Francisco Munoz has roots in Latin America through their parents, who are from Mexico and Central America. Raised in California's Central Valley, they witnessed the intense labor involved in agriculture.
At seventeen, Francisco joined the Marine Corps and served for seven years. Afterward, they attended Santa Monica College, studying cultural anthropology, and later transferred to UC Santa Cruz, where their focus shifted to environmental and climate justice. Upon graduation, Ritchie became an equity fellow for California State Parks and later taught a climate justice class with the Friends of Santa Cruz County Parks. Their approach to climate justice is viewed through the lens of water justice, and they are eager to grow their professional skills in this area.