Creating Fans for Life: The 49ers' Commitment to Inclusion and Culture

April 01, 2025

Since our inception, Silicon Valley Latino has been dedicated to uplifting and celebrating extraordinary Latinos making an impact across industries. Our mission has always been to amplify voices, foster meaningful conversations, and showcase leaders who are shaping the future of our communities. It is with this same passion that we highlight the inspiring efforts of the San Francisco 49ers, a franchise that is not only a powerhouse in professional football but also a leader in fostering a culture of inclusion and representation of its surrounding communities.

In this exclusive interview with Silicon Valley Latino and contributing writer Olga Rosales Salinas, Olga sits down with Christina Jefferson, Senior Director Inclusion and Culture for the San Francisco 49ers. They explore how this legacy team is driving initiatives that extend far beyond the field. From engaging with vulnerable communities to amplifying Latino representation through initiatives like Fiel A Mi Cultura, the 49ers are proving that inclusive Culture is more than a corporate mandate—it’s a commitment to building lasting connections with fans, employees, and the broader Bay Area community.

Join us as we dive into the conversation with Christina Jefferson and uncover how the 49ers are not just shaping the future of football but creating a more inclusive and equitable playing field for all.

Discovering how our favorite brands, subscriptions, and sports teams stand with inclusion and Culture might not be top of mind for you. However, I would venture that any sports fan (or conscientious taxpayer) can appreciate when a major sports team doubles down on supporting the community in which it thrives.

In this interview with Christina Jefferson, Senior Director Inclusion and Culture for the San Francisco 49ers, we talk about the 49ers past, present and future initiatives to support not just the Bay Area but the vulnerable communities that surround it. Personally, I’ve become hyper-aware of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives as a writer, consumer, and mother of athletes. Which is why I jumped at the opportunity to meet Jefferson and learn more about this legacy team. In this interview we talk about the 49ers inclusion and Culture, and of course the Mexican/Panamanian American Fred Warner, San Francisco 49er Linebacker.

Christina Jefferson, Senior Director Inclusion & Culture for the San Francisco 49ers with Silicon Valley Latino

Olga: First, thank you for meeting with us today, Christina. In my research for this interview, I learned about your tenure at Sephora and midwestern background. Can you tell us what the transition was like from the inclusive Culture at Sephora to a legacy team like the 49ers?

Christina: I came to California almost 17 years ago, and I’ve been a football fan all of my life. I was here during the 49er hay-day, and I was secretly a fan– don’t tell my father. It’s been an amazing journey to get here. Now, I love being able to interact with our employees and fan base.

Olga: I see that you have a B.S. from the University of Southern Indiana, and a master’s in human resource management from Golden Gate University, right here in San Francisco. Can you tell us about that experience?

Christina: My journey in this work and in this world mirrors a lot of our fans… and employees, i.e., I went to school at night with a day job. I worked really hard to get where I am. I had a full-time job and went to school at night because that’s what we have to do to get ahead.

Olga: Thank you for sharing that. I think it’s important for our readers to know your background and motivations. Let’s start by talking about Hispanic Heritage Month and the marketing around the inclusive culture initiatives with the 49ers?

49ers Celebrate Latino Heritage Month | Fiel A Mi Cultura

(Video: More to come on this initiative & project)

Christina: So, where this all starts is our community. Our inclusion mission is to create fans for life. When we thought about that concept, we asked employees, "What do you want to do? How do you want to see yourselves represented?" Then, we also asked ourselves what [does] happy hour looks like. What does education look like? How are we creating moments for culture to spread throughout the organization? So we started there because it had to be internal first. First, our employees have to feel the authenticity of an initiative and then you're able to mirror that externally.

One day during a Latino Heritage Night, the team came to me and said, "We want to do our chant (1-2-3 Go Niners) in Spanish." Then, it stayed, and it stuck. Every time I watch a game in the stands and hear that chant in Spanish, I think about that moment when we brought the 49ers' internal community together. It's not just one group of niner fans; it's everyone! Everyone is chanting, Vamos Niners! It gives me chills thinking of it now.

Olga: That does sound like a great moment. What initiatives are you particularly proud of that you have created personally to drive Inclusive Culture?

Christina: Our Latinx employee resource group came to me and said they wanted to do a Day of the Dead altar, and I said, "As long as it's educational and as long as everyone can participate, let's do this." We think [this internal-employee altar] is the first in the NFL, and it means a lot to our employees to have the opportunity to participate in such a beautiful tradition.

“We want to create access and opportunities. That’s really it.”

Christina Jefferson

Olga: Let’s talk about Mexican/Panamanian-American Fred Warner, and the marketing around his fandom, particularly the promotional video that highlights him as an athlete.

“Hopefully, the way I play the game inspires the youth...” Fred Warner

Christina: You know, that was one of those moments that makes me love this team and community. I love that it wasn’t just our internal resource group. People from all over our organization supported our effort to highlight Fred Warner. I love that Warner was willing and excited to celebrate his heritage. That video really highlights him and the uniqueness of our players.

