Lead With Your Heart

Goals

Maritza’s team wins the game, but only just, her shot landing in the net in the final minute. Her abuelos and friends cheer from the bleachers as her teammates swarm her with hugs. But as soon as things quiet down, Maritza checks her phone. She tells Violeta they won and asks if she’s okay. But no response.

Abuelo suggests they stop at a church fundraiser that’s selling pupusas on the way back to their home in Columbia Heights. Maritza asks if they can check on Violeta, since they’ll be in the same neighborhood. When they reach the church, they follow a group of people into a large dining hall. Suddenly, a woman spots the D.C. Bilingual crest on Maritza’s jersey and introduces herself as Gloria, Violeta’s mom, along with her niece, Mia. Abuelo and Abuela greet her warmly in Spanish, and Gloria explains the fundraiser is for Violeta’s uncle. Gloria points Maritza toward Violeta, who is helping pack up tables across the room.

Maritza goes over to Violeta, who is surprised to see her friend there. She says that she got the text about winning the game. Violeta wanted to play, but she couldn’t leave her mom and aunt with all the work.

Maritza nods. She knows it’s a fundraiser for her uncle. Violeta is stunned that Maritza knows. They sit down and Violeta starts to finally trust Maritza with her truth.

Violeta wanted to tell Maritza, but she wasn’t sure if she could. Her uncle has worked in the United States for ten years working toward his citizenship. But the citizenship process takes a long time and is very expensive. And then all of a sudden, he was picked up at work by immigration. Now the family is trying to raise enough money to get a lawyer for him. It’s been hard for everyone.

She missed practice because her aunt had an appointment with her uncle’s boss and she needed help with translation. Everything is a mess.

Maritza gets the feeling that when immigration took Andrés, it was like they took the whole family to the edge of a cliff. And Violeta was trying everything possible to just keep them all from falling off.

Maritza asks if there are organizations that can help. Violeta nods. They’re helping her aunt with her apartment because she can’t pay rent on her own. Besides, every cent they have is being used for a private lawyer focused on the case. And that lawyer costs thousands of dollars that the family doesn’t have.

When Maritza donated her prize money to the jar at the festival, Violeta wanted to tell her everything right then and there, but she was afraid. Maritza is surprised to hear there’s more. Violeta continues.

Tío Andrés came to the United States to work when Violeta’s abuela became sick. He worked and sent money back to El Salvador regularly. When she died, he sent for the whole family, including Violeta.

Wait a minute. Violeta is telling me she wasn’t born in this country, Maritza thinks to herself. Maybe Violeta isn’t a citizen either.

Violeta says that she and her mom arrived when she was very young, with only the clothes on their backs. Maritza reaches her hand out to hold Violeta’s hand tight. She doesn’t really know what to say. She always knew Violeta was kind and unstoppable, but now she knows she’s brave, too.

Violeta says Andrés practically raised her like a father. Maritza lost her aunt. She knows what it’s like to lose somebody so close.

Maritza says that they couldn’t fly to be with her aunt one last time because of the pandemic. It was a matter of public health. But in Violeta’s case, someone made a policy, a decision that meant someone had been taken from her family.

Violeta says it’s heartless. Maritza says she knows it feels that way, but America is better than that. Tu lucha es mi lucha. Maritza promises to lead with her heart and find a way to help Violeta’s family.

That decision means staying with Violeta all afternoon instead of going shopping with Sierra as planned. When Maritza finally calls, Sierra is hurt and accuses her of ditching their plans for someone else. Maritza can’t explain the real reason without breaking Violeta’s trust, so she just apologizes. Sierra snarkily says that if Maritza doesn’t want to be Sierra’s best friend anymore because she left soccer, then she can find a new best friend.

Maritza feels stung. She wasn’t doing a good job of apologizing or explaining. She simply says she doesn’t want another best friend. But she’ll try to make it up to Sierra later.

Maritza’s abuelos join Violeta and Maritza at the table. Violeta opens up about her fears to Abuelo and Abuela, and they can empathize. Together, the four of them start to brainstorm ideas to help Violeta’s family. They know they need to make people aware and be inspired enough to take action and make change.

Violeta suggests they make a presentation for their next soccer game. But only family ever shows up. Maritza exclaims the Soccer Showcase! Hundreds of people show up for that! Dad can help because he’s organizing it.

That night, Maritza writes to Tía Mari. She tells Tía Mari that she scored the game-winning goal. But the more important part of her day was Violeta finally trusting her with the truth about her family. Together they’ve made a plan to help, even if it means disrupting the Soccer Showcase itself. Maritza just hopes that once Sierra hears the whole story after Monday’s current-events class, she’ll understand and support Violeta, too.