“We only have a few more days of nice weather in FROST-burg, so let’s sit outside,” said Richard “Ricky” Sours jokingly while preparing for the interview. Ricky was dressed very casually in a T-shirt, shorts and flip-flops, the typical outfit for a college student. However, it was soon discovered that Ricky was far from your average student.
Ricky Sours was born and raised in Baltimore, MD. He is the oldest of three children, and also the only boy. Not only is he the only boy, Ricky also noted that he was the only homosexual child. At the age of 19, Ricky “came out” to his friends and family about his lifestyle. He explained that his friends were happy for him, but his parents were not happy at all. He was kicked out and forced to live on his own and he also had to pay his own college tuition. Therefore he had to put his dreams of a degree on hold, and work to support himself financially. As he was telling his story, he was not afraid to open his world and explain his struggle. Many people would be discouraged, and even ashamed to be a 25-year old college student. However, Ricky’s hardship gave him the edge he needed to push himself even harder to be successful. And successful he is. Ricky is an active member of AmeriCorps, President’s Leadership Circle, and Phi Mu Delta; he has recruited over 3,000 students for university and community events; he contributes over 1,700 community service hours annually; and he helps coordinate a trip New Orleans every January with sponsorship from groups like the Student Center for Volunteerism and also the Black Student Alliance (BSA). In New Orleans they volunteer at the zoo, build homes, plant trees where the vegetation has been destroyed by flooding, recycle Mardi Gras beads with the local ARC, and more.
Although he is a strong person today, he explained that there was a time when he wasn’t as confident about his identity. “I went through the all the phases,” he said, “but now I’m happy with just being me.” He pointed out that his sexual orientation is a part of who he is, but made it very clear that it does not define who he is. “I am Ricky, and I happen to be gay…I am not gay, and happen to be Ricky.” He also explained how hard it is being gay in today’s society, arguing that the homosexual community is the only minority that is still denied basic human rights by law. When asked what exactly he would want for the gay and lesbian community, “The same thing as everyone else.” And when asked what the gay community had to say to the straight community and he simply said “WE LOVE YOU.” There seems to be so much hostility towards homosexuality, and he explained to me that it is caused and continued by ignorance. He then proceeded to explain why he understands that there are so many people out there today living a lie, in fear of the danger. “I’m gay because I’m strong enough to be,” he said, stating that being gay is dangerous. But, he was as he said before, strong enough to withstand it.
Despite the obstacles he was faced with, Ricky kept his head up. Through his struggles, he realized that “People need other people,” so he does all he can to be that helping hand. He and his parents are on great terms now, although he explained that he remains independent of them. Ricky has been through so much, and has managed to pull through. He will be graduating in the Spring with a degree in Mass Communication. For more info on the importance of service or to learn more about gay rights, go to http://www.hrc.org/
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