I can't lie: Crowdfunding has always held a certain place in my heart; but unfortunately, it was more like acid reflux then any feeling I actually liked.
A few years ago, I wrote an entire post in my blog Uncontrollable Urges, about my disdain for crowdfunding, yet here I am in 2016, talking up a few campaigns that I think people should know about. Amongst the millions online, there are projects out there that you should think about supporting and hence, I'm about to take you out for some CrowdFunding Hunting.
CROWDFUNDING 101
I guess my views have changed somewhat. I mean, it's still a bit annoying and I still haven't started a campaign for myself, but some things need to be funded, and crowdfunding is the logical route. It's not that crowdfunding is a new concept, as microfinancing has been around for quite awhile, as this infographic shows, but the internet changed the game entirely.
Kickstarter is often the first brand that comes to mind when thinking about crowdfunding, though Indiegogo was first to market in 2008, with Kickstarter rolling out in 2009. It's real differences between the two platforms that should be considered if ever considering starting your own campaign. You can view those differences via an infographic here and a guide to help you choose between the two platforms, by clicking here.
Now on to the two campaigns I'm highlighting this week. Both projects are from people I know personally, though I don't have one iota of stake in either.
Alzheimer's Disease is a trending topic and for good reason. It's a hyper type of dementia, which is a general term for loss of memory and other intellectual abilities, serious enough to interfere with daily life.
It accounts for 60 to 80 percent of dementia cases, mainly striking the elderly, and is the sixth leading cause of death in America. The oldest of the iconic and very large Baby Boomer generation are seventy years old in 2016, which means that the American population will become increasingly elderly and hence, Alzheimer's will become a reality for a growing number of families.
Dealing with a parent or grandparent that is withering away mentally and who can't remember much about themselves or their family surely extracts a high emotional toll on the children. Coming out to a grandparent must be difficult and a decision that was rife with emotion and turmoil, so repeating that conversation, over and over, to a grandparent with Alzheimer's disease, who forgot their grandchild is gay, must be a really bad version of the movie Groundhogs Day. That's the story behind "Out Again," the short film that Brooklyn resident Robin Cloud is getting funded through Indiegogo.
I've worked with Robin a few times on BK Live and never really knew her beyond the bad jokes I tell on Dick & Dave, where she was one of the hosts. She debuted Out Again as a one act play and decided to turn it into a short film so that she can reach more people with the story. You can find her Indiegogo campaign for Out Again, by clicking here and get more information. (Project ends on Friday, April 1st and is flexible funding)
America locks up so many people, that a multi billion dollar, prison industrial complex, has sprouted up around the millions incarcerated in federal and state prisons and local jails; and an overwhelming amount of those prisoners are black. Prison is a dead end where a disproportionate amount of African American's are being warehoused. America's criminal justice system is extremely racist, and when you combine American racism with American capitalist greed, you get a prison industry that prospers every time those gated, iron doors are open and shut.
Die Jim Crow-The EP, is a shorter version of Die Jim Crow, a concept album, written and performed by formerly and currently incarcerated black musicians and writers, from all over the country. The music project sheds light on the racist criminal justice system and is being produced by Brooklyn residents Fury Young & Dr. Israel, who has worked with artists such as Santigold, Mad Professor and Lee "Scratch" Perry.
I've known Dr. Israel as a DJ and fly human being and I've also known Fury Young for visual art projects that he's produced, with work from former and currently incarcerated, black artists. You can go to the Kickstarter Campaign by clicking here, to get more information and a breakdown of the budget for the project (project ends on Wednesday, April 6th)
Happy Hunting
