Don't like your life? CHANGE IT.

You are playing the lead role in your life story so how's your performance so far?

Believing that each and every one of us is one choice away from changing our lives, has given me strength to really make changes in my life. But I’ve got a ways to go still.

The same question I keep asking again and again:

“If people are unhappy with their current situation, can they change it?” 

I had a lot of jobs before the privilege of working as a content creator. One that helped shape me into the person I am today was working in Manhattan New York as a case manager.

Working with youth offenders, around their education, employment, and home environment, was where most of my time was spent. I worked with the male population ages 16–21 and none of these guys came from great circumstances.

My dad runs a half way home in Brooklyn called the St. Francis House where I was living during this time. I moved there at the age of 18 the day after graduating high school.

The understanding of human dignity was front and center, and the house taught me more about people than I could have imagined. Almost a decade later, it’s still teaching me really important lessons, but the most important lesson is actually the answer to the question above.

If people are unhappy with their current situation, they CAN change it.

Which leads to the next question:

“Will they change it?”

As a #ContentCreator using my gifts and talents to emphasize human themes through film is how I choose to plant the seeds of empowering others. No matter the project, or the budget, the goal is almost always the same. 

Allow people to experience love, and reflect and learn from what they are experiencing. The hope is that by the end, they are changed in some way for the better, and after they are changed, they seek to introduce this change to others not from a place of pride, but from a place of … LOVE.

The subjects vary, the overall content is different from project to project, however these themes of who am I, what do I stand for, and where is my place in the world, are foundational to the mind and soul.

By asking these questions the #iChoose Vision is born. 

Create a series of short films that highlight individuals who have triumphantly overcome a challenge by making a single positive choice. 

Ranging in length, the films are shared via social where anyone in the world can watch, learn, and experience the greatest truth:

No matter what you’re going through, you are not alone, you are important, and you have a purpose.

#iChooseHope, focused around addiction (specifically to opioids) becoming the pilot for the series. 

Originally we waited to share #iChooseHope. We wanted to have a few other films complete before releasing Hope to the world so through word of mouth we began developing relationships with people who had a story to share, and others who believed in the project.

We landed letters of intent from some amazing celebrities and filmed sports announcer Kevin Negandhi at ESPN studios in CT about the choice that got him on every television in the United States every day talking about what he loved most… Sports.

But plans change, and I needed to make a choice.

There were two major factors leading to the release of #iChooseHope. 

The first being that I was cyber stalking Gary Vee for a while in the hopes to have him a part of the series. I’m in NY he’s in NY, I’m a fan of what he’s putting out online and I have learned a lot from his content.

I knew that we could bring value to his brand through the #iChoose platform, and obviously he would blow it up to a level we wanted much faster than we could without him. 

It’s a perfect fit. So after sharing some information with someone working at Vayner Media in December 2017, then becoming connected via Linkedin, four months later on April 24, 2018 this happened:

With my heart in my throat I tweeted it.

And posted via Facebook, LinkedIn, and any other social media outlet available on my personal and professional pages. 

What else could I do?

Reaching out to my connected contact who worked for Vayner all I heard back was the sound of crickets in my bedroom workspace.

But thanks to Gary’s thoughts around “Not expecting anything from anyone” and “execute” I wasn’t too disappointed with the lack of response. 

No one owed me anything, and let’s be real, Gary’s well is so deep that what I was offering might equal a glass of water in comparison, so I decided to share #iChooseHope with the world and “let the market decide” — Gary Vee

The second reason we decided to share #iChooseHope is even more important and very personal.

Eddie from the film, shared information about a close friend of his who had overdosed after being sober for some time. This news was haunting.

Now we’re not crazy filmmakers but we are optimists here at CampCampo and thinking about it over and over again we asked this question:

“Was it possible that the film may have in some way helped that person in their situation at the right time? Could the film potentially help others struggling with addiction?”

After screening the film at a drug rehabilitation center in Westhampton Beach New York The answer we agreed upon was YES.

It… is… “possible” that the hope of our short film may have influenced that person, and could potentially effect others suffering, and so, that was that.

On September 20th 2018 we uploaded #iChooseHope on the newly created @iChooseSeries Facebook and instagrampage and after 30,000+ views both social platforms continue to grow an organic following everyday. 

Most interestingly what followed the release was the amount of people who were effected by Eddie’s vulnerability. These individuals were not only moved, but wanted to share their story.

That’s where that Gary Vee hookup would have definitely come in handy (eh em, we still need a ton of support) with introductions to brands and potential investors for the project and future projects. However since we didn’t have the funds we needed to visit everyone who had a story to share, it was time to do what we do best and get creative .

We decided to conduct facebook and instagram live shows with anyone and everyone who had a story to tell and wanted to tell it.

20+ episodes in, these live shows have been turned into MEMES, short pieces of digital inspiration, and a podcast that have continued to grow the platform and inspire the lives of those in the community being built. We don’t screen any of the guests, and the only rule followed is staying true to your authentic story.

Almost a year later, we’re starting to see the #iChoose community interact with one another through the FB and IG platforms. Strangers sharing hope, empathy, kindness, and compassion with one another. Individuals reaching out, and getting answers. And not just when it comes to the topic of addiction.The conversations have opened the doors to exploring so many more important issues people are struggling with. 

#Stress, #Anxiety, #WeightLossTransformation #Sobriety, #SuicidePrevention are just a few of the many themes explored during the live conversations via the #iChooseSeries platform.

Live on a weekly basis, the vulnerability and authenticity is inspiration in itself and a true confirmation of the mission reminding people that they are in charge of how their life turns out, and if they don't like where it’s heading then F***ING change it!

None of us are alone in this. We’re all suffering, and no matter what your battles are, yes you have the power to change your circumstances. Need help understanding this? Read MANS SEARCH FOR MEANING then get back to me.

During all this, I found myself looking in the mirror and reflecting on my own decisions thus far. As a husband, a father, a filmmaker…Choosing to be the person you are born to be, rather than the person the world says you are, is a conversation we need to be having more and more. 

Growing up we are labeled and we label others. 

Labels can sometimes become truth, and knowingly or unknowingly we become what we are told to be, rather than who we were born to be. 

#iChoose is about asking who we are, rather than reading the label. 

It’s a reminder that no matter what difficulties you’re facing in life, we have a choice in the matter, and at the very least in the worst conditions, we still choose how to interpret the situation. 

And that’s powerful.

We are excited to announce The iChooseSeries is now:

The iChoose Foundation. 

A 501C3 non profit organization created to educate and inspire through short film productions like #iChooseHope as well as working with other non profits to support their content needs. 

So what’s next?

#iChooseJoy is the next cinematic production in the #iChooseSeries and is focused around the power of faith and family. 

After finding his 15 month old daughter lifeless at the bottom of a swimming pool, Mathew refuses to give up hope, and subsequently changes the mind of God. 

Interested in supporting the next short production? Make a donation through the website. 

 Once we have reached our goal we will book tickets and begin production on #joy.

Interested in learning more about the long term goals of the organization? Please reach out directly via the www.theichoosefoundation.org website and let's chat.