Equality FTW!

Yo Potterheads!

How is everyone?

Just writing to show you what I received in the mail today - a postcard from the HPA.

What is the HPA? Let me enlighten you...

The Harry Potter Alliance (HPA) uses parallels from Harry Potter to inspire hundreds of thousands of Harry Potter fans to act as heroes in our world. The HPA has sent five cargo planes to Haiti, donated over 88,000 books across the world, and has made signi!cant contributions to the anti-genocide, LGBTQ equality, environmental, and media reform movements. Currently the organization is in discussion with the CEO of Warner Bros. to make all Harry Potter chocolate Fair Trade.

The HPA has a staff of over 60 volunteers, more than 85 chapters, and a network that reaches well over one million people. With social media as its turf, in 2010, it won the $250,000 first place prize in the Chase Bank Community Challenge. It has received media coverage from almost every major publication in the United States and many throughout the world.

By joining the HPA, you become a member of the real life D.A. and S.P.E.W. [Society for the Promotion of Equality Winning].

Recently, the HPA conducted their Equality FTW! 2013 fundraiser, which aimed to raise $100,000. Thanks to thousands of supporters, they managed to nearly double that amount, raising $184,738!

By donating, you not only helped a worthy cause in the name of Potter, but you could also choose a 'perk' which you could receive. The amount which you donated depended on what perk you could choose. Perks ranged from a Wrock album, to Alex Day signed Twilight pages, to signed Chris Colfer books, to signed Harry Potter books and then all the way up to Leaky Con tickets.

For $25, you become a member of the HPA Apparating Library (see video to learn more) and could enter in the draw to win one of seven signed Harry Potter books - that is what I chose. I was not expecting to receive anything for my generosity except for an email receipt. How wrong was I?

Today I received a S.P.E.W. [which would of looked weird to the postie] postcard from Hermione:

I have already filled out my entry for the signed Harry Potter book, I will let you know how I go...

The Equality FTW! 2013 fundraiser may be over, but you can still donate. Head over to their website and donate, or you can buy an item from their shop - I plan to buy a HPA shirt in the near future.

You can also get involved by volunteering and joining a 'chapter'. A chapter is a group of HPA members that organise and run campaigns in their local communities, usually addressing local issues. You can find your nearest chapter here or, if you have a bunch of Potter friends who support social changes towards equality, go here to start your own chapter!

I hope you all consider supporting the HPA. It's a worthy cause that every Potter should contribute to!

Mischief Managed
Victoria /(|)\

P.S. Let me know if you donated in the Equality FTW! 2013 campaign and which perk you may have chosen. Also let me know if you join your local chapter or start your own!