Crowdfunding platforms make it possible for individuals and organizations of any size to harness social networks and raise start-up capital for projects that might otherwise fail due to lack of funding. Each week, Xpress highlights notable Western North Carolina crowdsourcing initiatives that may inspire readers to become new faces in the crowd.
Love Retold by Tikva Wolf
In her last book Ask Me About Polyamory!, Tikva Wolf compiled highlights from her ongoing “Kimchi Cuddles” web comic series, which uses humor to explore polyamory and other unconventional relationship and gender issues. Using the same topics and similar characters based on real people, she’s now created a graphic novel that follows one cohesive plot. “Each chapter explores Wolf’s experiences with loved ones — Wolf’s lovers and their lovers,” reads a book description on the author’s crowdfunding page. “The stories capture key moments in these relationships, and they reflect on the murkier, tenebrous aspects of love, especially — but not exclusively — the non-monogamous kind. These stories illuminate and revere uncertainty, confronting the realities of mismatched needs and desires with compassion and self-reflection. In a world obsessed with beginnings and endings, this is a book about middles.” Wolf is administering pre-sales online and aims to raise $4,000 by Wednesday, May 10.
Nova Drift video game
At times, Jeffrey Nielson‘s Nova Drift video game almost looks like a relaxing, mesmerizing screen saver — until you realize the moving parts are humans and aliens inflicting mass destruction on one another to defend lives and real estate in the Universe. “The art and design of Nova Drift draws inspiration from classic arcade games: sharp geometric forms, bold chromatic cycling and pure, uninterrupted gameplay,” reads Nielson’s campaign page. A video game artist of over a decade, Nielsen has partnered with fellow game creator and long-time musician Miles Tillman (co-founder of PixelJam) for the audio portion of his new release. Nielson aims to raise $6,000 by Thursday, May 25, in large part to pay his collaborator.
Supplies for Venezuelan journalists
Leicester resident Daniela Guerrero Bustos — on behalf of photojournalists documenting the economic and political crisis in her native country Venezuela — is raising money to purchase helmets, masks and other protective supplies. “The country is bottoming out with high rates of insecurity, inflation and neglect. People are dying of hunger. … The marches and protests have turned into a civil war,” she writes on her campaign page. And in a time when citizens are uniting to oppose the established government, it’s particularly important to support independent journalists “out on the street,” she explains, calling their coverage more fearless than that of the “silent” mainstream media. “It is thanks to them, to us, that the world can know and keep informed about our current situation.” Bustos has already surpassed her $1,700 goal, which will pay for purchasing and shipping the supplies to journalists in her home country.
Send your crowdsourcing campaign news to kmcreynolds@mountainx.com. A limited number of campaigns will be highlighted each week, at Xpress’ discretion. Campaigns must be locally based and should represent a current project with an achievable goal. Conditions are subject to change. Read about more Western North Carolina projects here.
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