Introduction

       When they first arrived in NYC Dominicans were often mistaken for Puerto Ricans. However, over the past few decades they have become increasingly involved in politics. In the late 1970's there were clubs in NYC that were trying to gain control of the Dominican state, such as the Dominican Liberation Party. 

        In the 1980's New York City governments began to redistrict to give chances for representation to the underrepresented populations. This was a result of the 1965 Voting Rights Act which emphasized allowing minority voters to elect, "one of their own". In northern Manhattan District 10 was created with a much greater percentage of Dominican residents. This gave a chance for more activism in politics. Similarly, this took place in New York State politics, when District 72 was created and Adriano Espaillat, a Dominican became the Assemblyman from that district. 

NY State Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat

District 10

Political Registration of District 10

Political Activism  

         Over the past decade there has been a gain in the political activism of Dominicans. In 1991, Guillermo Linares became the first Dominican on the City Council of NYC. In 2001, another Domican Miguel Martinez has taken over his position. This is proof of the gain in representation of Dominicans. 

  Former NYC Councilman                        NYC Councilman

       Guillermo Linares                              Miguel Martinez

Ethnic and Postethnic Politics in NYC

       Traditionally, an immigrant group gains political incorporation when its members are a sizable majority of voters in a specific geographic area. This is the case in Washington Heights-Inwood, where it is primarily a Dominican neighborhood. Some 25% of all the Dominicans in NYC live in this neighborhood. Washington Heights/Inwood is 70% Dominican. This allows politicians to promote a "Dominican agenda". 

      In Bushwick and Williamsburg there is also a majority of latino residents, just under 60%. However, there is no one national-origin group that is a majority. There are also Hasidic Jews and African Americans in the neighborhood. Politics there is not ethnic, it is organized around the low income of its residents. When politicians do make ethnic claims it it about "Latinos," not a particular group. 

Transnationalism     

       Dominicans are extremely transnational people. "Assemblyman Espaillat stated that Dominicans in the United States had two choices: to remain exclusively involved in politics in the Dominican Republic or to support Dominican causes by becoming U.S. citizens and working to affect change there via participation in U.S. politics. Espaillat clearly favored the latter approach." Now, the Dominicans have dual citizenship and are allowed to vote in the politics in the DR. The president of the DR now, Leonel Fernandez, spent his childhood in Washington Heights. He joined the Dominican Liberation Party in NY in 1973. The politicians in the DR come through Washington Heights to campaign for the elections there. 

Second Generation Involvement 

        Young Dominicans is a group of 1.5 and second-generation kids that get involved in "community involvement". They do not have a specifically political agenda but it is a way for the youth to get involved in the community. "The objective of this group is grassroots leadership to involve Dominicans in the development of a national agenda, a movement that will work to provide a new direction to the community (that is, Dominican) empowerment" (Young Dominicans 2000)

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