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By Ivan Abarca-Torres

“Soccer is life,” a phrase made famous by Danny Rojas in the series Ted Lasso carries real meaning, especially for those of us from Latin America like me. The Uruguayan author Eduardo Galeano once wrote, “The ball is never just a ball.” Soccer is more than a game. It is connection, culture, and community. In Somerville, where I’ve lived for more than a decade, soccer has been the bridge that brought immigrant and non-immigrant Somerville families together. And no one has done more to make that possible than Jake Wilson.

I know both mayoral candidates. Each brings strengths, but for me, Jake stands out because of his record of real, hands-on leadership. While both have a vision for our community, Jake has already been building it – through years of work that has changed lives for immigrant families like mine. In politics, you don’t always get both vision and follow-through. Jake manages both – responding to all calls, emails, and texts and acknowledging concerns, whether big or small.

As president of Somerville Youth Soccer (SYS), Jake made the program more than a soccer organization. He turned it into a space where every child, regardless of income or background, could belong. Under his leadership, SYS grew from 799 to 1,155 and subsequently over 1,400 players. And most of the new registrations were kids of color from immigrant families. He also significantly increased girls’ participation in travel soccer. Jake dramatically increased financial aid so that no family was left out. He also initiated a coach recruitment program with local adult leagues, and in his final year, recruited 72 new coaches. Jake was deservedly recognized as the Massachusetts Youth Soccer Administrator of the Year in 2020, and SYS had to employ both an Executive Director and a President to match his results-driven leadership.

For Jake, soccer has always been a tool for connection, empowerment, and community-building. I saw this commitment firsthand when I became the first Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for SYS—a role Jake created. Together, we went to schools, churches, libraries, playgrounds, even homes, making sure immigrant families knew their kids were welcome. We made flyers in four languages, and provided support day and night. Jake did not just run the organization, he redefined it on the values of dignity, inclusion, and care.

While serving as a City Councilor, Jake has never stopped coaching. He still works with his daughter’s team and also coaches Healey School Boys Futsal team and Somerville Boys high school students during the spring. Jake doesn’t just coach soccer he develops people.  Players grow under his leadership, they win, and just as importantly, they love playing for him. Why? Because Jake knows how to bring out the best in others. The same qualities that make him a successful coach – his ability to connect, to inspire, and to lead – are exactly the qualities that make him a strong candidate for mayor. As he’s done on the field, Jake will bring that same vision and energy to City Hall – building winning teams, making tough calls with fairness, and always putting people first.

This is what makes Jake different. Politics is too often about promises. Jake has already delivered. As a City Councilor and a community volunteer in schools and youth sports, Jake has proven that he knows how to listen, build systems that work, and strengthen our community.

My own experience proves the point. The families I’ve met through soccer have become my community. They are the people I lean on, and who lean on me. That sense of connection doesn’t happen by accident – it is the result of leadership that believes in inclusion and follows through. Jake Wilson has already shown that he can do this—not with speeches, but with years of tangible work.

Somerville is a diverse, vibrant city. But it is also at a crossroads. We need a mayor who can unite us, not divide us. We need someone who sees people as neighbors, not as talking points. Jake’s record shows he is that person. He has already built bridges between families, across languages, and across neighborhoods. He has already proven that he is committed to equity, opportunity, and belonging.

I am supporting Jake Wilson for Mayor because he is the leader Somerville needs right now. He has the experience, the vision, and the track record of results. And most importantly, he has the heart to bring our community together. I have seen thousands of families benefit from Jake’s bridge-building legacy. Please join those families and me in supporting and voting for Jake for mayor.

Soccer may be a metaphor, but in Jake’s hands, it has become a powerful instrument of change. And through it, Jake has changed lives—one game, one family, one community at a time. Imagine what he can do for Somerville as mayor.

Ivan Abarca-Torres, PhD, is a Somerville resident, researcher, educator, and former diplomat, as well as a community organizer with Padres Latinos of Somerville Public Schools and a board member of local cultural and community organizations. He was also the co-curator of “Museo Inmigrante” at the Somerville Museum in 2024.