We were lucky to catch up with Matthew Carter recently and have shared our conversation below.

Matthew, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

My organization wasn’t created from meticulous planning. The company was formed after coming up with a mantra I would say to myself and then putting it on paper. After attending a few model calls, I realized many people thought the mantra was my agent and would advise me to sell the information I was providing the other models and actors I was talking with. I wanted to have a way to provide a service without charging a crazy price and even help others for free if possible. I was then guided after prayer when I was diagnosed with HIV to start the nonprofit organization to help those I could while I was still alive. I wanted to share what I learned with those who were truly passionate about growing in life, and many people who worked for the state of Georgia, where I lived at the time, helped me to start the organization. I then began to sacrifice and save my money and learned how to get a nonprofit status on a federal level. I learned my diagnosis was not my destiny and wanted to push others to be better as I pushed myself.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’ve always been interested in art, but I was told art isn’t a career, it’s a hobby. I was also interested in being an actor, but growing up in a Pentecostal church made those dreams unreachable because people in the church told me I couldn’t be an actor or I would go to hell. I was told to be an actor was the same as lying, because I was pretending to be someone I wasn’t. This added to the complications I was already battling, being that I was attracted to both men and women, and I was struggling with not wanting to go to hell for that. I used to wish I was dead or try to pray the gay away. I finally heard, after praying, to stop trying to change for other people and know that I was loved by God. I then decided to take drama for my last year in high school. After taking drama class in my last year of high school, the drama teacher said I was a natural and made me promise him I would pursue acting in college, but I didn’t because of the church and other struggles I was dealing with.

I then decided to leave Daytona Beach to chase my dream after turning 23. After moving to Atlanta to go after a better life and realizing God does love me, I found myself doing small gigs in clubs performing on stage, and then small plays in and out of church. I was also walking in a lot of fashion shows and then found myself acting in one of my favorite TV shows as a featured extra. From there I began to chase my dream, but I stopped after getting my diagnosis because I felt no one would want to touch me if they found out about my status. After meeting someone willing to date me despite my status, who helped me to see I wasn’t my status, but someone doing their best to stay healthy and believe my dream was possible, I decided to move forward and not just share information to build the organization, but to also be an example of what I wanted them to understand. My faith in God was strengthened and my hope had returned. I began to put talent shows together and work on more TV shows where I began to stand in for actors and become part of the crew.

After working on the film “Bessie’ the director approached me and stated she was led to tell me to write because she could tell I had a passion for being an actor. She encouraged me to create my own family in the industry and create my own projects. I didn’t see myself as a writer, so I struggled with writing. After praying again, it came to me and I was able to write a script that I turned into a book and self-published. I began to learn many talents in the industry to get things done after realizing others wouldn’t help me. This was another beginning for me and I became a filmmaker and added multiple titles to my name as I moved forward.

Have you ever had to pivot?

When I first began the process of starting the nonprofit many people said they would help me with many things, including getting the funding needed to grow and do what was necessary to help others who needed it. After those same people realized I wasn’t someone who just talked, but made good on the promise to do what I said I would do, they disappeared. I had to pivot and push myself to be a successful and hopefully famous actor, so I could continue to self-fund the organization without putting myself in a financial bind. I still haven’t achieved that rank as of yet, so I still find myself pivoting to learn how to add the elements needed to continue. I make the shifts in my life to work on my career so I can build the business. I keep my fire going knowing I won’t let myself down even when others do.

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

There have been a few times when I wanted to just let the organization go, but I am then approached by someone who states that the information I provided actually saved their life or how valuable they feel I am. I’m a very spiritual person, and I have come to realize that if I can reach at least one person wholeheartedly, it’s enough to keep going. This comes from a story in the bible about Sodom and Gomorrah where no one could be saved that wasn’t family. My organization is faith-based, but I don’t impose my beliefs on anyone. The foundation of the organization drives me to do what I was called to do and I see the benefits when that one person shows me the reason to keep going.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.arealdesire.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arealdesire
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ARealDesire
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewcarter1980
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/GodsWarAngel
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@arealdesire9020
• Other: www.warangeluniverse.com

Image Credits
Headshot By: Balbuena Graphics