Alexander DeLeon has been going to Raiders tailgates since he was 2 or 3 years old. His earliest memories are waking up in the stadium parking lot following a hourlong trip to Oakland; his dad would pick him up out of bed and wrap him in a blanket so he could sleep in the car. DeLeon, 33, was born and raised in Las Vegas, but his dad lived in Northern California. (He describes the Raiders’ move to his home city as “the best news ever besides staying in Oakland.”)
In the tailgating lot, DeLeon remembers always waking up to music—usually Bay Area hip-hop and classic rock—and of course, the food, which was so largely influenced by the strong Hispanic culture present in Oakland. DeLeon describes himself as half Mexican Hispanic, and his dad brought the barbecue to each tailgate, grilling different dishes like carne asada and chorizo each time.
Courtesy of Alexander DeLeon
