Starks is of [[white, Latino and Ethiopian]] descent. He grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana and was raised by a white single mom with two siblings.<ref name="Upbringing 2023">{{cite web|url=https://www.wrestlinginc.com/1225154/aews-ricky-starks-says-new-orleans-upbringing-fueled-his-stubbornness-and-confidence/|title=AEW's Ricky Starks Says New Orleans Upbringing Fueled His Stubbornness And Confidence|date=2023-03-13|publisher=Wrestling Inc.|accessdate=2023-10-21}}</ref> Starks has spoken on a number of occasions about his frustrations that people often do not realise he is primarily [[African-American]] (Starks has described himself as "[[High yellow|light-skinned]]"<ref name="BRP"/>), something that was a source of bullying and fights in his childhood.<ref name="Upbringing 2023"/><ref name="BRP">{{cite podcast |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cfh9TjbrG10&ab_channel=BlackRasslin%27Podcast |title=Ricky Starks talks the Summer of Collision, Bryan Danielson, and more |website=The Black Rasslin' Podcast |publisher= |host= |date=1 November 2023 |time=3:00 |access-date=10 November 2023}}</ref>
