LOS ANGELES (AP) — On Saturday night at Dodger Stadium, fans were treated to an unexpected performance of the Star-Spangled Banner as they took off their caps and stood for the national anthem. Nezza, a singer of Latin music and R&B, stepped in front of the audience, closed her eyes, and sang the song in Spanish.
The Dodgers’ lack of vocal support for immigrant communities affected by the deportation raids across the U.S., including many neighborhoods in and around Los Angeles, has become a point of frustration for Dodgers fans. Her 90-second rendition and a behind-the-scenes video she posted on social media showing team representatives discouraging it beforehand went viral very quickly.
Mostly taking place in locations just a short drive from Dodger Stadium, protests over the arrests made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have drawn attention from all around the world.
Nezza claims that despite the team’s agent discouraging her, she was still undecided about whether to sing in Spanish or English until she came onto the field and seen the Dodger blue-clad Latino families in the stands.
This is my chance to let everyone know that I support them, that we have a voice, and that everything that is going on is unacceptable. The fact that I did it makes me quite proud. The 30-year-old singer told The Associated Press that she had no regrets.
Regarding the raids and arrests, the team has not yet released a statement on the record.
Dodgers hitter Kik Hernandez independently expressed his opinions on Instagram over the weekend, while manager Dave Roberts has stated that he does not know enough about the matter to comment.
He posted in both Spanish and English, saying, “I am saddened and infuriated by what’s happening in our country and our city.” Seeing our community assaulted, profiled, mistreated, and torn apart is intolerable to me. Everyone is entitled to human rights, decency, and respect.
The response to Nezza s anthem performance
We are going to perform the song in English today, so I’m not sure if it was conveyed or not. Nezza is seen talking to an off-camera Dodgers employee in her widely shared TikTok video. Celebrities like Jason Mraz, Kehlani, Chiquis, Ava DuVernay, The Kid Mero, Becky G, and others have shown their support for her since Saturday.
Now, don’t even consider abandoning us. As a city, we have welcomed you and are more in need of your help than ever. In her Instagram story, Becky G addressed the Dodgers, saying, “Consider who packs your stadium.”
President Franklin D. Roosevelt commissioned Peruvian-American composer Clotilde Arias to produce the official translation of the national anthem, El Pend n Estrellado, in Spanish, which Nezza sung.
Nezza claims that an anonymous Dodgers employee called her boss right away to inform her that their customers were not welcome at the stadium once more. However, the baseball organization told the AP that there were no repercussions or animosity from the Dodgers because of her performance. No one asked her to go. Her return would be greatly appreciated.
The Dodgers history with Latinos and immigrants in Los Angeles
Los Angeles immigrant communities have a long relationship with Dodger Stadium.
The team continues to sell exclusive Los Dodgers jerseys on its official website, and many proudly wear Dodger blue jerseys and merchandise as a way to show their love for the city. They also go to the stadium’s numerous heritage nights that honor the Mexican, Salvadoran, Guatemalan, and other immigrant communities, including those from outside Latin America. The Dodgers are one of the few teams that broadcast in Spanish, and a large portion of their fan base is Latino.
The team is also often commended for its history of pursuing diverse talent, such as Chan Ho Park (the first Korean in the major leagues), Fernando Valenzuela (a Mexican legend who went beyond baseball), and Jackie Robinson (baseball’s first Black player).
However, there is some strain in the connection because some Mexican American and Latino locals are angry at the team’s violent expulsion of Latino families in the 1950s so that Dodger Stadium could be built in what is known as Chavez Ravine.
Since then, some fans have called for an online boycott, while others claim that if the team spoke out, they would be willing to go back.
You are loved by us. You have played a significant role in our lives. Even so, we want to know that you still adore us. Or do you see us only as money? In an Instagram video, Letty Peniche, host of Power 106’s Brown Bag Mornings, was asked.
Alora Murray, a resident of Los Angeles, is thinking of a short-term boycott.
“No one is playing around with this,” Murray added. The Dodgers are the foundation of Los Angeles. I believe that by boycotting or not attending games, we will be sending the message that they are not kind of with us.
Fans cite inconsistencies about the Dodgers political stances
Videos of stadium security officers confronting fans who are wearing political placards or slogans have been widely circulated by the Latino community.
Emeli Avalos, a longtime Dodgers supporter, says she doesn’t think the team is apolitical when they issued a statement denouncing Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Why do people support it if it’s truly about avoiding politics? However, why do they remain mute while people in their neighborhood are being abducted? “I said,” she said.
Avalos wore a shirt that read “Abolish ICE” on the front and “FDT,” an acronym for an insult aimed at President Donald Trump, on the back when he attended Pride Night on June 13. Avalos can be heard conversing with Dodgers security in a well-known TikTok video. She claims she was requested to cover the back of her shirt with her jersey when she expected to be asked to leave.
The front is alright, you just need to cover the rear, they informed me. Avalos said that she would not be going back to the stadium.
Over the weekend, more footage of a fan being accosted by security for carrying a banner with the word “ICE” crossed out went viral online, adding to the team’s criticism.
When questioned about the occurrences, a Dodgers representative cited the team’s stadium policies, which specify that no banners or displays of any kind are permitted. Any clothing that the Dodgers, at their sole discretion, determine to be violent, threatening, abusive, obscene, vulgar, indecent, or biased against any person or group is also forbidden.
Despite the Dodgers’ apology, Nezza says she does not anticipate returning to the stadium, but she hopes her performance will encourage others to speak up and utilize their voice.
“It has simply demonstrated to me the extent of power within the Latino community,” she remarked. Right now, we must be the voice.
