Pickles with Purpose: How Marcus Weaver is Lowering Barriers and Rebuilding Lives
Pickles with Purpose: How Marcus Weaver is Lowering Barriers and Rebuilding Lives
By Shawna Seldon McGregor
“It’s not about the pickles. It’s about the people.” – Marcus Weaver
Marcus Weaver is many things: a nonprofit leader, entrepreneur, survivor, and motivator. But above all, he is a community builder. As Executive Director of Lower the Barrier Colorado and Founder of The People’s Pickles, Marcus is creating second chances for people reentering society after incarceration, rehab, or homelessness, through job training, mentorship, and a very popular jar of pickles.
I sat down with Marcus to talk about purpose, growth, and the power of radical hope.
Q&A with Marcus Weaver
Q: Can you introduce yourself and the work you lead today?
A: I’m Marcus Weaver, Executive Director of Lower the Barrier Colorado (LTBCO). We help people who are coming out of tough situations, such as incarceration and homelessness, get back into the workforce. One of our programs is a social enterprise called People’s Pickles. It is not just a business. It is a non-profit/501(c)3 workforce training program where people learn job skills, earn certifications, and gain confidence. We help folks tell their stories and build their futures.
Q: What inspired LTBCO?
A promise I made to a judge—to build something that gives people a real second chance. We don’t hand out hope—we build it.
Q: What makes your model different?
We combine housing, training, and employment with storytelling and dignity. People leave with a paycheck, a plan, and a purpose.
Q: What’s next for LTBCO?
We’re launching two new housing units, expanding certifications, and scaling The People’s Pickles into retail stores. We’re also building new partnerships to deepen our impact.
Q: What inspired The People’s Pickles?
A: It started with a cousin of mine who made these incredible pickles. I didn’t even like pickles at first. But I tried this flavor variety called SWEET HOT, and it was like candy with a kick. I learned how to make them and started selling The People’s Pickles at a farmer’s market hosted at Brother Jeff’s Cultural Center in Five Points. We sold out every weekend. It just took off from there. During the pandemic, we were delivering 200 orders a day. Then Safeway called after seeing a story on Denver7.
Q: What’s the mission behind the pickles?
A: The mission behind The People’s Pickles is about lowering the barrier to opportunity. Our program trains folks in food production, forklift operation, teamwork, working through obstacles to employment in real time, and building sales so the next person will have a chance like they did. We also teach soft skills like how to share their story and feel good about themselves during a critical transition in life. When someone tells a customer, “I just got out, and this is my first job,” that moment builds connection and dignity. We want to take this model beyond Denver, to places like Gary, Indiana and St. Louis, Missouri. Anywhere people need a second chance.
Q: What does success look like for you right now?
A: Success is when someone who was incarcerated for 20+ years gets their first paycheck and says, “This is the first time I’ve felt seen.” Or when one of our guys buys his first car and moves into stable housing. We’ve helped over 500 individuals since August 2024, and our recidivism rate is less than 1%. That’s the work. In Colorado, the average recidivism rate is around 60%, and nationally, up to 80% of individuals return to incarceration within the first year of release.
Q: How has your personal journey shaped this mission?
A: A lot of people don’t know I’m a survivor of the Aurora theater shooting. I lost someone I cared about that night. That trauma shaped my path and deepened my purpose. I wrote a book about it, Chosen to Forgive. I’ve since used my voice to advocate for systemic change, helping to repeal the death penalty, supporting legislation to allow record sealing after a set period, and advancing “ban the box” policies to improve employment access for formerly incarcerated individuals in Colorado. These aren’t just stories. They are lived realities.
Q: What advice would you give to someone trying to find their place in community or build a second act?
A: Be yourself. Authenticity matters. Don’t pretend to be someone else. Use your gifts to uplift others, not speak over them. Everyone brings something to the table. Community only works when we recognize the value in each other.
Q: What does community mean to you in this next chapter?
A: Community is everything. Relationships are the backbone of this work. I have been working with some of the same partners since 2008. And I am always looking to expand our reach, so we can build programs that actually work. That is the next step.
Q: What message do you want to share with PRSA Colorado and communicators more broadly?
A: PR people make the world go round. You are often the voice in the room when others aren’t there. You can use that voice for good, to amplify people and programs that are truly changing lives.
Q: Where can people support the program?
A: You can support us in these ways:
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We are in the final steps of getting into Safeway/Albertsons store and starting a Workforce housing program - we would like any donation you feel led to give with your heart: https://lowerbarrier.betterworld.org/
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Donate at PeoplesPickles.com.
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Buy our pickles online.
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Volunteer your skills, especially if you have PR, marketing, or operations experience.
📬 Partner with Lower the Barrier or learn more:
📧 [email protected] | 📞 720-939-2811
Donate: https://lowerbarrier.betterworld.org/
Support People’s Pickles
→ Volunteer: https://www.peoplespickles.com
→ Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peoplespickles
Marcus Weaver, Executive Director, Lower the Barrier Colorado
Marcus Weaver is a nonprofit leader, social entrepreneur, and survivor whose lived experience fuels his mission to empower marginalized communities. As the founder of LTBCO and The People’s Pickles, Marcus has helped over 500 individuals transition from incarceration, homelessness, and trauma into stable housing and meaningful employment—with a 99% recidivism-free success rate.
Lower the Barrier Colorado (LTBCO), Empowering People. Rebuilding Systems. Restoring Dignity.
LTBCO is a Denver-based nonprofit dedicated to dismantling systemic barriers through trauma-informed housing, workforce development, and social enterprise. We serve individuals impacted by incarceration, homelessness, and substance use—offering real pathways to stability and success.
🔧 Our Core Programs
• Pathway2Progress Housing
Transitional housing with wraparound services including case management, budgeting, transportation planning, and mental health support.
• The People’s Pickles
A social enterprise offering paid job training in food production, forklift operation, and entrepreneurial skills—while generating revenue and dignity.
• Vocational Certification Training
Industry-aligned credentials in forklift, flagging, skid steer, telehandler, and digital literacy—plus interview prep and soft skills coaching.
• Community Advocacy
Legislative engagement supporting Ban the Box, record sealing, and systemic reform—amplifying the voices of those we serve.
