We’re proud to announce one of our Future Epicenter AmeriCorps VISTAs, Armando Rios!!! He’ll be joining us in Green River in August. Below are some questions from Epicenter and answers from Armando so you can get to know him a little bit. Enjoy!

Why did you apply to work at Epicenter?

I heard about the position opening through the grapevine and began doing some research into what the Epicenter does. After finding that the Epicenter uses design to implement positive change for the community, I was sold. Having an opportunity to get into the world of affordable housing is a big plus for me as well.

What are you most excited about in moving to Green River?

The gorgeous landscape. Arkansas is beautiful in its own right but Green River has a great sunrise and sunset. Green River is also full of opportunity for experimentation, with plenty of open lots and closed, mid-century motels, one’s mind can run free with the possibilities.

What are you most excited about in working at Epicenter?

Working with young professionals who are focused on the community. Epicenter is very much a part of the community, and I look forward to becoming a member of the club. I want to be known on a first name basis everywhere I go.

What’s your favorite film/movie and why?

Children of Men is by far the best movie I have ever seen. It is a story of hope, my favorite scene of the movie takes place when the Fishes are battling the National Guard. When the combatants all hear the cry of a baby the battle is halted, just for a brief amount of time showing that the future of mankind takes precedence over the racism, nationalism, and pride of all these men. It warms my heart thinking about it.

Where are you from?

As alluded to previously, I am from Arkansas, but I was first born in San Angelo, TX and later moved to Mountain Home, AR. Both places have given me experiences that I would not trade for the world. San Angelo gave me a childhood of picking nuts and fruits off of trees and eating them while seeing hundreds of monarch butterflies migrate through every winter. Mountain Home is a place full of fond memories. It is the place where I began to “grow my hair out” (aka become my own person). It set the stage for my time served in Fayetteville to attend college.

Where did you attend college and what did you study? What did you learn?

I attended the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and studied architecture. I learned how buildings affect our lives in ways that we don’t even realize, I learned how to think critically, outside of the box, to search for simple answers to complex problems, and most importantly I learned about myself.

If you knew you only had six months to live, how would you spend your remaining time?

I would travel, and travel far. I want to see as much of the world as I can. We learn by experiencing new cultures, new music, and new foods. On my bucket list is Japan, Australia, Peru, Brazil, Portugal, Russia, Germany, and to go back to Rome and Barcelona.