At a South Los Angeles watch party hosted by Jose Ugarte, neighbors shared more than a match—they celebrated culture, strengthened community, and rediscovered what home can feel like.
Magazine, Entertainment, The Immigrant Experience
When the world tuned in to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final, millions of eyes were fixed on the match between Spain and Argentina.
Inside a modest campaign office on South Avalon Boulevard, however, The Immigrant Magazine Co-Publisher Charles Anchang found another story unfolding.
Long before the opening whistle, laughter had already filled the room. Children darted between folding chairs while neighbors greeted one another like old friends. Volunteers passed around food and cold drinks as conversations flowed effortlessly in English and Spanish. Spain and Argentina jerseys mingled throughout the crowd, but by the time kickoff arrived, the afternoon had become about far more than soccer.
For one afternoon, Jose Ugarte’s campaign headquarters no longer felt like a political office.
It felt like a neighborhood living room.
The real story wasn’t who would lift the World Cup trophy.
It was who had opened the door.
Around the room, conversations drifted easily between English and Spanish. Children celebrated every close call on the screen while older neighbors debated players, relived World Cups from decades past, and welcomed newcomers into the conversation. Some families had known each other for years. Others were meeting for the first time over paper plates and cold drinks. For a few hours, the campaign office became what every neighborhood longs for but too often lacks—a place where people simply belonged.
That sense of welcome did not happen by accident.
It reflected the vision of Jose Ugarte.
Born in Oaxaca, Mexico, he came to Los Angeles as a child and spent years living as an undocumented immigrant before becoming a community advocate and now a candidate for Los Angeles City Council District 9. Like many immigrants, he understands that belonging is rarely something people find on their own. It is built through relationships, trust and the willingness to create spaces where others feel welcome.
When Anchang asked why he chose to host the watch party, Ugarte’s answer wasn’t about football.
It was about the neighborhood.
“We’re here in the 9th District, where we don’t have too many places to have a watch party. We don’t have a local restaurant or a local bar that we can go hang out at.”
Rather than focusing on what the community lacked, he decided to offer what he could.
“I wanted my community space, my campaign office, to have that space for everybody. We’re here with community folks that walked over, watched the game, kept cool, and are having some free food, free drinks, and free soda, and I want to make sure everybody enjoys themselves.”
Like any candidate seeking public office, Ugarte hopes gatherings like these allow residents to know him beyond campaign literature and political debates. Yet as the afternoon unfolded, the atmosphere felt remarkably informal. There were no speeches interrupting the match, no stage separating candidate from community, and no carefully choreographed moments competing for attention.
Instead, neighbors simply spent time together.
Every close chance drew cheers from different corners of the room. Some celebrated in Spanish, others in English, but everyone rose together. Children who barely knew one another at kickoff were laughing together before halftime. Grandparents compared players from different eras while parents balanced paper plates and conversations that stretched well beyond the match.
For many immigrant families, soccer has never been just a game. It carries memories of home, connects generations across borders and travels wherever people build new lives. On this afternoon, the World Cup gave neighbors a reason to gather, but community became the reason they stayed.
That spirit resonated deeply with longtime community organizer Irene González.
“The main thing that brings people together…we believe in Jose,” she said. “He gets really involved one-on-one with the community. You won’t see anything being posted or on the news. He does everything so personally.”
She remembered calling him when help was needed.
“He was like, ‘I’ll be there.’ If you give a call to Jose and you need help, he’ll show up.”
For González, who also traces her roots to Oaxaca, Ugarte’s candidacy represents something deeply personal.
“When you’re little, you think, how come someone from Oaxaca? We’re short and brown. No problem. But we’re hardworking people.”
Then she smiled.
“It’s going to make history. We’re going to have someone from Oaxaca representing our city.”
Her words reflected more than pride in a shared heritage. They spoke to the power of representation and what it means for immigrant communities to see themselves reflected in civic leadership.
District 9, however, has always drawn its strength from many communities. Its history has been shaped by generations of Black leadership while continuing to welcome Latino families and immigrants from around the world. Its future depends not on one community replacing another, but on neighbors working together toward common goals.
That vision was echoed by longtime community leader Dr. Perry Crowder.
“Jose has always been on the forefront,” Crowder said, recalling years of neighborhood service that included community festivals, backpack giveaways, park improvements, and outreach long before the current campaign.
Like González, Crowder spoke as a supporter. Ultimately, voters will decide whether Ugarte’s vision and record earn their confidence.
As the match came to an end, folding chairs were stacked, empty plates were cleared away, and families slowly made their way home. By evening, Spain had claimed the World Cup title, but inside District 9, the final score felt almost incidental.
What lingered was the memory of children laughing, neighbors meeting one another, and a campaign office transformed, if only for a few hours, into a place where everyone felt welcome.
In a city where gathering spaces have become increasingly scarce, the afternoon offered a quiet reminder that community is rarely built through grand moments alone. More often, it begins with an open door, a shared table, and people willing to make room for one another.
While the world watched the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, one South Los Angeles neighborhood celebrated a different kind of victory—one measured not by goals scored, but by the connections that lingered long after the final whistle.
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