Pride Night 2026 came and went with relatively little fanfare or drama, all things considered. It is easy to forget that this time last year, tensions in Los Angeles surrounding the Dodgers were elevated, partly because Clayton Kershaw decided to doodle on his cap (not the subject of today's essay) and partly because the city was being ravaged by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ("ICE") raids that were rounding up citizens and immigrants alike.
The Dodgers organization finally stood up last year, urged on by Enrique Hernández , broadcasting legend Jaime Jarrín, and others, pledging $1 million to local charities to aid those affected by the ICE raids. On June 24, 2026, A.J. Perez of the Los Angeles Times reported that the Dodgers had fulfilled their pledge and Guggenheim Partners had divested their ties to the prison group actively working with ICE. Per Mr. Perez :
In total, the Dodgers donated $1.1 million, representatives for California Community Foundation and Labor Community Services — the two nonprofits that received the funds — told The Times.
"The Dodgers have been in L.A. for 68 years," said Joseph Tomás McKellar, executive director of PICO California. "They're beloved among immigrant communities in a way that no other sports team is. That gives the Dodgers cultural and financial power in the region. We applaud what they did, but they could do even more by exercising leadership."
To understand the significance of the moves, we must recall the state of affairs at this time last year.
The Dodgers organization finally stood up last year, urged on by Enrique Hernández , broadcasting legend Jaime Jarrín, and others, pledging $1 million to local charities to aid those affected by the ICE raids. On June 24, 2026, A.J. Perez of the Los Angeles Times reported that the Dodgers had fulfilled their pledge and Guggenheim Partners had divested their ties to the prison group actively working with ICE. Per Mr. Perez :
In total, the Dodgers donated $1.1 million, representatives for California Community Foundation and Labor Community Services — the two nonprofits that received the funds — told The Times.
"The Dodgers have been in L.A. for 68 years," said Joseph Tomás McKellar, executive director of PICO California. "They're beloved among immigrant communities in a way that no other sports team is. That gives the Dodgers cultural and financial power in the region. We applaud what they did, but they could do even more by exercising leadership."
To understand the significance of the moves, we must recall the state of affairs at this time last year.
3 months ago
