Comic: How our families’ past defines who we are now

Drawing of a man on a balcony

(Rene Clarin / For De Los )

By Rene Clarin

Jan. 2, 2024 12:26 PM PT

The places our families come from influence who we eventually become.

For this comic I reflected and documented the events in my family’s life that have brought me to New York City, the place that has allowed me to pursue my illustration career. My mom’s dream was also to be a cartoonist and commercial illustrator, so she was an obvious subject for my first-ever comic. I just hope she’s OK with how I drew her!

I was born in Miami -- Hialeah, Florida -- surrounded by Cubans

My youth and young manhood from 9 years old was spent in central Florida -- surrounded by Boricuas.

After marrying at the ripe ol' age of 21, we migrated to the great white north of Rochester, N.Y.

Now I live in Washington heights, New York City, surrounded by Dominicans

Ironically, I owe my very being to this vecindario

In the 40s, abuelo and abuela immigrated here, met dated, married, had my mom and found their faith her in the Heights.

Though she was only here till she was six years old, mom would spend every summer in the Heights with her abuela

I was raised knowing that NYC was a special place, part of my very fabric

Now I live here with my best friend. Life here is definitely a grind, pero man do we love it.

Though all my relatives left decades ago, turns out I bump into family on the daily.

Rene Clairin runs YumaYork.NYC, an illustration and design studio based in Washington Heights, Manhattan.

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