Miami Dolphins: Immigrant Youth, Digital Bonds, and the New Face of Multicultural Fandom

In Miami’s Hialeah Gardens High School cafeteria, a group of 15 teens—most of whom are children of Colombian, Venezuelan, and Nicaraguan immigrants—gathers every Friday during lunch to talk about the Miami Dolphins. They call themselves “Los Fins Unidos” (The United Fins), and their meetings are a mix of football analysis, cultural sharing, and inside jokes. On the table, there’s a whiteboard covered in plays they drew up (in both Spanish and English), a plate of arepas (Colombian corn cakes) brought by 17-year-old Sofia Mendez, and a laptop playing highlights of Tyreek Hill’s latest touchdown. For these teens, the Dolphins aren’t just a team—they’re a way to navigate their dual identities: proud of their parents’ home countries, yet deeply rooted in their Miami upbringing. Miami Dolphins: Immigrant Youth, Digital Bonds, and the New Face of Multicultural Fandom captures this evolving dynamic: for the children of Miami’s immigrant families, Dolphins fandom is a bridge between their parents’ traditions and their own American experience—a way to feel “seen” in both worlds. Take 16-year-old Javier Lopez, whose parents moved to Miami from Venezuela when he was 3. Javier doesn’t speak fluent Spanish, but he connects with his dad, Carlos, over Dolphins games every Sunday. “My dad works two jobs, so we don’t have a lot of time together,” Javier says, scrolling through a photo album on his phone—one picture shows him and his dad at a 2023 Dolphins game, wearing matching jerseys. “But when we watch the Fins, he tells me stories about growing up in Venezuela, about how he used to play soccer with his friends. The Dolphins make us closer, even when we don’t have the words to talk about everything.” Los Fins Unidos was started by Javier and Sofia in 2022, after they realized many of their friends had similar experiences: using Dolphins fandom to bond with immigrant parents. The group organizes events that blend their cultures with football: they host a “Fútbol Americano y Arepas” fundraiser (selling Colombian arepas to buy Dolphins gear for kids in underserved immigrant communities), they make TikTok videos where they explain football rules in Spanglish, and they invite their parents to “Legacy Nights” where the adults share stories about their home countries while watching old Dolphins games. “My mom is from Nicaragua, and she didn’t know anything about football until I started watching the Fins,” says 15-year-old Ana Torres. “Now, she yells ‘Touchdown!’ louder than anyone. Last month, she taught the group how to make gallo pinto (Nicaraguan rice and beans) for our tailgate. It’s like, we’re teaching her about football, and she’s teaching us about our roots. The Dolphins make that happen.” The Dolphins organization has taken notice of groups like Los Fins Unidos, launching the “Youth Fins Leaders” program in 2024 to support teen-led multicultural fan clubs. The program provides funding for events, connects teens with Dolphins players who are children of immigrants (like Tua Tagovailoa, whose parents are Samoan immigrants), and invites them to Hard Rock Stadium for exclusive behind-the-scenes tours. “These teens are the future of our fanbase,” says Dolphins community relations director Ana Rodriguez. “They’re not just cheering for the team—they’re redefining what it means to be a Dolphins fan, blending their cultures with football in ways we never imagined.” For Javier, Sofia, and the rest of Los Fins Unidos, the Dolphins are more than a pastime—they’re a way to honor their families while forging their own identities. “We’re not just Colombian or Venezuelan or American,” Sofia says. “We’re Miami. And the Dolphins are Miami—diverse, loud, and proud.”

