A deep meditation on family, brotherhood, & cultural identity.
ANTES QUE SE ME OLVIDE
(Before I Forget)
Guided by a mystical Borikén Spirit, we embark on a journey through memory and imagination, reliving the author’s fleeting moments with his family and reimagining the life he could have had on the island. Along the way, he confronts the sacrifices his family made and the ways those choices shaped his identity, grappling with the balance between love for his parents and longing for what was lost. Through reconciliation and cultural reclamation, Ricardo begins to rebuild his relationship with Puerto Rico—and with himself. Turning grief and shame into joy and pride.
A story told in 3 parts
Part I: The Introspection
A Poetry Chapbook
Part II: The Preservation
A Fine Art Photo Series
Part III: The Embodiment
A Short Film
The story of AQSMO begins as one of
construction. One of being in the warehouse of
our minds and rummaging through the scraps of
time and memory to create a new path forward.
Antes Que Se Me Olvide offers an intimate, honest exploration of memory, identity, and legacy—particularly within Latinx communities where storytelling is often passed down through gestures, rituals, and fragments rather than traditional archives. Supporting this film helps amplify a voice that is not only telling a story but preserving a cultural truth.
The film grapples with the fear of forgetting—of losing people, language, and pieces of self. By donating, you're part of the resistance to that erasure. You’re saying: this story matters. These people matter.
Whether it's $5 or $500, every contribution is a vote of confidence, a step closer to a finished film, and a tangible way to support emerging artists—especially those telling stories from the margins.
A First Look at the Borikén Spirit of AQSMO
SUPPORT AQSMO
Currently the budget for this project stands at approximately $37,214 covering Production Labor, Travel, Lodging, Post-Production, and Marketing. We have begun applying to grants and initiated outreach to partner with organizations devoted to fostering cultural works. What we are asking for from our communities is support in getting the first phase off the ground and the second phase started.
We are looking to raise $2,750. This covers:
The production of self-printed poetry chapbooks
Pre-Production & Production Planning for Photo series
Distribution/Marketing expenses for the Poetry Chapbook
BACKER REWARDS
For supporting AQSMO, those who invest will receive special perks and tokens of gratitude for their help.
Executive Producer Credit - $1,000+
Access to set and bts look at production
A special edition signed copy of the chapbook w/illustrated print
A digital link to finished photo gallery with a personal photo print
Exclusive invitation to events regarding the project
Executive Producer credit on the project.
Associate Producer Credit - $250+
A special edition signed copy of the chapbook
A first look at select photos from the final gallery
A signed Thank You Card from the team
Associate Producer credit on the project
Coqui Supporter - $50+
A special edition signed copy of the chapbook
Name in the credits of the project as one of our supporters
Supporter - $15+
A copy of the chapbook
When clicking the “donate” button you will be redirected to the Bouy Donation portal on Paypal. Once we receive your donation we will reach out with a confirmation email. As the campaign and project progress we will keep you up to date with the status of your reward.
Goal: $2,750
Raised: $1,950 (71%)
Donors:
Tyler Major
Daniel Miller
Marcelo Meneses
Celina Lamon
Sean Marburger
Alyssa Corrigan
Gian Balangue
Kenneth Camacho
Daniel Reifsteck
Nikki Harris
Jesus Villa
Natalie Howard
Jonathan Lopez
Jody Carradero
Sebastian Summers
Hayley Barkdoll
Elisabet Velasquez
Veronica Ocasio
Maria Correa
George Ellzey
Ashley Currin
Jenny Casas
Jose Rosa
