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Photo Credit Angel City FC
LOS ANGELES—At Angel City Football Club, it’s Celebración de Culturas Night. I can feel fall creeping in and settling into my bones, but I’m writing this article outside of the press box.
I’m sitting right by the glowing sign of BMO stadium, sipping on a pineapple mango concoction (non alcoholic, by the way) whipped up for me by the lovely Sylvia and Robert. They’ve been working as street vendors at Angel City Football Club games for a while.
The fan fest has just concluded for the night, but the two, along with dozens of other vendors, are still working. I can tell they’re not used to the attention, or the camera, as Sylvia first shies away from my lens.
“You’re not with the police, are you?” Robert asks. He laughs heartily, but I know Los Angeles hasn’t always been kind to our city’s vendors. “She’s just a little worried.” He motions his head towards Sylvia.
“Nah, I’m press. I work for me.” We bump fists, as I hope to ease any worries. I’m a Los Angeles native, and I always will be. Street vendors like theirs fed me when I had nothing else, nourishing my soul more than my stomach.
I can hear the crowds cheering, but nothing can take my attention away from their cart or the autumn winds picking up.
“We’re here… almost every night. We try to work other events as well… But we’ve never been to a game,” says Robert. Yet, they’re donned head to toe in ACFC merch. I can feel the love for the team, and the city.
As I gab with Sylvia and Robert, I find myself completely captivated by their story. It’s not juicy chisme by any sort, but it’s real, and they’re what keeps Los Angeles running. I pluck up the courage to ask: “Would you mind if I featured you guys for my website?”
“Oh yes of course, anything helps us out. You’re Filipino right?”
I laugh. It’s the Latino-Filipino solidarity I missed. “Yeah, haha. You know, the city’s changing. I grew up here with my best friend who’s Mexican, and we’ve never seen anything like it.”
“Yeah. But this is culture right here. This is what they’re celebrating tonight. It’s right outside.”
What Robert says to me is a biting truth that chills me, overwhelming the dropping temperature surrounding me. They put on matching Deadpool onesies to fight the cold.
As I say goodbye to the two, I’m left ruminating. Mango-pineapple drink in one hand, camera in the other.
I walk back inside the stadium and am handed a small picture frame magnet emblazoned with the word: volemos. That’s the defining thought for Angel City tonight. It’s supposed to represent the idea of movement and dreams. According to Viva La Bonita, a partner of ACFC for their Culturas Collection: your dreams are your wings.
For people like Robert and Sylvia, they have their stands. Tacos, bacon wrapped hot dogs, pupusas, aguachiles, aguas frescas—anything and everything under the sun. For me, I have my words. For Angel City, it’s fútbol.
Los Angeles is a city of dreamers. We are not strangers to ambition. There’s an Icarus in each of us, hoping to reach the sun.
Like the rest of its people, ACFC dares to spread its wings and fly--- in spite of losses like tonight. There are dreams at stake, and ACFC is taking us all along for the ride—opening doors for everyone they can. From their fan fest featuring the Kimbambula Cuban Dance & Music Ensemble and multiple Latin-American food trucks, to players like Alyssa Thompson, Scarlett Camberos, and Katie Johnson repping on the field. Even hip hop group Los Rakas was given the chance to shine, performing a mini concert as the starting lineup walked out.
There is a culture coursing through the veins of Los Angeles that is more often than not, ignored. And ACFC is working to shed light on it. We all should be, using our dreams to lift up ourselves and others.
And according to that aforementioned best friend, Sophia Escoto, volemos has another meaning.
We fly. Volemos. Photos taken by Jonah Breton of Tangent Zine except for those stated as otherwise
