In honor of Latino Heritage Month, the Rams will celebrate the contributions and achievements of the Latino/Hispanic community through the inspiring stories of their staff.
We wrap up that celebration spotlighting Digital Coordinator Pedro Gomez.
Pedro Gomez needs to look no further than his immediate family to find the role models who remain an enduring influence on his life, especially his work ethic – in particular the incredible success that can be achieved through having a vision and working tirelessly toward one's goals.
His father, who grew up in a small town in rural California, embraced an entrepreneurial spirit to build a company going 22 years strong. His mother, who was raised on a farm labor camp in the Central Valley, was motivated to value education and earned the title of Dr. before her name.
"It's what drove two parents to do everything in their power to give their children the best opportunities possible," Gomez said. "My parents are my biggest role models because they didn't tell me how to work hard and chase my dreams, they showed me."
That mindset remains ever-present today for Gomez in his current role as Digital Coordinator for the Rams, which entails working alongside fellow members of the digital team to keep the Rams website, mobile app and YouTube channel updated. He specifically is responsible for building most of the custom pages with the Rams' app (also known as app experiences).
"I love being creative, whether it's finding new ways to engage Rams fans, building app experiences that resemble Spotify playlists, or designing thumbnails for our YouTube channel," Gomez said. "I truly enjoy thinking about how we can capture our audience and bring new ideas to life."
Those various duties can lead to a range of different career paths. While Gomez doesn't know exactly what the path looks like, whether that be his career or his life, he said he tries to stay motivated by reminding himself that hard work has never let him down – another example of the long-lasting impact of what his parents achieved.
"Being diligent, paying attention to details, and sticking to productive habits have always served me well," Gomez said. "In essence, I'm driven by the belief that through hard work, I'm only positioning myself to succeed."
Gomez honors his culture in his daily life through the music he listens to, the food he enjoys, and "most importantly" the languages he speaks. These elements are also what tie him most closely to his Mexican roots and guide what he does in his life.
"Whether it's through the mariachi music that I grew up playing or my choice of authentic Mexican dishes that remind me of my grandmother's house, many aspects of who I am serve as a proud representation of where I come from," Gomez said. "Above all, speaking Spanish is, in my view, the greatest honor I can pay to my culture. Knowing the language allows me to connect deeply with my heritage and truly understand the stories of my family. These are the aspects of my culture that I try to keep in my daily life in order to link the past and present of my lineage."
One of his favorite traditions is the annual celebration on December 12, honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe.
"This celebration dates back to the 1500s in Mexico when Juan Diego, an indigenous peasant, reportedly had a vision of the Virgin Mary in the desert near Mexico City," Gomez said. "According to legend, she instructed Diego to build a church at that site. As proof of the vision, she asked Diego to deliver roses to the bishop. When Diego presented the roses to the bishop, they transformed into a portrait of the Virgin Mary. The Virgin Mary in Diego's vision became known as the Virgin or Lady of Guadalupe.
"Since then, her appearance to Diego has been celebrated every year on December 12. This celebration is one of my favorites because it features a Catholic mass with a reenactment of Juan Diego's vision, live music, and Aztec dancing—elements not typically found in a church setting. The reenactment brings the story to life, allowing those in attendance to experience Juan Diego's vision firsthand. The live music, often traditional mariachi music, is amplified by the high ceilings and hard surfaces which make for a space with incredible acoustics, while the colorful Aztec dancing serves as a true reminder of Mexican ancestral roots. Together, these components create a rich celebration of faith and culture that is pretty special."
Gomez believes celebrating Latino Heritage Month is important because it not only provides those without Hispanic origins an opportunity to learn more about their rich culture, but also allows those with it to reflect on their own heritage, reconnect with their roots, and recognize the foundation they stand upon.
Along those lines, he suggests the best way to be celebrating Latino Heritage Month is by allowing individuals to share their stories and express what the month means to them, which he said "is truly valuable."
"It puts a face to the name of what we're honoring," Gomez said. "I think it can be easy to come off as disingenuous or out of touch when trying to celebrate a particular ethnicity, but by focusing on the people and listening to their stories, we create a more meaningful and effective approach to the celebration."
