From rural Montana to rural Mongolia, CJ Carter is on a mission to help the rest of the world understand what life is like for those off the beaten path.

Carter, a “directed interdisciplinary major” specializing in media, anthropology and geography, is currently working on two multimedia projects that emphasize rural development.

The first is a film called “Alti Story,” which focuses on people living high in the Alti Range of Mongolia. Carter and a friend used money from a mountain exploration grant to fund the project, and he hopes to have the film finished by this summer.

“It’s a story about a place where the mountains have defined the identity [of the people] rather than political boundaries,” Carter said.

The next project, Carter’s undergraduate thesis, is a documentary about the lives of Peruvian sheep-herders brought to Montana to be shepherds in the Beartooth Range. Carter acquired HD cameras for the farmers to document their experiences, both at their homes in Peru and in Montana.

Carter said he is fascinated by the “rural-to-rural migration” experienced by the sheep-herders employed to do work that has traditionally been done by Montana ranchers. “The film is looking at a way of life that is disappearing in Montana,” he explained. “This is definitely something I’m going to follow for a while.”

In addition to these pursuits, Carter recently went to Greenland to intern for a medical anthropology project. The project focused on using community involvement to create a campaign to raise awareness of the spread of sexually transmitted infections in Greenland. “Participatory community investment” is important in creating public health initiatives that are actually effective, Carter explained

Despite his rich array of experiences, Carter isn’t sure exactly where he’s headed next. While he might eventually go to graduate school, right now he wants to continue working in  some capacity of “rural development.”  

“I realized this is where I need to be,” Carter said while reflecting on his experiences in Mongolia, “because I have the resources to help these people tell their story.”