important to inquire who the biggest in- fluence is in his life. Without hesitation, he shared, “my father.” “My father is a great role model. He encourages me to do better and to pursue my education. Growing up, my father made sacrifices for our family to live a better life. He worked very hard and took on multiple jobs a week. Sometimes his hard labor was not enough to feed the family. When we didn’t have enough to eat, my father would go without a meal, so the rest of the family could eat. His sacrifice and love for the family will always motivate me to do bet- ter.”Parks and Recreation has many career pathways for professional op- portunities within the department that can also serve as a bridge to careers in other fields. This story highlights Ricar- do’s pathway. When asked about ad- vice he would share with other recreation leaders building their future, Ricardo had this to say, “Nothing is impossible. When pursuing your dream, give it your all because in the end it will be worth it.”
