SAN ANTONIO – Fiesta season means packed streets in downtown San Antonio and a lot of cleanup afterward.
KSAT 12 joined Centro San Antonio Clean and Safe Ambassadors on Thursday while they were preparing for “Fiesta Fiesta.”
“We are the eyes and the ears of downtown,” said Nicholas Valdez. “If somebody sees something, they say something.”
For those downtown, the ambassadors can be spotted by their shirts. Ambassador Josh Moreno said a significant aspect of the job is hospitality, which includes helping tourists, residents and people experiencing homelessness.
Valdez and Moreno work around the clock to maintain San Antonio’s downtown spaces.
“We make it look like the party never happened,” he said, describing everything from trash to bodily fluids and human waste.
Moreno and Valdez said many ambassadors came to Centro San Antonio looking for a second chance.
“A good number of us were either in recovery, or you know coming out of a lifestyle that wasn’t too great,” Moreno said.
“When I got sober, I wanted to continue working in that field, working with the homeless, working with people who are on drugs, working with people who are just lost,” Valdez said.
The ambassadors are more than just a cleanup crew; they’re a downtown resource. During and after the party, Centro San Antonio ambassadors work to ensure that downtown remains welcoming for everyone.
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