For Miami’s immigrant families with relatives still living abroad, the Miami Dolphins have become a digital lifeline—a way to stay connected across borders through shared fandom. In the Coral Way neighborhood, 42-year-old Maria Gonzalez, a Cuban-American who moved to Miami in 2001, hosts a weekly “Virtual Dolphins Watch Party” with her sister, Elena, who still lives in Havana. Every Sunday, Maria sets up her laptop on the coffee table, logs into Zoom, and shares her TV screen with Elena and Elena’s two kids, 12-year-old Luca and 10-year-old Mia. The room is filled with the sounds of two families cheering: Maria’s husband, Juan, grills Cuban sandwiches in the kitchen; Elena’s husband, Carlos, passes around bowls of popcorn in Havana; and the kids yell “¡Gol!” (the Spanish word for “goal,” which they use for touchdowns) back and forth through the screen. Miami Dolphins: Immigrant Youth, Digital Bonds, and the New Face of Multicultural Fandom highlights how digital technology has turned geographic distance into a nonissue for immigrant families who share a love for the Dolphins. “Before Zoom, we’d talk on the phone during games, but it wasn’t the same,” Maria says, adjusting her laptop. “Now, we can see each other’s faces when Hill scores, or laugh together when the refs make a bad call. It’s like Elena and her family are right here with us. The Dolphins don’t just connect us to Miami—they connect us to each other.” This digital fandom has become increasingly common among Miami’s immigrant communities. Haitian-American families use WhatsApp to share Dolphins memes and highlights with relatives in Port-au-Prince; Jamaican-American families host YouTube Live watch parties where they comment on the game in Patois (Jamaican Creole); and Colombian-American families use TikTok to make “Dolphins vs. Fútbol” challenge videos with cousins in Bogotá (comparing Dolphins touchdowns to soccer goals). For many immigrant families, these digital traditions are about more than football—they’re about preserving family ties in a world where borders can keep loved ones apart. Take 38-year-old Michael Joseph, a Jamaican-American who lives in Miami with his wife and two kids. His mom, Pauline, still lives in Kingston, and they watch every Dolphins game together via FaceTime. “My mom doesn’t know all the football rules, but she knows to cheer when I cheer,” Michael says, smiling. “Last week, the Dolphins won, and she started dancing to reggae on the screen. It made my kids laugh so hard. That moment—even though we’re 1,500 miles apart—was pure joy. The Dolphins gave us that.” The Miami Dolphins organization has embraced this digital multicultural fandom, launching a “Global Fins” initiative that streams games with multilingual commentary (Spanish, Creole, Patois, and Portuguese) and hosts virtual “Heritage Q&As” where immigrant fans from around the world can ask players questions in their native languages. In 2024, the team hosted a virtual “Caribbean Fins Day” where Patrick Surtain II answered questions from Jamaican fans in Patois, and Tyreek Hill learned to say “Let’s go Dolphins!” in three different Caribbean languages. “We want every fan—whether they’re in Miami or Kingston or Havana—to feel like they’re part of the Dolphins family,” says Dolphins digital media director Jason Lee. “Digital technology lets us do that. It turns fandom into a global community.” For Maria and Elena’s families, this global community means everything. “Luca, my nephew in Havana, now has a Dolphins jersey,” Maria says. “He wears it to school, and all his friends ask about the team. He’s proud to be part of something that connects him to us. That’s the magic of the Dolphins—they don’t just bring families together; they make the world feel smaller.”

Miami’s immigrant youth are also using social media to redefine Dolphins fandom, creating content that blends their cultural heritage with football and reaching audiences far beyond Miami. 18-year-old Daniela Cruz, whose parents are from El Salvador, has 250,000 followers on TikTok, where she posts videos under the username @DolphinsDani. Her content ranges from “Football 101 in Spanish” tutorials (where she explains terms like “offensive line” in simple Spanish) to “Salvadoran Fins Cookoffs” (where she makes pupusas—Salvadoran stuffed tortillas—while talking about the Dolphins’ upcoming game). One of her most popular videos, which has over 5 million views, shows her teaching her grandma—who just moved to Miami from El Salvador—how to cheer for the Dolphins in both Spanish and English. “Abuela, say ‘Go Fins!’” Daniela says in the video, holding up a Dolphins pom-pom. Her grandma, laughing, replies, “¡Vamos Fins!” “I started posting these videos because I didn’t see anyone like me in Dolphins fandom—someone who’s proud of being Salvadoran and proud of being a Miami fan,” Daniela says, editing a new video on her phone. “I wanted to show other immigrant kids that it’s okay to be both. You don’t have to choose between your culture and your love for the team.” Daniela’s videos have struck a chord with immigrant youth across the U.S. She gets messages from teens in Texas, California, and New York—many of whom are children of immigrants—saying her content has helped them bond with their parents over the Dolphins. “A girl from Texas told me she showed my pupusa video to her mom, and now they make pupusas together during games,” Daniela says. “That’s why I do this. It’s not about the followers—it’s about helping kids feel seen, and helping families connect.” Daniela isn’t the only immigrant youth making waves in the digital Dolphins community. 