“Pasión y Orgullo” for Sacramento Republic FC
“Pasión y Orgullo” is a design series created for Sacramento Republic FC in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. September 2023.
Sacramento Republic FC is one of the premier soccer clubs in the USL Championship.
The Latino community and culture in Sacramento is as vibrant as it is diverse. We are extremely proud and fortunate to be a part of an extensive community that includes artists, activists, business leaders, athletes, professionals and educators, all of whom have deep ties to their roots and to their culture, all working relentlessly to make Sacramento a beautiful place for everyone.
For us, this month is important because it provides an opportunity to emphasize the importance of a diverse society, and to bring more visibility and a larger awareness of the contributions and achievements of latinos and hispanos in the United States. Part of that awareness is understanding that different groups of people come from different backgrounds, and will use different words to identify themselves. Identity is always an ongoing conversation.
Our Inspiration
We drew a lot of inspiration from the vintage Futbol and Olympic posters of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. These designs combined typography with stylized figures, multiple colors and interesting shapes to create some of the most memorable posters.
For us, and many latinos, this particular design style became ubiquitous in our native countries, a visual aesthetic that was widely adopted and has become instantly recognizable for us.
When thinking about the words we used for the design, we knew it would have to be in Spanish, so the most obvious choice was to use “Fútbol,” accent and all. For us, language holds a special kind of power and meaning. To use “Fútbol” is to recall the countless games we played with our friends when we were kids, the many get-togethers with family as a match played in the background, the joys and tears following our national teams through every world cup.
The colorful flags pay homage to the nationalities of some of the players at Sac Republic, but they are also meant to represent the vast diversity of nationalities and backgrounds that make up the Spanish speaking community in Sacramento and the U.S.
Sacramento Republic FC Players wearing the “Pasión y Orgullo” collection while carrying the flags showing their proud heritage. From top left to bottom right: Luis Felipe, Brazil; Carlos Saldaña, México; Sebastian Herrera, Colombia; Arnold Lopez, Venezuela; Damia Viader Keko Gontán, España; Cristian Parano, Argentina. Photo Courtesy of Sac Republic FC.
Our Design Process
Our design process is always very organic and looks different for each project. For this particular project we dived into the sea of artwork and design that exists within the world of Fútbol. We sketched and collected ideas on paper and on the computer. Agreeing on a concept took longer than creating the actual design. We wanted the final design to be inclusive, focusing on Sac Republic FC players of Hispanic Heritage, but also abstract enough to encompass as many Spanish speaking countries as we could.
From there, we realized that a poster-like design with clean typography and simple shapes would be the way to go. So we began playing and abstracting the type “Fútbol” and “Republic” as they would be the two main words to take up a large portion of the space.
We then created the flags and color combinations, and a Republic FC player, and we began to play with the elements—the type, the flags, the player—as if they were lego pieces. Finally coming up with the final arrangement.
Abstracted flags to represent Sac Republic FC players and their heritage.
Unique Details
The typeface drew much inspiration from the design language of Lance Wyman. We did not know who he was growing up, but our childhood was greatly influenced by his visual language. His art was ubiquitous in Mexico, as he not only branded the 1968 Olympic games, the 1970’s World Cup in Mexico, as well as the popular transportation system, the Metro, or subway system in Mexico City. That designed language spread and became recontextualized by countless designers in Mexico and Latin America. We created a version of the trilinear typeface, and found fun ways to fit the type on a canvas along with other elements.
The abstracted flags represent the nationalities of Republic FC players from Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, España, Argentina, Venezuela and the United States. We were lucky enough to find that 6 colors (Red, Blue, Yellow, Green, White and Black) would be just enough to represent these nationalities.
We included an American flag to show that Latinos/Hispanos are as much part of the socioeconomic fabric of the US. Many hyphenated-Americans born in the US come from different Latino/Hispano backgrounds and cultures. We exist and play an important role in this country.
Honoring the broad diversity of Latino and Hispano Heritage
We are excited about honoring the broad diversity of Hispanic heritage. Latinos and Hispanos in Sacramento and in the U.S. are not a monolithic group. Many different cultures, national roots, histories, cuisines, music, and stories make up the people who might embrace these constantly evolving labels. In the past, it has been the Mexican culture that has been often highlighted and represented, sometimes to the exclusion of other latino communities. Though both our parents are Mexican, and we identify strongly with our Mexican culture, we are a part of a larger Spanish speaking community and we wanted everyone, regardless of their roots, to feel included.
“As a latina, first generation born in the States, being able to contribute to the visual space in the community where I now reside, means so much to me; to know that I get to shape that story and contribute to the Hispanic and Latino narrative, create more inclusivity and visibility through our art.” - Rosa Angelica
Photo courtesy of Sac Republic FC. Taken by Eira Castillo.