Recent conversation…
Lady: Your name doesn’t sound like a name a regular American Black person would have.
Me: Well I don’t know how to really answer that because I don’t assign names to certain groups.
I mean, there are certain name types that I’d think belong to certain groups. But Claudio Cabrera doesn’t strike me as exotic.
Lady: Well I’ve never met a person of your complexion with that name. Where are your parents from?
Claudio: My parents are from the Dominican Republic and my dad’s name is Claudio as well.
Lady: You Dominican?
Me: (not this shock again) Yes, I’m Dominican.
Lady: I would have never guessed.
Me: (defeated) I knew that.
I’m going to keep this one simple…
Don’t be shocked when you hear I’m Dominican, if the people in the pictures below, your idols, are Dominican as well.
I’m pretty much most of these guys’ skin complexion. Except if I was rich, girls would want me because of the good looks and not just the money.
I don’t expect women to know who these guys are, so I’d just hope they’d be intelligent enough to not act surprised when they hear something like that.
As for the fellas, whenever a guy acts surprised when I’m Dominican, I’m going to ask him to name the top 5-7 Dominican ballplayers in the sport and ask them to describe what they look like.
That alone should get my point across.
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10 responses right now ↓
1 KT // Sep 10, 2009 at 2:19 pm
hmmmmm curious, what ethnicity/background was the woman?
Does questions and comments like this bother you? I think it gets annoying to hear ppl make comments like this. I remember When Angie Martinez on Hot 97 asked Sean Paul (the reggae artist) what his background was, and he said Jamaican and she replied, you don’t look Jamaican, and he went off on her asking her what does a Jamaican look like, telling her that they come in all shapes, sizes and color. lol I know many fair skin spaniard looking Mexican friends who also get the same reaction whenever they say they are Mexican. I think it comes down to what ppl are exposed to and the conclusions they draw from that exposure. So i guess the good thing is, you are opening their eyes to another dimension of Dominican identify?
2 admin // Sep 11, 2009 at 8:55 am
I remember that interview. Some people just aren’t educated on the issue. I wouldn’t mind it coming from a non Latino person, but when it comes from Dominicans, I’m like what the hell? It just makes no sense. But, at the same time, I guess I’m opening them up.
3 K.O // Sep 18, 2009 at 12:26 pm
A little late here but I completely agree with you, C. I feel like pulling out a projector and some powerpoint steez whenever a fellow Dominican hits me up with some nonsense. For a while I struggled with whether or not it was my responsibility to “correct” someone. I decided that if I was going to let certain comments annoy me – then I at least owe myself the time it takes to hopefully have one less person playing on the Ig’nant team.
4 admin // Sep 18, 2009 at 12:30 pm
I totally agree girl. Sometimes you just want to walk away and are discouraged by it, but I’m there for arguments, I am there to correct you. That’s what a lot of people need on this topic.
5 Yanaja // Sep 21, 2009 at 7:07 am
My mother is Dominicana and my father is Cubano. I get the “you don’t look Latina, I thought you were black” thing all the time, from my own people. One time I was at Caridad on 145th and Broadway. The waiter started speaking English to me then turned around to my roomate (an African American with a slightly lighter complexion than I) and spoke Spanish to her. She didn’t speak Spanish so I answered for her. This ignorant waiter had the nerve to tell me that must have a good Spanish teacher. I was like yes, my mami and papi. I didn’t even bother explaining any further. It’s a lost cause.
When I’m in DR I get mistaken for Brasilian or full Cuban, our people just refuse to claim me lol
6 Yanaja // Sep 21, 2009 at 8:30 am
My mother is Dominicana and my father is Cubano. I get the “you don’t look Latina, I thought you were black” thing all the time, from my own people. One time I was at Caridad on 145th and Broadway. The waiter started speaking English to me then turned around to my roommate (an African American with a slightly lighter complexion than I) and spoke Spanish to her. She didn’t speak Spanish so I answered for her. This ignorant waiter had the nerve to tell me that must have a good Spanish teacher. I was like yes, my mami and papi. I didn’t even bother explaining any further. It’s a lost cause.
When I’m in DR I get mistaken for Brasilian or full Cuban, our people just refuse to claim me lol
7 admin // Sep 21, 2009 at 9:47 am
Yanaja -
You know…i take a serious tone with this stuff, but sometimes, this stuff is really hilarious.
I’ve had similar situations as yours. My ex gf is light skin and some people mistake her for Dominican. But she’s half black and white. She speaks no Spanish.
Girl…when we would get on the 1 train uptown, it didn’t matter if i looked like a young professional, people would pierce me with their eyes like lasers. They would also talk to her in Spanish in restaurants and be shocked when i answered.
I agree man…”some” of them just refuse to claim us.
8 Yanaja // Sep 21, 2009 at 10:47 am
You have to laugh to keep from getting angry.
It’s crazy because I’m not even really all that dark and I have lightish eyes and thick curly hair. My complexion is medium brown but I guess I don’t have that special Dominicana glow lol
Cubans always know that I’m Cuban though, without a doubt. Even anglo-Cubans accept me. Weird.
9 Yanaja // Sep 21, 2009 at 10:48 am
BTW, I love your blog. I just got introduced to it today via theindustrycosign, and it’s like you are speaking to my soul dude. I can relate to your life so much…
10 admin // Sep 21, 2009 at 10:49 am
Because despite the racial issues that persist in Cuba, they acknowledge that African ancestry is a part of their culture whether they are light as day or dark as night.
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