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American Football Sitting on the Field
American Football Sitting on the Field
Dave Adamson
Culture

Kassandra Garcia: Latina NFL Trailblazer

Katie Squires
The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SBU chapter.

If you’re anything like me, you love football. And if you watch football, you’ll notice it’s primarily all men. The players, the coaches, the commentators, the franchise owners. Historically, the only roles for women in sports were as cheerleaders or wives. In a 2020 report by the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports, just 7% of professional administrative positions in the NFL were held by women of color. This statistic is disheartening for women who want to play an active role in the world of sports. But the narrative is changing. As I have grown up, there has been a slow and steady increase in the amount of women who have flourishing careers in the NFL. It’s far from perfect, but the league is continuing to make strides in representation for not just women, but people of color. The intersectionality of this new wave of NFL executives is promising. 

Enter Kassandra Garcia, a second-generation Mexican-American, who is one of the highest-ranking Latinas in the NFL. Garcia started working with the Rams in 2019 and is now Manager of Football and Business Administration. She began her journey at the University of Arizona, where she earned a degree in business administration. In addition, Garcia was a recruiting intern for the University. Her analytical skills and love of sports helped propel her to her now prestigious position in the NFL. 

Garcia attributes her success to her mother and grandmother, who fueled her ambition to pursue her dreams. Garcia’s grandparents emigrated from Mexico to the United States. They brought three children and their hopes and dreams to the United States. Despite the language and cultural barriers they faced, Garcia’s grandparents were able to build and sustain prosperous Mexican restaurants in Tucson, Arizona. This inspired Garcia to relentlessly chase her dreams and build a career she loved. 

The outstanding accomplishments of Garcia are, as she says, “No accident.” In an article with USA Today Sports, Garcia asserts, “I’m very stubborn. When someone tells me I can’t do something, it’s game over. The fire inside me burns to prove them wrong. I don’t know if that’s being stubborn, narcissism, ego — and I think about this all the time – but it’s gotten me this far.” 

Despite this confidence, Garcia claims that her willingness to fail was equally important. She explains that the most important thing she ever did was step into the arena knowing that she could fail, but persisting nonetheless. She knew she was entering a field dominated by men, and yet decided that she wanted to tackle (no pun intended) it anyway. 

During Hispanic Heritage Month and every month, women like Kassandra Garcia are exemplars in highlighting the societal progress happening daily. While we still have miles (and yards) to go, representation in sports matters. I have immense admiration for Garcia and her unyielding grit; it makes me think that we can continue to level the playing field and promote more women in executive positions within the world of sports. Garcia’s career is a true touchdown for everyone, especially women of color seeking representation in esteemed fields. 

Katie is a Junior at St. Bonaventure University. She is an executive board member for Her Campus at SBU. Her experience with social media, advertising, and writing allow her to combine her passions and advance her university's chapter of HC. She has been a part of Her Campus since freshman year. It has been her favorite on-campus extracurricular to become involved with. Katie is currently studying Strategic Communication and Marketing. She finds joy in being involved on campus through various organizations including Her Campus and Jandoli Women in Communication. Katie is both an Orientation Leader and a Peer Coach- she loves welcoming new students and helping them transition to college. She is also a full-time student ambassador who enthusiastically leads tours for prospective students. (Request her as your tour guide!) In her free time, you can find Katie reading, hiking, and laughing with her friends. She loves spending time outdoors, especially in the fall. Her kryptonite is iced coffee. Some of her favorite artists include Chris Stapleton, Fleetwood Mac, and Noah Kahan. Her favorite show is New Girl. Katie will eagerly engage in any conversation about her beloved hometown, Buffalo, New York. She will likely attempt to convert you to become a Buffalo Bills fan, and could talk about Josh Allen for hours. Post-grad, Katie hopes to be using her creative talents towards a fulfilling career in the world of advertising.