Corporal Richard Garcia

Growing up in public housing in East Los Angeles, the son of two deaf parents, Corporal Richard Garcia found the Los Angeles Police Academy magnet program as his oasis. Through this program, Richard learned the values of service, education, and physical fitness, which eventually led him to join the U.S. Marine Corps.

After two deployments to the Middle East, Richard returned with a greater sense of self and adventure which drew him to pursue higher education at a location far from where he grew up –the University of Maryland –where he is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in sociology and upon completion plans to pursue a Master’s degree in hearing and speech.

His family and the experiences he had as a Marine have led Richard to continue his role as a public servant where he aims to fight to remove the inequities faced by the deaf community.