As part of the Rams' celebration of Latino Heritage Month, the organization is highlighting the diverse and meaningful ways Latino staff move our team forward on and off the field.

Up next is Associate Athletic Trainer Kevan Murgia.

Kevan Murgia's Latino heritage roots began in San Martin de Hidalgo, near Jalisco, where his great grandparents met and got married. After Murgia's grandmother was born, his great grandparents then moved to the United States in the 1940s. His grandfather, who was raised in New Mexico, met his grandmother in Hamilton City, California, and they got married in Hanover, New Mexico in 1954 before establishing roots in Murgia's hometown of Chico in Northern California.

That lineage has had a longstanding impact on Murgia's life, and the values by which he lives it.

"My family's culture has guided my path in life by laying down a foundation which would allow me to build relationships and foster growth," Murgia said. "Whether that be my integration into sports early in life or the guidance throughout my education, my support system has always been by my side and my biggest advocates."

Today, Murgia is an associate athletic trainer for the Rams, where that foundation of relationship building and growth play an integral role in his day-to-day responsibilities. He's part of the Sports Medicine and Performance team, which is responsible for managing and facilitating the medical care of Rams players, including daily evaluation, treatment, rehabilitation, prevention, education and administrative work.

Murgia is in his second year in a full-time role. He first joined the organization in the summer of 2020 as an athletic training summer intern while still in school at Long Beach State.

"Due to the COVID pandemic, clinical rotations were cancelled and the Rams asked me if I would like to stick around and work during the season," Murgia said. "I was able to take my normal class schedule virtually while working as an intern throughout the remainder of the COVID season. Following that season, I returned for a second year as a summer intern in which I was also able to make the Rams my fall football immersive rotation following the end of training camp. After I graduated that spring, I accepted a two-year fellowship position with the Rams while also completing my master's degree in sports management from Pennsylvania Western University virtually and accepted the full-time role in the fall of 2024."

Murgia said he is motivated to continue to improve each day because of those around him – family, friends and coworkers. Collectively, that environment provides both external and intrinsic motivation daily.

"When I come to work and I see the players' dedication to their craft and my coworkers' commitment to the health and safety of our athletes, it makes it very difficult not to be motivated," Murgia said. "I am intrinsically motivated daily to make a positive impact on others by being a dependable, loyal, and empathetic individual."

The best part of Murgia's job is the ability to build relationships with the team's players and staff "through my passion to keep them healthy and performing at their highest level."

"I often tell people who ask me about my job that I don't feel like I'm coming to work because I genuinely enjoy my daily interactions and being a part of the culture that is built in the organization by (head) coach (Sean) McVay and in the 'barbershop' by Reg (senior vice president of sports medicine and performance Reggie Scott)," Murgia said.

Scott is also someone who Murgia looks up to daily as a role model because of how Scott connects with Rams players and staff, as well as the way he leads the sports medicine and performance team.

"His ability to connect with our players and staff is something that I truly believe is second to none," Murgia said. "Having the opportunity to work on his staff over the last five years, I have been able to learn not just how to be the best athletic trainer that I can be, but also how to be the best man I can be in life. Being able to watch him lead the room has been the biggest motivator for me to continue to work as hard as I can to be a positive contribution to the team."

Murgia honors his culture and upbringing in his daily life by upholding the standards and ethics in which previous generations raised him. Those generation instilled "an extremely hard work ethic," he said, which included qualities like perseverance, grit, confidence and respect.

"Continuing to learn and speak with family members, teaching generations that follow about the history of our family, as well as maintaining family values that mean so much to me" are other ways he also honors his culture each day.

As a child, Murgia's favorite day of the year was tamale making at his Abuelo's house with the entire family. That cherished cultural tradition is one he wants to pass down and share with colleagues, as well as family celebrations which featured staples of Latino music culture.

"The day after Thanksgiving every year marked the beginning of our tamale marathon, in which we would make tens of dozens of tamales as a family in which we would share with friends and family throughout the entirety of the holiday season," Murgia said. "The yearly text asking, 'When will the tamales be ready?' or 'You guys are making tamales this year, right?' was always something that my family cherished.

"Family celebrations (birthdays, weddings, holidays) often included lively mariachi bands that was a staple of my childhood and a great representation of the tremendous Latino music culture that I hope to continue and pass on within the Murgia lineage."

The biggest cultural misconception Murgia has to educate others on is the "that the color of my skin or how I speak makes me less 'Mexican' or 'Latino,'" he said.

"Although I may be multiethnic, I still am very proud and passionate about my Hispanic heritage and being an advocate for the diversity and uniqueness of the Latino community."

To that end, Murgia said Latino Heritage Month is important because of how it can build an increased understanding of the culture.

"I believe that LHM is important because it is a time to honor the diverse backgrounds, traditions, and achievements of those who have influenced the Latino community in the United States," he said. "I think more important and influential than anything is the ability to educate, reflect, and create dialogue each year to build a greater understanding of the culture. I think what we realize is that heritage or history months each year are a great reminder to all of us how diverse our country is and can shine light on how amazing and unique each culture is while honoring those who came before us."

Murgia said Latino Heritage Month should be celebrated by "by recognizing the vital role that Latinos play in shaping the culture and identity of our country through a variety of different avenues."

"(It can also be celebrated by) supporting Latino-owned businesses, advocating for a more inclusive education on Latino history, as well as standing with the community and speaking up for those around you," he said.