,,iv #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,,res4 #fc ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,january #bb1 #bjai,mr4 ,espaillat submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,oversight and ,reform ,,resolution ,recognizing the ,dominican community's presence and contributions to ,hamilton ,heights1 ,washington ,heights1 and ,inwood4 ,whereas historically ,hamilton ,heights1 ,washington ,heights1 and ,inwood have had the highest concentration of residents of ,dominican descent in ,new ,york ,city1 making it the center of ,dominican culture in the ,united ,states2 ,whereas the neighborhood continues to be an iconic hub and cultural center for ,dominicans1 epitomizing the fusion of upper ,manhattan and ,dominican culture2 ,whereas referring to ,washington ,heights and ,inwood as ,wahi is perpetuating the rebranding and erasure of the community's identity to appeal to an incoming wave2 ,whereas the cultural legacy of the ,dominican community in the neighborhood must be upheld to ensure it does not disappear2 ,whereas ,dominicans have been an integral part of the vibrant ,hamilton ,heights1 ,washington ,heights1 and ,inwood community since the #aifjs1 in all areas including activism1 advocacy1 art1 culture1 literature1 sports1 business1 and government2 ,whereas ,hamilton ,heights1 ,washington ,heights1 and ,inwood have the highest population of ,dominican immigrants in ,new ,york ,city1 and ,dominicans make up #fc percent of the immigrant population2 ,whereas1 in #afac1 ,juan ,rodriguez1 a man who migrated from the island of ,hispaniola1 which is now known as the ,dominican ,republic and ,haiti1 was the first immigrant1 the first ,black person1 the first merchant1 the first ,latino1 and the first ,dominican to have resided in metropolitan ,new ,york2 ,whereas ,juan ,pablo ,duarte1 the founding father of the ,dominican ,republic1 has been immortalized in the neighborhood by the renaming of ,st4 ,nicholas ,avenue to ,juan ,pablo ,duarte ,boulevard from #agjth to #aicrd ,streets2 ,whereas small businesses in ,hamilton ,heights1 ,washington ,heights1 and ,inwood continue to be fueled by ,dominican entrepreneurs and loyal patrons1 creating a sense of community within local shops and restaurants2 ,whereas ,dyckman ,street restaurants have witnessed a renaissance creatively fusing ,dominican cuisine with different cultures1 such as ,japanese and ,italian1 and local staples1 such as #hji ,bar and ,grill1 ,mamajuana1 ,la ,nueva ,espaa1 and ,la ,casa ,del ,mofongo1 continue to attract patrons from the tri-,state area to dine on traditional ,dominican fare and visit the lively neighborhood2 ,whereas ,dominican vendors continue to serve the public with fresh fruits and foods from ,dominican culture in ,la ,plaza de ,las ,americas and the newly opened ,uptown ,plaza in ,inwood1 and line the sidewalks between ,broadway and ,audubon ,avenue1 a tradition that embodies the hard-working immigrant spirit of the neighborhood2 ,whereas the ,national ,supermarket ,association and the ,bodega ,association of the ,united ,states promote the creation of jobs and sustainable economic growth in inner cities and ,latino communities that have been overlooked by large chains1 such as ,hamilton ,heights1 ,washington ,heights1 and ,inwood2 ,whereas professional associations1 such as ,dominicans on ,wall ,street 7,,dows71 the ,association of ,dominican-,american ,supervisors and ,administrators 7,,adasa71 the ,new ,york ,dominican ,officers ,organization 7,,nydo71 ,dominican ,bar ,association 7,,dba71 ,dominican ,medical ,association 7,,dma71 and the ,dominican ,medical-,dental ,society 7,,dmds71 highlight the contributions of professional ,dominicans nationwide to the development of their communities2 ,whereas the ,new ,york ,yankees1 an all-,american baseball team1 had its beginnings in ,washington ,heights1 baseball continues to be one of the main sports in the neighborhood1 and ,dominican baseball players have brought great pride and recognition to the sport2 ,whereas three-time ,most ,valuable ,player 7,,mvp7 ,alex ,rodriguez and four-time ,major ,league ,baseball ,all-,star ,dellin ,betances of the ,new ,york ,yankees1 were born in ,washington ,heights1 and ,manny ,ramirez1 the award-winning ,,mvp and twelve-time ,all-,star baseball player1 moved from the ,dominican ,republic to ,new ,york ,city where he attended ,george ,washington ,high ,school in ,washington ,heights and became a baseball prodigy2 ,whereas the ,dominican ,republic has won six medals at the ,olympics1 including ,pedro ,nolasco's bronze medal in boxing at the #aihd ,summer ,olympics and1 in #bjjd1 ,flix ,snchez's gold medal in the #djj meter hurdles2 ,whereas ,dominican cultural and educational activists organized to reverse inequities in public schools within the area1 