Mars attended the University of California, Santa Cruz, and later transferred to University of California, San Diego where he completed his degree in Political Science: Race, Ethnicity, Politics with a minor in African American Studies. He is a lover of research and has worked on research projects at the Anthropology and Political Science department at UCSC and UCSD, respectively. Mars was born and raised in the Bay Area and moved back as soon as he could, launching his career in the non-profit sphere before moving into personal injury. He has experience working as an advocate for under-resourced and underserved black and brown students throughout California, serving as a leader and coach at the middle school, high school, and collegiate level. Mars is passionate about creating spaces of community and giving folks a chance for their voice to be heard.