Photos by Noé Montes
FEATURED STORY: Raul Macias
The Story Behind the Myth
It is easy to spot Don Raúl Macias in the middle of the crowd: just look for his beret. If that doesn’t work, follow the sounds of the hundreds of children and teens that Anahuak Youth Sports Association trains weekly in parks throughout Northeast Los Angeles.
His most recent position as Director of Anahuak, a post that he has held for more than three decades, is arguably the job that has brought him the most joy. Starting in his hometown of Guadalajara, Mexico, where he learned “to make markers, to cut, and to sew” to later as the owner of a women’s clothing factory in Cypress Park, Don Raúl has had many jobs and many mentors throughout his life. Mentors who have taught him the necessary skills to solve the obstacles that life throws at you.
And thus Anahuak was born, as a solution to one of the problems that plagued the community of Cypress Park.
“This was a very problematic neighborhood, full of gangs, drug trafficking—and that was some of the issues that pushed me to do something for young people so that they would not follow that path, they had no other option than to join a gang to become someone.”
That’s why, when he heard that “the children of [his] employees wanted a space where they could have room to enjoy [the outdoors],” Don Raúl wasted no time in finding a solution to this problem. Starting with the children of his employees, and then with their family members, and finally opening up to everyone who wanted the opportunity to play soccer, Anahuak developed into what it is today.
Although Don Raúl is the visible face of Anahuak, to him it is important to remember that, “Behind us there are a number of people who do everything for a greater purpose, for their children and now for their grandchildren who come to play.”
Today, with a storied legacy and with thousands of alumni, Anahuak continues headstrong with its mission of supporting the healthy development of children and teens through sports.
Raul Macias has called Northeast LA home since 1976. He has become a fixture in the community; advocating for sport as an outlet for at-risk youth and awareness of the environment and health problems that affect the migrant community in California. He is the founder of the Anahuak Youth Sports Association, founded in 1994 in Northeast Los Angeles. His organizing efforts aided in the opening of a 40-acre Rio de Los Angeles State Historic Park in 2006, commonly referred to as “Anahuak Park” or even “Don Raul’s Park”.
RELATED STORIES
The Nannies of Glen Park
Under the trees at Glenhurst Park in Atwater Village, you might find a group of 20 nannies who have been gathering there for years. They socialize, let the children play on the playsets, and celebrate many, many birthdays. Each nanny has a different story about how they found both the park and the group. This…
The River and Elysian Valley
Decades ago, Ceci Dominguez remembers a very different LA River than the one undergoing rapid revitalization by way of nearby gentrification today. The word “river” might even be a bit generous here, as “flood channel” or “sewage line” could better describe its function in those days. “My kids would ride their bikes and wander down…
The Coastal Conservancy
In the late eighties, while in graduate school at UC Berkeley, Christopher Kroll began a part-time job at a relatively new and small state agency: the Coastal Conservancy. Established in 1976, “the Coastal Conservancy was set up to be a project agency to actually work with local governments, and nonprofits, on issues that could not…
The Story Behind the “Orange Bridge” Pt. 2
The Taylor Yard Bikeway and Pedestrian Bridge, better known as the “Orange Bridge,” is not easy to miss, but many overlook the history behind it. Although it was just completed in 2022, the story behind this bridge goes further back. Part 1 of this tale recounts shady practices by the Southern California Regional Rail Authority…