Why are women always standing first?
That is a rhetorical question, of course. But it is one that has a factual base because the power of girls is real.
From Joan de Arco to Cassidy Hutchinson, every time men have proven too cautious, cowardly or complacent to act, women have had the courage to do the right thing. The last example of this female courage occurred last Saturday, after federal immigration agents launched a series of raids throughout the Southland aimed at all, from schoolchildren to the elderly for parishioners.
A few hours after the first arrests, Angel City, a women's soccer club, became the first local sports franchise to issue a statement, recognizing the “fear and uncertainty” that the raids had caused. A day later, LaFC, Angel City's roommate at Stadium BMO, issued his own statement.
That was a week and a half ago. But Angel City didn't stop there. While the collective silence of the Dodgers, the Galaxy, the Lakers, the Kings and other teams have been deafening, Angel City has become challenging, wearing their players and the new coach Alexander Straus in shirts that renamed the team “Immigrant City Football Club”. On the back, the slogan “Los Angeles is for all /Los Angeles is for everyone ” It was repeated six times.
“The statement was the beginning,” said Chris Fajardo, community vice president of Angel City. “The statement was our way of making sure that our fans, our players, our staff felt seen at that time.
“The next piece was, I think, faithful to Angel City. Not only speaking the talk but walking.”
Angel City, the most valuable franchise in the history of women's sport, has been walking that walk since it was launched five years ago with the help of Hollywood list A investors, including Natalie Portman, Eva Longoria, Jessica Chastain, América Ferrera and Jennifer Garner.
Angel City coach Alexander Straus uses a shirt with the words, “Immigrant City Football Club” before Saturday's game.
(Jen Flores / Angel City FC)
He has used his wealth and his unique platform to provide more than 2.3 million meals and more than 33,000 hours for youth and adult education throughout the south of California; provide teams and personnel for soccer camps for children of migrants trapped on the border between the United States and Mexico; and channel $ 4.1 million in other community programs in Los Angeles.
But while much of that has happened in silence, the actions last Saturday were provocative, boldly and publicly in a city still under the siege of thousands of National Guard troops and hundreds of US marines.
“We always talked about how we wanted to build a club that was representative of our community. But we built a club where we are part of the community,” said Julie Uhrman, who co -founded the team that now runs as president.
“At times like this, it is how we use our platform to get the attention of what is happening, to create a sense of community and tell our community that we are there for them.
“Our followers wanted to do more,” Uhrman added. “And we wanted to support them.”
Sydney Leroux by Angel City posa for a photo before a match against North Carolina on Saturday.
(Ian Maule / NWSL through Getty Images)
Then Fajardo contacted staff and followers of the team. What would that next step be like this time?
“We knew we wanted to make shirts, but how is this the correct movement?” Fajardo said. “In addition, let's talk about language. I had to resonate and it had to be something they considered it was true.
“And so it was through the conversation that we landed at the Immigrant Football Club and all belong to Los Angeles”
That was Wednesday afternoon. Fajardo needed more than 10,000 shirts to deliver players and fans on Saturday morning. That took Andrew Leigh, president of Jerry Leigh from California, a family clothing manufacturer based in Los Angeles.
“We wanted to be part of that,” Leigh said. “They were definitely a priority, since we believe in the cause and what Angel City represents.”
However, that first shirt race was just the beginning. Leight's company has made thousands more for the team to sell on its website, with net income to road immigration services, helping to finance what the team feels that it is a pressing necessity.
The campaign has resonated with the players, many of whom were attracted to Angel City for the commitment of the club with the community service and many of whom see this moment as especially personal.
“My mother's parents came here from China, and it was not easy for them,” said Captain Ali Riley to the team's website. “They had to find a way of making a life here. My father is a first -generation American. Being angels, everything we do, everything we play, everything we eat, this is a city of immigrants.”
“It feels so uncertain at this time,” he continued, “but looking around the stadium and seeing these shirts everywhere, is as if we were saying: 'This is our home, we know who we are and we know what we believe in.”
He has also resonated with the followers.
“It's great that they showed support and put it in action,” said Lauren Stibling, a dramatist from Santa Clarita and a head of the Angel City season since the beginning of the club. “They really showed an empathy for the community they serve.
The shirts with the words “Los Angeles is for everyone” in English and Spanish were handed over to fans before Angel City against North Carolina at BMO Stadium on Saturday.
(Jen Flores / Angel City FC)
“They stand up. I am proud of the team and makes me a bigger admirer.”
And it makes the Dodgers, the galaxy and the other franchises in southern California that have remained silent seem smaller. On the same night, Angel City was taking a step forward, seven miles away, the Dodgers returned once again, warning singer Nezza, daughter of Dominican immigrants, to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” in English, not Spanish.
“I did not think I would meet any” no “, especially because we are in Los Angeles and with everything that happens,” said Nezza, whose real name is Vanessa Hernández. “I felt I needed to do it.”
Then she sang in Spanish. Of course She sang in Spanish.
⚽ You have read the last installment of On Soccer with Kevin Baxter. The weekly column takes it behind the scene and shines in the unique stories. Listen to Baxter in this week's episode “Podcast of the corner of the galaxy “.
