Transforming Compton Together: J3 Foundation x Marcus Newsome

Marcus Newsome is living the dream.  A dream he didn’t even know was possible. 

Growing up in Compton, he never imagined he could write and draw for a living. He didn’t know it was an option. But at Marcus’ alma mater, Robert F. Kennedy Elementary School, he shows students creativity is worth pursuing. 

This is why Marcus has chosen to partner with J3 Foundation. Its mission, to equip students with the reading skills, habits, confidence, and book access they need to succeed, is close to his heart. Marcus wishes they were around when he was growing up.  

At the latest J3 event, the cafeteria is packed with eager fourth and fifth-graders as they watch an animated short film based on Lightning Strike, Marcus’ graphic novel about a 17-year-old hero who is determined to bring peace to his crime-ridden city with his electric superpowers.

The video ends with raucous applause. A kid from their neighborhood, who went to the exact same school, has blown them away. When Marcus stands front and center, the cheering reaches a fever pitch. He looks out at the eager audience and tests the students’ comprehension. 

 “What was the character’s name?” The author asks to a room full of raised hands. “What are his superpowers? What was his purpose?” Marcus knows the right questions to spark thought-provoking conversation. It’s exactly what he does as a special author collaborator for J3’s Cozy Reading Club, a free reading intervention program for kids in Southern California’s underserved schools.

Without intervention, 2/3rds of these 4th and 5th graders who are reading below grade level will end up in prison or on welfare. It’s what drives Marcus’ partnership with J3 and the powerful work they are doing to reverse that trend in schools like this one.

“I didn’t know my purpose,” he admitted. “I was hanging out with the wrong crowd.”

Born to a single mother, Marcus was one of eleven children. He lost his brother to gun violence, and his mother was incarcerated. It wasn’t until she wrote him a letter from prison telling him he needed to shape up that he started pursuing his passion for storytelling. 

“I started Lightning Strike when I was 12 years old,” says Marcus as the room fills with the chatter of possibility. “I dreamt about the character.” 

Nearly 12-years old themselves, the students see Marcus as the embodiment of potential. He defied the odds. At one point, Marcus went to Santa Monica City College during the day and worked security in Compton at night. He would sleep in his car between classes.

Marcus wants better for these kids. Like J3 Foundation, he believes that a child’s trajectory can be changed for the better. 

Marcus is the perfect example. He is currently working for Marvel on a Spider-Man trading card. He writes and draws every day. Additionally, Marcus’ wife, Lonnie, and their 4-month-old son, Storey, are accompanying him to this school event. As Marcus says, his life is “blessings on blessings.” 

As the presentation ends, students clamor for scraps of paper to get his autograph. Marcus signs shoes, shirts, and backpacks with an elated smile. 

“Can you write down his name so I can look up the comic at home?” a 4^th grade boy asks his teacher. 

The teacher is pleasantly surprised. This boy has never expressed much interest in reading, but he’s also never read a story that takes place in Compton. 

Lightning Strike may have the superpowers, but Marcus is the real hero. 

Join Marcus and J3 as they harness the power of literacy! Every contribution to J3 helps connect students with role models that transform their lives. Be a superhero — donate now and empower the next generation.