A son of working-class immigrants, Ricky grew up in rural North Carolina and is a product of the state’s public schools. A first-generation college student, Ricky attended UNC-Chapel Hill as a Morehead-Cain Scholar and graduate school at Princeton University. Through his educational journey, Ricky has focused on how to create effective public policy to fight poverty and inequality in order to build strong, vibrant communities.
After a brief time as a consultant and policy analyst supporting nonprofits and foundations across the country, Ricky moved back home to North Carolina and co-founded an education initiative, LatinxEd, to invest in Latinx leadership and support first-generation college students and immigrant families in breaking down barriers to educational opportunity. In 2020, Ricky was elected to the NC House in Alamance County, becoming the first Latinx Democrat to ever serve in the North Carolina General Assembly.