Politics in Our Veins

The Rise of Dominican American Political Power in the United States

Yalidy Matos, Domingo Morel, Michelle Bueno Vásquez

• Publisher: NYU Press
• Year: 2026
• Print ISBN:
  9781479843541
• eBook ISBN:
  9781479843558
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: Civics & Citizenship
• Index: Politics & International Relations

Captures the complex journey of how Dominican Americans mobilized to become key progressive players in American politics

Dominican Americans are one of the largest and fastest-growing Latinx groups in the United States, with a population that has quadrupled from 517,000 to a little over 2.3 million as of 2023. While New York City is home to the largest Dominican community in the country—and is where most Dominican American elected officials (DEOs) are from—Dominican Americans continue to increase their representation nationwide. In Politics in Our Veins, Yalidy Matos, Domingo Morel, and Michelle Bueno Vásquez chart the rise of Dominican American political power across the United States, exploring the myriad factors that have contributed to their political success as thoughtful citizens, activists, and elected officials.

Drawing on original surveys, in-depth interviews with elected officials, and archival data, Matos, Morel, and Vásquez trace the past, present, and future of Dominican American political power, demonstrating how one group fought from the margins for a seat at the table. They explore how community, civic, and cultural organizations have played an important role in helping newly immigrated Dominican Americans gain political power through influential national coalitions like "Dominicans on the Hill" and the Dominican National Roundtable. They also examine how identity politics, in particular race and gender, influence the political attitudes and behavior of DEOs.

Politics in Our Veins shines a light on how Dominicans have created avenues for political engagement, identifying where barriers to participation have been dismantled, where they remain, and where new obstacles are emerging.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• List of Figures
• List of Tables
• Introduction
• 1. Rooting Dominican American Politics in the History of Hispaniola
• 2. Dominican Political Incorporation in the United States
• 3. A Path Forward: The Emergence of Dominican Elected Officials and the Role of Organizations
• 4. Identity Politics: How Dominican Elected Officials Do American Politics
• 5. Insurgent Intersectional Politics: Afro- and Black Dominican Women’s Race-Gendered Political Ideology
• 6. Where Do We Go from Here? Dominicans, Florida, and the Future of American Politics
• Conclusion
• Acknowledgments
• Appendix A: Interview Guide
• Notes
• References
• Index
• About the Authors