Interview with Armando Alvarez

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     Viva Creative Group   www.vivacreativegroup.com

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  This is an interview with Armando Alvarez on Feb 25, 2009, in El Paso, Texas. The interviewer is Edmundo Valencia. This interview is part of the Paso del Norte Entrepreneurs Oral History Project. EV: Thank you for giving us your time. Let me start with when and where were you born? AA: I was born here in El Paso, Texas, March 14, 1976. You know, I grew up here. I was here throughout all my childhood. EV: Who were your parents or who are they, if they’re still alive? AA: They're both alive. Thank God. My mother is from Chihuahua. She was born in Chihuahua and moved to the United States when she was a teenager. [She] finished high school. My dad was born here, in El Paso, Texas, but he moved back to Mexico and spent his childhood in Tijuana. Eventually he moved back to Juarez where he met my mom. EV: What are their names? AA: My mother's name is Mirna Alvarez and my dad's Armando Alvarez Sr. EV: So they met in Juarez, got married there, then moved to El Paso, and then you were born here? AA: They actually moved to El Paso while they were pregnant with me. So I was born here and they stayed here. They ended up staying here. EV: And what were their occupations? AA: My mom worked personnel for Wrangler for many years; just got laid off a couple years ago, with the economy, I guess. My dad still works there. He never finished school, his education. I don't think he finished high school. He always got on me about that, about making sure that I'd finish school. So that, you know, definitely persuaded me to push myself to finish school. EV: What was or what is his position? AA: He works at the warehouse; he handles shipping and delivery. I think he does a little bit of everything in there. So I would not know exactly what his title is. EV: Please tell me about your education. AA: Education... Well, you know, of course I went to Kendra Travis middle, or what is it elementary?, moved on to Caldwell middle school, and went to Austin High School, graduated in 1994. After that, I decided to play semi-pro soccer for a couple of years. After I was done with that, I went to Community College here in El Paso for a semester or two. Then, I'd gone to UTEP for a semester or two and I decided to leave El Paso. I ended up going to an art school in Arizona. It's called Collins College now. It used to be called Al Collins Graphic Design School or School of Art or something like that. I don't remember. I graduated with an Associate's Degree back in 2000. I just, you know, I didn't see the need to go on with my education. You know, my profession as a designer was really mostly in me. To pay 20,000 for someone to teach me Photoshop just did not make sense. EV: Right. How did you go into soccer? AA: Soccer? I just played through my childhood. I was really into it. You know, I played in high school. We went to state playoffs in [19]94. I had a scholarship to go to SMU in Dallas after high school. I guess because of my youth and being stupid at the time, I decided that... I got a call from the Patriots, El Paso Patriots, and I decided that was the best thing for me to do. Of course, now as you get older, you know education is the way to go. That's how I ended up playing semi-pro. EV: For how long did you do that? AA: I did that for 3 years. EV: What year did you start? AA: It was [19]94, right out of high school. I committed to go to SMU and, like two months before, I told them, you know, I am going to stay home and play instead. EV: What were your first jobs? AA: First jobs ... just regular jobs. You know, my dad never wanted me to work, you know, because he thought I would like the money and not go to school. Like I said, he never finished school. So he was afraid I wouldn't finish my education. So my first job was until the summer after my senior year in high school. I worked at JC Penney for the month, I mean, for the summer. I quit thinking I was going to go to college in Dallas. I ended up staying here, so I played soccer. During the off-season, I think I worked at Long John Silver's for eight months one time. Then I worked at UPS another year, again during the off-seasons. _________________________________________________________________ For the rest of the interview transcript, please contact: Kristine Navarro-McElhaney Director of the Institute of Oral History University of Texas at El Paso knavarro@utep.edu