Why is the first woman to stand up?
Of course, that’s a rhetorical question. But that is actually grounded because the girl’s power is real.
From Joan of the Ark to Cassidy Hutchinson, whenever a man proved too cautious, co-ill, or behaved, a woman had the courage to do the right thing. The latest example of this woman’s fearlessness comes last Saturday after federal immigrant agents launched a string of raids across Southland, targeting everyone, from school children to senior church members.
Within hours of their first arrest, women’s soccer club Angel City became the first local sports franchise to issue a statement, recognizing the “terror and uncertainty” that the attack caused. A day later, LAFC, an Angel City roommate at BMO Stadium, issued its own statement.
That was a week and a half ago. But Angel City didn’t stop there. The collective silence from the Dodgers, Galaxy, Lakers, Kings and other teams is deafening, but Angel City has grown rebelliously, wearing a t-shirt renamed the player and new coach Alexander Strauss “Immigrant City Football Club.” Behind it was the slogan “Los Angeles is for Everyone/Los Angeles Espalatodos” repeated six times.
“The statement was the beginning,” said Chris Fajardo, vice president of the Angel City community. “The statement was a way to confirm that fans, players and staff felt they were seen in the moment.
“I think the next piece was true to Angel City. I’m not only talking about the story, but I’m walking around.”
Angel City, the most valuable franchise in women’s sports history, has been on its walk since it launched five years ago with the help of A-list Hollywood investors including Natalie Portman, Eva Longoria, Jessica Chastain, America Ferrera and Jennifer Garner.
Angel City coach Alexander Strauss is wearing a shirt before Saturday’s game with the phrase “Immigrant City Football Club.”
(Genflowers/Angel City FC)
Using wealth and a unique platform, it offers over 2.3 million meals and over 33,000 hours of food and 33,000 hours to youth and adult education in Southern California. Provides equipment and staff to soccer camps for immigrant children trapped at the US-Mexican border. It will pour $4.1 million into other community programs in Los Angeles.
But while much of it happened quietly, last Saturday’s actions were provocative, bold and publicly in a city still under siege by thousands of National Guard and hundreds of US Marines.
“We’ve always wanted to build a club that represents our community, but we’ve built a club that’s part of the community,” said Julie Woman, who co-founded the team she currently leads as president.
“In moments like these, it’s a way to use the platform to aim for what’s going on, creating a sense of community and telling the community that we’re there.
“Our supporters wanted to do more,” Woman added. “And we wanted to support them.”
Angel City’s Sydney Leroux will take photos before his match against North Carolina on Saturday.
(Ian Maule/NWSL via Getty Images)
Therefore, Fajardo contacted the team’s staff and supporters. What will the next step look like this time?
“We wanted to do a shirt, is this the right move?” Fajardo said. “Let’s also talk about language. It had to resonate, and it had to be something they felt true.
“So we landed at the Immigrant City Football Club and it was through conversation that everyone belonged to LA.”
It was late Wednesday afternoon. Fajardo needed more than 10,000 shirts to hand over to players and fans by Saturday morning. That led him to Andrew Lee, president of California’s Jerry Lee, a family-owned clothing manufacturer based in Los Angeles.
“We wanted to be a part of it,” Lee said. “These were definitely a priority as we believe in the cause and what Angel City represents.”
But the first run of the T-shirt was just the beginning. Lee’s company has earned thousands more for the team to sell on its website, and net income is sent to Camino Immigration Services, funding what the team feels is an urgent need.
The campaign has attracted many to Angel City by the club’s commitment to community service, and many have drawn to Angel City as many consider the moment particularly personal.
“My mother’s parents came here from China, but it wasn’t easy for them,” Ali Riley Grande told the team’s website. “They had to find a way to make life here. My dad is a first-generation American. He’s from Los Angeles and everything we do, everything we play, everything we eat, this is an immigrant city.”
“I feel very uncertain right now,” she continued.
It also resonates with supporters.
“It’s great that they showed support and led it to action,” said Laurent Stribbing, a playwright from Santa Clarita and Angel City season ticket holder from the club’s start. “They really showed empathy for the community they serve.
The shirt with the words “Los Angeles is for everyone” and Spanish was handed out to fans before an Angel City game against North Carolina at BMO Stadium on Saturday.
(Genflowers/Angel City FC)
“They’re standing up. It makes me proud of the team and makes me a bigger fan.”
And it creates other Southern California franchises that will keep the Dodgers, Galaxy and Silent looking small. On the same night, Angel City stepped up, seven miles away, and the Dodgers retreated again, warning singer Neza, the daughter of Dominican immigrants, and warned him to sing “starspanged banners” in English rather than Spanish.
“It’s especially because I’m in LA and everything’s going on. ‘I felt I needed to do that.”
So she sang in Spanish. Of course, she sang in Spanish.
I’ve read the latest football work with covin Kevin Baxter. Each weekly column will take you behind the scenes and shine a spotlight on unique stories. Listen to Baxter on this week’s episode of the “Galaxy of the Galaxy” podcast.
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