I AM KHRIS
Let’s not forget the Roots that ground us.
Here’s one of my favorite stories...
When I was ten, my mom enrolled me in the coolest secret club ever - AYSO. We had colorful uniforms, ate orange slices at halftime of our games, watched all the Joga Bonito commercials and dreamed about wearing Ronaldo’s boots. The original Ronaldo of course.
Soccer was a major part of my childhood. And my culture was the other.
I’m a second generation Latino. My parents immigrated to the U.S. in the 1980s from war torn El Salvador. Being the first in my family born in this country, I had to grow up quickly.
But far too often, I felt like I was alone. My parents had to work all the time to provide for my brothers and I. Translating for them, navigating homework on my own, and trying to fit in where there were few Salvadoran Americans like me were just some other requirements of my role as the firstborn. I was a shy little kid that was always weighed down by high expectations, and the feelings of belonging to something were few and far in between.
Now that I am a father, I understand that my parents were just doing their best. They had their own things to navigate while starting a new life in a strange new place.
Reflecting on my childhood is shaping the type of career I aspire to have. I’m determined to turn these echoes into stories. Why? Because I don’t want to forget about the roots that ground me.
Within these roots, I’m able to find connections to the outside world. They’ve taught me about who I am and where I am going. All the stories live there. And through these stories, I can teach my kids and the generation after me what it has meant to me to be a part of this global community. To be a Latino among all the other wonderful cultures of this world. And to be passionate about a sport that has not only made me so many friends but has also allowed me to make a career out of it.
Ten-year-old me could have never imagined working with Arsenal FC to throw a massive party in Los Angeles while on their summer U.S. tour. Or shooting the kit release photos for Chelsea. Or working with Adidas Football on content for their Wales Bonner collab with the Jamaican National Team.
But I did all that to prove to that ten-year-old version of me that he was always capable of it all.
And, most importantly, I want to show that Latinos (and Salvadorans) are not just here; but we’re making waves and breaking boundaries.
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