I am New York: Juan Rodriguez

I Am New York: Juan Rodriguez is a dynamic theatrical experience that redefines New York's origin story. Directed by Maija García and co-written with actor Armando Batista, this performance tells the little-known tale of Juan Rodriguez, the first non-Indigenous immigrant to New York. A free Afro-Caribbean man who arrived in 1613, Rodriguez chose to stay, becoming the city’s first Latino, first Dominican, first African-American, and first merchant.

Through live music by composer Daniel Bernard Roumain, movement, and historical narrative, I Am New York immerses audiences in Rodriguez’s journey from Hispaniola to Mannahattan, where he traded with the Lenape people and built a life. García’s staging honors the multiplicity of identity with fluid transitions between time periods and storytelling styles, blending theatricality with historical documentation. Performed by Batista and company, the work challenges traditional historical narratives, offering a reimagined American origin story that highlights the city's multicultural roots.