Going through primary school Rico would read excerpts of his award winning essays on multiculturalism, tolerance and non-violent social change in front of numerous assemblies including the Los Angeles Unified School District. This experience in public speaking gave him the urge to express himself more creatively in front of others. While attending the prestigious Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies he and his friends began to make films inspired by books they read in class. Rico earned a degree in Political Science at U.C. Berkeley and upon returning to LA he found himself working at the University of Southern California. He decided to follow through on a promise he made to his friends to pursue his passion as an actor. He has been in films that have screened in various festival including Cannes (Muted Voices) and appeared in the virtual reality prequel to 24 : Legacy.