From the mound to the emergency room: How Dodgers Dreamteam helped Kenia rewrite her future
by Erin Edwards
For Kenia, softball was more than a sport — it was her safe space, her reset button, and ultimately her launchpad. A proud Dodgers Dreamteam alumna, Kenia’s story is one of perseverance, purpose and the powerful impact of community.
Growing up in Paramount, California, Kenia discovered the Dodgers Dreamteam (then known as Dodgers RBI) in 2014 through a friend. What she thought would be another city league quickly became something more.
“I’ve always been a Dodgers fan,” she says. “But I didn’t realize how much more came with registering — college prep workshops, leadership panels, and people who genuinely cared about our futures.”
As a first-generation college student, Kenia navigated uncharted waters. Her parents and older brothers hadn’t gone to college, and applying for financial aid or choosing a path forward felt overwhelming. But through the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation’s (LADF) College & Career Accelerator workshops, Kenia found clarity.
“They helped break everything down — FAFSA, community college, four-year universities. There was even a parent session my mom and dad attended,” she remembers. “That made a big difference.”
Kenia attended a career panel at Dodger Stadium that spotlighted women from diverse professional backgrounds, including healthcare. It was there that her long-standing dream to become a nurse began to feel possible.
“I always knew I wanted to be a nurse,” she says. “But I didn’t know how. That panel helped me understand the different paths and roles in healthcare.”
Kenia chose to attend Compton College and earned her associate’s degree in nursing. She is now a registered nurse working in the emergency department at St. Jude Medical Center.
But her journey wasn’t without doubt.
“I remember struggling in chemistry — if I didn’t pull up my grade, I wouldn’t get into any nursing program,” she recalls. “I started thinking about a backup plan. And honestly, because of people like Nichol Whiteman — who was always present at our games — I told my counselor I wanted to go into sports management. They inspired me.”
Kenia did pull up her grade and went on to become a nurse, but that moment of uncertainty shows just how influential LADF’s leadership and visibility were to her.
And while softball was always part of her life, Kenia admits her high school experience nearly made her walk away from the game.
“I wasn’t enjoying it anymore,” she says. “But Dodgers Dreamteam made me fall in love with the sport again. The coaches, the community, the culture — it felt like family.”
In her final season in 2018, Kenia and her teammates traveled to Minnesota to compete in the Nike RBI World Series. Fully funded by LADF, the experience was unforgettable.
“We played teams from Puerto Rico, New York, Hawaii. They fed us, housed us and made it feel so special. It’s something I still talk about.”
Now, Kenia stays in touch with many of her former teammates and often recommends the program to friends and family. She’s even encouraged her little cousins to join.
“Whether or not they fall in love with the sport like I did, I know they’ll gain something important — community, mentors and support.”
And giving back is top of mind.
“I reached out to LADF recently because I want to volunteer,” she says. “During the pandemic, my family attended LADF food drives. They helped us so much. Now, I want to help others.”
From college tours to coaching mentorship, and from softball fields to hospital floors, Kenia’s journey is a powerful reminder that sports can change lives — and that the Dodgers Dreamteam is bigger than baseball.
This weekend, three Dodgers Dreamteam teams will follow in Kenia’s footsteps as they head to Seattle, Washington, to compete in the Nike RBI West Regional Tournament. Representing six affiliate partners from across Los Angeles, these youth athletes are chasing the same dream Kenia once fulfilled: earning a spot in the Nike RBI World Series. We’re proud to cheer them on as they carry forward the spirit, determination, and impact of the Dodgers Dreamteam. Follow along on Instagram @dodgersfoundation.
From the Mound to the Emergency Room: How Dodgers Dreamteam Helped Kenia Rewrite Her Future was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.