cartagena basketball legends promote health awareness in lgbtq youth circles

in the sticky heat of a late afternoon in getsemaní a group of former players moves across the cracked asphalt of a public court near the old walls. sneakers squeak. the ball thuds against the rim. one man in his fifties calls out plays with the same bark he used decades ago in regional leagues. nearby a few teenagers watch from the benches while volunteers set up folding tables with pamphlets on routine checkups and mental health resources. the scene matters because cartagena's basketball past carries weight in neighborhoods where formal health services still feel distant for many young people who identify as lgbtq. older players who once drew crowds now use that recognition to open conversations about wellness without lectures or judgment. advocates argue these informal links matter more than distant policy promises when families and clinics sometimes hesitate. the personal stakes show up in quiet talks after games about staying connected to care even when daily life pulls in other directions. cultural pressure to fit narrow expectations can isolate youth here just as it does elsewhere but shared court time creates a different kind of belonging that does not require explanation. javier moreno a retired forward who played for local clubs in the 1990s now organizes weekly sessions at the same getsemaní court where he first learned the game. last month he invited two younger players from the lgbtq youth center near the mercado to join drills and then stayed after to answer questions about basic nutrition and sleep. moreno told one regular that keeping the body strong always came first even when sponsors pushed harder training. the event drew about twenty people who stayed for fruit and water while a community nurse handed out cards for free screenings at the public clinic in san diego. moreno kept the talk short focused on habits rather than warnings. yet the same court also hosts pickup games where older fans grumble that health talk distracts from the sport itself. one afternoon a former coach stopped by and questioned whether legends should mix personal advocacy with the game that once united everyone regardless of private life. the tension surfaced when a teenager asked about support after facing family pushback and the coach changed the subject to footwork. moreno handled it by shifting the conversation back to on-court focus while the nurse quietly offered a separate time to talk. the complication reveals how legacy and openness do not always align smoothly in a city where basketball still draws traditional crowds who prefer the old separation between sport and everything else. if the next court session interests you head to the open area near the getsemaní plaza on weekday evenings and ask for moreno by name. the youth center in san diego posts updates on their notice board about upcoming visits from players and the nurse rotates through the same spot every other week. follow the local community page that lists times without needing an app or login. bring a ball if you have one and stay after for the short talks rather than leaving right at the final whistle. the rim still echoes long after the last shot drops and the tables fold away. some nights the conversation lingers on the benches until the streetlights come on. across the way near the church of santo toribio another group gathers on weekends when the heat eases and shadows stretch from the colonial walls. a former referee named carlos pineda sets out cones for drills that turn into talks about breathing exercises for anxiety that hits after family arguments over identity. he remembers games from the nineties when the same court filled with families cheering without knowing the private battles some players faced. pineda brings pamphlets from the health post in el cabrero that focus on simple steps like staying hydrated during long days. one afternoon a teenager from the group asked about finding a doctor who would listen without assuming too much and pineda pointed to the rotating schedule posted at the youth center door. the older fans who once saw basketball as pure escape now watch these exchanges with quiet interest wondering how the game fits with newer ideas of care. still the ball keeps moving and the talks blend into the evening air mixing the past respect for the sport with present needs for connection in neighborhoods where trust builds slowly on familiar ground. moments like these extend the reach of the court beyond practice into areas where health feels tied to belonging and shared sweat rather than formal settings that can feel cold. "