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where she entertained is dotted with colorful murals, including one depicting a smiling Virginia kneeling below citrus trees, holding a book. “She loved to read and was a very good cook,” José said, pointing out framed photos of Virginia throughout her life. Here she is at her first Holy Communion. There, at her quinceañera. There is a shot of the couple on their first date and many of Virginia with her sons when they were young. Scores of photographs celebrate her life, and the family’s life together. Javier and his brothers grew up in this home, absorbing their parents’ lessons. “My parents were always involved in the community, especially in arts programs,” Javier said. “We’d go to events that were largely community-driven and we enjoyed it. It didn’t dawn on me that my parents were volunteering. It was part of our regular routine.” Along the way, the boys picked up some critical learning. “My parents always led by example, meaning that they were always involved in helping others, and especially our community, to make sure that everybody had the same opportunities that we did, and that our community was as healthy as we were as a family.”
PASSING IT ON Now, as the father of three children himself, Javier works to pass on the example to his own kids. In addition to his busy schedule at the Barrow Center, he sits on the National Federation of High School Sports Advisory Committee and is vice chair of the National Football League Head, Neck and Spine Committee. He volunteers for a number of community organizations and serves on the board of directors of the Arizona School for the Arts, where his children attend school, as well as Vitalyst Health Foundation, Arizona Community Foundation, Fiesta Bowl Charities and Chicanos Por La Causa.
26 FRONTDOORS MEDIA | SEPTEMBER 2018
When it comes to the values he hopes his children Sophia, 17, Dominic, 16, and Santino, 14, absorb, they are much the same as those his parents taught him: education, health and community. “My daughter is a good example. She’s already volunteered hundreds of hours for Girl Scouts and spent a good chunk of the summer volunteering at Camp Maripai,” Javier said. For the Cárdenas family, much of their work can be summed up in that one word: community. “My community means everything to me,” said Javier. “I’m a very proud Arizonan. And I hope that’s reflected in our community work.”
A TROUBLING TIME Through all of their efforts, a love of Arizona and a respect for community shine through. That’s not to say that commitment is always easy. In his office, José has a framed complaint that his boss, ASU President Dr. Michael Crow, received from someone who thought it was unfair that Dr. Crow “hired a Mexican as his general counsel.” These are troubling times, José said. “I’m distressed. My assumption is that many Hispanics are as well about the demonization of immigrants. It’s saddening that more people aren’t as offended as I think they should be.” So the family continues their efforts on the job, on the airwaves and in our community to champion the people and the state that they love. “My Arizona community is as diverse as my family,” Javier said. “There are opportunities we need to create that can have a significant impact on families and definitely benefit Arizona. Education. Work opportunities. All of these are ways in which our community grows. The state gets a bad rap, whether it’s our politics or something that’s said and done by Arizonans. But Arizona has much to be proud of.” And so does this father and son.
