One Puerto Rican’s journey to her first NFL game

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.