Forward Madison FC has launched its first pre-match top in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. Local artist Rodrigo Carapia helped design the top.
Carapia immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico City at age 17 and has lent his art across the Madison community. His work includes the first mural at the Dane County Juvenile Detention Center, a mural behind the Overture Center for the Arts, and contributions to the Dane County’s Centro Hispano Esperanza mural.
The design includes different elements of all Hispanic cultures, according to a press release from Forward Madison, and the pyramid and heart in the center of the design are central parts of the history and culture of Latin America with a nod to the idea of “playing with your heart.” Multiple birds are pictured to represent the different areas and people of Latin America, including an Andean Condor for South America, a Macaw for South and Central America, a resplendent Quetzal for Central America, and a golden eagle for part or North America. Also featured is the Quetzalcóatl, a historic deity in the Latin culture that dates back to their early ancestry, and a Jaguar, Carapia’s signature.
“The beauty and freedom of birds connect us,” said Carapia. “With heart, we play and fly as one.”
The Hispanic Heritage pre-match top is available for purchase here and in the team store and 25 percent of the proceeds from each top sold will go to Union Latina, an organization created to help Latinx students in La Follette High School by organizing workshops, educational trips, and cultural events.
