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Community-informed perspective, emphasizing co-creation and uplifting stakeholder voice.
I blend a teacher's ability to convey complex messages, an artist's creativity, and a businessperson's strategic thinking to help individuals and organizations meet their goals. I apply this skill set in everything I do to make strides toward a more just, equitable world.
Rico Gomez
I was born and raised in Denver to a single mom of three. While there was much turbulence growing up, education was a constant. I attended what I call "fortunate and responsive" schools – learning institutions I was lucky to access that aligned with my passions and skills. I work to make this level of responsiveness in education a norm rather than an exception and to eliminate good fortune from the equation.
I attended Denison Montessori school in southwest Denver, where I was trusted as a young person to have autonomy in my learning. My favorite memory here was learning how to make pesto as a 4th grader with freshly picked basil from the outside garden. Then, I was part of the first graduating class of the newly founded K-12 arts school, Kunsmiller Creative Arts Academy, where I learned graphic design – the foundation of the skill I use to support organizations with branding and marketing today. I've experienced first-hand the power of providing young people the space to explore and develop their passions, skills, and leadership in a hands-on way.
That's why I'm passionate about creating pipelines of people of color, and others historically marginalized, primed to disrupt oppressive systems and lead for and with their communities through education, business, nonprofit work, and other fields. In education specifically, I most recently designed and taught a Social Justice program at KIPP Colorado schools, which included Ethnic and Gender Studies, Social Entrepreneurship and Leadership, and AP Capstone courses. I also supported the growth of the school's Student Board of Education from a 10-student club to a 35+ student multi-functional student-led governance and programming organization.
Currently, I'm the founder of META Academy, a prospective Denver-Metro high school that equips students with skills in Management, Entrepreneurship, Teaching, and Arts so they become the educators, organization leaders, and innovators of today and tomorrow.
I've been working to uplift Denver's communities since high school, when I was a member of KCAA's Student Board of Education. Then, I worked for Servicios De La Raza's DALE program to increase political engagement in communities of color – managing a team to text over 40,000 predominantly Latinx individuals registration information, voting locations and methods, and information regarding beneficial ballot initiatives. I also worked for Denver Public Schools' CareerConnect program to build business partnerships to host interns and DSST Public Schools to support their entrepreneurial studies program and student transportation logistics. On campus, I was chair of the Student Diversity Council and then President of the Regis University Student Government Association.
I earned a degree in Business Marketing and Management from Regis University and a Master's in Teaching from Relay Graduate School of Education.
Gomez Consulting: opening doors
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There's power in opportunity. I strive to cultivate opportunities for young people and communities often overlooked in systems, policies, and institutions. This might look like supporting educators, small business owners, nonprofit entrepreneurs, students, or others. I work toward a reality where every person, especially those often marginalized, has multiple viable doors open to uplift themselves and their communities.