Western Washington University men's soccer takes on Western Oregon University at Harrington Field on October 4 for a special match celebrating Latine Heritage Month. Among the student-athletes bringing both skill and culture to the pitch are junior midfielder Edgar Serrano (or Cuauh as we know him), and senior defender Diego Lopez. Both are not only key players for the Vikings, but also carry with them the traditions, values, and pride for their Mexican heritage.

In a recent Q & A, Serrano and Lopez share their favorite parts of their culture and how it has shaped their identities and inspired their passion for soccer. From the influence of their families and Mexican traditions, to the joy of celebrating with food, music and language, the two emphasized the importance of family, togetherness and expression. As they prepare for Latine Heritage Night, Serrano and Lopez see the match as more than a game—it's a chance to represent their roots, celebrate diversity, and share their culture with the Western community.  
Q. Name, year, and major at Western?
 
Serrano: My name is Cuauh Serrano. I play midfield and I am a junior. I am majoring in kinesiology and minoring in Spanish.
 
Lopez: My name is Diego Lopez. I'm a senior and I play in defense. My major is business management.
   
Q. What is your culture, your country of origin or ethnicity?
 
Serrano: Both my parents are from Mexico. My mom is from Nayarit, and my dad is from El defe [D.F. (Mexico City)].
 
Lopez: I was born here, but my parents and family are from Jalisco, and my mom is from Monterrey.
   
Q. What does your culture mean to you personally?
 
Serrano: Personally, it's just a way to express myself. We have a lot of traditions that are very unique to our culture — food, music, dances. All of that is really big for me. Being able to express that within this country is really cool.
 
Lopez: I agree. It's very passion-based, very family-based. Being involved in that is pretty cool and having other guys [who] express the same passion about [the culture], it's cool.
 
Q. What's something you love about your culture? Can you share specific traditions or foods?
 
Serrano: Like Diego said, it's very family based.
​​I think everything we do, whether it's jobs, sports or anything, it's kind of the feeling of togetherness. I think that's the biggest thing and the biggest takeaway I have for our culture and being able to kind of lean on each other for support and being able to motivate each other to go further.
 
Lopez: Just being really family oriented, having big parties, weddings, just traditionally. Music, food, quinceañeras, when the girl turns 15 you know, big parties. Even holidays, having everybody come around, make favorite dishes, like pozole, tamales. It's really family oriented.
   
Q. Do you have any specific holidays or family traditions?
 
Serrano: Día de los Muertos. [Day of the Dead]
 
Lopez: It's celebrated around Halloween too, you just celebrate loved ones that passed away and stuff.
 
Q. What's your favorite cultural dish?
 
Serrano: I'll be basic, but I'll say our tacos. Always good.
 
Lopez: Along that line, tacos. But I think I'm always looking forward to tamales, especially during Christmas time. Best dish. I wish we could make them all year round, but usually just traditionally during Christmas or New Year's is when they make them.
   
Q. How has your family inspired your love of soccer?
 
Serrano: Growing up, I am named after a professional soccer player—my dad named me after his favorite soccer player—which was Cuauhtémoc Blanco, played for Club America. And that's how I got my name. So, I think being named after a soccer player, not pushed me into it, but I kind of thrived in that environment. That's really how I started my soccer journey 'cause of my dad.
 
Lopez: Yeah, I'd say similar, my mom actually got me into soccer when I was like three. She put me in a little program. But I think just continuing to play soccer too [and] just watching my dad grow up playing it. Just in local leagues and stuff. And while growing up, just seeing the teams and how passionate he was, especially for the Mexican pro-teams—he goes for Chivas—and just adopting that, just being part of Chivas, going for them too. I think a lot of it just pushes me and pushes my soccer passion a lot.
 
 
Q. What does it mean to you to have a Latine Heritage game at Western?
 
Serrano: I think it's just one of those nights where you get to express yourself a little bit more. I really like how we can choose our own playlist, just all in Spanish, the Spanish language or just random music that Hispanics really like to listen to. I think that's a really cool way, and then also having the food stands on the outside and having all the people feel included and not just Latine only, I think everyone feels included in that party as well.
 
Lopez: I'd have to agree with Cuauh. I think it's a pretty special day, it's cool getting recognition and stuff, and then having your teammates there and everybody kind of just seeing what the culture is about.
   
Q. What is your favorite song in Spanish? Or a song you added to the playlist?
 
Serrano: One that probably comes to my mind is, "Vivir mi vida" by Marc Anthony.
 
Lopez: It's kind of a funny one, but "La Chona", I think, just 'cause, the guys on the team like it, and, you know, they kind of know the lyrics, so they'll play along with it too, so that one's cool to add to the playlist.
   
Q. Who are the Latine figures in sports or in your family that inspire you the most and why?
 
Serrano: For me, it's both my parents. I think my dad comes from a really hardworking family, migrating from Mexico to the U.S to work, and then going from one side of the state to the other and kind of transitioning with these seasons, just working in the fields and stuff like that. And then my mom being that kind of the stone to hold down everything, I think she's at home most of the time helping with cleaning and cooking, anything like that. So those were the two pretty big ones that help motivate me.
 
Lopez: I would say, along with my parents, I'd say, my grandparents as well, too. Obviously coming out here and giving my parents a better life, for me to have a better life. I think they had a real struggle, so I think just seeing them and the life that they made over here. I mean, it's pretty cool and I mean, again, the passion part and family-oriented part, I mean, it pushes our generation, like my sister and stuff, pushes all of us to keep on going.
   
Q. What has it been like to have a Hispanic community on the team?
 
Lopez: Well, my first year was last year, and I think it was just me, Cuauh, and then one of my roommates, who's also named Diego. And obviously the more you have the better, the more comfortable you feel and stuff. But I'm comfortable with all the guys. But I think just having different guys on [the] team that come from different backgrounds, you know, some people are from different parts of Mexico, they went through different stuff, I think just having that and just being able to relate to them and to [be] like a family [or] kind of like brothers.
 
Serrano: Yeah, I agree with the Diego for pretty much all of that, and then also being able to talk Spanish with other people as well, because one slang might be different than another and being able to merge those things and kind of talk a little bit between each other, but in our native language.
   
Q. What do you hope fans, teammates and the broader community take away from the Latine Heritage game?
 
Serrano: I think we've touched on it a lot of times. I think our family-oriented style is my biggest thing. I'd like people to take away being close to your family or being close to friends. I think it's a really important thing, and it's also something that keeps motivating us to keep pushing further, to help others in the community, and keep improving our own lives as well.
 
Lopez: Yeah, just take away that family-oriented part again [and also] the cultural part, like the music, tacos, food, food trucks— just get a little bit of feeling for how it [the culture] is [like].