This Week In Wizard Activism: Sirius Fun, Serious Net Neutrality Nonsense, and LGBTQ+ Wins!
By Whitley Albury
Welcome to another round of This Week in Wizard Activism! We’ve got some Sirius-ly good news for you!
Sirius Black Friday is Heeeeere!
Today kicks off our awesome Sirius Black Friday sale! From Nov. 24–27, get 20% off of HPA merch at DFTBA.com/HPA! We have so many fun, new items for you to buy including a This Is Not A Horcrux notebook, a Wands Up shirt and patch, a When In Doubt, Go to the Library poster, and much more! Help spread the word by sharing your favorite designs on social media, Don’t miss out on these sirius-ly good prices!
Neville Still Needs Help Saving the Internet!
Net Neutrality is on the line. Imagine if the magical resistance couldn’t access Potterwatch? What if the Ministry and the Wizard Wireless Network could decide to just block or slow down programs that they didn’t like?
This week, the FCC announced that in the muggle world, they intend to do just that. See, in our world, net neutrality protects the magic of the internet. It means that internet service providers (ISPs) can’t decide to just slow or block the content you want to access. But this week the FCC — led by a former Verizon lawyer — called for a vote to slash net neutrality rules, allowing ISPs like Verizon to block apps, slow websites, and charge fees to control what you see & do online. This means big trouble for independent creators, underrepresented voices, and online communities that you hold dear. So, what should you do?
- Join the protests at Verizon stores across the U.S. on December 7th!
- Call Congress and tell them to block the FCC’s vote and save net neutrality!
- Rally your network of friends, family, and internet users and help them learn why Net Neutrality is so important.
Check out Neville Fights Back for a script you can use to call Congress! Let your voice be heard.
#GivingTuesday
November 28th is #GivingTuesday! #GivingTuesday is a way to refocus attention towards non-profits, charity, and giving after the whirlwind of (Sirius) Black Friday and Cyber(man) Monday. This #GivingTuesday you can help the HPA by launching a personal fundraiser on Facebook! Let us know you’re on board by joining the Giving Tuesday Action Squad!
Join the HPA fam!
Did you know we’ve got a whole bunch of positions open right now? If you or anyone you know would be an amazing resource translator, a rad social media copywriter, or an epic street team leader, click/send your pals here!
What’s Happening in the Wider Wizarding World?
- Hurricane Maria takes a toll on the mental health of Puerto Ricans.
- Some good news on the LGBTQIA+ front! Australia say yes to marriage equality, California is the first state in the US to approve LGBTQ+ inclusive history books for K-8 schools, and historic wins in the recent US elections!
- Everyone in the States is keeping an eye on tax overhaul and how it affects insurance. The HPA’s Mental Health Researcher, Anna, let us know: “The Tax Bill is no longer just about a tax overhaul. GOP senators added a new item to the bill that brings the GOP repeal attempts of the Affordable Care Act to the fore once again — the new item in the bill is a repeal of the Individual Mandate, which requires all Americans to have health insurance. ” So, what do we do? Call.
