A son of working-class immigrants, Ricky Hurtado grew up in rural North Carolina, attending public schools and going on to become the first in his family to go to college. Hurtado attended UNC-Chapel Hill as a Morehead-Cain Scholar, finding his passion for public service while at UNC mentoring other high school students who grew up in similar circumstances and were working hard to make their own dreams come true. He attended graduate school at Princeton University, focusing on how to create effective public policy to fight poverty and inequality and build strong, vibrant communities. Hurtado knows first hand the importance of creating communities that welcome refugees and immigrants. He is ready to lead North Carolinians towards a more just and equal North Carolina.