Olga: Can we talk about the Candlestick and Levi's Stadium? The only 49er game I’ve ever been to was at Candlestick. I’m sure you have employees whose tenure followed that transition. What was it like to move a team from San Francisco to Santa Clara?

49er celebrating 754 years with latino flavor

Christina: It's warmer [in Santa Clara]! There are definitely employees who miss it but we have been able to build something out here in Santa Clara. I’m one of the only employees who don’t have game-day responsibilities so when I go to games I get to listen to fans talking freely– they have no idea who I am. I hear them say how beautiful the stadium is and that makes me proud.

Olga: I’m curious to know what the ethnic/racial background is of your staff. I know you probably don’t have the hard numbers, but with the Bay Area being so diverse, that must be reflected in your staff.

Christina: I don’t have the hard numbers but I can say that we are one of the only teams with five employee resource groups. Many teams only have one [women or young professional’s group], but we have five and if [management] keeps asking me we might have more. We pride ourselves in being one of the most diverse teams in the league.

“If we’re not creating developmental moments for our employees, we’re not going to see any diversity in our leaderships across the board.”

Christina Jefferson

Olga: What are some exciting Cultural Inclusive initiatives coming from the 49ers in 2025?

Christina: Well, we’re excited about hosting the Super Bowl next year! I just came back from New Orleans, and I got to see a lot of the events that were specifically diversity [focused]. So, I’m excited to bring some of that.

Besides that, probably the most important thing for me is the internship program. It’s something that I’m really proud of and that I built from scratch. We as an organization understood that in order to get into sports it's been through internships and those internships have traditionally been about who you know. I wanted to help people who don’t have a connection. I wanted to help that person who reaches out and says, 'I'm a student at San Jose State, and I’m in sports management and I don’t know anyone, but I work really hard.’ That’s what our program is for - it’s for creating those moments. If you’re really asking what I’m excited about, it’s this internship program.

Olga: Amazing! What are some requirements for this internship?

Christina: We partnered with ten different universities to bring students here to learn about the program. It turns into a really fun day, where many employees participate because they know what it's like to be on the other side. Our focus is local as much as possible. Also, anyone can participate, no matter what they are studying in school. We have every part of the business represented in this internship.

To learn more about this internship opportunity visit: Internship Program or contact: Christina Jefferson, CJ@49ers.com

Olga: I truly appreciate this internship program for a multitude of reasons, especially its commitment to expanding opportunities for all individuals. This focus not only fosters inclusivity but also enriches the experience for everyone involved. Great job!

Christina: Yes, when you look at the higher ups, many of them started as interns. I want to change who knows about the internships. Maybe it’s not necessarily here [at the 49ers] but there are 31 other teams. We want them to see how these team’s work. We want to help them reach those other teams as well.

“In general, we want to create access and opportunities through culturally diverse programs. That's really it.”

Christina Jefferson.

Olga: Considering this program and your passion to continue growing it, what do you see evolving with inclusive Culture in the next year?

Christina: We’re really good at employee resource groups [E.R.G.] here, and we’re really good at partnerships. Many people have come to us to partner and we’re open. Other teams come to us and say, hey, want to do this. For instance, we’ve created capsule collections with our E.R.G. groups and Fanatics that foster authentic moments with our fans and employees. Those things seem little but they’re really big.

In general, we want to create access and opportunities through culturally inclusive programs. That’s really it. How do we create development moments for our internal employees? If we’re not creating those moments, we’re not going to see any diversity in our leaderships across the board. How are we creating access for folks to understand what is to be a leader in sports? It’s really about getting out of the words that seem charged and getting into the action that will actually change people’s lives.

The point is not press, the point is going out there and supporting our community. Christina Jefferson

Olga: Can you tell me about the Latino Resource Group at the 49ers and their initiatives?

Christina: Something that the Latino Employee Resource Group does every year is that we pack vegetables in Salinas, CA and we give back to that community. We worked with the LA Rams last year in Half Moon Bay and gave out lunch. Together we learned about farm workers and learned about what their day-to-day lives are like. The point is not press, the point is going out there and supporting our community.

49er's Latino ERG supporting ALAS in Half Moon Bay

Olga: Thank you for supporting the farm-working community. I grew up in Watsonville, so I understand how much that community needs support from legacy organizations like the 49ers. Was this an effort with a local nonprofit in the central coast?

Christina: We teamed with ALAS, Ayudando Latinos A Soñar.

Olga: We, at Silicon Valley Latino, love ALAS! I’m heading now to interview Emilio Cortez, the Senior Coordinator and Founding Member of the first Latino Employee Resource Group (E.R.G.) with the team. I’ll be sure to ask them more about this collaboration with the ALAS organization in particular. For now, thank your time today and thank you for the work you do.

Now, more than ever, it’s crucial.

Follow us, Silicon Valley Latino, to get the latest interviews, updates, and community engagement and not miss Part 2 of this exclusive 49er interview with Emilio Cortez, a Senior Coordinator and Founding Member of the 49er's first Latino Employee Resource Group (E.R.G.) and Amalia Sofia (Sofy) Navarro, Senior Manager for the 49ers, EDU.