Rico Phillips is a retired, 27-year veteran Flint Firefighter. He is also an inspiration!. In 2019, the National Hockey League honored Rico with its prestigious Community Hero Award. They did so because, in 2010, Phillips started an inner-city hockey program to introduce Flint kids to the sport. Rico shares fascinating stories about growing up in Flint, being bi-racial, and how he decided to become a firefighter.
Ricco discusses his work with children in Flint. He also talks about his work as Director of Cultural Diversity and Inclusion with the Ontario Hockey League and black NHL players to bridge the gap between urban communities and hockey.
Rico discusses growing up in Flint and the challenges of growing up bi-racial. His mom is from West Germany, and his father is from Flint.
Rico is a well-known community activist in Flint, Michigan. He was a familiar face in area schools for his fire prevention and career development talks with students. For many years, he has been helping to start Back to the Bricks, a famous car event in downtown Flint. His service also included being the community liaison between the Flint Firefighters Union and the community. For 17 years, he was a Vice-President of the Flint Firefighters Union. Rico has also been a hockey referee for 34 years.
He is married to Sandy, a Flint Southwestern High School graduate, and attended C.S. Mott Community College.
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