Fighting For Light, The Concrete Rose follows 14-year-old Los Angeles native Meryland Gonzalez, who gets a helping hand from her community through a program to be a successful boxing champion with hopes of becoming an Olympian.
Meryland Gonzalez is the daughter of two parents that immigrated from Mexico. She lives in a rough Watts, California neighborhood where not many positives come out of. Statistics say that Gonzalez has a small chance of succeeding, but the smart girl has already proved the statistics wrong. She continues to keep the hope of reaching her dreams with the help of the L.A. Rams, the LAPD, Pepsi, and Operation Progress.
“…follows 14-year-old Los Angeles native Meryland Gonzalez…with hopes of becoming an Olympian.”
Operation Progress is a program that helps the youth become productive adults. They provide scholarship assistance to send children to Catholic schools and after-school programs that help children develop useful skills. They also offer a mentorship that helps children get to their after school programs and back home safely.
One thing that can throw people off a bit with this documentary is that it may feel like an advertisement for Operation Progress and Pepsi. It also almost seems like I was watching an introduction video to join it. Aside from that, the film is a shot of positivity that is needed during the rough times that we are all facing. It helps to know that people are still trying to make a difference in people’s lives and want to see others succeed.
One of the saddest things in life is wasted talent, and it’s clear that the L.A. community is pulling for Gonzalez to showcase her skills in the Olympics one day. She is a very talented and intelligent young woman. The sky is the limit with her potential, and Fighting For Light, The Concrete Rose highlights that perfectly.
"…it may feel like an advertisement for Operation Progress and Pepsi."
