Micah Freire needs help to help others, digitally

Micah Freire is on a mission. The Sussex resident, recently graduated from Cedarville University, was offered an internship at Speak Life, a digital media charity based in Eastbourne, England.

He wants to travel to England to join Speak Life’s internship program, called The Foundry, for ten months from September through June.

Speak Life will train Freire in digital content — creating high-quality videos, podcasts, and short films for other charities in the U.K., including churches and colleges.

Freire started as a worship music major but wanted improve on the less-technical side of music. He focused on broadening his skills set. He graduated with a degree in broadcasting and digital media, with an emphasis on audio technology.

He also loves video and film, from pre-production – the detailed, creative plan before a project begins – to post-production – the editing phase where “the magic” happens. All of the classes in his major were very intensive and hands-on. He learned a lot practicing with equipment, which gave him the confidence to do more.

Post-production is a huge part of the creative process, where people “see and hear what you want want,” he said, instead of lots of raw footage that doesn’t sound or look very good. It may require hundreds of people meshing everything together to make a project sound and look absolutely perfect.

Freire is passionate about making a project come to life, especially when it’s one of his own creations. He uses lots of tools and software that most people do not even know exist.

‘Little stuff adds up’

Speak Life began in 1952 with a mission to proclaim the Gospel through preaching and the use of the latest media, which at that time meant radio and print. Freire’s audience will mainly be from Great Britain and Ireland, but the media content will be online and accessible to everyone.

To receive the internship, Freire went through a rigorous interview process. Now, he must raise around $18,000 toward this endeavor. He has set up a GoFundMe page (bit.ly/3bypYpP). Those wanting to help can also email him at micahefreire@cedarville.edu.

“I need this money to pay for lots of things: plane tickets, housing, food, healthcare, and lots of other little stuff that adds up,” he says on his GoFundMe page.

Freire is excited about the opportunity to work. School is over, and the pressure’s on to secure a job.

He said the internship opportunity caught him by surprise. He thought he would need to wait 10 or 20 years until he would be financially stable enough to work for a charity and help others. Freire said he has a heart for connecting with people, and likes to work one-on-one, especially with people his own age who are in a terrible situation in life.

“This internship will potentially lead me to find a solid job using my degree and, better yet an opportunity to help the world out right after college!” Freire says on his GoFundMe page.