EDUCATION FOR ALL

Ricky envisions an America that fosters a vibrant education system, one that nurtures students toward knowledge and enlightenment rather than merely meeting the demands of standardized tests. While he understands the rationale behind this emphasis, he disagrees that it is the sole method for assessing a student’s aptitude.

Currently, we are falling short in celebrating and cultivating the unique talents of our children, which poses a serious threat to the future of our nation. The seeds we plant today will grow into fruit-bearing trees tomorrow, and how we nurture them determines not only the shade they provide but also how the environment flourishes for all.

Ricky advocates for an American education system that emphasizes stimulating and practical learning environments, restoring music, arts, and physical education, recognizing that both the body and mind require stimulation. Prioritizing mental health is essential as young people navigate their formative years in public institutions.

Beginning with a Universal Pre-K System, Ricky believes that all American students should be equipped for an ever-changing global society. This preparation includes being well-versed in culinary arts, life sciences, personal finance, time management, entrepreneurship, civics and social studies, and global history.

There was a time in American culture when a college education was celebrated and promoted within African American communities. Television shows like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Martin, A Different World, Living Single, and Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper both subtly and overtly supported higher education, particularly historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). However, something changed, and our focus shifted.

Over time, the emphasis on building up our HBCUs diminished, leading to negative consequences for society—especially within Black communities. Ricky believes that the time to reverse this troubling trend has arrived, and we must reinvest in and strengthen HBCUs across the United States.

In addition to advocating for tuition- and debt-free college education, Ricky firmly believes we must invest significantly in the maintenance and funding of these vital institutions, which serve up to twenty percent of African American students pursuing college degrees. The role HBCUs have played in the academic and social development of young African American students over the years is undeniable.

We must commit to maintaining this support as a matter of principle.

Ricky envisions a system that prepares American children and young adults for a rapidly changing global economy while valuing the importance of multilingualism.

It should be the norm for American students to learn—alongside English—languages such as Spanish, French, German, Mandarin, Swahili, Arabic, Russian, Hindi, and Portuguese at least to a conversational level by the time they reach college age. The economic potential of this initiative cannot be overstated as the world grows smaller and our opportunities expand.

America stands out as the only country where millions of speakers of Spanish, French, German, Mandarin, Swahili, Arabic, Russian, Hindi, and Portuguese already live freely, loving, working, and raising families just like anyone else. This ethnic, racial, and linguistic diversity is one of the many strengths that make America great.

Skeptics may ask, “Where will we find teachers for such an ambitious initiative?” The answer lies within the American populace; millions already speak these languages in their homes and communities. A new education system will create opportunities for millions more.

As with health care, no American should ever be at the mercy of a profit-driven higher education system. College tuition is simply not affordable anymore, and it has risen exponentially since Ronald Reagan was elected President in 1980. Gone are the days when the average working-class individual could tend bar and use that paycheck to fund a debt-free college/graduate education and pay the bills. At the moment, Ricky himself is facing hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loan debt.

We have even reached the point now where American students are heading to Europe to study? Why? Because there are at least 44 schools across Europe where Americans can earn their bachelor's degree for free. In fact, public colleges in Germany, Iceland, Norway and Finland are free for residents and international students. Those students also have health care.

This economic injustice cannot stand. Therefore, Ricky believes in universal higher education for all Americans and taxpaying residents. No American citizen or taxpaying resident should ever have to go into debt for the sake of knowledge. With that in mind, Ricky firmly believes in a brand new government bailout—one where every student is bailed out of his/her/their crippling student loan debt and allowed to enter the workforce. It's time to cancel and forgive any and all private and public student loan debt. Not $10k, not $50k, not even $100k. ALL OF IT. PERIOD.

Income should never be a determinant for whether someone has access to a college degree, and there is no reason why Americans and taxpaying residents should enter the workforce with crippling debt. If we can afford to spend trillions of dollars to further prop up the Military Industrial Complex, we can afford to send every American child to college to further equip the country with skills needed to advance in society (at no cost to them or their families). 

Ricky envisions an America that values the accurate dissemination of news and information. We have witnessed the disastrous effects of biased and misleading news reports on the public.

While educating the American people is paramount, we must protect impressionable minds from the dangers of ignorance. Too much has been sacrificed for the sake of ratings and corporate profit.

It is time to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine, which the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) abolished in 1987, and to hold news organizations to a higher standard of accountability.

We cannot permit unsubstantiated political claims to dominate America’s airwaves without appropriate and fair rebuttals. The increasing polarization of our political landscape is a direct consequence of biased news coverage.

Domestic news networks must take responsibility for the divisiveness in our politics. Our media must reflect a renewed commitment to education, replacing ratings-driven sensationalism with fact-based reporting. It’s time to make our news networks smart again.

In the pursuit of intellectual honesty and fairness, Ricky demands a media landscape that prioritizes accountability over corporate interests, focusing on reporting what truly matters rather than sensationalism designed to provoke emotion for ratings.

Ricky strongly supports the doctrine of Net Neutrality and believes that equal access to the Information Superhighway, along with data protection and privacy, is a fundamental human right. Internet access must be upheld by all world governments, and Ricky contends that it ought to be treated as a public utility, available for all to use, regardless of income.

The increasing importance of the Internet in a rapidly digitized world is evident in its role in preserving established rights that are under threat from various groups, organizations, or even entire governments. A significant intersection exists between the development and advancement of human rights and the Internet.

The Internet, as we know it, is an indispensable tool for public service. In many ways, it has fused with our natural environment. Scattered throughout the atmosphere are cellular and satellite signals, where television signals once existed. Nowadays, connecting to the Internet in the developed world is as simple as turning on a smartphone of any generation from the past decade.

Human and civil rights have become further intertwined with the documentation of civil disobedience. The world has grown closer through the international community’s various conventions on human rights. Technology entered the 21st century alongside the advent of the Internet, which became a critical catalyst in the struggle for human rights. As the world globalized, the Internet’s importance and advancements grew.

Netizenship and access to the Internet played a crucial role in the emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement, providing a platform for Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi to voice their grievances about police brutality and systemic inequality through Twitter, Facebook, and various live streams.

The United Nations has repeatedly emphasized the Internet’s role in modern society. It has become evident what nations miss out on as a result of Internet deprivation. Restrictions on Internet access by governments are viewed as violations by the international community. The Internet has proven to be an essential tool for nation-building, influencing banking, commerce, education, and public service.