Islamabad, June 18, 2025: Ahead of Saturday’s Dodgers–Giants game at Dodger Stadium, singer-songwriter Vanessa “Nezza” Hernandez stepped onto the field to perform “El Pendón Estrellado,” the official Spanish-language rendition of the U.S. national anthem. The bold move came despite a directive from the Dodgers that she sing it in English.
Nezza shared a backstage video on TikTok, captioned: “Watch the Dodgers tell me I can’t sing the Spanish Star Spangled Banner that Roosevelt commissioned in 1945, so I did it anyway.”
Wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the Dominican flag, Nezza’s voice trembled as she completed the final line, visibly holding back tears. In a separate interview posted online, she explained her decision: “I didn’t expect any pushback, especially in this city. I’ve sung the anthem many times, but today felt different. It was for my people—‘Para mi gente.’”
Her defiance resonated in Los Angeles, a city recently shaken by protests over ICE enforcement actions authorized by President Trump, with more than 700 Marines deployed and scenes of family separations dominating headlines.
The Dodgers, a beloved institution in the Latino community, have drawn criticism for remaining silent. Meanwhile, local soccer clubs LAFC and Angel City openly protested ICE raids with slogans like “ABOLISH ICE.” Several Dodgers players also voiced their opposition.
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Kiki Hernández posted on Instagram: “I cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused, and ripped apart.” Ex-player Adrián González described the raids as “unconstitutional” and called for an end to family separations. Manager Dave Roberts, known for speaking on social issues, admitted, “I don’t know enough… I can’t speak intelligently on it.”
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Nezza reflected on her own family: “My parents are immigrants… I just can’t imagine them being taken from me—let alone a child.” After her performance, she said her manager was told to “never contact” the Dodgers again, and that Nezza would not be invited back. Despite that, she stayed for the game and faces no official punishment.
In a final message, she remarked with understated irony: “Safe to say I’m never allowed in that stadium ever again.”
