By Roshani Chokshi and Wendy Binns

Angel Poventud is the cute guy cycling or rollerblading – sometimes in a green dress – through Intown’s neighborhoods. He often rides 20 miles a day on his bike “checking out the Beltline and everything else.” As a train conductor, he’s familiar with the rails and is passionate about the BeltLine project for which he volunteers, gives tours and excitedly helps to promote, including the ongoing Art on the BeltLine exhibit.

Poventud, 38, volunteers for Trees Atlanta, is on the board of WonderRoot, participates in the Artichoke Bliss street food coalition project, works for bicycle advocacy, participated in the HIV vaccine trial at Emory, cares about historical preservation, serves on four committees in Midtown, looks-out for and feeds the homeless and the list goes on.

What do you feel is your biggest priority in giving back to the community?

I’m not a big fan of meetings, such as meeting for meetings sake. Actually participating, doing the stuff, is the most important. The example I try and set is, ‘let’s go out and do stuff.’ I realize that it’s important to figure out what’s going to be done but in a lot of ways you don’t have to meet up about doing it. You’re not participating in just a passive role, but an active one.

Did working as a train conductor make you more interested in the BeltLine?

The route that I run for work is the BeltLine’s northeast quadrant. So, I’m sure that if I were just a freight line conductor, I would still be involved and engaged. We took videos of the railroad corridor live, and we took it back to them and were watching it in the office. It’s fascinating seeing the curves, and what’s on the side. It’s pretty neat to have that direct relationship to the BeltLine.

People have described you as literally being an angel. If you had a real superpower, what would it be?

It seems that I can be in a couple different places at once. Just by participating on the level that I do.

Is there anything you want readers to know about you?

Just that it’s that easy to get engaged. Most people aren’t aware because they don’t know when things are in the city, but just show up. Just go. My whole thing is to do your part. Try and find a way to do your part.