Recognizing the Dominican community's presence and contributions to Washington Heights and Inwood.
This is a House Resolution introduced by Representative Adriano Espaillat recognizing the Dominican community’s long-standing presence and contributions in the Washington Heights and Inwood neighborhoods of New York City. The resolution expresses support for designating a noncontiguous Dominican cultural heritage district under the National Park Service to acknowledge and celebrate Dominican history in the area. It catalogs a long history of Dominican settlement, culture, organizations, notable individuals, and community institutions, and it commits the House to recognizing and preserving that heritage, including through historic designations of buildings and districts. It also pledges to oppose displacement and gentrification that could threaten the neighborhood’s cultural legacy. As a nonbinding resolution, the measure signals congressional support for national recognition and preservation efforts but does not itself create a new federal program or automatically designate a district. Actual designation would require further legislative action and federal processes coordinated with the National Park Service and relevant stakeholders.
Key Points
- 1The resolution acknowledges a deep, multi-generational Dominican presence in Washington Heights and Inwood and highlights the community’s broad contributions to advocacy, arts, culture, business, and public life.
- 2It supports the designation of a noncontiguous Dominican cultural heritage district under the National Park Service to formally recognize and celebrate Dominican contributions to New York City, New York State, and the nation.
- 3It honors Dominican-American elected officials, artists, small-business owners, writers, and trailblazers, and endorses efforts to preserve Dominican history, including through historic designations of buildings and districts.
- 4It emphasizes the role of numerous Dominican organizations and cultural institutions (e.g., Casa Dominicana, Centro Civico Cultural Dominicano, Instituto Duartiano, Dominican Day Parade, and others) in community development and cultural life.
- 5It pledges to combat displacement, gentrification, and other pressures that threaten long-standing residents and the neighborhood’s historic character and memory.