List of Dominican Americans

This is a list of notable Dominican Americans, including both original immigrants who obtained American citizenship and their American descendants.

This article is about Americans of Dominican Republic descent. For Americans with ancestry from the Commonwealth of Dominica, see Dominican Americans (Dominica).

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

To be included in this list, the person must have a Wikipedia article showing they are Dominican American or must have references showing they are Dominican American and are notable.

List

Actors

Maria Montez

Carlos Pena Jr.

Michelle Rodriguez

• Juan Fernández de Alarcon – Dominican actor
• Tina Aumont (1946–2006) – actress
• Lourdes Benedicto – actress of Filipino/Dominican Republic descent
• Elvis Nolasco – American actor of Dominican descent, American Crime
• Vladimir Caamaño – Dominican-American actor and stand-up comedian
• Rafael Campos – Dominican born, American raised actor[1]
• Francis Capra – actor of Dominican and Italian descent
• Aimee Carrero – Dominican born actress
• Hosea Chanchez – also credited as Hosea, actor (For Your Love)
• Jackie Cruz – Dominican-American actress
• Angel Curiel – Dominican-American actor, FX's Pose
• Rhenzy Feliz – American actor of Dominican descent, Marvel's Runaways
• Antonio Fresco – American DJ of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent.
• Jason Genao – American actor of Dominican descent, Netflix's On My Block
• Rick Gonzalez – actor of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent;[2] known as Timo Cruz in the film Coach Carter, and as Ben Gonzalez on the television series Reaper
• Wilson Jermaine Heredia – actor known for his portrayal of Angel Dumott Schunard in the Broadway musical Rent; parents are Dominicans[3][4]
• Jharrel Jerome – Emmy Award-winning actor born to a Dominican mother and African-American father; he is the first Afro-Latino to win an Emmy and the first Dominican to have been nominated.
• Jorge Lendeborg Jr. – Dominican born actor, with supporting credits in Love, Simon, Alita: Battle Angel, and the male lead in Bumblebee
• Selenis Leyva – American actress of Cuban and Dominican descent
• Judy Marte – Dominican-American actress and producer
• Mirtha Michelle – American actress of Dominican descent
• Anthony Mendez – Dominican-American voice actor[5]
• Carlos de la Mota – Dominican actor[6]
• Patricia Mota – American actress and film producer, of Dominican descent
• Maria Montez (1912–1951) – Dominican-born motion picture actress
• Miguel A. Núñez, Jr. – actor (The Return of the Living Dead, Life and a leading role in Juwanna Mann); of Dominican and Puerto Rican parents[7]
• Karen Olivo – stage and television actress; of Puerto Rican, Native American, Dominican and Chinese descent
• Alex Paez – American actor of Dominican descent
• Carlos PenaVega – film and TV actor, singer-songwriter, dancer and television show host; father is of Spanish and Venezuelan descent, mother is of Dominican descent[8]
• Manny Pérez – Dominican actor
• Dascha Polanco – Dominican-American actress, Netflix's Orange is the New Black
• Dania Ramírez – Dominican-born American TV and film actress (Entourage, Heroes and The Sopranos)
• Silvestre Rasuk – actor of Dominican descent[9]
• Victor Rasuk – actor, Dominican parents[10]
• Monica Raymund – stage performer and actress (Chicago Fire and Lie to Me); her mother is from the Dominican Republic[11]
• Alisa Reyes – actress (All That); of Dominican, Irish, Italian and Caribbean Indian descent
• Judy Reyes – actress (Scrubs)
• Aida Rodriguez – comedian, actress, producer and writer, of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent[12]
• Michelle Rodríguez – actress known for her role as Ana Lucia Cortez in the television series Lost; her father is Puerto Rican and mother is Dominican[13]
• Nelson de la Rosa (1968–2006) – one of the shortest men of the 20th and 21st centuries; actor from the Dominican Republic; lived and died in Rhode Island[14]
• Zoe Saldana – American actress of Dominican, Haitian and Puerto Rican descent[15]
• Angie Jerez – American actress of Dominican descent (Code Name Abdul)
• Merlin Santana (1976–2002) – television and film actor; of Dominican descent[16]
• Ebonie Smith – Puerto Rican-born former child actress (The Jeffersons); of African American and Dominican descent
• Shannon Tavarez (1999–2010) – child actress; of African American and Dominican descent
• Julian Scott Urena – actor; immigrated with his family to New York City while in grade school
• Denise Vasi – fashion model and soap opera actress
• James Victor – Dominican-born American actor (Viva Valdez, Zorro)[17]
• Tristan Wilds – actor (The Wire and 90210); of African American (father) and African-American, Irish, and Dominican (mother) descent[18][19]

