List of Colombian Americans

This is a list of notable Colombian Americans, including both original immigrants who obtained American citizenship and their American descendants.

To be included in this list, the person must have a Wikipedia article showing they are Colombian American or must have references showing they are Colombian American and are notable.

List

Artists and designers

• Esteban Cortázar (1984–) – fashion designer
• Miguel Gómez (1974–) – photographer
• Guilloume – Colombian minimalist artist, self-described master of "Bolismo"
• Greg Giraldo – comedian^[1]
• René Moncada – Colombian-born American artist
• Lari Pittman – painter
• Gala Porras-Kim – conceptual artist
• R. J. Palacio – author and graphic designer
• Diego Suarez (1888–1974) – garden designer known for his work at James Deering's Villa Vizcaya in Miami, Florida^[2]

Anchors and TV personalities

• Julie Banderas – Fox News anchor^[3]
• Monica Fonseca (1982–) – television presenter, journalist and blogger
• Ingrid Hoffmann – Colombian-American television personality and restaurateur

Actors

• Thom Adcox-Hernandez – American voice and television actor of Colombian descent (Falcon Crest, The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat, Gargoyles)
• Odette Annable – American actress of Colombian, French, and Cuban descent^[4][5]
• Moisés Arias – Colombian American actor^[6]
• Yancey Arias – American actor of Colombian and Puerto Rican descent
• Stephanie Beatriz – American actress of Colombian father
• Lillo Brancato – Colombian-born American actor (A Bronx Tale, The Sopranos).
• Héctor Luis Bustamante – Colombian American actor
• Sasha Calle – Colombian American actress
• Sofia Carson – Colombian American actress known for the movie Descendants
• Adriana Cataño – American actress and television host
• Alyssa Diaz – American actress of Colombian and Mexican-American descent
• Paula Garcés – actress
• Isabella Gomez – Colombian-born American actress
• Diane Guerrero – American actress of Colombian descent
• Nico Greetham – actor and dancer of Colombian descent best known for participating in So You Think You Can Dance and Power Rangers Ninja Steel.
• Zulay Henao – film and television actress
• Andrew Keegan – actor, mother is Colombian.^[7]
• John Leguizamo (1964–) – Colombian-born American actor and comedian
• Melissa Navia – actress, known for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
• Kika Perez – born Ilva Margarita Perez, Colombian-American actress and TV host
• Danny Ramirez (1992–) – American actor of Colombian and Mexican descent
• Carolina Ravassa (1985–) – Colombian-born American actress
• Sonya Smith – American actress best known for her roles in telenovelas. Her mother is Venezuelan and her father is of Colombian partially descent.^[8]
• Allison Strong, singer/actress known for Bye Bye Birdie, Mamma Mia!, and The Week Of.^[9]
• Diego Tinoco (1997–) – actor, his father is Mexican and his mother Ecuadorian from Colombian descent.
• Paola Turbay (1970–) – actress, TV host and beauty queen
• Brittany Underwood – American actress to Colombian mother^[10]
• Wilmer Valderrama – actor, of Colombian and Venezuelan descent.^[11]
• Carlos Valdes – Colombian-born American actor, Cisco Ramon on the TV series The Flash
• Alexa Vega – American actress from Colombian father^[12]
• Makenzie Vega – American actress, young sister of Alexa Vega^[13]
• Sofía Vergara (1972–) – Colombian actress, known for the series Modern Family
• Rachel Zegler – of Colombian and Polish descent

Musicians

• Kali Uchis (1994–) – Colombian-American singer and songwriter
• Lil Pump – Florida rapper born to Colombian parents (as stated in an interview with J. Cole)
• Psycho Les – hip hop emcee of the group The Beatnuts
• Adassa – American reggaetón singer-songwriter also known as the "Reggaetón Princess". She was born to Afro-Colombians parents.
• Ryan Cabrera – American singer born to a Colombian father and an American mother
• Jason Castro – singer-songwriter
• Freddy Cricien – American emcee and vocalist for the hardcore band Madball^[14]
• Robo (1955–) – drummer (Black Flag, Misfits)
• Kike Santander – Colombian songwriter and producer naturalized in the United States in 2004^[15]
• Yasmin Deliz – American singer-songwriter, model and actress of Dominican and Colombian and Venezuelan parentage.
• Carlos Dengler (1974–) – former bassist of the band Interpol
• Santiago Durango – guitarist (Big Black, Naked Raygun)^[16]
• Alex González (musician) (1969–) – American-born musician of Cuban and Colombian origin.
• Danny Mercer – Colombian American recording artist, songwriter, and producer
• Ericson Alexander Molano – Gospel Christian singer
• Erick Morillo – Colombian-American DJ, music producer and record label owner
• Billy Murcia – drummer (New York Dolls).^[17]
• Marty Stuart – American country music singer-songwriter. He is of French, English, Choctaw, and Colombian descent.
• Tonedeff – American rapper, producer, and singer-songwriter. He was born to a Cuban mother and a Colombian father.
• Andrés Useche – Colombian American writer, film director, graphic artist, singer-songwriter and activist.
• DJ Yonny – American DJ, producer and remixer.
• Rob Swift – (born Robert Aguilar) American hip hop DJ and turntablist group The X-Ecutioners as of late 2005 and as of 2006; with Mike Patton's project Peeping Tom. Rob Swift is on the faculty of Scratch DJ Academy in New York City.
• Soraya (1969–2006) – Colombian-American songwriter, guitarist, arranger and record producer.

