- The Harry Potter Alliance logo - The Harry Potter Alliance
October 31 means costumes candy and mischief for most people, but for others it marks a very important day: the day Lily Evans, mother of fictional character Harry Potter, gave her life to save her son's and set in motion a chain of events that would eventually save the wizarding world from the dark lord Voldemort.
While these events make up the best-selling books by author J.K. Rowling, they have also inspired a passionate group of individuals to dub themselves the Harry Potter Alliance (HPA), a nonprofit organization. They are dedicated to uniting fans across the globe against the dark forces of our world, and invite you to join them.
A Closer Look at the Harry Potter Alliance
The HPA was founded in 2005 by current Executive Director Andrew Slack, and Paul DeGeorge of the wizard rock band Harry and the Potters. Some people might ask "Why would anyone model a social activism organization after a book?"
Harry Potter is a unique story that has resonated with millions of people, especially young people as worried about the state of the world as Harry is. Why not get young people excited about social activism by adding a little magic and sense of community? According to their website, "[t]he HPA makes activism accessible for young people by using the Harry Potter books- something they already love- as an access point to discuss pressing issues of social justice." Of course there are plenty of adults fighting the good fight as well; Harry Potter has no age limit.
The Deathly Hallows Campaign
The HPA has done several social justice campaigns, including Accio Books!, their annual book drive, and won a $250,000 grant from the Chase Community Giving Contest to improve literacy and LGBT rights programs.
Their current campaign may be their most ambitious yet: "The Deathly Hallows Campaign spans the nine months between Harry Potter films. From November 2010 through July 2011, Harry will be struggling to destroy Voldemort’s horcruxes. At the same time, Harry Potter fans across the globe are joining the Harry Potter Alliance on an epic journey to destroy seven real world horcruxes."
Over these nine months, each horcrux will be revealed, and members of the HPA will do their best to destroy them. Work against the first one, the Starvation Wages Horcrux, has already begun; the HPA sent a letter to Time Warner inviting them to consider switching their Harry Potter chocolate merchandise to Fair Trade chocolate, thereby re-associating good labor and economic conditions with the Harry Potter name.
The HPA is employing its best resource to help persuade Time Warner to make the desired decision: the internet. Virtual word of mouth is a powerful tool, and over 5,000 signatures (as of publication of this article) to their petition in little over a week certainly proves this. If Time Warner does switch to Fair Trade chocolate, the action would show just how powerful the forces of the internet can be when they unite in the name of good.
How to Get Involved
As a nonprofit, HPA needs donations to operate. Visit their site at thehpalliance.org, and click the "Donate to the HPA" button at the top. The site also provides information on how to join Dumbledore's Army, volunteer, and how to start an HPA chapter in your school or community. Those who are interested in signing the petition to fight the Starvation Wages Horcrux can find it here. Information about Fair Trade chocolate and why it should be supported is also available.
Sources:
The Harry Potter Alliance | The Weapon We Have Is Love. Web. 03 Nov. 2010.
Logo used with permission from The Harry Potter Alliance, 03 Nov. 2010.
Danielle Foster - Danielle Foster graduated from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota in May 2010 with a BA in English and concentration in creative ...
