Empower Aria's Future: Your Help Matters

Support Aria Gunter's dream of attending Portland State University, where she aspires to immerse herself in the worlds of film and physics. Despite facing challenges over the past few years, Aria has not only persevered but flourished, achieving remarkable milestones that speak to her tenacity and passion. Aria completed a film internship at SpyHop in 2022 and never looked back! She boldly premiered her first film, "My Name Is," and played a crucial role in editing the documentary "Trans Punk," both of which have earned awards both locally and on the global stage. She continued her journey and began mentoring other students the very next year.

Graduating from the Academy of Math, Engineering, and Science with a high GPA and with college credits from the University of Utah, Aria,'s dream has always been to set foot in Portland, to attend Portland State University, a place where she can truly thrive, embraced by a community that honors her identity and offers her safety. This move isn't just about geography—it's about finding a sanctuary where her dreams can blossom, where she can delve deeper into her two passions, film and physics, and envision a future that integrates both.

However, the path has not been paved with ease. Life has thrown its challenges her way, yet she has created a plan to make her dream a reality. She’s diligently applied for scholarships, applying to work part-time as a student, and has adjusted her course load to three-quarters time to manage the financial requirements of her education, all while maximizing grants and loans.

Yet, unforeseen obstacles have arisen in the form of unexpected fees from PSU that threaten to derail her journey. Right now, she stands in need of $1,500 for this fall term and an additional $1,100 for the subsequent winter, spring, and summer terms. A total of $6,000 will empower Aria to keep her dreams alive and continue down this transformative path.

Aria’s Artistic Statement:

Whenever I tell people that I’m double majoring in film and physics, I always get some confused response. “Huh, that’s really interesting!”; “Just in case that art degree fails, I see.”; “Those are two very different things!?”. However, these two fields intertwine more than you would think and ultimately outline what I want to be my future. Film and Filmmaking would not exist if light didn’t exist. Physics has a branch called optics, which is dedicated solely to light and how it interacts with the world around us. In the world of filmmaking, it is my proverbial paint, as a camera is my paintbrush. Just as a painter knows what their paints will do as they smear them onto the canvas, I, too, want to know what light will do as it smears across my lens. Ultimately, an understanding of a medium can help you become a better artist, and that’s no different in filmmaking. With the knowledge I gain from the intersection of the arts and sciences, I want to open my own lens shop to create custom lenses for both me and my clients. I have the soul of an artist and the mind of a scientist, and I don’t want either to go to waste. I want to unite and bring them to the forefront. So please support me so my dreams can become a reality.

Your support, whether $10, $25, $50, or more, will become part of the lifeline that propels Aria forward, allowing her to pursue her passions and fulfill her destiny. Please help us rally behind Aria and let her know she has your support!

Awards Received:

Watch one of Aria's films:

Unbearable (4 min, Director & Editor)

My Name Is (14 min, Writer, Director & Editor)

Trans Punk (32 min, Editor)

In Retrospect (5 min, Producer & Colorist)

Recycle America (6 min, Colorist)

HIJA (1 min, Colorist)

Our Park (3 min, Colorist)

And more that have yet to be released…

Read a review of "My Name Is" here.

Thank you for considering donating any amount in support of Aria!