As a child, sports were an important part of Anna Cecilia Lopez’s life. Her parents believed strongly in the lessons and values experienced through sport, and enrolled Anna Cecilia in almost every sport available. 

“Sports are a way of living in my hometown,” she says. “They are the basic element of social development in our community. My parents were aware of the great contributions sports can have in a child’s early years, which is why they enrolled me in swim lessons before I could walk. For as long as I can remember, my dad would gather the family on Sundays to watch sports on television; sports were not only about physical and emotional benefits, but the unity we felt together, supporting the national soccer team.” 

Anna Cecilia saw sport as a unique, untapped resource for promoting messages of social responsibility. Unfortunately, sports administration careers for women were rare, so she began consulting with the soccer federation in Mexico, hosting events and fundraisers until she was offered a job as an event manager. Anna Cecilia uses her platform to inspire organizations to incorporate social responsibility, public health initiatives, and community development into their work.