Javier is a recent graduate of Marist College with a BA in Political Science, and is currently serving as an Americorps VISTA with the Empire State Poverty Reduction Initiative in Newburgh. In college, he worked as the Community Based Learning Coordinator at the Marist Center for Civic Engagement and Leadership, and was an intern with the Middle Main Initiative in Poughkeepsie and the Mayor’s Office of Poughkeepsie. These experiences sparked a deep interest within him for community and economic development. He also completed a minor in Digital Media Production, and in his free time, Javier is continuing to develop skills in video and audio production. His dream would be to find a way to use his passion for visual storytelling to serve and support communities in a sustainable way.