LOS ANGELES — Maneuvering the soccer ball on the grass comes easily to 16-year-old Nayelli Barahona.
The field is where she discovered who she was as an athlete as a young girl.
"I figured out that I'm actually pretty brave and risk-taking because I was never scared to do things on or off the field," she said. "Every game is a new lesson."
Barahona is part of the Downtown L.A. Soccer Club, which gives youth in underserved areas the opportunity to play. In this primarily Latino community, young girls are not always encouraged to play soccer.
"I know a lot of stereotypes are that the women have to stay home and do chores and clean, but I like that soccer can bring us out of that stereotype," Barahona said. "It brings a lot out of me."
Growing up, she didn't see many people who looked like her playing the game at higher levels in Los Angeles, even playing with the club.
That all changed last year with the launch of Angel City FC.
Angel City is Los Angeles' latest professional sports team and will join the National Women's Soccer League officially in 2022.
"It's opened my eyes a lot because they're of my gender, and it's cool to see them do the things I want to do one day," Barahona explained.
The ability to inspire and push for equality and equity is at the center of Angel City's brand. Catherine Davila, the team's head of community, said representation is one of their primary goals.
"That's critical, especially if you believe in this see it, be it model, and I do," Davila said. "It's so important to us to reach those families and players and build those pathways to say you should be playing a sport now, and this can be a future for you."
During the pandemic, the club has been pushing to engage with those in the community, specifically through the Rising Stars initiative.
The monthly series highlights exceptional young women and soccer players throughout Southern California, giving them a platform to share their stories.
Barahona is one of the latest Angel City Rising Stars.
"I am Latina, and I happened to have had a family that was fully supportive of me playing soccer, but I know that's not true for all girls," Davila said. "The Downtown Club is doing amazing things in that sphere, and so, seeing Nayelli, it blows me away — how confident she is and what she hopes to do with soccer is amazing."
By helping share Barahona's story, she and Davila have the same goal in mind, hoping to normalize women in and on this field.
"What I wish for people to [think about] when they hear women's soccer is very strong, very brave," she said. "What people would imagine boys soccer to be, but even better."
Both are pushing for an impact they say is past overdue. And it's not the only way Angel City is looking to build up its community.
The club also recently launched a Countdown to Seat Deposits. For every seat deposit purchased for the upcoming season, Nike will donate a sports bra to a young girl in need. It also partnered with the female-founded footwear brand, Birdies.
You can look for the next Rising Star episode coming online next month.