Sports

• Jorge Acosta – soccer player, U.S. national team (early 1990s)
• Jesus Ferreira - soccer player, U.S. national team
• Roberto Guerrero (1958–) – Formula One racecar driver
• Juan Pablo Montoya (1975–) – Formula One, Indy and Cart racecar driver
• Juan Agudelo – soccer player^[18]
• Kiko Alonso – NFL player
• Alejandro Bedoya – American soccer player^[19]
• Daniel Barrera – American professional soccer player^[20]
• Lou Castro – first Latin American born player to play in Major League Baseball in the United States, and the first Latin American since player Esteban Bellán in 1873 as a professional baseball player.^[2]
• Diego Corrales (1977–2007) – world champion boxer, father is Colombian and mother is Mexican
• Scott Gomez – retired NHL player. Half Colombian and half Mexican.
• Melissa Gonzalez – hurdler and sprinter. Parents are Colombian; she holds American citizenship by birthright.^[21]
• Diego Gutiérrez – retired Colombian American footballer
• Eliot Halverson – American figure skater
• George Hincapie – cyclist^[22]
• Carlos Llamosa – soccer player^[23]
• Oscar Mercado – MLB player
• Travis Pastrana – American motorsports competitor and stunt performer who has won championships and X Games gold medals in several events
• Fuad Reveiz (1963–) – former NFL player
• Johnny Torres – Colombian-American soccer midfielder and coach
• Fernando Velasco – former NFL player

Models

• Manuela Arbeláez – model (The Price Is Right).^[24]
• Maria Checa – Colombian-American model and actress.

Journalists

• Nina García (1965–) – fashion journalist and critic (Project Runway, Elle, Marie Claire).^[25]
• Omar Jimenez – journalist and correspondent for CNN
• Adrian Lamo – hacker and journalist.
• Manuel Teodoro (1960–) – journalist (CBS News, Univision) (also has Filipino descent).

Politicians

• Diana Farrell – member and one of two deputy directors of the United States National Economic Council (NEC) in the administration of President Barack Obama.
• Jeff Frederick – former member of the General Assembly of Virginia.^[26]
• Ruben Gallego – U.S. Representative for Arizona's 7th congressional district and United States Senator from Arizona
• Lina Hidalgo – county judge for Harris County, Texas
• Bernie Moreno – businessman and United States Senator from Ohio
• Scott Perry – U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 10th congressional district
• José Sarria – first openly gay candidate for public office in the United States

Writers

• James Cañón – Colombian author
• Mo Rocca – American writer, journalist, comedian and political satirist to Colombian (mother) and Italian (father) descent.
• Andrés Useche – Colombian American naturalized writer, film director, graphic artist and singer/songwriter
• Jaime Manrique – Colombian American novelist, poet, essayist, educator, and translator.
• R. J. Palacio – Mexican-born American author to Colombian parents.

Scientists

• Jaime Imitola – neuroimmunologist
• Juan B. Gutierrez – mathematician and author
• Rodolfo Llinás (1934–) – neuroscientist
• Guillermo Owen – mathematician
• Ana María Rey – physicist

Others

• Medaria Arradondo – Minneapolis police chief
• José Luis Castillo (activist) – Colombian-American activist,^[27] politician, and non-profit community liaison in south Florida. He was born to a Dutch mother and a Colombian father in Netherlands. He lives in Florida.
• Arturo Escobar – Colombian-American anthropologist primarily known for his contribution to postdevelopment theory and political ecology
• Carlos Goez (1939–1990) – founder of the original Pomander Book Shop in New York
• Will Jimeno – police officer, 9/11 survivor, portrayed in World Trade Center
• Andre Melendez (1971–1996) – better known as Angel Melendez, was a Club Kid and drug dealer who lived and worked in New York City
• Beto Pérez – Colombian born American dancer and choreographer who created the fitness program Zumba in the 1990s
• Cristina Pérez – judge^[28]
• Julio Mario Santo Domingo (1923–2011) – Colombian billionaire
• Alejandro Santo Domingo (1977–) – Colombian American financier
• Al Williamson (1931–2010) – American cartoonist, comic book artist and illustrator specializing in adventure, Western and science-fiction/fantasy.^[29]
• George Zamka – NASA astronaut^[30]
• Laura DePuy (1971–) – Colombian-American colorist who has produced work for several of the major comics companies, including DC Comics, Marvel Comics and CrossGen.^[31]

