Racial explanation please Help me out?

My mother, sister, and myself have just moved to Long Beach, California and I 'm going to a new school. I came here from Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York and before I left my school I was one of the only 50 or 60 Dominican kids that went too my high school new yorkers know what I'm talking about. Well I used to hang out with black people and my homegirl told me I needed to say I was black. I somehow agreed with her, because I'm black, and talk like I'm black but my madre and padre are from the Dominican Republic. My family looks like Madeas Family Reunion except with spanish speakers. I thought of it so when I go to my new school should I tell people hey I'm black when I'm asked or what. Because I get asked am I black and white often half white because of my light eyes a little help Afro-Latinos or African-American. or just anybody who isn't racist.