Birth Name: Sofia Daccarett Char
Place of Birth: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.
Date of Birth: April 10, 1993
Ethnicity: Colombian [Syrian-Lebanese, Arab Palestinian, Spanish, possibly other], possibly English
Sofia Carson is an American actress and singer.
Sofia is the daughter of Laura (Char) and José Fernando Daccarett. Sofia’s parents were born in Barranquilla, Colombia. Sofia speaks fluent English and Spanish.
One of Sofia’s great-uncles (maternal grandfather’s brother) was a Senator of Colombia (from 1990 to 1995; 1998 to 2006; and 2010 to 2014) and a Minister of Economic Development (from 1987 to 1988), Fuad Char. One of Fuad’s sons, Alejandro Char Chaljub, is the current mayor of Barranquilla, Colombia, since 2008.
Sofia’s paternal grandfather is René Roque Giha Daccarett, the son of José Miguel Daccarett and Zoila Giha. René was born in Barranquilla, Colombia. José Miguel had origins in Palestine.
Sofia’s paternal grandmother is Rosa María Escobar.
Sofia’s maternal grandfather is Simón Char Abdala (the son of Richard/Ricardo Char Zaslawy and Erlinda Abdala Chadjur). Richard was born in Damascus, Syria, the son of Miguel Char and María Zaslawy, and moved to Colombia in 1926. Erlinda was born in Colombia, the daughter of Lebanese parents, Simón Abdala and Rosa Chadjur.
Sofia’s maternal grandmother is Lauraine E. Carson, who is American.
Sofia has stated:
My mom is Colombian, so I was raised going to Colombia every year to see my family. I am lucky enough that I get to speak both languages and they are both a part of who I am. Also, we were raised eating mac and cheese and popcorn, but also, deditos de queso, empanadas, arroz con pollo and listening to boleros, or reggaeton, but also listening to Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and others. We’ve been raised completely biculturally. I think it’s a cool experience; I never really knew or appreciated [the] good it would do me in my future to be bicultural — to have both cultures with me and both languages — than right now in this moment in my career. Speaking Spanish has been such a plus and I feel so proud to be Colombian, and to be Latin and to go around the world and speak my languages. It’s great.
Sources: Immigration record of Sofia’s paternal grandfather, René Roque Daccarett Giha – http://www.familysearch.org
Genealogy of Sofia’s mother – http://genealogiacolombiana.com
http://www.elheraldo.co (in Spanish)
http://www.jetset.com.co (in Spanish)
http://www.alfresco.com.co (in Spanish)
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