme Court Justice in New York County in 2002;
Whereas Judge Faviola Soto, who was born and raised in Hamilton Heights, was 
        appointed as the first Dominican judge in New York in 1993, and was the 
        first Hispanic to sit on the New York State Court of Claims in 2006; and
Whereas the Dominican Studies Institute of the City University of New York is 
        working on a National Register of Historic Places application for 
        submission to the National Park Service that would create a 
        noncontiguous cultural heritage district within sections of Washington 
        Heights and Inwood to document, acknowledge, and honor the contributions 
        of the Dominican community and ensure that the Dominican cultural legacy 
        to the neighborhoods does not fade from memory, but rather remains an 
        integral component of their ongoing rich and dynamic history: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the designation of a noncontiguous Dominican 
        cultural heritage district under the aegis of the National Park 
        Service to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of the 
        Dominican community to New York City, New York State, and the 
        Nation;
            (2) recognizes that the cultural legacy and historical 
        contributions of the Dominican community enrich, enliven, and 
        permeate Washington Heights and Inwood;
            (3) honors the long standing history and rich contributions 
        of Dominican-American elected officials, artists, small 
        business and bodega owners, writers, and trailblazers;
            (4) supports the efforts to recognize and preserve the 
        history of the Dominican people in Washington Heights and 
        Inwood, including through the designation of historic buildings 
        and districts; and
            (5) promises to fight against the displacement, 
        gentrification, uprooting of low- and moderate-income 
        residents, and other factors threatening the history of 
        Washington Heights.
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