Who We Are
About Castaway Warriors
A documentary advocacy organization built on the belief that a camera pointed at the truth makes the truth impossible to ignore.
Our Story
Why We Exist
Castaway Warriors was founded in 2026 by Malinda Baum — a former firefighter, breast cancer survivor, and documentary filmmaker who spent years telling the stories of people failed by the systems meant to protect them.
The name says everything. "Castaway" — someone abandoned, left behind, stranded by a system that was supposed to catch them. "Warriors" — someone who fights back, endures, and refuses to be invisible.
Malinda was terminated from Richardson Fire Department during treatments. The law did not protect her. She did not have the resources, the community, or the legal support that should have been there. She found her way through — and then she picked up a camera and went looking for the people still waiting for someone to show up.
That is what Castaway Warriors does. We find them. We film them. We fight alongside them.
Organization Information
Legal Status: 501(c)(3) Nonprofit — IRS Determination Pending
Texas File Number: 806765105
Federal 1023-EZ Filed: August 29, 2026
Founded: 2026 | Liberty Hill, Texas
What We Stand For
Our Values
Film as Advocacy
Documentary film is not just art — it is a tool for accountability. We use it deliberately, with the people we serve at the center of every frame.
Radical Witness
We stay in the room. We don't look away. The stories we document are often uncomfortable — that discomfort is the point.
Justice Over Comfort
We are not neutral. We believe in justice, equity, and the right of every person to be seen, heard, and protected by the systems they fund and serve.
Community First
We don't parachute in. We build relationships with the communities we document, and we advocate alongside them — not above them.
The People Behind the Camera
Our Team
Malinda Baum
President & Director · Cinematographer
Documentary filmmaker, former firefighter, and breast cancer survivor. Director of Brotherhood, Rewritten and before i lay me down to sleep. MFA candidate at Maharishi International University. Founded Tattered Memories Productions and Castaway Warriors to turn lived experience into policy-facing advocacy.
Benny Cartagena
Sound · Assistant Director/ Board Director
Cinematographer and production collaborator on Brotherhood, Rewritten and before i lay me down to sleep. Board director of Castaway Warriors. Brings technical excellence and a deep commitment to the stories they tell together.
Fatima Calles
Board Director
Board director and organizational advisor for Castaway Warriors. Brings community partnership expertise and a commitment to ensuring the organization's work reaches the people who need it most.
Get in Touch
Contact Us
Whether you have a story to share, want to partner with us, or simply want to learn more — we want to hear from you.