References

1. "Stand up Latino & political comedian Greg Giraldo". Archived from the original on May 14, 2008.
2. He was a grandson of the Colombian revolutionist and caudillo Francisco de Miranda. Biographical details are taken from an interview with Suarez reported in James T. Maher, Twilight of Splendor: Chronicles of the Age of American Palaces (Boston: Little, Brown) 1975:190-91.
3. "Julie Banderas: 5 Fast facts you need to know". www.heavy.com. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
4. Ángela González (January 6, 2008). "Odette Yustman, in the company of monsters in 'Cloverfield'". New York: NY Daily News. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
5. "Moreno Valley|PE.com|Southern California News|News for Inland Southern California". Archived from the original on March 26, 2009.
6. Colombia Passport: Economics, Culture and Society: "[1] 27 May 2009 archived version of Moisés Arias of Colombia", 23 March 2009. Link retrieved 25 March 2009. Cite: "If some Colombians dream with an American passport, there are cases of Americans who are proud of say they are Colombians. It is the case of New York-born actor Moises Arias, a teen heart throb and an American US television actor who is proud of the origin of his parents: Colombia."
7. "Andrew Keegan - Yahoo! TV". yahoo.com.
8. [2]^{[permanent dead link]}
9. "National Endowment for the Arts Presents Sixth Annual Poetry Pavilion at the National Book Festival: Biographies of Participants". National Endowment for the Arts. Archived from the original on September 21, 2012. Retrieved June 3, 2012.
10. "Brittany Underwood Fan Page". Archived from the original on March 17, 2012. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
11. "Wilmer more than Lindsay's ex". heraldsun.com.au. December 13, 2006.
12. "Alexa Forever Forums :: View topic - Questions for Miss Alexa Vega". Archived from the original on January 17, 2008. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
13. Alexa Vega (May 11, 2005). "Alexa Forever Forums". RE: Questions for Miss Alexa Vega. Archived from the original on December 15, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2006. My father's side is Colombian (bogota)... and I don't know why they said my mom was Italian. She's not. My family and I were trying to figure out what my mom was, but we can only go back to 5 generations and they were all from Florida. haha. so .. Floridian? ahhah... my moms last name is French though
14. "FREDDY MADBALL: I give respect to religion". t-musicvault-en.blogspot.com. November 12, 2009.
15. Lena Hansen (February 27, 2008). "Las lecciones de vida de Kike Santander" [The life lessons of Kike Santander] (in Spanish). Archived from the original on December 7, 2010. Retrieved May 26, 2010.
16. Azerrad, Michael. Our Band Could Be Your Life: Scenes from the American Indie Underground, 1981-1991. Little, Brown and Company, 2001. ISBN 0-316-78753-1
17. Jacobson, Mark. "The Icon: Doll Face", New York (magazine), September 23, 2002. Accessed May 28, 2009. "Then came the sad pictures: Johnny and Jerry, RIP, and Billy Murcia too, their first drummer, a Colombian from Jackson Heights, dead in a London bathtub."
18. "Gold Cup 2011" [Gold Cup 2011: Juan Agudelo]. NJ.com. June 5, 2011. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
19. Bondy, Stefan. "Englewood native Alejandro Bedoya vies for U.S. spot", The Record (Bergen County), May 25, 2010. Accessed February 16, 2011.
20. Barrera aiming high at Spartak^[usurped] at yanks-abroad.com, 16-12-2011
21. Brugler, Dane. "The Beast: 2022 NFL Draft Guide" (PDF). The Athletic. p. 247. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 10, 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2022. Melissa holds dual citizenship in the United States and Colombia
22. "Daily Peloton - Pro Cycling News". Dailypeloton.com. Archived from the original on June 14, 2009. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
23. "Profile: Carlos Llamosa". Soccer Times. Archived from the original on May 9, 2013. Retrieved April 13, 2009.
24. "Price is Right model Manuela Arbelaez dishes on blunder, says it's the biggest mistake in game show history". www.nydailynews.com. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
25. Tkacik, Maureen (August 17, 2008), "America's Next Top Fashion Editor", New York Magazine, retrieved July 14, 2010
26. Jost, Lauren (July 20, 2011). "Muñoz, Frederick Speak of Platforms in Forum". Woodbridge Patch. Retrieved September 13, 2011.
27. “County Commission Candidates Line Up Endorsements” Miami Herald, August 24, 2000
28. "New York Daily News". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on November 15, 2009.
29. "Interview with Al Williamson," The Jack Kirby Collector #15 (April 1997), p. 16. Reprinted in The Collected Jack Kirby Collector Volume Three (TwoMorrows Publishing, 1999), p. 142. ISBN 978-1-893905-02-3
30. "Astronaut Bio: George D. Zamka (03/2013)". Jsc.nasa.gov. Archived from the original on February 13, 2007. Retrieved July 23, 2008.
31. Laura DePuy at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original). Accessed July 19, 2008