As part of the Bears' Latino Heritage Month celebration, NAHJ student writer, Puerto Rico native and DePaul University graduate student Laura Sofía Vázquez David chronicles her experience at the Bears' Latino Heritage Month game Sept. 21, which was also her first time attending an NFL game.
As I walked off the Roosevelt CTA stop Sept. 21, I saw a sea of navy blue swimming toward Soldier Field to watch the Bears take on the Cowboys. It was a typical NFL Sunday for most, but not for me.
This was going to be my first time watching an NFL game in person, and even better, it was also the Bears' Latino Heritage Month celebration.
I never imagined a sport so deeply rooted in American culture would also celebrate mine.
I was born and raised in Puerto Rico, where the sports that rule the screen are the three B's: baseball, basketball and boxing. Not that Puerto Ricans don't watch professional football, but as a kid, I knew the Super Bowl as the game happening before and after the halftime show.
That changed once I began pursuing my bachelor's degree in journalism, with an interest in sports journalism. I did play sports as a kid – I would make my mom sign me up for all the extracurricular sports – but I never lasted more than a semester. During my elementary school days, I participated in volleyball, soccer, gymnastics and even wrestling, but I didn't consider myself good at any of them, so I stuck to music. I played violin for more than eight years, which led to my first visit to Chicago.
The first time I ever visited Chicago was in 2013 for the Chicago Suzuki Institute intensive summer camp in Deerfield. I spent a week playing violin every day and spent three of those days in the city. I remember having so many fond memories of Chicago and having fun with my friends at The Bean and the Shedd Aquarium.
That was my last visit to Chicago until I started pursuing my master's degree at DePaul University. Even though it was over a decade since I first visited, it felt familiar being back in the city that gave me my first "big girl" experience.
Little by little, football became more and more a part of my life as a Chicagoan. Travis Kelce went from Taylor Swift's "guy on the Chiefs" to a top tight end in the NFL. My Sundays, which were originally for grocery shopping because most people were watching the Bears, turned into me sitting in front of the TV to keep track of my two fantasy teams.
As a newer Chicagoan, visiting all the professional sports venues is on my bucket list. I guess life works out in mysterious ways, because not only would the first Bears game I'd ever attend be the team's Latino Heritage Month celebration, but I'd also have the opportunity to write about it. It felt exciting and surreal at the same time.
As a graduate student in sports journalism, I have had to come to terms with the fact that I will never be known as just a sports journalist, but as both a Latina sports journalist and a woman in sports. Back home, where everyone is Latino, that isn't a label that follows you around. But in the United States, it's often the first thing people see.
When I first got to Chicago and started pursuing my graduate degree, I tried really hard to make people see me as only a "sports journalist" because I just wanted to be known for being good at my job.
Now, a year into my journey, that has completely changed. I am proud to call myself a Latina sports journalist, and I am proud of the doors that it has opened for me. I've had the opportunity to work with different outlets in the United States and in Puerto Rico, I have written stories in both English and Spanish and even collaborated with one of my favorite artists: Super Bowl LX headliner Bad Bunny.
I will recognize any Bad Bunny lyric or beat — no matter the volume — in an instant. And as soon as I walked into Soldier Field, his familiar tunes blasted through the speakers. I immediately felt at home.
Yes, I knew it was the Bears' Latino Heritage Month game, but I just assumed that meant a couple of Spanish slogans and a few activations. I didn't expect to feel somewhat at home, even though I was 2,080 miles away from Puerto Rico.
While walking around Soldier Field before the game (mainly because I got lost and couldn't find my seat), I was in awe of all the colors and designs that the Bears were using to honor Latino Heritage Month. From the Mexican tile style to the "Vamos Bears" theme to the wearable flags, everything made me feel at home.
Going to Soldier Field and seeing so many people that not only love football, but also look like me, was also surreal.
I felt like I belonged, something that I never thought would happen at an NFL game.
That Hispanic warmth soothed me as I arrived upon the face painting booth on the concourse. When I was a kid, I loved getting my face painted. There was something about the softness of the brushes on my cheek and the potent smell of the paint that just felt right. It was always my favorite part of going to birthday parties and different festivals in Puerto Rico. My elementary school used to do an end-of-year party with bounce castles, and I would always get my face painted.
As this nice lady was painting my face, she asked if I liked glitter and, with the biggest smile on my face, I said 'yes!' I sent a video to my best friend Mara and told her that 'I don't care I'm not a child; I am getting my face painted cause why not?' It felt fitting to have a glittery football heart drawn on my cheek that afternoon.
The Latino Heritage Month celebration continued during the national anthem. Angelina Victoria, who sang the anthem, is an incredible performer. She also put on a wonderful performance during the halftime show which honored her and the other performers' Mexican heritage. I haven't spent much time around Mexicans, but seeing the halftime performance definitely made me more appreciative of their culture and celebrating what makes them different and special, which is what the Latino Heritage Month celebration is all about.
As the game was about to kick off, I was excited and just hoping the Bears could come out with a win, which they did – what a game!
Seeing the Bears' first win of the season was the cherry on top of my experience. Watching football live is nothing like watching on TV. From the speed of the game to the energy in the stands, every play felt important. I high-fived strangers, cheered as fireworks went off and sang all the words to "Bear Down, Chicago Bears" like I'd known them forever.
In those moments, I realized that sports are about more than just the game or score. I know that's cliché, but the moments where you truly experience it are rare. This game was about community — thousands of people, myself included, uniting under one common passion. For a few hours, it didn't matter where we came from; what mattered was the shared joy of being part of something bigger than ourselves.
I have declared myself the Bears' Latina good luck charm, and because they gifted me with an amazing gameday experience, I had to help them deliver the W.
It was an honor for me to be in attendance for such a fun game, both on and off the field, and the memories I have are ones I will take with me forever. The little Lau that wouldn't be caught dead watching sports before would be very surprised to see where she has ended up, but she would be proud, nonetheless.
Now is the time for Latinos to be loud and proud of our heritage and being able to celebrate that heritage because of a professional sports team is an honor and privilege. This is for all of those who came before me, and for all of those who will come after me.
Soldier Field opened its doors to me and my heritage, and I hope to keep those doors open for the next generation.
