Racial Equity Fund Spotlight: Roberto Morales

AIM’s Racial Equity Fund Alumni Spotlight – Roberto Morales, Founder, Oaxax Farm

Monday, November 18, 2024

The Racial Equity Fund is part of AIM’s growing effort to support our BIPOC market participants in their continued success at our markets and beyond. This month we are proud to spotlight Roberto Morales, owner and farmer of Oaxax Farm, beneficiary of AIM’s Racial Equity Fund, and past Incubator Booth Participant.   

Roberto started selling at AIM’s farmers markets through the Incubator Booth Program - A joint initiative by AIM (Agricultural Institute of Marin) KTA (Kitchen Table Advisors), and ALBA  (Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association) to promote local food justice and support beginning farmers of color. After he completed the Incubator program, Roberto went on to join both the Stonestown and Hayward farmers markets.  

Roberto took to markets quickly and rarely misses a day - he’s dedicated to his craft.  

“I am a farmer, I love agriculture and I love what I do.  The greatest success of my business is that people keep buying what I grow!” 

Although Roberto has been growing his business steadily over the past few years, it hasn’t always been easy.   

“I had some problems in 2023. When the big rains came, my fields filled with water. I could still harvest some things, but the water brought many more birds than usual, and the birds started to eat my crops – chard, kale, other things.” 

The Racial Equity Fund (REF) is meant to give folks a little extra financial resiliency during those first few market years because factors like weather can be so unpredictable and damaging to a new small farm business. AIM created the REF to support our beginning BIPOC producers by temporarily removing stall fees and registration fees from their list of worries.  Even though Roberto had some crop loss last year, he was still able to still buy seeds and plant starts for this season thanks to the Racial Equity Fund and all the donors who make it possible.  

For 2025, Roberto hopes to continue building his clientele at the Hayward and Stonestown Farmers markets. In the coming years, Roberto hopes to join a few more of AIM’s markets and to hire employees to help him with both the markets and his harvest.   

HELP SUPPORT THE NEXT COHORT OF AIM’s RACIAL EQUITY FUND   

AIM’s goal is to accept as many Racial Equity Fund participants as we have the funds to support each year, so please donate generously today.