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Bears host Latino Heritage Month celebration at Soldier Field | Story by Gabby Hajduk, photos by Jacob Funk, Molly Kaiser and Kevin Anderson

ChicagoBears.com highlights the club's efforts around Sunday's Latino Heritage Month-themed game, brought to you by PNC, against the Dallas Cowboys at Soldier Field.

From Sept. 15-Oct. 15, the Bears are celebrating Latino Heritage Month through a variety of activations and events, the most notable of which came Sunday at their 31-14 win over the Cowboys at Soldier Field.

The Bears' annual Latino Heritage Month game recognizes the rich histories, cultures and contributions of the Latino community as well as their deep Bears fandom.

Two live performances highlighted the pregame activities outside Soldier Field.

Chicago's first all-women mariachi ensemble, Mariachi Sirenas, delivered a beautiful performance at the Miller Lite Ultimate Tailgate at the Field Museum. The Mariachi Sirenas have been staples of the Bears' Latino Heritage Month celebrations the past few years.

On the other side of the stadium at the Vizzy Hard Seltzer Fan Zone, Ballet Folklorico de Chicago — the city's largest Mexican folkloric dance group — performed a series of traditional dances that represent regions across Mexico. Their pregame performance served as a preview to their appearance during the halftime show.

Fans who arrived to the game early were treated to "Vamos Bears" wearable flag giveaways thanks to PNC, providing them an exclusive souvenir from Sunday's game.

Throughout Sunday, those in attendance, including Staley Da Bear, were seen rocking the flag on their backs.

Various photo opportunities were also offered on the concourse, including a large "Vamos Bears" display with Latin-inspired designs. Some of the iconic Soldier Field columns were also decorated with vibrant signage.

The Bears also unveiled custom "Vamos Bears" t-shirts at the Soldier Field Pro Shop, which were designed by the club's in-house Brand Creative team to highlight Latino pride and Bears tradition. The t-shirts, which sold out at Soldier Field Sunday, are still available for purchase online at the Chicago Bears Pro Shop.

More custom signage lined the field with Latino Heritage Month pads on the goal posts as well as Vamos Bears signs along the stands.

Through the Spanish-language broadcast brought to you by PNC on TUDN's Latino Mix 93.5 FM, fans not at Soldier Field could also partake in the celebration. The broadcast featured longtime commentator Omar Ramos alongside Nasle Briones, who made her debut this season and made history as the first Latina woman to call a Bears game.

"It's been a dream come true for me — this entire season and entire month," Briones said. "I'm very grateful to Omar and Univision for giving me these opportunities. For me, it's a huge deal. I'm really happy about it. I'm really glad to be a part of this, so young girls can realize, 'okay, I'm a girl, but I can speak about football. I can do this.'"

For Ramos — who grew up idolizing Chicago sports players like Michael Jordan, Chris Zorich and Neal Anderson — representing his heritage as well as the city of Chicago is "like a dream come true."

"Ever since I was a child in Central Valley, California, I followed football," Ramos said. "I followed the Bears on the other side of the country. I was that one kid that was always buying football cards and always collecting like anything that was associated with the Chicago Bears. My dream was to become a communicator, and now as somebody comes from my Hispanic background, the fact that I can be the Spanish face for the Chicago Bears is such an honor."

The in-stadium festivities ramped up during player introductions. The Chicago Bears Monster Squad ran out of the tunnel with Latin-inspired team flags prior to players being introduced.

Mexican-American artist Angelina Victoria then delivered an inspiring rendition of the national anthem.

A Chicago native and daughter of immigrants from Jalisco and Michoacán, Victora studied opera and musical theatre before focusing on regional Mexican music, a genre where she is a rising star.

Throughout the game, the Spanish translation of "Bear Down, Chicago Bears" was displayed on ribbon panels across the stadium after each Bears scoring drive, inviting fans to sing along in celebration of the team and their heritage.

Victoria later returned to the field to provide fans with an entertaining halftime performance alongside Mariachi Monumental de Mexico and Ballet Folklorico, whose dancers showcased traditional Mexican choreography in colorful, authentic outfits that represent their heritage.

In the third quarter, the Bears honored the two honorary captains and this year's Latino Heritage Month Youth Leader Award winners: Elani Trejo of Romeoville High School and Juan Cervantes of Belvidere High School.

The annual award celebrates high school football and girls flag football players who excel in sports, the classroom and their communities. Bears President & CEO Kevin Warren met with the pair of talented students and presented them with special recognition plaques.

The Bears will continue their Latino Heritage Month celebration through Oct. 15, including spotlighting a Latina student voice – Laura Sofia Vazquez – with the help of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, putting on a Latino Heritage Month Game watch party presented by Miller Lite and organizing the annual Latino Heritage High School Game.