Ricky Stephen

Care Worker

Ricky Stephen is an Artist and Care Worker at RAW. He is a mixed Dominican painter who uses his art to express himself. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting with double minors in Art History and Sociology from Framingham State University. Ricky has been part of the RAW community since 2016, where he participated as a young RAW artist in many groups including Art Motivates People (AMP), CORE, Good 2 Go (G2G), and Project Launch. 

Ricky is passionate about working with kids and youth, and has built strong relationships and connections as a professional. Ricky uses his experience and knowledge to support others as they navigate systems of care. He is a resilient person who followed his dreams to college, where he contributed to the community through volunteering. He has worked with kids with autism, providing clinical and in-home service as an ABA Technician; and bringing positivity to other lives. 

His art, hard work, and volunteer service awarded him many scholarships that supported him during his college experience. His “Loving the Rainbow'' self-portrait speaks about the LGBTQIA+ community. “This piece shows my internal pride and love of my individuality. It represents how proud I am of being gay, how I love myself, and how I am part of a great, accepting family where I can be myself. When I began to use these colors in my artwork it was to show society that we all have a right to be happy and feel love. The colors hanging in the black background are a way to show how the LGBT community has been able to support and defend their rights, as well as to fight against homophobia. I wanted to represent both the pain and the strength it takes to fight for change in the world, one that is without homophobia, without discrimination, and one where we can all love one another.” 

This piece of art served as an inspiration to others and awarded him with the Adobe Creative Scholarship, Stephen Phillips Memorial Scholarship, and United Way Marian L. Heard Scholarship. His art speaks and motivates other young artists who struggle with self-love, being accepted in their community, and familial issues. His artworks are about freedom, love, body positivity, and music.

Ricky joined the team at RAW in 2024.