Singers and musicians

Prince Royce

Karina Pasian

Nicky Jam

• 40 Cal. – rapper, member of Harlem-based hip-hop group The Diplomats
• Jhené Aiko – singer–songwriter; Her mother is of Spanish, Dominican and Japanese descent
• AraabMuzik – hip hop record producer, of Dominican and Guatemalan descent[20]
• Arcángel – singer-songwriter, rapper and actor; parents are Dominicans[21]
• AZ – American rapper
• Bryan Bautista – singer and contestant from NBC's The Voice season 9; of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent
• Carlos & Alejandra – Latin music group focusing on the genre of bachata
• Cardi B – Dominican American Grammy winner Best Rap Album rapper who made number one on Billboard Hot 100 due to her popular single Bodak Yellow
• Michel Camilo – Grammy Award winner Dominican born jazz pianist and composer
• Natti Natasha – singer-songwriter born in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic.
• DaniLeigh – Dominican American singer
• Yasmin Deliz – singer-songwriter, model and actress of Dominican and Colombian and Venezuelan heritage; Dominican father, Colombian and Venezuelan mother
• Kat DeLuna – Dominican American pop singer
• Dave East – American rapper of Dominican and Bajan descent
• Euro – Dominican born American raised rapper signed to Lil Wayne's record label Young Money Entertainment
• Fabolous – rapper of Dominican and African American descent[22][23]
• Fuego – Dominican-American merengue singer-songwriter, composer
• Fulanito – Dominican-American musical group
• Irv Gotti – hip hop and R&B record producer
• Ivan Barias – Grammy nominated music producer and songwriter
• Leslie Grace – Dominican-American singer-songwriter and actress debuting in the film adaptation of In The Heights
• Mila J – singer, rapper, dancer; Jhené Aiko's sister
• Jumz – rapper
• Magic Juan – Dominican American merengue hip hop artist who is considered the "Godfather" of the merengue hip-hop genre when he created it as the lead vocalist for Proyecto Uno in the 1990s before becoming a solo artist after 2001.[24]
• Johnny Marines – member of the Latin American group Aventura
• Ralph Mercado (1941–2009) – promoter of Latin American music who established a network of businesses; of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent[25]
• Chep Nuñez (1964–1990) – Dominican born American raised music producer, editor, and mixer[26]
• Karina Pasian – Grammy Award-nominated recording artist and pianist; of Dominican and Armenian descent[27][28]
• Prince Royce – singer-songwriter and record producer; of Dominican descent[29]
• Lizette Santana – recording artist, singer, songwriter, musician, record producer and actress
• Roger Sanchez – house music DJ
• Juelz Santana – rapper, producer, actor and member of group Dipset; of African American and Dominican descent; at age twelve started duo Draft Pick, which was signed to Priority Records[30]
• Lenny Santos – former member of the bachata group Aventura
• Max Santos – bass player of the bachata group Aventura
• Romeo Santos – singer, featured composer and former lead singer of the Bachata group Aventura; of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent[31]
• Giselle Tavera – Dominican born, American raised singer
• Michael Tavera – American composer of Dominican descent best known for his animation scores.
• Trina – rapper, songwriter and model; father is of Dominican origin[32][33]
• JR Writer – American rapper
• Ugly God – SoundCloud rapper of Dominican and African-American descent

