Texas
MLB, Texas Rangers unveil Fort Worth mural paying homage to Latino ballplayers
FORT WORTH — Growing up, Juan Velázquez dreamt of becoming an artist, even as people told him it could never work out.
For years, Velázquez found other ways to support himself, including a job in the telecommunications industry and a stint in the U.S. Army. Four years ago, laid off during the pandemic, he decided to focus on his art.
Velázquez, 35, unveiled his newest creation Wednesday in Fort Worth, surrounded by Latino community leaders and dozens of school-age children. The mural — an homage to Latino and Latina ballplayers commissioned by the Texas Rangers and Major League Baseball — is meant to motivate and inspire children and adults alike.
“This is for everyone who believes in themselves, who has a dream,” Velázquez said. “Go out there and get it. Life is short.”
The unveiling is among numerous community events planned ahead of the All-Star Game next week at Globe Life Field in Arlington.
Watch: Fort Worth artist unveils mural that celebrates Latino ballplayers ahead of All-Star Game
The mural pays homage to the Hispanic community in Fort Worth, showcasing the evolution of Latino and Latina baseball and softball players chasing their dreams
The mural stretches across a wall outside the Artes de la Rosa Cultural Center, minutes from the Fort Worth Stockyards. The once-white expanse is now a wash of sky-blue and grass-green, visible from nearby North Main Street.
A spray-painted illustration depicts ballplayers’ development from children playing T-ball to professionals in the major league. A young girl swings a bat. Nearby, a boy wearing a Texas Rangers cap and baseball glove stares ahead, lost in a daydream.
Star Latino baseball players, including Yovani Gallardo, are shown near an illustration of the Fort Worth skyline and a stadium background.
Gallardo, who is from Fort Worth, called his inclusion an “honor and privilege.” Like Velázquez, he said he grew up sometimes hearing he would never make it as a professional ballplayer.
“Anything can happen if you put your mind and the work into it,” Gallardo told the crowd.
Latinos have long played an integral role in Major League Baseball, which is among the most diverse professional sports. Some 2,000 players of Hispanic descent have been feature on major league rosters, according to the MLB. Latinos now make up roughly 30% of the league’s talent, and that number grows each season.
The Texas Rangers is a partner of Artes de la Rosa Cultural Center, which was founded in 2000 to preserve, protect and promote the works of Latino artists in North Texas. It is the only Latino cultural center in Fort Worth or Tarrant County.
Catalina Villegas, director of diversity, equity and inclusion for Major League Baseball, said the mural aims to inspire inclusion and representation. William Girón, executive director of the center, said the piece is a “great example of diversity, equity and inclusion in this great city.”
Velázquez has created more than 150 murals throughout the region. Many of the murals have centered on local and Central Texas community figures, including Texas native Willie Nelson in a Hillsboro display.
One of Velázquez’s most popular murals features former Texas Rangers infielder Rougned Odor punching now-retired Blue Jays All-Star José Bautista in the face. The Arlington mural was based on an image of a brawl between the two players at the Rangers’ old home at Globe Life Park in 2016.
Ray Casas, director of community impact for the Texas Rangers and a Fort Worth native, said Velázquez’s latest work is more than a piece of art.
“It’s a mirror for kids in this neighborhood to look at and see representation, because representation is important,” Casas said. “Access is important, and opportunity is important.”
Saturday started out a bit warm and sticky outside in North Texas, but there will be plenty of sunshine in the afternoon. Temperatures are expected to climb into the upper 80s. Most of the area will stay dry today, but there is a chance for an isolated storm that could reach severe criteria late tonight for counties to the northwest of the metroplex.
Make sure you have an indoor plan for Mother’s Day celebrations tomorrow! Sunday morning will start warm, muggy, and dry for most with the exception of an isolated storm possible along the Red River.
A First Alert Weather Day is in place on Sunday due to a front that will swing across North Texas in the late afternoon through the evening. All modes of severe weather will be likely, but the main threat includes a significant risk of hail up to 2 inches in diameter and winds up to category 1 hurricane strength.
Once the front moves through, cooler temperatures will settle into the forecast on Monday. However, the cool down won’t last long. A warming trend returns and temperatures climb into the 90’s once again at the end of the next week. Stay tuned!
Just days before Mother’s Day, a North Texas father is grieving the sudden loss of his wife and unborn son after she died unexpectedly, only days before her due date. Avi Carey said he is still in shock over the death of his wife, Tiffany, whom he described as his “rock” and “soulmate.”
“Tiffany’s smile, her radiance, her presence … she didn’t meet a stranger,” Carey said.
Nearly two decades together
The couple had been together for nearly two decades, raising two children, Kingston and Kasyn, and preparing to welcome their third child, a baby boy they planned to name Kylo.
Carey said Tiffany began complaining of a severe headache just days before she was due to give birth. He recalled her sitting on the couch, dozing off multiple times – something he said was unusual.
A short time later, Carey found her unresponsive.
“I saw her face … her lips were blue. And I already knew,” he said with tears in his eyes.
A celebration turned to heartbreak
Tiffany Carey and her unborn son died May 2, leaving behind a grieving husband and two children. The loss came less than a week after the family had celebrated a baby shower.
“We went from celebrating the baby shower to planning a funeral in less than five days,” Carey said.
A crisis affecting Black mothers
Health officials say cases like this highlight a broader crisis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Black women in the United States are more than three times as likely as white women to die from pregnancy‑related causes, and most of those deaths – around 80% – are considered preventable.
Carey said he is still searching for answers and now lives with questions about whether warning signs were missed.
“I would say educate yourself. Take everything seriously,” he said. “That should have been a red flag … the headache.”
Honoring Tiffany’s legacy
Now, surrounded by baby supplies meant for a child who never arrived, Carey said he is focused on honoring Tiffany’s memory and raising their children with the values she lived by.
“She always said, ‘You’ve got to lead with love,’” he said. “She did that in everything.”
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