Meet Dominek
Dominek has lived in Harlem with her husband for 10 years. She loves to explore the city, “...I get outside of my borough a lot.” She says, “I’m... really passionate about supporting Black-owned businesses. To me it’s not an afterthought, it’s the first thought...I [also] really saw a void when it came to... major digital publications... [highlighting Black-owned restaurants].” She makes content centering Black businesses and recommending places as she explores the city. And now she is moving towards sharing the stories of the business owners and helping people connect with them. Her upbringing has greatly contributed to her values and passion for exploring the city with such curiosity and open-mindedness.
As a “military brat”, she grew up overseas, in Portugal, Italy, Spain, and Greece. While attending school in different countries they had “Cultural Studies Hour”, when they would go on field trips to learn about the country’s culture and history. Additionally, Dominek shares she grew up in a very Pro-Black household in which they would complete monthly book reports on Black history. “My mom... never wanted us to lose touch of... who we are and the history and the facts. And I’m really thankful for that.”
“I’ll walk down 116th and Lenox and be like, ‘Wow. I’m... literally walking through history right now.’ Or you drive past the Cotton Club. And although it might not be the original location. You’re like, ‘Wow, that’s history right there.’”
Dominek says Harlem is “a continuous celebration for Black culture and history.” She says, “I’ll walk down 116th and Lenox and be like, ‘Wow. I’m... literally walking through history right now.’ Or you drive past the Cotton Club. And although it might not be the original location. You’re like, ‘Wow, that’s history right there.’” She enjoys taking walks and “taking it all in”, whether it be walking through Strivers’ Row, passing the Apollo Theatre, or Central Park. Her respect for the community and Harlem history shines through.
“I feel so connected to Harlem. Like I feel like it adopted me in a sense... So that is my connection to Harlem, making sure that I’m giving back to it and pouring into it... that I’m involved... [and] supporting the businesses that are here.” Dominek looks forward to “more entrepreneurs building brick and mortar businesses, supporting new businesses, and continued growth in Harlem.”
