In the lead up of Latine Heritage Month, the Seattle Sounders organization is hosting its first Vamos Sounders Celebration match on September 13, with the intention of highlighting the rich traditions and identities of the club’s Latine supporters.
Upon honoring Latine culture and its community, the Sounders are giving away a Vamos Sounders matchday poster to the first 10k fans to arrive at Lumen Field and selling 200 exclusive Latine Heritage Month scarves at the Pro Shop.
Vamos Sounders Matchday Poster
The Vamos Sounders matchday poster was formed through the vibrant craftsmanship of Mexico City–born, Seattle-based illustrator Víctor Meléndez.
His initial thought was to create a captivating print that represented the spirit of the community, where “people would feel something when they look at the poster or the artwork.”
In doing so, he showcased an Orca as the main focal point of the poster, an animal that embodies the Pacific Northwest, the Sound and the classic 90’s Sounders branding that was recently brought back to life in the club's 2025 Community Kit (Orca Kit).
In addition to paying homage to Seattle and the club through the Orca, Meléndez wanted to incorporate Latine roots through the patterns and colors of the poster. By emulating alebrijes, the colorful papier-mâché sculptures that originated in his hometown of Mexico City, the piece invites viewers to understand its deeper meaning.
“[Alebrijes] have parts from different animals. They [could] have horns, or they have different colors,” said Meléndez. “And so to me, that is kind of representing the conglomeration of different types of people, different cultures, all coming together, forming into one thing, and being harmonious and being good together.”
Following the giveaway at the gate, fans can get the poster autographed by Meléndez himself prior to kickoff in Olympic Hall, next to the Vamos Sounders sign-ups booth.
Latine Heritage Month Scarf
Designed by Sounders Lead Designer Sahid Alpizar, the scarf honors Latin culture through its colors and shapes displayed on the fabric. His inspiration behind the design initially came from mosaics in Costa Rica, Mexico and other countries around Latin America.
“The initial idea was how not to mimic that per se, but how to translate mosaics, which are very iconic in our culture, into the scarf,” said Alpizar. “So every single color you see in the scarf was previously a square, it was a tile, so it was part of an entire mosaic, but I modified the squares to be curved so that they form a flower.”
Alpizar made it a point to ensure the design resonated with both the Sounders community and the broader Latine community. The color selection was a way for him to achieve that.
“[The colors] originated from all the flags of Latin America,” he said. “We thought about the Vamos Sounders club and I've met so many people from so many different countries. You have so many different backgrounds. And I think that was the idea behind the colors itself. It was [about] how we [could] represent everyone in Seattle that comes from different places and they're already Sounders fans [and] how we could bring some of those roots [to life].”
Available to purchase on matchday, all proceeds will be donated to Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network, through RAVE Foundation.
