The Chandler Cultural Foundation recently recommended Omar Lopez as a candidate to serve on its managing board.

Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke appointed Mr. Lopez in June for a two-year term, beginning with the 2020-21 season, according to a release.

Upon moving to Chandler, Mr.  Lopez was delighted to discover a bustling arts community and a vibrant music scene. The professional basketball player from Southern California had recently retired from the National Olympic Team of Mexico after 11 years, a career filled with travel and intense competition in countries all over the world, the release stated.

When he landed in Chandler in 2018, he found so many "artsy people, people who were so into music, wanting to listen and play music, people creating fascinating art." Says Mr. Lopez, "I thought, 'This is such a vibrant, rich and diverse place. I love it here.'"

Before long, he began to learn guitar, to pitch in on community murals and check out every new band and style of music he could find.

Now working as the international account manager at Kloekner Metals, Mr. Lopez is as passionate about his community as he is about sports and the arts. An Arizona resident since 2012, he volunteers at André House each weekend assisting the homeless and poor populations of Phoenix, as well as working with Food Not Bombs, which serves nutritious meals to those in need, the release states.

Chandler Center for the Arts is in the heart of the downtown entertainment district of Chandler at 250 N. Arizona Ave. Go to  chandlercenter.org.