Through Her Nonprofit Salvies Who Lunch, Cynthia Gonzalez Brings Salvadoran Heritage to Women’s Pro Soccer
By Drafted Team
At BMO Stadium, a Salvadoran flag and an Angel City FC scarf can be part of the same family’s afternoon. Through Salvies Who Lunch, founder Cynthia Gonzalez is making room for that connection between heritage, community, and women’s professional soccer
Born in El Salvador and raised in South Central Los Angeles, Gonzalez is an author, poet, and community leader whose work spans literature and cultural programming. She founded Salvies Who Lunch out of a commitment to how Salvadorans see themselves and are seen by others.
Established in 2018, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit celebrates Salvadoran and Central American heritage through arts, music, food, and community events. Its signature gathering, Chévere, showcases artists, performers, filmmakers, and small businesses, bringing generations together around Salvadoran creative work.
That same commitment now extends to the stands. On Saturday, October 24, Salvies Who Lunch will return to BMO Stadium for its third annual Salvadoran Heritage Celebration with Angel City FC. The partnership gives families a shared occasion to celebrate their culture while supporting women’s professional soccer.
This weekend’s gathering includes a meet-and-greet with Amber Marinero, a midfielder and winger for El Salvador’s women’s national team. According to the organizers’ announcement, fans can meet Marinero from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the Salvies Who Lunch activation during Fan Fest, which runs from 1:30 to 5 p.m. Giveaways, arts and crafts, and photo opportunities are also planned before the 5:45 p.m. kickoff.
The celebration connects to the nonprofit’s work beyond the stadium. Salvies Who Lunch says tickets purchased through its designated link help fund Bichitos & Bichitas Club, its cultural arts enrichment program for children. Designed for K–12 students, the program offers opportunities to explore Central American culture through creative, hands-on learning.
For families attending, the afternoon offers several ways to participate: meeting a Salvadoran national team player, making something together, and cheering from the stands. For Gonzalez and Salvies Who Lunch, it extends an ongoing effort to bring people together around the culture they share.
The next generation has a place in both parts of that work: celebrating at the stadium this weekend and exploring its roots through the programming those ticket purchases help support.
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