The future of Washington Heights (New York, Cuba: island, places, average)

[nyc0127]

Supermario is right in regard that his psychology will unintentionally favor whiteness. That's how people in the Dominican Republic are taught, regardless of race. Being that he was raised there, his psychology towards this issue just won't be necessarily the same as what most Americans believe. This could leave an awkward paradox to those who have enough black to physically not be ''camouflage'' to white America. Being that their children will be raised in this country, it's more than likely they'll follow the trend of the United States.

The United States tells people of African descent that they should indeed be proud of their roots. People from the Dominican Republic don't believe in this. That's both good and bad. By not creating segments, it keeps the people and culture of the Dominican Republic more united, but it also denies history. Supermario is well-aware and acknowledging of all the facts. Probably a lot more than most people in the Dominican Republic ever will be.

No one wants to say they favor whiteness because it sounds wrong (especially in this country), but we can't sit here and deny that. With the exception of parts of the West Indies, it's well understood that European ancestry is intended to be both physically and culturally superior to others. It's largely because of slavery and the fact that our education systems and languages are European replicas. This isn't just a problem in the Dominican Republic, but most of the Western Hemisphere - and definitely Spanish speaking Latin America.

[Guywithacause]

I agree and understand all of the above post. I do not blame Supermario for his beliefs, however I do blame him for not changing his beliefs. It's easy to say "thats just how I was raised" but at the end of the day you have your own brain, and make your own decisions, and if you continue to directly or indirectly promote these ideas, you are doing a huge disservice to yourself, your community, and all Dominicans.

[nyc0127]

I completely agree. It's definitely a challenge he should take up, or at least dissolve of little by little. I'm sure through living in the United States, that is exactly what's happening. If he does have a child in this country, I doubt he'd be suprised if there was a huge psychological and cultural gap between himself and his child.

[SuperMario]

NYC017, I was born and raised here BTW........I have visited the DR on plenty occasions however. My parents made sure that me and my siblings have our Dominican culture alive and well. That is why I am fluent in spanish among other things.

Hopefully over time I will be able to change. But being told something all your life and accepting it as fact, is something that is hard to change. Especially when you look at your countrymen and many of them share the same beliefs. Also when you look at all the sucessful people in the DR, the majority are white. When you look at all the models being majority white. DR promotes whiteness. Is hard to change, though I will make an effort.

[nyc0127]

Originally Posted by SuperMario

NYC017, I was born and raised here BTW........I have visited the DR on plenty occasions however. My parents made sure that me and my siblings have our Dominican culture alive and well. That is why I am fluent in spanish among other things.

Hopefully over time I will be able to change. But being told something all your life and accepting it as fact, is something that is hard to change. Especially when you look at your countrymen and many of them share the same beliefs. Also when you look at all the sucessful people in the DR, the majority are white. When you look at all the models being majority white. DR promotes whiteness. Is hard to change, though I will make an effort.

Sorry, I misinterpreted what you said. I'm sure you have a much larger connection to the Dominican Republic, so it is understandable why you either understand or feel the same socially to people there. Most of us couldn't understand that, but I'm sure the more years that go along living here - your Dominican belief of ''whiteness'' could change. There is nothing wrong with following a cultural trend, but remember you are one person - not a culture itself. In all ourselves, we are individually all a culture because of all the multi-influential encountering we have. If you were living in the Dominican Republic, your belief would be more understood - but many here don't. And even many children of Dominican immigrants who have never been to the DR don't either. Adapting to new things is apart of life and especially apart of our liberated city's culture. I'm sure you'll be fine when it comes to accepting new ways of looking at what Dominican beauty really is.

[Remy200]

Originally Posted by NJ Chutzpah

When did the dominicans take over Wash Heights? I heard it was Greek once. What happened to all the greeks?

Back in the 60-70's it was Greeks and Cubans..Greeks owned the deli's,diners,etc...Cuban's owned the jewerly stores,grocery stores, spanish restaurants,etc...those days are over~~

[greyprosp]

I feel for the heights i say 10 years dominicans will be something of the past. I once lived in corona queens which was known as another refuge for dominicans where if you were dominican in the 80's you were in the heights or corona. It took about 10 years for the mexicans and some chinese to take most of corona. They came in as thieves in the night.

[Guywithacause]

I dont see Dominicans leaving Washington Heights in any substantail numbers in the next 10 years, but they will be more diluted...which is OK and healthy. Life seems to be changing so much from one day to the next though so who knows...the rapid pace of change means that anything can happen.

[mead]

Woah, Chinese and Mexicans are immigrants. They need someplace to live, just like everyone else.

I have a feeling that if I said somethign like, "blacks/puerto ricans/dominicans came in like thieves and the night and stole white neighborhoods back in the day", people would be rightfully pissed off at me. So definitely, not cool.

EDIT: Plus its not like the Dominicans have been there that long anyways. Up until the 1970s Washington Heights was a German Jewish neighborhood, and Corona was heavily Italian.

Originally Posted by greyprosp

I feel for the heights i say 10 years dominicans will be something of the past. I once lived in corona queens which was known as another refuge for dominicans where if you were dominican in the 80's you were in the heights or corona. It took about 10 years for the mexicans and some chinese to take most of corona. They came in as thieves in the night.

[CIBONEY]

Originally Posted by SuperMario

OMG but how can they be Dominican? They're white!

And we all know that Dominicans are black

I agree with your sarcasm. For some reason (usually people that are not exposed to a large enough segment of Dominican diversity) love to make stereotypical generalizaionts. I've seen this happen on other forums. They will post a million pics of Sammy Sosa or David Oritiz as poster boys of "the Dominican look", lmao.