TikTok Influencer Eric Sedeño On Post-Pandemic Life, Creativity, And Being Known On The Internet
Eric Sedeño had a painfully normal introduction to the internet. He took to TikTok in 2020 – a truly transformative year for all of us, filled with cups of whipped coffee and hot girl walks in effort to keep us sane. At the beginning of his journey, he was coming in hot off a breakup and was caught in the process of moving to New York City, so he rightfully cut his hair into a mullet and grew a ‘stache. Given the chaos, Eric (AKA @ricotaquito) did what most of us were doing at the time: he posted some silly little videos on the platform – until one day, he went viral.
“It's so shocking to go viral,” he reflects. “I just didn't feel like I grew up in a place where I was used to having eyes on me, or people really cared to pay attention. That sounds so dramatic. But, you know, I wasn't like the most popular kid in school, and I didn't really want a lot of attention. I wasn't used to it.”
The first thing I notice about Eric is his smile. His ear-to-ear grin is nothing short of infectious, and I can’t help but smile, too, when we met on Zoom to chat. His followers and the people he surrounds himself with would agree; it’s obvious he’s a beam of positivity, even if you’re just scrolling through his profile.
“When I was growing up, I thought I wanted to be an orthodontist. I just genuinely wanted to make people smile.”
Despite being a poster child for optimism, and a glass-half-full (or to Eric, an ‘at least we have a glass’) type of person, Eric admits adjusting to post-pandemic adulthood and becoming more known on the internet isn’t as easy as people make it seem.
“It's a huge adjustment to really get used to every day,” says Eric. “And some people really flourish in it. I think I have in some ways, but in other ways, I'm still learning every day how to do everything. I’m very much in the middle of my 20’s. Like, what is going on in my life? I literally get lost in the sauce, and I don't know what I'm doing every day.”
It’s a sentiment a lot of Gen-Z can resonate with – before the world shut down for COVID, there was a clear, uncomplicated path to finishing high school, graduating, and navigating a post-college career for most. They’re the same scrollers that sought positivity and guidance on social media during the pandemic – and the same ones that stuck with Eric after it.
Eric’s internet journey started on Instagram around 2013, so having a presence on social media is still fairly new to him – and the pseudo-fame and parasocial connections that come with being on social media are, too.
“There's been moments where people have come up and just hugged me, because they just see me as their friend. I love that people have that relationship with me,” says Eric. “I make videos that make me laugh, so if you get my joke, then you get me. And it makes sense that we would actually be friends in real life, so we might as well have a relationship on the internet.”
For Eric, the adjustment to the internet is ongoing. To many, social media fame isn’t normal, so the best thing you can do is stay true to yourself. At least that’s what’s worked for Eric.
“This [virality] all happened to me when I was 24 – I'm 26 now. So, I already knew myself,” says Eric. “I had time to come out, be gay and 18, then move to New York at 21. I had three years in New York to get settled. So, finally, at 24, I was in a super comfortable place with who I was and exactly who I wanted to be.”
Even though he’s come a long way in the journey of self-discovery, being visible on the internet can still present plenty of problems. Because of the TikTok algorithm, Eric’s videos can get pushed beyond just his followers, which sometimes brings him under fire for no apparent reason – because that’s just what internet trolls do.
Because of the TikTok algorithm, Eric’s videos can get pushed beyond just his followers, which sometimes brings him under fire for no apparent reason – because that’s just what internet trolls do.
“I've done ads where they will promote my video, and people who have never, ever even seen or heard of me in their whole life, I'll pop up on their feed, and that’s when I get the mean comments,” says Eric. “In the pandemic, I felt like TikTok was the friendliest place. It was so comforting and I couldn't find a hate comment in my comment section to save my life. It was just all positive. Now, the comment section is like, who can make the most out of pocket comment to get the most likes, or who can say the craziest things. Even if it’s at the creator's expense, it doesn't matter.”
Fortunately, the block button exists – Eric says he has no time for negative comments. And it’s true, he has a lot going on. In addition to circulating the internet with feel-good, laugh-inducing TikTok content, he’s a designer, art director and illustrator, and more recently, a co-founder of social impact candle company, Groove Gives.
Groove Gives aims to bring good into people’s homes and communities. Eric and his brother, Adrian, started Groove Gives after Adrian’s wife witnessed food insecurity firsthand while working in the Dallas public school system. Collectively, they realized a lot of kids don’t have access to food and nourishment (about 1.8 million Texas children live in food insecure households, according to Feeding America), so they decided to do something about it.
“It's hard to find a way to use your platform to give back in a creative new way. This was our attempt to do it.”
Groove Gives works alongside Minnie’s Food Pantry, a Dallas-based nonprofit food pantry. For every candle purchased, Groove donates resources for meals and programs that combat the generational curse of food insecurity.
Eric and his tight knit team have their eyes set on building out Groove Gives’ donation programs to every state.
“I want people to see the candle and be like, “Wow, this smells amazing. It's so cute. I love the packaging. I love all this.” And then on top of that, “Oh my gosh, and it gives back.”
This normal person-turned-TikToker-turned-creative-nonprofit-advocate might take a break from bringing on new projects, but Eric isn’t done yet. He’s continuing to find ways to be creative in other endeavors, including an upcoming podcast befittingly titled “Gay And Afraid.”
“Tapping into the creative side of your brain is probably the most fun way to live,” says Eric. “That part of your brain is so important, and a lot of people don't like to take it seriously as a muscle that they should use, but it's so valuable. And there's so many ebbs and flows, but you can't lose faith and your talents and your creativity.”
Eric gets his power from family members and followers that bring a “sense of community” to all of his ventures, and that positively recycles itself, online and off.
“I just hope people get a laugh and take the opportunity to see the brighter side of things,” says Eric. “And that it's okay to laugh at yourself or in bad situations to move on from them. “I see myself just being more than the internet.”
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Quotes have been edited for clarity.
Photo courtesy of Eric Sedeño / Groove Gives
