Posted by Leah Singerman
It's no secret that the Harry Potter books changed- and are still changing- the world. They made huge waves in so many ways, reaching people who otherwise may not have liked books or reading, opening new doors in the world of modern academia, and spawning one of the first huge Internet fandoms. But another thing the Harry Potter books did was to present us with a really strong and clear set of values. These books give us corrupt government, they show us why somebody might turn to the "dark side" out of fear and self-preservation, and they illustrate the power of qualities like love, loyalty, bravery, and honesty.
The Harry Potter Alliance is a nonprofit inspired by the morals of the HP books. It uses all kinds of fun literary tools like metaphors, allegories, and themes and applies them to real-life situations. Its slogan is, "The weapon we have is love" and it describes itself as a "community that embraces unironic enthusiasm with Nerdfighteria, marvels at the universe with Doctor Who, advocates for economic equality with the Hunger Games."
Check out the Harry Potter Alliance's "about" blurb:
"Did you ever wish that Harry Potter was real? Well it kind of is. Just as Dumbledore's Army wakes the world up to Voldemort's return, works for equal rights of house elves and werewolves, and empowers its members, we: Work with partner NGOs in alerting the world to the dangers of global warming, poverty, and genocide. Work with our partners for equal rights regardless of race, gender, and sexuality. Encourage our members to hone the magic of their creativity in endeavoring to make the world a better place. Join our army to make the world a safer, more magical place, and let your voice be heard!"
Its mission statement talks about "harnessing the power of popular culture toward making our world a better place." We can so get behind that.
There are different chapters of the HPA around America, and you can join one to volunteer. They work on a whole bunch of very different projects- anything from signing a petition that supports net neutrality to donating books at LeakyCon to raising money to send medical supplies to Haiti.
Bravo, we say. We said yesterday that we're loving this trend where stars realize that they have crazy committed fans who will pay money to support a good cause. These are the kinds of situations where everyone wins, and we hope that all of pop culture starts heading this direction. Because what are magic, superheroes, and science for, if not saving the world?
Let us know what you think in the comments below, or tweet us at @DweebCast. See ya next time!
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of Ora Media, LLC, its affiliates, or its employees.