17-year-old Kevin Chen, whose parents are from Taiwan, runs a YouTube channel called “Fins in Mandarin,” where he breaks down Dolphins games in Mandarin for Chinese-speaking fans. His videos include interviews with Chinese-American Dolphins fans, explainers on football rules in Mandarin, and even a series where he teaches his dad—who doesn’t speak English—how to understand the game. “My dad loves sports, but he never watched football because he didn’t understand it,” Kevin says. “Now, we watch every Dolphins game together, and he asks me questions about the plays. It’s a way for us to spend time together, and it’s helped him learn more English too. The Dolphins have brought us closer.” Miami Dolphins: Immigrant Youth, Digital Bonds, and the New Face of Multicultural Fandom underscores how these young content creators are changing the face of Dolphins fandom. They’re making the team more accessible to immigrant families, breaking down language barriers, and celebrating the diversity that makes Miami—and the Dolphins—great. The Dolphins organization has recognized their impact, partnering with Daniela, Kevin, and other teen creators to promote their content on the team’s official social media channels. “These kids are our best ambassadors,” says Jason Lee. “They speak to a generation of fans who grew up online, and they know how to blend culture and football in a way that feels authentic. We’re lucky to have them.” For Daniela, the partnership with the Dolphins has been a dream come true. She recently got to meet Tyreek Hill at a team event, and he even appeared in one of her TikTok videos. “Hill told me he loved my content and that I was doing great things for the team,” Daniela says, grinning. “That moment made me realize I’m not just a fan—I’m part of the Dolphins family. And that’s something I’ll never forget.”

The digitally connected Miami Dolphins have also launched innovative programs to support immigrant families who face barriers to in-person fandom—whether due to cost, language, or distance. One of the most successful initiatives is the “Virtual Fins Classroom,” a series of online workshops for immigrant kids that uses Dolphins football to teach English, math, and teamwork. The workshops are led by Dolphins staff and volunteers, many of whom are immigrants themselves, and are offered in multiple languages (Spanish, Creole, Mandarin, and Portuguese). In one workshop, kids learn to count by tracking the number of touchdowns the Dolphins score in a highlight reel; in another, they practice English by writing fan letters to players. “We wanted to make learning fun and relevant for immigrant kids,” says Ana Rodriguez. “Football is something many of them love, so we used that as a tool to help them build skills they’ll need in school and in life.” The Virtual Fins Classroom has served over 1,000 immigrant kids since it launched in 2023. 10-year-old Lila Mahmoud, whose family is from Syria, says the workshops have helped her improve her English and make friends. “I used to be scared to speak English in class,” Lila says, holding up a drawing she made of herself and Tua Tagovailoa. “But in the Fins Classroom, we talk about football, which I love. Now, I’m not scared anymore. I even talk about the Dolphins with my friends at school.” The Dolphins have also partnered with local libraries to offer “Fins Digital Kits”—free packages that include a tablet (loaded with Dolphins games and educational apps), a bilingual game-day guide, and a coupon for a free Dolphins youth jersey. The kits are designed for immigrant families who can’t afford tablets or don’t have access to high-speed internet, ensuring that no family is left out of the digital fandom experience. “A family from Afghanistan told us they used the tablet to watch Dolphins games together, and it helped their kids feel more at home in Miami,” Rodriguez says. “That’s the goal—to make sure every immigrant family has the tools to be part of the Dolphins community, no matter their circumstances.” The digitally connected Miami Dolphins have also expanded their radio broadcasts to include more languages, partnering with local ethnic radio stations to air games in Spanish, Creole, and Patois. For many immigrant families—especially older generations who don’t speak English—these broadcasts are the only way to follow the team. “My grandpa only speaks Creole, so he listens to the Dolphins games on the Creole radio station,” says 16-year-old Mia Jean, whose family is from Haiti. “He calls me during the game to tell me what’s happening. It’s his way of being part of the fandom, even though he doesn’t understand English. The Dolphins care about him, and that means everything.” Miami Dolphins: Immigrant Youth, Digital Bonds, and the New Face of Multicultural Fandom showcases how the team’s digital initiatives are breaking down barriers and making fandom accessible to all immigrant families. By meeting families where they are—online, in their native languages, and through educational programs—the Dolphins are ensuring that no one is left out of the family. For immigrant families, this isn’t just about football—it’s about feeling welcome, feeling seen, and feeling like they belong in Miami.

