Phoenix Rising Staff Members share what their Hispanic Heritage means to them
Written by Eric Matsumoto and Matthew Finders
Hispanic heritage runs deep in the city of Phoenix and in the state of Arizona as a whole. Since Phoenix was established in 1867, Hispanic culture has been ingrained in the community, providing a strong sense of pride.
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated nationally from September 15 to October 15 with the purpose of recognizing the influence and impact of Hispanic culture and history in the United States. As the month kicks off, several Rising staff members who carry with them daily their pride of Hispanic heritage shared more about their roots and why Hispanic Heritage month means so much to them.
“It’s something I’m very proud of, just to be from Colombian roots,” Team Administrator Daniel Zapata (Medellín, Colombia) said. “My parents taught me to be proud of my heritage my whole life.”
“The first thing that comes to mind is being proud of our culture and being able to share that culture and roots with others,” Director of Communications for the Phoenix Rising Academy, John Schelling (Guadalajara, Mexico), said. “It’s a growing awareness of what all Hispanic culture is, whether you’re from Mexico, Central America or South America.”
Hispanic and Latino voters are the fastest growing racial and ethnic group in the U.S. electorate, according to a study done by the Pew Research Center. The number of Hispanic eligible voters has increased by 4.7 million since 2018.
“Learning the history of our ancestors has defined my story in a significant way,” Rising Finance Manager Anna Duarte (Hermosillo, Mexico) said. “My ancestors lived through sickness, racism, discrimination and in fear just as many Latins do today.”
Many shared that pride in their Hispanic heritage originates from pride in their own families.
“It means family – understanding and being proud of your lineage,” Senior Account Executive Michael Avila (Guadalajara, Mexico) said.
“I think it’s just being proud of where you come from,” Account Executive Vanessa Contreras (Yuma, Arizona) added. “For me, it’s keeping the lineage of my family ongoing on both sides of the family. Just remembering who we are as a culture and where we come from, and just feeling that Mexican blood in me. Even if I’m away from home, I still carry that within me.”
For many Rising staff members celebrating their Hispanic heritage this month, understanding the impact of their ancestry has not been lost along the way.
“What makes it unique to me is that it’s very humbling when I go over there (Mexico),” Assistant Athletic Trainer Rafael Lopez (Colima, Mexico) said. “Going down there to see my family and just how different people’s lifestyles are and how content they are without materialistic things. They live a happy life, not worrying about stuff that we worry about here in the (United) States.”
Added Equipment Manager Jake Minder (Sonora, Mexico): “My dad’s side is pretty invested in (Hispanic) culture. Even for simple stuff like birthday parties, we’d have piñatas and the food was awesome. So when I was a kid, I obviously loved that because we would always have a big family gathering for parties.”
Oftentimes, one’s Hispanic ancestry can be used for support.
“Hispanic heritage is just a time where you can honor where you’re from, and it makes you closer to your family,” Marketing and Content Coordinator Isabella Duran explained, “It’s a time where you can learn more about your culture from your ancestors and older family members. (It’s a time) to come together and look back, spend time with family, and also learn more about where you came from and different traditions you have.”
“I grew up somewhere where there weren’t a lot of people like me, and at times it was hard,” Zapata said. Sticking to my roots and connecting with my family and how family is so important to like Latinos in general, it helps a lot. Being able to connect with my roots means a lot to my confidence. I rely on those roots in my family to do a good job every day,” he continued.
Rising will celebrate Hispanic Heritage month on Saturday, September 20, when it hosts Loudoun United FC at 7:00 p.m. (PT) at Phoenix Rising Stadium.
“The diverse cultural elements, such as food, music, dance and values passed down through generations,” Duarte said. “Our culture is so beautiful, so celebrating its beauty in a supportive community is so magical.”
