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Despite the fact that she had lived on the West Coast all her life, Constance Sarto didn't hesitate when her husband, a native Arkansan, received a job offer that allowed him to move back to the state he loved. Keeping with her lifelong philosophy of welcoming change, Constance considered the move a chance to face new challenges and opportunities.

Self-proclaimed old-house fanatics, the couple found the perfect place to live – the Quapaw district in downtown Little Rock. Preservation of antiquities had always been important to Constance, and it seemed that the neighborhood represented everything she loved about a community. “The people in our neighborhood are a cohesive group of people who value the meaning of history and buildings,” Constance said. “We have a community built on mutual respect and an agreement to preserve our traditional neighborhoods.”

Along with the perfect neighborhood, Constance, a former journalist, found an ideal job as director of the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, which preserves and showcases African American history from around Arkansas. Her passion for historic preservation now had a professional outlet. “I continue to be most impressed with the depth of history in the state. The West Coast is young compared to this part of the world, and the history here is quite inspirational.”

With the opening of the new center last year, Constance is constantly on the move, promoting Arkansas's rich history through the center. A member of the mayor's tourism commission, she believes heritage tourism is gaining momentum and will be a big draw for the state in the future. And the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, thanks to her leadership, is poised to inform visitors or newcomers interested in Arkansas's history.

But the past isn't all that Constance enjoys about Arkansas. Thanks to the opportunities and strong economic base, as well as to the wide array of museums and the River Market district, she loves the state's quality of life. And watch out for her on the Arkansas River Trail, too. She walks, bikes and even rollerblades. “I have to be sure to where my helmet because it freaks people out to see a gray-haired person on rollerblades.”