No I did not,
I did not know the language...when I lived in St. Croix, they hate Dominicans...I couldn't speak english...when I was in school I tried my hardest not to "act" Dominican or hang around them because they would jump you just for the hell of it. the only thing that safe me was my cousin (he was a known bad ass) and my maternal grandfather last name which is known in those islands (I carry both my dad and mother last name).
when I came to the US same bullshyt in Orlando...my friends were Black...my break dancing crew was Black and Latino and one vietnamese dude...
I didn't want to hangout with Dominicans or majority Latinos going to school so that I wouldn't get bullied...it forced me to learn the language faster than a muhfukka too...plus...Latinos didn't know I was Dominican until I start speaking in Spanish...I have a story about that but thats not why we here.
but If I was to doing it all over again, I would stand up for myself instead of trying to hide my identity...as a teenager I guess you just trying to fit in.
I don't run in that circle nor do I know anyone in DC from those ethnicity...my circle is Black Americans and Latinos sprinkled with "others" every now and then.
one time a cab driver Ethiopian ...asked me where I'm from and I asked him why he asked (I knew where he was trying to get at cause I get ask this question a lot...mind you there is nothing ambiguous about me) he said cause I don't look like I'm Black American...I told him where I'm from and he started to make jokes and how he had Dominican friends and they all cool and he loves the food.
....so are you black?