Forging Firsts: Marcus Carpenter

"Forging Firsts" is a series that shares the stories of  individuals who have accomplished remarkable achievements in their journeys. Each story, talks about when they became the “first” whether that is breaking records, facing challenges, or creating new paths. The series explores how these experiences helped them grow personally, uncovering new strengths and depths within themselves. "Forging Firsts" highlights the meaningful impact they have and how they’re inspiring others to follow in their footsteps.
 

I always knew I was born into something more than a family; we were a community. 

When my great-grandparents transformed their small land in Poinsett County, Arkansas into a 180-acre farm, they not only became owners of the largest Black owned farm in the area, but they also built a home for our future relatives. My great-grandma Sally had 18 kids. Those children, and their children, eventually went on to become doctors, lawyers, athletes, teachers. Our houses, land, even churches are all connected by one road: Route One. 

When I left to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison to join the football team under the guidance of Barry Alvarez, I discovered how closely my parents’ teachings matched the fundamental principles of team sports. My father, who served in the military, instilled in me from a young age the importance of showing up on time and integrity. Growing up with these core values, and observing leaders like Barry Alvarez or Kevin Cosgrove uphold them, naturally led me to fully embrace them. Reflecting on my years at UW-Madison, the biggest lesson I took away was that collaboration is absolutely essential.  

I decided to roll down my window and have a conversation with him. He explained that the social unrest in the city, had made it challenging for him to access food in his neighborhood.  

Growing up, food security was not a problem for me. I had access to fresh food at the same age as the young boy, but this experience made me start to reflect: why does our food system fail some communities and how can I contribute to resolving this issue?  

While my dad taught me the necessary skills of hard-work and accountability, my mother exemplified the importance of compassion and bringing people together. She played an active role in our community and church, teaching me the value of treating others with kindness and respect. The principle of “Never leave anyone behind” was a fundamental lesson ingrained in my upbringing by both of my parents.   

Today, with three little girls of my own, I’ve come to fully appreciate the many strong women who have influenced me throughout my life. My mother, grandmother, godmother, and wife have all shaped my world view in a positive way. When it comes to guiding my own children, I can’t think of better role models.  It’s reassuring to see my daughters growing up in a nurturing environment, but I can’t help but think about the other young children who may not be as fortunate.

I was working for Jostens at the time, making rings for sports champions, but I knew I could play a much bigger role in being a part of creating change. This is when I began working with Rewriting the Code. “RTC is the largest peer-to-peer network of women in tech, providing support, mentorship, and education that helps pave the way for sustainable careers, professional advancement, and equal opportunities”.   

RTC was my initial professional endeavor intentionally aimed at fostering inclusion and forging new paths for marginalized communities. However, the goal remained consistent: to offer opportunities for people to experience the same advantages I had as a child. This realization led me back to my roots; back to Route One.  

Walking on the old road that connected our homes reminded me of all the things my family went on to do. It all began here, on the farm, where countless achievements and aspirations were realized. It’s amazing what we can accomplish with the support of our community and the understanding that we’re all integral parts of something greater than ourselves.   

Route 1 became our means of ensuring that food reached the table, particularly for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) individuals. Beyond growing and distributing food to various neighborhoods, barrios and reservations, we also help provide education for aspiring farmers within these communities. By bringing farm values to the city, we aim to support and empower our community. Farming isn’t just about cultivating the land; it’s also about developing values like patience and perseverance. 

To accomplish this goal, we collaborate with Freight Farm, a Boston-based company, that repurposes freight containers into small-scale hydroponic farms. These farms can produce over 300 pounds of fresh produce a week. We mobilize these farms to different cities, barrios, and reservations, where we not only deliver food to the people living there, but also teach them the foundations of farming, financial management, and business. The goal is that they ultimately are equipped with knowledge and skills to grow food and run their own business in the future. 

The mobility of the freight farms provides a chance to introduce farming to areas grappling with food insecurity. Statistics show that 22% of Black households and 17.2% of Hispanic households face food insecurity, compared to 7.1% of White households. This disparity in hunger across racial lines is a pressing issue in our country. We aspire for freight farms to contribute to addressing this problem and becoming a part of the solution.

After securing some key corporate sponsorships and essential resources, particularly from Madison based American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Impact,  we finally reached our first growing season. Witnessing the trucks being loaded with fresh produce ready to be distributed to communities in need, I was overwhelmed by the significance of the moment. The beeping of the trucks, signaled the beginning of their journey, and symbolized a pivotal moment in my own. Despite having worked in various industries since graduating from UW - technology, sales, marketing and strategic planning - none had been as rewarding as hearing those beeps. This endeavor represented an opportunity for locally grown food by Black, Brown and Indigenous individuals to nourish Black, Brown and Indigenous children, which was deeply meaningful. 

 Before my father’s passing in July 2023, I had the chance to discuss Route 1 with him and share how this organization embodied the values and principles my parents taught us. To this day, I wear his dog tags as a constant reminder to always do the right thing.  

Bringing all of these elements together represents a journey of shared experiences. While it can be challenging as humans to fully empathize with others, we can always strive to be allies for them. This is why part of Route 1’s mission is to bring in executive decision-makers of diverse backgrounds to collaborate and offer different perspectives.  

The most effective approach is through collaboration. Farming entails much more than just food production – it involves storage, chopping, processing, transportation and ensuring that food reaches people. Beyond that, there’s education, ensuring that the next generation can benefit from our knowledge and create improved opportunities for themselves and others.  

Another aspect of our mission involves spreading awareness, which is why I am most proud of being a Badger. Being part of the Badger community has granted me access to an extensive network of people who share my passion to impact people and create positive change. Wherever I go, I proudly display the “W”. 

In an analysis of US data, a Yale led team of researchers found 1.63 million excess deaths in the Black population compared with white Americans, representing more than 80 million excess years of potential life loss. This sobering statistic prompts me to ask myself, how much creativity are we losing, how many valuable life-lessons are slipping away? It all starts with what we nourish our bodies with, and how we prioritize self-care. These numbers underscore the urgency of addressing food insecurity. It's not just about sustenance; it's about ensuring that every individual has the opportunity to thrive.