San Fernando Gardens Triumphs at Inaugural HACLA Youth World Cup Championship

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Closing Game Dedicated to Legacy of HACLA Colleague and Community Leader Eric Washington

Los Angeles, CA - The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) made history this weekend, hosting its first-ever Youth World Cup Championship at UCLA. The event, held on Saturday, July 11, brought together public housing families, youth and community partners for an inspiring day of championship soccer, celebration, and heartfelt remembrance. Representing Portugal, San Fernando Gardens left with the top prize, emerging as the first-ever HACLA Youth World Cup Champions.

Beyond the competition, the championship served as a powerful tribute to HACLA Community Engagement Manager Eric Washington. Washington's vision and leadership were instrumental in creating and organizing the tournament. His dedication to expanding opportunities for HACLA youth and strengthening communities through engagement and service leaves a lasting legacy.

"The HACLA Youth World Cup represents everything we strive to create for our young people - opportunity, belonging, leadership, and hope," said Lourdes Castro Ramírez, President and CEO of HACLA. "Eric Washington believed deeply in the power of community and in the limitless potential of every child we serve. This tournament reflects his vision and his heart. As we celebrate these remarkable young athletes and their accomplishments, we also honor Eric's lasting legacy by continuing the work he cared so deeply about - creating pathways that inspire our youth to dream bigger, achieve more, and build brighter futures."

In one of the day's most moving moments, Washington's mother, Tina Johnson, joined families and participants as they honored his memory. Before the matches began, youth and family members greeted Johnson with hugs, words of comfort, and shared memories, reflecting the profound impact Washington made on countless lives throughout Los Angeles.

A central goal of the tournament was to expose participants to institutions of higher education by hosting events on college campuses, reinforcing HACLA's commitment to expanding educational opportunities for its residents. Approximately 150 players and family members toured the UCLA campus prior to the tournament. The championship also coincides with Build Hope Inc. preparing to award scholarships to HACLA residents pursuing higher education this fall, further supporting students as they continue their academic journeys.

"We are deeply grateful to UCLA for hosting the championship and for welcoming our players and their families with a campus tour. By opening their doors, UCLA gave our youth the chance to see themselves as students someday, reinforcing the importance of higher education and showing them that their dreams are within reach," concluded Castro Ramirez.

The month-long tournament, which launched on June 13 at California State University, Los Angeles, featured youth ages 10 to 13 representing 11 HACLA housing communities across Los Angeles. The championship finals featured teams from Mar Vista Gardens, Pico Gardens, San Fernando Gardens, and Rancho San Pedro competing for the inaugural title. After an exciting day of competition, teammates and families cheered on San Fernando Gardens (Portugal), earning medals and the championship trophy for first place. Following San Fernando Gardens was Pico Gardens (Spain) in second, Mar Vista Gardens (France) in third, and Rancho San Pedro (Germany) in fourth.

HACLA will host a celebratory banquet in the coming weeks to recognize all tournament participants. Every player will receive a commemorative medal, with additional awards and trophies presented during the celebration.

The inaugural HACLA Youth World Cup Championship was made possible through the generous support of UCLA and community partners, including AltaMed, the Dr. Simi Foundation, Juventus Academy, LA Galaxy, Mayor Karen Bass, the Los Angeles Police Department Community Safety Partnership Bureau, Build HOPE, Primestor, South Los Angeles AYSO, Street Soccer USA Los Angeles, and Angel City FC.

The tournament's success reflects HACLA's ongoing commitment to strengthening communities through youth engagement, wellness programming, educational opportunity, and resident empowerment - an enduring legacy inspired by Eric Washington's passion for serving others.

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About HACLA

The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA), established in 1938, provides affordable housing, rental assistance, and supportive services to more than 200,000 Angelenos. Its administrative portfolio includes 164 properties - 12 of which are public housing developments - totaling over 13,000 units, along with more than 60,000 Housing Vouchers and Certificates through the Section 8 program. For more information, visit www.hacla.org.

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