Meet Augusto Rivero! He began his time with KCRW as a pledge drive volunteer and is now one of the most reliable members of the street team crew. Whether he’s helping carry boxes of merchandise in the pouring rain or helping Jason Bentley with production assistance on Morning Becomes Eclectic, Augusto always puts his heart into everything he does. He’s the first to come and the last one to leave. He befriends everyone he works with and is an all-star volunteer!
Here’s Augusto in his own words…
Where did you grow up and do you have any siblings? Pets?
I grew up in a rural suburb of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and then migrated with my parents and my two sisters to Los Angeles when I was 10 years old. We resided in South Central until my late teens when we moved to Hawthorne. We have a fourteen-year-old chocolate Labrador who is a die-hard Club Atlético Boca Juniors fan. She also loves vegetables.
What 5 things would you wish you had if you were stranded on a deserted island?
My remote control A Team van, my cajón from Costa Rica, my copy of The Old Man and the Sea, my entire minibar, and all of Little Tokyo’s Daikokuya on a nearby floating barge. This covers deserted island exploration, beats, leisure reading, happy hour, and essential sustenance.
What do you do outside of KCRW?
Outside of KCRW, I’m part of the Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) operational production crew. I am also a dedicated coffee enthusiast, and a recent research analyst intern for a local political strategy firm.
What is your fantasy occupation?
Super robot Mazinger Z action hero by day, barista DJ by night? Actually I would really love to open up my own coffee shop someday, complete with hand-curated tunes. I also aspire to earn my Ph.D. and become a professor later in life. By the year 2048, let’s say, I imagine chatting with students in my second story office with floor-ceiling bookshelves (vintage KCRW poster adorning the wall) and a Komondor at my feet, just around the corner from my bustling coffee shop.
When did you first discover KCRW?
My kid sister introduced us back in the early 2000s. I used to stay up late nights listening to Metropolis on my old analog radio alarm clock.
How did you find your way to our station for volunteering?
I started out working phones during a membership drive over ten years ago. After a recent stint working in Costa Rica, I returned to Los Angeles with ganas to volunteer at KCRW on a more regular basis.
What’s your current volunteer position and how long have you been at it?
Currently I’m a production assistant, street team member, and marketing intern. I’ve been a regular since summer 2017.
Favorite volunteer moment?
I’d say this is more a continuum than an isolated moment, but getting to know the people behind KCRW has been my favorite part of the volunteer experience–from chatting with Chery Glaser and her incredible sound engineer, to chilling with Aaron Byrd on Thanksgiving and listening to his travel stories, to late nights jams with Travis Holcombe. Lots of good vibes.
If you could get on the mic and say one sentence on the air, what would it be?
De costa a costa y en todo el mundo, cultura, noticias, música y más en 89.9 KCRW, and of course, a shoutout to my sister, Eloisa, who introduced me to KCRW so many years ago.
What song(s) have you hit repeat on lately?
Michael Kiwanuka’s “Cold Little Heart”. Con Descendant’s “Episode One, Season One”. “Tangerine” by Aaron Childs. “All the Snow is Gone” by Sniffle Party. And Poolside’s “Harvest Moon”.
Favorite book, movie?
Stephen King’s novella The Body and the 1986 film adaptation, Stand By Me.
Favorite thing to do outside the station?
I’m learning to ride my Ural Ambassador sidecar motorcycle, and I’m usually plotting my next opportunity to get outdoors for a hike, a long run, a pickup soccer match, or a chill bike ride on the coast. Along the way I’m often finding myself on a Jonathan Gold pilgrimage through Southern California’s hidden eateries. And I’m pretty constantly devouring news media, books, film and TV, and sports broadcasts–especially The New York Times, The Atlantic In Focus photography blog, and all things soccer.
But my favorite thing to do, probably above all, is make coffee. I recently attended a coffee festival in Costa Rica, and a coffee convention in Los Angeles. I subscribe to the Los Angeles Coffee Club, getting a taste for local takes on the great bean. In the future I hope to try my hand at home roasting.
What does KCRW mean to you?
For me, this station opened up a window on an unseen world. At a young age, KCRW gave me sounds to drown out the ghetto bird, and stories to pore over while I contemplated my future. Today the station endures as an outward expression of what it means to live and think and be in Los Angeles, embodying smart global citizenship for those that aspire to it. KCRW is an extension of who I am, but moreover, of all the collectively extraordinary individuals who hustle to produce its outstanding programming. I’m grateful I’ve been able to support those efforts in a meaningful way.
And here’s what Augusto means to KCRW:
Augusto is a smart, articulate, and trustworthy person who always wants to help others and learn more. His professional manner, balanced with his canny sense of humor, always leads him to new friendships and makes him a pleasure to work with. He’s a great representation of the KCRW spirit at our events, and makes sure that anyone who approaches our table is aware of the many aspects of KCRW and our mission of serving them, the community.
We’re so happy you’re part of the KCRW family, Augusto!