Immigrant youth-led Dolphins fan groups are also making a difference in their communities, using their love for the team to support other immigrant families in need. Los Fins Unidos, the Hialeah Gardens High School group, recently organized a “Dolphins Drive for Immigrant Kids,” collecting school supplies and Dolphins gear for children in Miami’s immigrant communities. They set up collection boxes at local stores, promoted the drive on social media, and even got the Dolphins organization to donate 500 backpacks. “We know a lot of immigrant kids don’t have the supplies they need for school, and we wanted to help,” says Sofia Mendez, one of the group’s founders. “We also wanted to give them something to be excited about—a Dolphins pencil case, a mini football. We wanted them to feel proud, just like we do.” The drive collected over 2,000 items, which the group distributed at a local community center. 9-year-old Sofia Lopez, whose family is from Guatemala, received a Dolphins backpack and a pencil case. “I love my backpack,” she says, showing it off. “I’m going to use it for school, and I’m going to cheer for the Dolphins with my dad. He’ll be so happy.” Los Fins Unidos also partners with local food banks to host “Fins Feeds Families” events, where they pack food boxes for immigrant families while talking about the Dolphins. During one event, the group packed 500 food boxes, each with a note that read “Go Fins!” in both English and Spanish. “Many immigrant families struggle to put food on the table, especially after moving to a new country,” says Javier Lopez. “We wanted to help in any way we could, and we used the Dolphins to make it fun. While we packed boxes, we talked about the team’s last win, or which player we’re most excited to see this season. It made the hard work feel like a party.” These community efforts have caught the attention of Dolphins players, who have joined the group for their events. In 2024, Jaylen Waddle attended a “Fins Feeds Families” event, helping the teens pack food boxes and signing autographs for the kids who received them. “What these kids are doing is amazing,” Waddle said. “They’re using their love for the Dolphins to make a difference in their community. That’s what being a Dolphin is all about—working together to help others.” Miami Dolphins: Immigrant Youth, Digital Bonds, and the New Face of Multicultural Fandom highlights how these young fans are carrying on the Dolphins’ legacy of community service, while adding their own multicultural twist. They’re not just cheering for the team—they’re living the team’s values, and making Miami a better place for all immigrant families. For the community-focused Miami Dolphins youth, this is the true meaning of fandom: it’s not just about watching games—it’s about using your passion to help others, and about building a community where everyone feels welcome.

As the Miami Dolphins look to the future, the role of immigrant youth and digital fandom will only grow—shaping the team into a more inclusive, global, and connected community. For Daniela Cruz, Javier Lopez, and thousands of other immigrant teens, the Dolphins are more than a football team—they’re a platform to share their stories, connect with their families, and make a difference in their communities. “When I was a kid, I didn’t see anyone like me in Dolphins fandom,” Daniela says. “Now, I get to be that person for other kids. That’s a responsibility, and I take it seriously.” The Dolphins organization is committed to supporting these young fans, with plans to expand programs like “Youth Fins Leaders” and “Virtual Fins Classroom” to reach more immigrant families. They’re also working on a “Dolphins Youth Content Lab,” where immigrant teens can learn how to create digital content (videos, podcasts, social media posts) that celebrates their culture and their love for the team. “These kids are the future of our fandom,” says Tom Garfinkel. “We want to give them the tools they need to tell their stories, connect with other fans, and shape the future of the Dolphins.” For Miami’s immigrant families, the future of Dolphins fandom is bright. It’s a future where a teen from El Salvador can teach her grandma to cheer for the Fins on TikTok; where a family in Havana can watch a game with their relatives in Miami via Zoom; where a group of high schoolers can pack food boxes for immigrant kids while talking about football. It’s a future where the Dolphins aren’t just a Miami team—they’re a global community, united by love for the game and respect for each other’s cultures. Miami Dolphins: Immigrant Youth, Digital Bonds, and the New Face of Multicultural Fandom captures this future—a future where diversity is celebrated, families are connected, and youth are empowered. For the Dolphins and their immigrant fans, this isn’t just about football—it’s about building a world where everyone feels like they belong. As Daniela Cruz says in one of her TikTok videos: “The Dolphins aren’t just a team. We’re a family. And in this family, everyone is welcome—no matter where you’re from, what language you speak, or what traditions you celebrate.” That’s the legacy of the Miami Dolphins—one that immigrant youth are carrying forward, one digital post, one community event, one touchdown cheer at a time.