Dalia Hurtado’s family had specific expectations of her: Work hard, get good grades, and follow in her mother’s footsteps as a cheerleader. But cheering on the sideline was never an option for Dalia.
As a kid in Mexico, she was the only girl who would play soccer with the boys, and after moving back to East LA with her abuela, she set her sights on football.
At 16, she became the only girl to make the varsity team at her high school. Two years later, she’s inspired more girls to play football at her high school.
Through football, Dalia is re-writing the story her family wrote for her, breaking through stereotypes, and empowering her community to do the same – one game at a time.
Dalia: Cambiando el Futuro
“At first, my abuela, she didn’t get it. ‘Dalia, it’s too rough for a girl. Your mom was a cheerleader – why don’t you be a cheerleader?’ Football is where I get my strength. Where I prove that nothing is off-limits. Where I can be whatever I want.”