Inspired by the messages of love and justice that drive the Harry Potter series, Fandom Forward, formerly known as the Harry Potter Alliance, was founded with the aim of harnessing fan passion to inspire and affect social change. Since its birth, Fandom Forward has inspired hundreds of thousands of Harry Potter fans to become heroes of the Muggle world.
Whether you wish to participate remotely or get involved on the ground with your local Fandom Forward chapter, there are plenty of opportunities for you to contribute to Fandom Forward’s work.
Fandom Forward turns fans into heroes. We use the power of story and popular culture to make activism accessible and sustainable. Through experiential training and real[-]life campaigns, we develop compassionate, skillful leaders who learn to approach our world’s problems with joy, creativity, and commitment to equity.
Accio Books!
Accio Books! is Fandom Forward's annual book drive. Since its launch, the Accio Books campaign has donated over 400,000 books to underprivileged or underserved readers and communities in need around the world.
The success of each year's drive is summarized on the Fandom Forward website.
Dumbledore's Army Fights Back
Dumbledore's Army Fights Back is Fandom Forward's resistance organization that brings fan activists together to take action against challenges faced by their communities. The 2019 Stop the Snatchers campaign encouraged fan activists to join local immigrant-serving organizations and spread resources to undocumented folks to combat ICE immigration raids across US cities. Additionally in 2019, Dumbledore's Army Fights Back developed four Hogwarts House-themed actions to encourage all Potter fans to get involved in immigrant justice.
Fan Works Are Fair Use
Fan Works are Fair Use was a campaign that celebrated and protected the works of fan creators. In 2015, Fandom Forward created the hashtag #fanworkstaughtme and encouraged the Harry Potter fandom to discuss on social media everything that fan works had given them. Additionally, the initiative created a Fan Works are Fair Use listserv for fans to sign up for that would update them on the US Congress's process of reviewing the copyright law and modernizing the US Copyright Office, which could ultimately affect fan works.
Granger 2020
The Granger 2020 campaign was developed to encourage members of the Harry Potter fandom to take action from home and build community in the wake of COVID-19. With this initiative, Fandom Forward put forth a fake presidential election for Hermione Granger to raise money to host a Small Things Con, support voter registration efforts, and train activists in community organizing at Camp Granger Leadership Academy (GLA).
Helping Haiti Heal
In 2010, following a devastating earthquake that struck Haiti, Fandom Forward partnered with Nerdfighters and other fandoms (including Firefly, Heroes, Lost, True Blood, and The Wire) to create Helping Haiti Heal, a homegrown effort to contribute to aid and relief. Fandom Forward helped raise over $123,000 for Partners in Health in just two weeks and used the funds to send five airplanes full of medical supplies to Haiti.
Neville Fights Back
Neville Fights Back was a 2016 campaign developed to resist bigotry and hate by sharing resources and new actions to promote resistance against unjust actions and foster community among fan activities. Some initiatives included standing up for net neutrality, supporting the Affordable Care Act, and protesting against the US withdrawing from the Paris Climate Accords.
Not in Harry's Name
Not in Harry's Name was a campaign launched in 2010 to stop the unethical sourcing of Harry Potter chocolate. After four years of collecting signatures, the campaign influenced Warner Bros. to commit to making all Harry Potter-branded chocolate 100% Fair Trade certified, ensuring that child slavery would not be carried out for its creation.
Odds in Our Favor
The Odds in Our Favor campaign was launched in 2013 to coincide with the release of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire in theaters. It encouraged fans to discuss how the issues of economic inequality highlighted in the Hunger Games novels and movies are issues in real life as well. The campaign was relaunched in 2014, with fans encouraged to use the hashtag #myhungergames to share stories of income inequality, and again in 2015.
Owls of Hope
The Owls of Hope campaign was launched in 2018 to protest the US State Department capping refugee admissions at a historically low 30,000 people. Fans wrote 215 welcome letters to newly resettled refugees at the Northwest Community Center in Dallas, Texas.
Positive Fandom
The Positive Fandom campaign was launched in 2015 with the goal to make fandoms in real life and online more inclusive and welcoming to all people. Fandom Forward created a set of Positive Fandom Guidelines and asked members to read and add their signatures to them. Over 1,000 signatures were added.
Protego
The Protego campaign was established in 2016 to empower transgender people, educate cisgender people on how to be effective allies, and provide resources to create safe spaces for transgender people at the individual, community, and policy level. The campaign partnered with the National Center for Transgender Equality and sent 1,000 signed postcards to the Governor of North Carolina calling for the reversal of HB2, a state law preventing trans people from using public restrooms that align with their gender identity. Fandom Forward also launched Restroom Revelio, a campaign that called upon activists to update the app Refuge Restroom, which catalogs safe and clean gender-neutral bathrooms.
Wizard Rock the Vote
The Wizard Rock the Vote campaign was launched in 2008 to assist Harry Potter fans with the voter registration process at wizard rock concerts across the US. The campaign was relaunched in 2016, successfully raising over $50,000 to register 700+ new voters and inspire 3,000 to commit to voting, and again in 2018, going on tour with wizard rock band Tonks and the Aurors, who provided show attendees with state-specific voter registration guides.
A World Without Hermione
A World Without Hermione was a gender equity campaign that focused on equal access to education for girls. In 2017, Fandom Forward partnered with She's the First, an organization that supports girls who will be the first in their families to attend college. The campaign raised over $40,000 to go toward the education costs of eight She's the First scholars.