Florida Senate - 2024 (NP) SR 1240 By Senator Avila 39-01889-24 20241240__ 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, migration from the Dominican Republic to the 12 United States began in the 1960s in the wake of economic and 13 political turbulence that occurred after dictator Rafael 14 Trujillo was killed by rebels, and 15 WHEREAS, since 1990, Dominican Americans have comprised the 16 fourth largest immigrant population from the Caribbean residing 17 in the United States, and 18 WHEREAS, Florida is the third of the five states with the 19 largest concentrations of Dominican Americans, with 20 approximately 12 percent of Dominican Americans residing in this 21 state, and 22 WHEREAS, Dominican Americans have made significant 23 contributions to the United States in several fields, such as 24 music, including alternative rock, calypso, salsa, merengue, 25 reggaeton, and bachata, the most popular; sports, including 26 soccer, basketball, football, baseball, and women’s volleyball; 27 government; finance; education; fashion; and the arts and 28 sciences, and 29 WHEREAS, Dominican Americans continue to enrich the 30 diversity of this state by sharing their unique accomplishments, 31 traditions, culture, and cuisine, NOW, THEREFORE, 32 33 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida: 34 35 That February 27, 2024, is recognized as “Dominican 36 American Heritage Day” in Florida to celebrate Dominican 37 Republic Independence Day and the invaluable economic, social, 38 and cultural contributions of Dominican Americans throughout 39 this state.