Models

• Julissa Bermudez – model and former television host on 106 & Park
• Susie Castillo – former beauty queen who held the Miss USA title and competed in the Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe pageants; of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent[34]
• Adriana Diaz – beauty queen from New York City who has competed in the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants
• Claudette Lali – Dominican-American former model and wardrobe stylist turned actress
• Sessilee Lopez – American model; of Dominican and Portuguese descent[35]
• Erica Mena – hip hop model and television personality on Love & Hip Hop
• Christina Mendez – plus-size model from New York City
• Alexis Skyy – Television personality and hip hop model of Dominican and Jamaican descent

Sport

Felix Sanchez

Alex Rodriguez

Dante Rosario

• Moisés Alou – former Dominican-American outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for 17 seasons in the National League
• Pedro Alvarez – Dominican born, American raised[36] professional baseball third baseman with the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball
• Trevor Ariza – American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association
• Ronnie Belliard – retired Major League Baseball second baseman, of Dominican descent
• Julio Borbon – Major League Baseball center fielder for the Texas Rangers
• Luis Castillo – defensive end for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League
• Stalin Colinet – former defensive tackle/defensive end in the NFL
• Manny Delcarmen – former professional baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees organization; has been called "The Pride of Hyde Park"
• Mary Joe Fernández – former professional tennis player
• Fernando Guerrero – Dominican boxer living in the US since a child[37]
• Al Horford – Dominican professional basketball player; center and power forward for the Boston Celtics of the NBA
• Mark Jackson – retired professional basketball player and the current head coach of the Golden State Warriors; father is Dominican
• Neil Magny – mixed martial artist; competes in the Welterweight division of the UFC[38]
• Pedro Martínez – Dominican-American professional baseball player
• Sammy Mejia – Dominican American professional basketball player
• Diomedes Olivo – Dominican American retired Major League Baseball player
• David Ortiz – Dominican-American professional baseball player with the Boston Red Sox
• Plácido Polanco – Dominican born Major League Baseball player, plays for the Philadelphia Phillies and has also played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers; in 2008, he became a naturalized American citizen
• Albert Pujols – Dominican-American professional baseball first baseman for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Major League Baseball
• Hanley Ramírez – professional baseball shortstop and first baseman for the Boston Red Sox, Miami Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Cleveland Indians[39]
• Manny Ramirez – professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter; currently a free agent; Dominican born, American raised[40]
• Tutan Reyes – free agent football guard in the NFL
• Alex Rodriguez – former professional baseball third baseman with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball; parents are Dominican[41]
• Gilberto Rondón – retired Major League Baseball pitcher
• Dante Rosario – father is Dominican, mother is from the US
• Eddie Sanchez – mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter; of Mexican and Dominican descent
• Félix Sánchez – track and field athlete who specializes in the 400 meter hurdles; of Dominican parents[42]
• Carlos Santana − professional baseball first baseman and catcher for the Cleveland Indians and Philadelphia Phillies[39]
• Pedro Sosa – football offensive tackle for the Hartford Colonials of the United Football League
• Sammy Sosa – Dominican former professional baseball right fielder; played with four Major League Baseball teams over his career, which spanned from 1989–2007
• Karl-Anthony Towns – Dominican-American professional basketball player with the Minnesota Timberwolves, who selected him first overall in the 2015 NBA draft; African American father, Dominican mother
• Charlie Villanueva – Dominican-American professional basketball player with the Detroit Pistons

