Rico holds degrees with honors from Metropolitan State University and Lakewood College, and completed studies in cultural anthropology and leadership with Germany-based G.B.F.A. while in England and Spain, doing fieldwork in Latin America and the Caribbean. He is Trustee Emeritus at Hamline University and served as Adjunct Instructor of Multicultural Communications at the Graduate School of Business of the University of St. Thomas (Master of International Management program). He is a Certified Translator (ATA) and a NAHREP 10 Certified Trainer (Hispanic Wealth Project). His hobbies include swimming (enjoying his stint on the swimming team), cycling, dancing, martial arts, travel, wine,  photography, film, and world cultures and languages. He is a drone pilot and loves flying.

AWARDS
Latino Marketing Award (DMA), Silver Quill Award (IABC), ARC Silver Award (MDMA), Outstanding Achievement Award and Minnesotanos (State of Minnesota), Minority Business Award (Business Journal), Latino Business Award (Latino Chamber of Commerce), and the Multicultural Marketing Achievement Award (joining an illustrious roster of recipients: Isabel Valdes, Carlos Santiago, Pepper Miller, David Morris, Carlos Garcia, Jose Villa, and others).

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Rico is an active member in good standing of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), the Advertising Federation of Minnesota(AdFed), the American Advertising Federation, Círculo Creativo, the American Translators Association (ATA), Toastmasters International, the Latino Chamber of Commerce of Minnesota, the Wayzata Chamber of Commerce, The Skylight Club, and other clubs and professional associations.

CONVERSATIONAL SPANISH COACH
Language is better caught than taught, and this is why Rico Paul developed this unique service based on Natural Language Acquisition and Neurolinguistics. Read more on his Coaching page.

As featured in Public Relations Society of America-Minnesota chapter for 2024 HHM

2024 Hispanic Heritage Month:
Rico Paul Vallejos

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Minnesota PRSA features Rico Paul Vallejos, Chief Creative Officer of RicoLatino LLC. Rico taught Multicultural Communications at the University of St. Thomas’ Master of International Management program, is a Trustee Emeritus at Hamline University, and regularly presents on intercultural and DEIB topics. He studied sociolinguistics and cultural anthropology in England and Spain, doing fieldwork in the Caribbean and Latin America, and holds degrees with honors from Lakewood College and Metropolitan State University.

Tell us about your background and ethnicity.
I was born in Argentina, and my ethnicity is a generic “Mediterranean mutt” plus Sephardic Jewish ancestry. Today I identify as Latino American, which to me is different from Latin American or American Latino.

What life journey landed you in Minnesota?
Love. I married a Minnesota Finn, and during the years of that marriage, I spent a lot of time “up north,” learning a lot about Scandinavian cultures through a Minnesota lens. Today, I can say that I lived in Lake Wobegon.

What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?
It is an opportunity to learn about and celebrate Latin cultures. All of us can learn more, keeping in mind that we’re not a race but a very diverse ethnicity: We can be Native American, African, European, Asian, Jewish, or a combination of all of them.

Has your ethnicity affected your professional life?
Absolutely. A few years ago, I was doing primarily international marketing (today, it’s mostly marcom and PR for the U.S.), and a client shared with me that some projects were going to another group “because the person running that firm is European.” I had met this person and their relatively new practice, and I knew that I was doing a lot more work for Europe and had more and better-qualified talent than they did. However, my being Latin affected my credibility for that work.

Does this happen often?
Yes, today I do a lot of writing and copy editing in English, yet many still perceive me as a Spanish translator or copywriter (which I also am). I have developed a specialty in plain English and in inclusive English, yet the perception can be that I’m “the Spanish guy.”

Who is someone you admire from Latin history, and why?
I admire John Leguizamo for what he’s been doing to educate our community and the public at large about Latin history. His one-man Broadway show, Latin History for Morons, was a big hit, and now you can see it in streaming services like Netflix. Today he’s doing a PBS show, American Historia. I also admire great thinkers and authors such as Ray Suarez, Marie Arana, Edward James Olmos, and Laura E. Gomez. These are contemporary people, and historical figures would include Octavio Paz and Eduardo Galeano.

Are there any myths and misunderstandings about your heritage that you would like to debunk?
Yes, and to simplify yet expand my answer, I offer three words that, once you fully understand them, will go a long way toward understanding the beautifully complex fabric of Latin cultures in the U.S.: Intersectionality, Ethnocentrism, and Paternalism. Look them up and watch TED talks and similar presentations on these topics.

What suggestions do you have for people who would like to understand Latin cultures better?
I regularly present and lead training sessions on cultural issues, and in the process, I recommend many books, films, and television series that would give you a great education on all things Latin. Here are some of them:
BOOKS: Marie Arana's LatinoLand, Ray Suarez's Latino Americans, and Edward James Olmos' Americanos: Latino Life in the United States (which is mostly a photo book with great expanded captions).
FILM: Some classics are Stand and Deliver, El Norte, and Selena. There are many good recent ones, including Disney’s Encanto and Pixar’s Coco (both animated shows), and In the Heights, A Better Life and Under the Same Moon, just to name a few.
TV: Besides Leguizamo’s American Historia, I recommend these other PBS series: Latino Americans and Lights, Camera, Acción.

We noticed that you use Latin and not Latinx or Latine. Why?
I have a whole presentation on that; the short answer is that they might be fads. About 20 years ago, Latin@ was popular for about five minutes. Latinx is already divisive, and Latine may not be far behind. Latin works for me and many more in our communities, despite some objections that will always be there no matter what you use.