In Dallas, a new City community football project is working alongside Puede Network, an organisation dedicated to empowering young people and families from low-income Hispanic and minority communities through education, leadership, health, sport and community service.
Based in Oak Cliff, a neighbourhood that has served as the heart of Dallas’ Mexican American and Hispanic community for generations, Puede Network has spent years creating opportunities for local young people to thrive and reach their full potential.
Together, the project is empowering Young Leaders to use football to engage and inspire children in their communities, helping to create healthier lives and stronger communities.
One of those Young Leaders is Eric Gonzalez, Director of Operations at Puede Network.
A first-generation Mexican American born and raised in South Dallas, Eric’s journey reflects the power of community, opportunity and giving back.
For Eric, his heritage is inseparable from the sacrifices his parents made to create a better future.
“Being a first-generation Mexican American means carrying my parents’ courage with me every day,” he says.
“They left behind their families, their home and everything they knew in Mexico to build a better life in the United States.”
Those experiences continue to inspire Eric’s commitment to supporting the next generation, while remaining connected to the culture and values that shaped him.
Growing up in Oak Cliff also played a defining role in his life. While many people focus on the challenges facing South Dallas, Eric remembers a community rich in culture, relationships and opportunity.
“People often describe South Dallas by what it lacks,” he explains. “For me, it was a place full of culture, relationships and talent that shaped who I am.”
From playing football in the street and riding bikes around the neighbourhood to spending evenings admiring the Dallas skyline, those everyday experiences taught him the value of belonging and community.
Sport would eventually open doors beyond his neighbourhood, taking him across different parts of the city and helping him access opportunities he once only dreamed of.
Yet throughout that journey, he never forgot where he came from.
At 16 years old, Eric began coaching with Puede Network. Today, he leads operations for an organisation that has helped shape both his personal and professional development.
“Puede Network made me who I am,” he says. “Sometimes you do something simply because it is the right thing to do[RJ3.1] Not everything needs a title, recognition or reward.”
Having faced many of the same challenges as the young people he now supports, Eric is passionate about helping them recognise opportunities and believe in their potential.
For him, the most rewarding part of the work is the relationships built through coaching and mentoring.
“What keeps me going are the relationships,” he says. “Knowing I can make a difference in their lives means everything to me.”
Through the City community football project and his work with Puede Network, Eric hopes every young person understands that their circumstances do not define their future.
“I want every young person I work with to know they are more than their circumstances, and I hope one day they will open those same doors for someone else.”
