Ole Ole Ole,
Ole Ole Ola,
Ole Ole Ole,
Cada día te quiero más,
Soy Los Cosmos,
Es un sentimiento,
No puedo parar...
Amongst the red-glowing streams of light, extending over the pitch of Mitchel Athletic Complex, hundreds of fans relinquish their weekend evenings to assemble on the pitch's metal rafters. As the roars of drums, trumpets, and scenes of smoke-grenades, I witnessed supporters from far and wide take to their posts to cheer their local soccer club, the New York Cosmos. The organization's initial claim to notoriety was signing the legendary player Pele. However, after the decades following his signing, the club ran into numerous financial issues and lawsuits. These circumstances have resulted in the loss of players, a home stadium, league placement, and the chance to continue as a professional team. This uncertainty hasn't discouraged their prominent and devoted fanbase. "The Cosmos culture is bigger than the players that wear the jersey", a consistent phrase that would be said to me by those cheering from the rafters. These Cosmos supporter organizations, such as "5 points", have taken on the responsibility to use the Cosmos brand to not only unify their neighborhoods with a mutual love but to engage in community outreach agendas that strive to assist their neighbors in need. The club is the personality of the neighborhood they play for. The Cosmos represents a part of Brooklyn, home to numerous immigrant households, and in doing so they have taken the oath to stand together to help those living in poverty, fear of I.C.E. detention, organizing food drives, and youth soccer leagues for locals of New York City and the greater New York area. The images within this ongoing body of work reveal the gripping moments and shear devotion I observed during the matches for a minor league club as it navigates through what could be its final season as a soccer club.
