Journalist Carmen Rita Wong Uncovers Hidden Canary Islands Heritage Through DNA Testing
Journalist Carmen Rita Wong discovered her true biological heritage in Tenerife through DNA testing, debunking a lifelong family narrative and reuniting with her paternal relatives.
The search for one’s roots is no longer just a private matter; it has become a subject of serious sociological study. A prime example is the story of Carmen Rita Wong, a New York journalist and educator. As recently reported, the author of the bestseller Why Didn't You Tell Me? spent years uncovering the truth about her heritage, a journey that eventually led her from the United States to Candelaria, Tenerife, after she discovered her paternal ancestry was not what her mother had claimed for 50 years.
Wong’s story highlights how scientific evidence can challenge long-held family narratives. For years, she believed her father was Peter Ting Wong, a Taiwanese man her mother, Guadalupe Altagracia, had married in New York. However, the lack of Asian physical traits and inconsistencies in her mother’s stories led the journalist to launch a years-long investigation.
The breakthrough came after her mother passed away. Using DNA testing services like Ancestry and 23andMe, Wong discovered she had no East Asian ancestry, but rather European and African roots. In 2021, a DNA match helped her identify a biological niece, revealing that her true father was Florencio Expósito Velázquez. Born in Icod de los Vinos, Tenerife, he had emigrated to Venezuela before moving to New York in the 1970s.
This discovery allowed Wong to connect with her biological family in the Canary Islands, culminating in a trip to Tenerife this past March. Meeting her aunt, Carmen Expósito, and other relatives helped bring closure to a life defined by uncertainty. Her story, which has captivated the public, shows how modern technology can now uncover personal histories that might have otherwise remained hidden forever.
Wong’s experience is part of a growing trend of people using genetic genealogy to look past the stories they were told as children. Documented in her memoir, her journey reflects the complexities of identity in today’s multicultural world and the profound emotional impact of discovering an unexpected heritage that links two worlds as far apart as the Caribbean and the Canary Islands.