We're celebrating Dominican Independence Day by highlighting some of the most prominent Dominicans that raise the bar for other Dominicans, encouraging everyone to fight for your dreams, believe in yourself and work very hard towards your goals.Reuters/Armando Tinoco/ Latin Times
On February 27, 2017, the Dominican Republic celebrates 173 years of independence. Like most countries, to gain their independence, they had to fight hard against many nations that wanted to own their territory. But who could blame them? Who wouldn’t want a country in the middle of the Caribbean with a strategic location, the best beaches in the world, warm weather 24/7/365, great beer, delicious rum, happy people all the time, fertile soil great for agriculture and a lot of business potential for people in all the earth’s hemispheres. Like the country's slogan says, “Dominican Republic has it all” and that’s completely accurate.
Since the Dominican Republic is a land of hard-working people, excelling in different markets and businesses, we decided to make a list of some of the most prominent Dominicans that raise the bar for other Dominicans, encouraging everyone to fight for your dreams, believe in yourself and work very hard towards your goals. And although there are so many Dominicans who do that every day, and we wish we could add them all, we picked these.
We're proud of Junot Díaz for being who he is. His witty and truthful style of writing and his easy going personality make him one of our favorite Dominicans. Yes, he got in a bit of trouble for speaking his mind regarding some corrupt politicians and might have upset them, but the rest of the population loved him for that. And it doesn't hurt that he is the winner of a Pulitzer price. This isn't a Dominican list if we don't add Juan Luis Guerra. He is almost a National Treasure, taking classic Dominican music genres and making them his own, but also the people's. It's almost a law for every Dominican to know at least 3 Juan Luis Guerra songs from top to bottom. He basically took our typical music to an international level with soulful compositions, deep lyrics and catchy melodies.Amelia Vega was the first Dominican Miss Universe ever back in 2003. Not only is she physically gorgeous, but we fall in love with her more every day because she's very humble and is dedicated to her charity work with foundations like Go Red For Women, Global Health Council, amfAR, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and God's Love We Deliver, among others.It's your boy Romeo! This guy has taken the Bachata genre to a whole new level, first with his group Aventura, and later becoming the most successful Bachata singer with his solo career. There's no doubt he's the King of Bachata!How could we not be proud of “La Rubia de América”? Charytín Goyco is charismatic, funny, extremely talented and gorgeous. Plus, it seems like she never gets old! She started in the entertainment business in the 1970s, and became an international superstar with her song “Mosquita Muerta.” She’s been on TV, movies, music… all over! She’s multi-talented, hardworking and a true example of success.Al Horford makes us proud every time he steps on the basketball court and proves that it takes a lot of discipline to make it to the top. Félix Sánchez became a sensation when he was rejected from the American track team (he was born and raised in the States) but he knew he had something special. So he took his faith in himself and decided to represent his parents' country becoming a two-time Olympic gold medallist, having won the titles in 2004 and 2012. He was also world champion in 2001 and 2003. Sánchez specializes in the 400 meter hurdles event, where he is the reigning Olympic champion. There's a reason Prince Royce is the prince of Bachata. And we're proud that even though he was born and raised in the Bronx, he acknowledges his Dominican heritage and puts it up front wherever he goes and in whatever he does. The biggest fashion designer from the Dominican Republic, Oscar de la Renta, is one Dominican we’re extremely proud of. Not only did he break barriers for other Dominicans in the fashion world, with his international success, he always put a positive light in his native country. Besides giving the island a good name, he also contributed to education, health and nature preservation along with the Punta Cana Foundation, where he was a member.This new mommy of three has proven to be a name everyone wants to work with in Hollywood. She doesn’t stick to stereotypes, she is strong, smart and knows her craft. Zoe Saldana can kick butts, rock green and blue skin colors, dance, be feisty even as an animated character, be sweet and be a strong woman. She might be tiny, but her talent goes beyond her frame.We can't talk about Dominican pride and joys without mentioning baseball players. Let's be honest, we rock at baseball! And Robinson Canó is a great representation right now. Canó is a five-time All-Star (2006, 2010–2013) and five-time Silver Slugger Award winner (2006, 2010–2013). He won two Gold Glove Awards (2010, 2012) and has been named American League Player of the Month twice (September 2006, April 2010). In 2011, Canó won the Home Run Derby. He was a member of the Dominican Republic's 2013 World Baseball Classic championship team, for which he won tournament's most valuable player award.Dania Ramírez is a name that's becoming more known every day. This hot Dominican has appeared in several music video of renown artists like LL Cool J, has had minor roles on several films and TV show, but finally got her big break as Rosie Falta in the Lifetime show "Devious Maids," produced by Eva Longoria. We fell in love with Dascha Polanco when we first saw her in “Orange Is The New Black.” This lady is here to stay and not only has she found fame with the show, which is extremely acclaimed, but she’s breaking barriers for other Dominicans. While Orange was her first major role in the entertainment business, she continues to work hard to secure her place in Hollywood. She had a role in the independent film “Gimme Shelter,” “The Cobbler” alongside Adam Sandler and Dustin Hoffman, “Joy” next to Jennifer Lawrence and Robert De Niro, and also promotes a positive body image among women.The group Aventura sure had very talented artists, most notably Romeo Santos, and his cousin, Henry Santos. Henry has also focused on his music and is doing fantastic, but we're the most proud of him for his continuous support to lower obesity in Latinos by promoting a healthier lifestyle.