Politicians

Thomas Perez

Adriano Espaillat

• Alex Blanco – politician, mayor of Passaic, New Jersey
• Fernando Cabrera – New York City Council member
• Nelson Castro – politician from the state of New York
• Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez – 65th Secretary of State of New York, serving in the Cabinet of Governor David Paterson
• Marcos Devers – member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives[43]
• Grace Diaz – politician, Democratic State Representative from Rhode Island representing District 11 in the city of Providence, Rhode Island
• Adriano Espaillat – member of the United States House of Representatives for New York's 13th congressional district
• Rafael Espinal – politician who won the open 54th district seat in the New York State Assembly in a special election held on September 13, 2011
• Julissa Ferreras – Democratic member of the New York City Council
• William Lantigua – politician in Massachusetts, Dominican born and raised[44]
• Guillermo Linares – Dominican Democratic member of the New York State Assembly[45]
• Miguel Martinez – former New York City Council member from Council District 10 in Upper Manhattan in New York City
• Joseline Peña-Melnyk – politician, represents District 21 in the Maryland House of Delegates
• Cesar A. Perales – Secretary of State of New York currently serving in the Cabinet of Governor Andrew Cuomo
• Thomas Perez – Democratic National Committee Chairman, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, US Secretary of Labor-designate; parents are Dominicans[46]
• Ydanis Rodríguez – currently a Democratic New York City Council member from the borough of Manhattan
• Angel Taveras – lawyer and mayor of Providence, Rhode Island; of Dominican descent; first Hispanic mayor of the city[47]
• Juana Matias – member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives[48]

Artists

• Clara Ledesma (1924–1999) – painter from the Dominican Republic; lived last years of her life in New York
• Tania Marmolejo (born 1975) – painter from the Dominican Republic; Dominican born, American naturalized
• Olivia Peguero (born 1963) – Dominican Republic painter, known for documenting the landscapes of the undeveloped Dominican countryside and the Arte Libros Foundation

Writers

Portrait of Francisco Moncion, in Sebastian

• Julia Alvarez – poet, novelist, and essayist[49]
• Josefina Baez – storyteller, writer, performer, theater director, educator[50][51][52]
• Fernando Cabrera – National Poetry and Literary Essay Prize winner
• Angie Cruz – novelist
• Junot Díaz – writer, creative writing professor at MIT, and fiction editor at Boston Review; Dominican born, American naturalized[53]
• Rhina Espaillat – bilingual Dominican-born, American raised poet
• Elisa Féliz – Dominican-born American professional comic artist/writer (Charmed (comics))
• Daisy Cocco De Filippis – writer and educator
• Ana-Maurine Lara – novelist, poet and black feminist scholar
• Nelly Rosario – novelist and creative writing instructor in the MFA Program at Texas State University in San Marcos

Other personalities

Christina Mendez

Danielle Polanco

• Rolando Acosta – Dominican associate justice of the New York Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, First Judicial Department
• Santi Deoleo – Dominican born radio producer, personality, and fashion designer also known as "Krazy Kulo"
• Rudy Duthil – advertising executive of Cuban and Dominican descent
• Benny Medina – American musician producer to Dominican parents.
• Christina Mendez – New York City-based plus-size model and entertainment personality
• The Kid Mero – comedian
• Francisco Moncion – Dominican born ballet dancer, choreographer and charter member of the New York City Ballet
• Providencia Paredes – personal assistant to the First Lady of the US Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
• Francis Clase – Dominican Facebook Marketing Partner [54]
• Jose Pimentel – also known as Muhammad Yusuf; Dominican born naturalized US citizen[55] arrested on November 20, 2011 by the New York City Police Department for allegedly plotting to bomb New York City
• Danielle Polanco – dancer and choreographer; Dominican-Puerto Rican American
• Óscar de la Renta – Dominican born fashion designer
• Julissa Reynoso – New York City attorney born in the Dominican Republic; American Ambassador to Uruguay since 2012 [56]
• Rosanna Tavarez – entertainment reporter and television presenter
• Jessy Terrero – Dominican film and music video director
• Carmen Wong Ulrich – television and online journalist; personal finance expert at CNBC[57]
• Ramona M. Valdez (1984–2005) – U.S. Marine

See also

• Dominican American
• Dominican people
• List of people from the Dominican Republic

References

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Bibliography

• Day, Frances A. (2003), Latina and Latino Voices in Literature: Lives and Works (Updated and expanded ed.), New York: Greenwood Press, ISBN 978-0-313-32394-2