By Samantha Paradiso
Ricky Murray has served as Zpryme’s Director of Marketing, Events and Partner Relations since May of 2016, where he is tasked with the creation and implementation of Zpryme’s digital and physical marketing strategies. Since his time at Zpryme, Murray organically increased the company’s social media presence and increased Zpryme’s marketing database.
Prior to his employment at Zpryme, Murray served as Del Valle ISD’s Lead Enrichment Program Specialist. In this position, some of his notable accomplishments include creating and maintaining the district’s after-school programs website and social media accounts. Later enabling the whole district to create their own school specific social accounts. He also set up, monitored, and closed out the grant campus budget including payroll, contract services, materials and transportation for DVISD.
Outside of his work obligations, Murray has been involved with Central Texas After school Network, LATT(Learning All the Time), Roy Lozano’s Ballet Folklorico, and Ballet Folklorico de Austin.
In his new role as a Latinitas board member, Murray hopes to expand the nonprofit’s scope on a national level, creating a support network in order to provide more in person experiential learning opportunities that will help amplify Latina voices. With his vast experience in accounting, strategic planning and marketing and public relations, Latinitas is excited to see what he will accomplish in contributing to our mission!
In your opinion, what are the most important issues facing Latina youth today?
Currently, I feel like there is a lack of cultural understanding when it comes to Latinas, and the role that they are assumed to play within their community and family. They are assumed to take on the motherly role, or the caretaker role, which usually results in Latinas becoming nurses and teachers. It might be 2020, but I feel that we still have a long way to come when it comes to empowering our youth and expanding their view beyond their daily interactions.
What is your main interest and/or motivation for serving on the Latinitas Board?
Being a LatinX professional, I seldom ever work with my fellow LatinX community. I truly believe that Latinitas is an organization that reflects the change that I want to see not just in the tech or media industry, but within the world. Currently, Latinos only make up a very small portion of the tech and media workforce, and that has to change.
Responses have been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.
