It seems like Vin Diesel can do it all; he is a movie producer and an actor in several well known action movies, doting father, and devoted long-time boyfriend. This led many to wonder, what is the root of his love for the Dominican Republic and its people?
Vin Diesel is not Dominican by ethnic descent. At least, there is no way to know for sure what Vin Diesel’s ethnic background is because he does not know his biological father.
However, while it might not be a part of Vin Diesel’s ethnic history, he has a deep love for the Dominican Republic and the people who live there.
What We Do Know About Vin Diesel’s Ethnic Background
Vin Diesel, who was named Mark Sinclair at birth, and his twin brother, Paul Vincent, were born in Alameda County, California in 1967. Their mother, Delora Sherleen, is white, with English, German, Scottish, and Irish ancestry.
While the brothers do not know who their biological father is, they were lucky to still grow up with a father figure in their lives. The boys were adopted by their mother’s husband, Irving Vincent, who is African American.
Although Vin Diesel does not know who his biological father is, he says that the man is “definitely a person of color.”
Vin Diesel’s Undeniable Love for the Dominican Republic
The actor and producer has spent his time in the entertainment industry traveling all over the world. However, it seems that perhaps the Dominican Republic is one of his all time favorite places.
You can see Vin Diesel’s heart for the children of this area in his Instagram post, using the link below.
While he has a deep love for the Dominican Republic, he does not appear to have any direct connections to the area.
Still, he has defended the Dominican Republic in the media regarding crime rates and other aspects of the country’s current affairs. Vin Diesel states, “Never let anyone tell you that Dominicans aren’t magical and wonderful people. I love that country and I will always love it.”
To hear more in-depth thoughts about Vin Diesel’s passion for the well-being of the Dominican Republic, watch this video of him speaking to the camera, using the YouTube link below.
With such a love for the area, Vin Diesel did help the Dominican Republic through his nonprofit foundation, called the One Race Global Film Foundation.
He spent the summer of 2005 in the Dominican Republic, where he implemented an intensive summer program that taught individuals in underserved communities how to be their own filmmakers.
His intentions are that these individuals will use the skills that he taught them to share their own stories and use their voices for good.
The program was modeled after the Media Workshop that his adopted father taught at New York University, and it turned out to be an impressive success.
Over the course of the summer, under the guidance of Irving Vincent, the students collaborate on several projects, including a 30 second commercial, a 10 minute television segment that they host themselves, and two short films.
The biggest concept is to give the students access to a camera on the first day of the program, and coach them through the rest.
When his sister talks about Vin Diesel’s perspective on the One Race Global Film Foundation, she says, “it’s teaching people how to fish.”
Rather than just giving the people the money, Vin Diesel wants to teach people how to use their new skills to achieve their life goals.
Vin Diesel’s tireless efforts to better the lives of others is inspiring. I hope it all gives us the boost we needed to want to be better people today, compared to the person we were yesterday.