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 environment2 ,whereas six schools in the area have been named after historic ,dominican figures3 ,i4,s4 #bah ,salome ,urena1 ,p4,s4 #acb ,juan ,pablo ,duarte ,school1 ,gregorio ,luperon ,high ,school for ,science and ,mathematics1 ,mirabal ,sisters ,campus1 ,professor ,juan ,bosch ,public ,school1 and ,p4,s4 #h ,luis ,belliard2 ,whereas the ,dominican ,studies ,institute of the ,city ,university of ,new ,york 7,,cuny ,,dsi7 located in ,hamilton ,heights1 founded by ,dr4 ,silvio ,torres-,saillant and directed by the renowned ,dominican sociologist ,dr4 ,ramona ,hernndez1 is the first university-based research institute in the ,united ,states dedicated to the study of people of ,dominican descent in the ,united ,states and other parts of the world2 ,whereas the area boasts of vibrant cultural centers and nonprofit organizations founded and enriched by ,dominican activists2 ,whereas the ,centro ,civico ,cultural ,dominicano1 a nonprofit community organization1 continues to build on the invaluable contributions of ,dominicans by engaging and empowering ,dominican and ,hispanic communities locally2 ,whereas the ,dominican ,women's ,development ,center has been a vital resource to the ,washington ,heights and ,inwood communities for over #be years1 providing comprehensive services to marginalized women and families1 and serves as a haven for the artistic and activist expression of the community's youth2 ,whereas ,dominican native ,normandia ,maldonado had a long history of activism in ,washington ,heights where she cofounded the ,instituto ,duartiano of the ,united ,states in #aiff1 the ,dominican ,day ,parade1 ,inc41 in #aihc with ,miguel ,amaro1 and the ,centro ,cultural ,ballet ,quisqueya in #aifg1 all of which have helped the community with necessary resources and fostered a connection with ,dominican cultural roots through folklore dances and celebrations2 ,whereas ,centro ,cultural ,deportivo ,dominicano1 a social club founded in #aiff1 remains a longstanding pillar of the local community1 where the sound of traditional merengue tipico continues to expand the cultural roots of the ,dominican immigrant experience2 ,whereas ,alianza ,dominicana was a leading ,dominican organization in ,washington ,heights and employed about #cej individuals1 who provided support to victims of domestic violence1 the elderly1 children with special needs1 along with alcoholism and drug treatment programs1 and represented the families of the ,flight #ehg tragedy2 ,whereas the ,dominican community was heavily involved in the advocacy and restoration efforts to bring local parks back to life in the #aiijs from their state of neglect and vandalism1 such as ,high ,bridge ,park1 ,inwood ,hill ,park1 ,riverside ,park1 and ,fort ,tryon ,park2 ,whereas the legacy of upper ,manhattan is being upheld by ,dominican artists and artists born to immigrant ,dominican parents in ,washington ,heights1 who personify the blending of dynamic cultures that make up the neighborhood's identity2 ,whereas ,dominican-,american artists ,lucia ,hierro and ,m4 ,tony ,peralta have both been recognized internationally for their thought-provoking work exploring the ,dominican-,american experience in intersecting areas of class1 culture1 identity1 and gender2 ,whereas ,dominican theater artist ,mino ,lora cofounded the ,people's ,theater ,project1 which provides creative youth development programs for children growing up in the immigrant communities of upper ,manhattan2 ,whereas the story of ,alexander ,hamilton1 founding father of ,hamilton ,heights1 was highlighted by ,washington ,heights native and second-generation ,puerto ,rican ,lin-,manuel ,miranda in the critically acclaimed ,broadway show ,hamilton2 ,whereas ,lin-,manuel ,miranda conceived ,in the ,heights1 the ,tony award-winning musical set in ,washington ,heights1 which incorporated salsa and merengue with rap and hip-hop1 blending them with more conventional ,broadway tropes1 to successfully portray the multicultural and ,dominican influence in the neighborhood2 ,whereas ,alianza ,dominicana ,cultural ,center serves as a hub for local artists who enrich northern ,manhattan through art and the celebration of ,dominican and ,latin ,american culture1 and this organization promotes literary1 performing1 and visual arts programs in ,washington ,heights and ,inwood that foster the artistic development of the neighborhood's youth2 ,whereas ,cayena ,publications is a publishing firm based in ,washington ,heights and founded by ,mary ,ely ,pea-,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 ,states2 ,whereas author and activist ,angie ,cruz is a native of ,washington ,heights whose books1 ,soledad and ,let ,it ,rain ,coffee1 highlight the issues of working-class life1 gender1 and race in ,new ,york ,city2 ,whereas the ,dominican ,film ,festival in ,new ,york showcases filmmakers from #ba countries including the ,dominican ,republic who reflect the city's diverse and multicultural population2 ,whereas the ,juan ,pablo ,duarte ,foundation encourages academic excellence via scholarships1 along with pride and collaboration within the community by hosting the annual ,el ,carnaval ,del ,boulevard on ,st4 ,nicholas ,avenue from #ahast to #ahhth ,streets2 ,whereas ,semana ,dominicana en ,estados ,unidos 7,dominican ,week in the ,united ,states7 has been celebrated for #be years1 highlighting the ,dominican and ,united ,states ties socially and culturally1 in addition to economic1 commerce1 and academic collaboration2 ,whereas the ,dominican ,day ,parade in ,new ,york ,city has celebrated the vibrant ,dominican heritage through history1 traditions1 and music since its beginnings in #aihb on ,audubon ,avenue1 and now attracts thousands of people who gather to enjoy the reverence of ,dominican culture on ,avenue of the ,americas2 ,whereas ,dominican ,americans have earned their place in local and ,federal ,government1 where they have fought to uphold the rights and liberties of ,new ,york residents and the ,nation overall2 ,whereas ,guillermo ,linares became the first ,dominican elected to public office in ,new ,york ,city in #aiia1 who also served as ,president ,bill ,clinton's ,advisory ,commission on ,educational ,excellence for ,hispanic ,americans2 ,whereas ,adriano ,espaillat is the first ,dominican immigrant to be elected to the ,new ,york ,state ,assembly in #aiif1 and the first formerly undocumented person elected to the ,united ,states ,congress in #bjaf1 representing ,new ,york's #acth ,congressional ,district which is predominantly ,dominican-,american2 ,whereas ,rolando ,acosta was elected as the first ,dominican-,american ,new ,york ,state ,supreme ,court ,justice in ,new ,york ,county in #bjjb2 ,whereas ,judge ,faviola ,soto1 who was born and raised in ,hamilton ,heights1 was appointed as the first ,dominican judge in ,new ,york in #aiic1 and was the first ,hispanic to sit in the ,court of ,claims in #bjjf2 ,whereas the character of ,hamilton ,heights1 ,washington ,heights1 and ,inwood is changing1 as the area is undergoing cultural expulsion brought on by gentrification1 as evidenced by the massive increase in average income in recent years2 ,whereas the forces of gentrification have meant that more high-income people have begun moving into ,hamilton ,heights1 ,washington ,heights1 and ,inwood while simultaneously longtime residents have been pushed out1 as proven by the fact that there were significantly fewer ,hispanic residents in these neighborhoods in #bjae2 ,whereas gentrification has meant that upper ,manhattan is significantly less affordable1 and that ,hamilton ,heights1 ,washington ,heights1 and ,inwood have seen the biggest rent increases in all of ,new ,york ,city2 ,whereas high rent is a significant burden on low-income ,dominican families1 who are also being pushed out of the neighborhoods that they have called home for generations2 ,whereas longtime businesses1 such as bodegas1 have also been forced out of ,hamilton ,heights1 ,washington ,heights1 and ,inwood due to unaffordable rents and the new influx of chain stores2 ,whereas ,hamilton ,heights1 ,washington ,heights1 and ,inwood are defined as the #ajjca1 #ajjcb1 #ajjcc1 #ajjcd1 and #ajjdj2 and ,whereas referring to ,hamilton ,heights1 ,washington ,heights1 and ,inwood as ,quisqueya ,heights1 as it has been colloquially referred to by the community1 honors the contributions of ,dominicans to this area1 and reinforces the identity of the neighborhood3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,house of ,representatives-- 7#a7 supports the renaming of ,hamilton ,heights1 ,washington ,heights1 and ,inwood to ,quisqueya ,heights in collaboration with local officials to recognize the area as the cultural hub for ,dominican ,americans across the ,nation2 7#b7 supports the engagement with ,google1 ,wikipedia1 ,global ,positioning ,system applications1 post offices1 ,metropolitan ,transportation ,authority maps1 and tourist maps to recognize ,hamilton ,heights1 ,washington ,heights1 and ,inwood as ,quisqueya ,heights2 7#c7 supports the fight against the gentrification of the neighborhood that is threatening the identity of ,hamilton ,heights1 ,washington ,heights1 and ,inwood2 7#d7 opposes the rebranding of the ,washington ,heights1 and ,inwood neighborhoods to ,wahi2 7#e7 recognizes the ,dominican community's contributions to ,hamilton ,heights1 ,washington ,heights1 and ,inwood2 and 7#f7 honors the long-standing history and rich contributions of ,dominican-,american elected officials1 artists1 small business and bodega owners1 writers1 and trailblazers4