Jose Rizo - Episode 34 - Our Communiversity Today скачать в хорошем качестве

Jose Rizo - Episode 34 - Our Communiversity Today

In this episode of Our Communiversity Today, Dr. Ramon Stuart welcomes restaurant owner and art curator Jose Rizzo for a conversation that blends entrepreneurship, culture, creativity, and community growth. Dr. Stuart begins by highlighting the program’s core belief that the community is the university and the university is the community, setting the stage for a discussion on how individuals can elevate southern West Virginia through their talents and stories. Jose, known locally as the owner of El Mariachi, shares the origins of his family’s journey from Mexico to California and eventually to Beckley. His father’s sacrifices, early opportunities in the restaurant world, and the determination to provide a better life helped shape the foundation that Jose continues to build upon today. As the conversation unfolds, Jose reflects on the realities and misconceptions surrounding immigration, the pride he feels in becoming a U.S. citizen, and his desire to show that immigrant families contribute meaningfully to their communities. He and Dr. Stuart explore the importance of opportunity — not handouts — and how gratitude, discipline, and hard work can turn a single chance into a generational turning point. From starting work as a teenager washing dishes to becoming a successful business owner, Jose explains how treating restaurant service as a relationship rather than a transaction helped El Mariachi become a beloved gathering place for so many local families. The episode then turns toward Jose’s passion for art, a love that started in childhood and eventually grew into collecting, studying, and curating significant pieces from across the country. He describes how traveling for exhibits inspired him to bring art home, creating high-quality community shows that feature both his personal collection and the work of regional artists. His newest exhibition continues that mission by offering a welcoming, vibrant cultural experience in downtown Beckley. Dr. Stuart closes the program by highlighting Jose’s generosity, community spirit, and dedication to inspiring the next generation to dream boldly and embrace the arts as part of a thriving southern West Virginia.