Marques Clark has never been one to reinvent the wheel. And when it comes to creating change, he has little patience for the hamster wheel—running endlessly in place when the goal is to make meaningful progress.
After spending several years in public schools as a volunteer mentor and seeing firsthand the lack of wholesome meals available to students, he knew raising awareness wouldn’t be enough.
On October 11th, Clark will set out on a six-day journey as part of the Ride Hunger Out of Florida project. Each day, he’ll cover between 95 and 135 miles, with scheduled breaks for rest, hydration and community engagement with residents, educators, local leaders and supporters along the route. His ride concludes on October 16th, World Food Day, at the Florida Capitol. Clark hopes to present a petition to state leaders outlining 10 calls to action revolving around these three priorities—ban ultra-processed foods from all Florida public schools; eliminate excessive refined and processed sugars and artificial sweeteners from schools, youth facilities and publicly funded child programs; and declare child nutrition a public health priority in Florida.
“A bicycle ride is symbolic,” Clark says. “Every mile represents the distance many families travel just trying to find healthier options. It slows the conversation down and invites communities to join it.”
He affectionately calls the ride Keys to the Capital, symbolizing his desire for the trip to inspire change and gain support for his mission.
“In practice, that means increasing access to fresh food ingredients, preparing more meals from basic ingredients when feasible, expanding nutrition education and continuing conversations about how schools can serve healthier options while meeting operational needs,” he explains.
For those who know the 43-year-old St. Pete resident, who also goes by Chef Omaka, his commitment to improving the health of the community is no surprise. He is the founder of YES CHEF Village (short for Youth Enrichment Service Children's Healthier Eating Foundation), a community-focused initiative and nonprofit organization launched to improve childhood nutrition, educate families on whole-food options and preserve African American foodways.
He also founded Mission Grounds Coffee, an enterprise that supports programming tied to YES CHEF.
Growing up, he was one of eight children raised by his mother in economically disadvantaged areas of St. Pete. Clark remembers one rule in particular that has shaped his views on food and connection: they ate together as a family.
“We didn’t have much, but what we had was a very strong bond as a family because of my mother’s village mindset,” he recalls. “That togetherness, the breaking bread together every night at the dinner table, is the philosophy behind this campaign.”
Make no mistake—he knows the challenges that can come with change, noting that school nutrition professionals work under real budget, staffing and procurement constraints.
“My campaign isn’t about criticizing the people working in cafeterias,” he says. “It’s about encouraging collaboration among educators, nutrition professionals, policymakers, farmers and communities to explore practical ways to improve children’s access to nutritious meals over time.”
Clark says addressing the issue starts at the top, especially considering that Florida is an agricultural state where food grows year-round. According to the Florida Department of Agriculture, the state has more than 44,000 farms and is a top producer of products like Valencia oranges, watermelons and bell peppers.
“There’s no excuse as to why Florida cannot feed Floridians whole foods all the time,” he explains. “I agree the cost does go up, but so does the cost of health care. Why is it that we can afford more sick people, but we can’t budget for more healthy people?”
For Clark, changing school menus is just the beginning.
“I hope we begin treating nutrition as part of education rather than separate from it,” he notes. “Healthy children are better positioned to learn, participate and thrive.”
Clark says long-term goals include engaging in more conversations around food literacy, cooking skills, family meals and how communities can support healthier lifestyles for children. While laying the groundwork for those long-term goals, Clark is also regularly training to build endurance, strengthen his body and prepare mentally for the long days on the road ahead.
“What will keep me going are the children and families this campaign represents,” he says. “Every mile reminds me why I started and why this conversation matters.”
Email yeschefvillage@gmail.com to contact Clark or visit ridehungeroutofflorida.com to learn more and sign the petition.
