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Every time we reconnect with Erman M. Baradi it seems like he has an exciting project to discuss. His newest endeavor, The Comeunity Project, looks to create lasting impact for people in need, while coinciding with Erman’s long term goals that have been in the works.
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Looks like a lot has happened since we last spoke. I love the concept behind The Comeunity Project? You’ve been known for your events for awhile now, so how did decide to attach this new project to what you’ve been doing already?
Everyone knows my long term is a career in entertainment, but it’s not the easiest industry to be in. Projects take time to get going. You can know 70% of the industry but it’s not like things will automatically happen for you. For me, it’s always about what I can do for the meantime. What impact can I make while chasing this bigger dream? I’ve had the foundational idea for The Comeunity Project for awhile but I didn’t actually move forward with it until December. I was in a giving mood, so I hopped on GoFundMe to see what needs people have at the moment. I tend to lean towards military veterans, people looking to launch small businesses or save their small businesses, families going through a medical emergency, or individuals with a bucket list. So it’s around Christmastime and I’m donating to several pages with $0. Then, for some reason, they refunded me to me and I never received an explanation for why. I figured if I can’t make more donations on GoFundMe, I’ll create my own platform to donate to people. Members can subscribe and donate to campaigns uploaded to our site, but we also use our events to dedicate to campaigns. These are our film and music industry nights, our dinner and coffee meets, etc. I always wondered what if fundraising platforms had a community building element. With our site you can join members-only gatherings, message other members with the chat system, and engage with members across the globe.
Any stand out campaigns that you helped with so far?
Keep in mind we’re still new so we just have a handful of campaigns right. However, I’m happy about the individuals we’ve helped with so far. There was someone who unfortunately lost his grandmother and he was struggling to book a flight home to see her. So, we were able to donate a portion of what he needed to make it home. There’s also a terminally ill artist with cancer from Louisville who was in the middle of a dream vacation with her husband when we connected with her. Her trip already reached its original goal but there were other opportunities that popped up while on this trip that we didn’t want to see her pass up. So, we sent a donation and she was able to spread her brother’s ashes on a beach where one of their favorite movies had a scene. More recently, there’s a single mother whose newborn was born with a condition that requires frequent treatment out of state. We have her campaign on a recurring monthly basis to help alleviate certain expenses like gas, food, hotel, and medical expenses.
What’s your bigger picture with the project?
I’d love to get it to a point where we are working alongside struggling families who have dreams of starting a business. We’d gather mentors and business partners that would guide them to success. The goal would be generational wealth. Also, I love seeing content creators who use their platform for heartwarming content. I can spend hours watching videos of influencers bringing 100 customers to support a struggling restaurant. I hope to some day connect this effort with content.
Anything fun this year you want to promote or share?
I’m working on my first comic book! If you like werewolves and vampires, this one’s for you. I originally wanted to go The CW route with it, but we’ve instead gone more gritty and edgy and violent in the vein of “The Walking Dead.” We have an unofficial SXSW event going on in Austin on March 17th at the legendary Maggie Mae’s. It’s called Spark Your Flow and is in coordination with The Box Presents with panels, live performances, and activities with focuses on music, comedy, film, poetry, art, tech, fashion, wellness, sustainability, and community impact. Tickets are available on Eventbrite. After that, on March 28th in Los Angeles I’m hosting the first annual Anthology IO short film festival at Solotech Studios in Hollywood presented by Solotech and Garrett Popcorn Shops. You can find tickets on Eventbrite and Film Freeway. Their vision is to expand the independent filmmaker market and create a creator acquisition platform that helps artists get their films out to a larger variety of viewers. In April, we have our annual Ethos Film Awards in Santa Monica, which focuses on purpose-driven films and fun panel discussions centered on community impact. This takes place at the Laemmle Monica FIlm Center. Tickets are available on Film Freeway. Also, I’m not sure if I should mention this yet because it’s still very early in development, but why not! I’m working on a cool music project as a writer. For the longest time I’ve been working on a musical drama screenplay, but I couldn’t quite crack the story. So I reached out to my friend Tabiyus who’s an ultra talented singer-songwriter and producer, and I basically told him “I have a musical in my head, no complete script, but I have lyrics. Help me make the music first to dictate the story.” He said, “say no more, let’s work.” Of course, I love writing poetry so maybe later this year I’ll publish another book. In Virginia, my siblings and I launched ADDVentures. You’ll hear about it more later! Key words are “adventures,” “add,” and “ventures.” Use your imagination for the meantime. If you have Spotify, my siblings also launched a music page called Open Verse Project. All fun stuff in the pipeline.
Any links you’d like to share?
IG/Youtube: @thecomeunityproject
