Instructor

The son of potato factory workers, Ricardo hails from Othello, Wash., and his works often draw from his experience as a first-generation Mexican-American. He is passionate about elevating the marginalized voices from rural communities and takes pride in being a conduit for cultural connection. His own struggles straddling cultures provide insight to the difficulties of the Mexican migrant worker and their families. He holds an associates degree in business and accounting from Big Bend Community College where he was recognized as student of the year in both business and economics and English composition. He also holds a bachelors of art in English: creative writing from the University of Washington and is an Army Veteran. While in the military, Ricardo was recognized as Distinguished Honor Graduate and Distinguished Leader during his advanced leadership course. His debut collection of poetry was selected as a finalist for the Washington State Book Award in Poetry 2023 and reached No. 1 on the Hispanic American poetry chart on Amazon. Ricardo’s happiest moments are when he is spending time with his children, writing with his daughter, playing video games with his son, cuddling his dog Pepe, enjoying a round of golf, and cooking with his wife, Christine.