Florida Senate - 2024 (NP) SR 1138 By Senator Avila 39-00062A-24 20241138__ 1 Senate Resolution 2 A resolution recognizing February 27, 2024, as 3 “Dominican-American Heritage Day” in Florida. 4 5 WHEREAS, the island of Hispaniola is home to two countries, 6 with Haiti on the west and the Dominican Republic on the east, 7 and 8 WHEREAS, the people of the Dominican Republic were under 9 Haitian rule for 22 years before the Dominican War of 10 Independence set them free in 1844, and 11 WHEREAS, the Dominican Republic was re-colonized by Spain 12 between 1861 and 1865, and 13 WHEREAS, with the help of Haiti, the Dominican Republic 14 gained its freedom from Spain in 1865, when black Dominican 15 rebels, who feared that Spain would reestablish slavery, fought 16 to overthrow Spanish rule in the Dominican Restoration War, and 17 WHEREAS, migration from the Dominican Republic to the 18 United States began in the 1960s in the wake of economic and 19 political turbulence that occurred after dictator Rafael 20 Trujillo was killed by rebels, and 21 WHEREAS, since 1990, the immigrant population from the 22 Dominican Republic residing in the United States has been larger 23 than other immigrant populations from the Caribbean, with the 24 exception of immigrants from Cuba, and 25 WHEREAS, Florida is the third of five states with the 26 largest concentration of Dominican Americans, with approximately 27 12 percent of Dominican Americans residing in this state, and 28 WHEREAS, Dominican Americans have made significant 29 contributions to the United States in several fields, including 30 government, finance, education, sports, fashion, and the arts 31 and sciences, and continue to enrich the diversity of this state 32 by sharing their unique accomplishments, traditions, culture, 33 and cuisine, NOW, THEREFORE, 34 35 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida: 36 37 That February 27, 2024, is recognized as “Dominican 38 American Heritage Day” in Florida to celebrate Dominican 39 Republic Independence Day and the invaluable economic, social, 40 and cultural contributions of Dominican Americans throughout 41 this state.