When Fanbase Press is not providing you with the latest in geek news and entertainment, the Fanbase Press staff hopes to offer our readers myriad opportunities to give back to the community. We love reading comics, watching movies, and playing video games, but we are never happier than when we are able to help others in need. With Geeks Care: How You Can Help, Fanbase Press will provide you a variety of causes that would greatly appreciate your time.
For the latest edition of Geeks Care, the Fanbase Press staff would like to highlight the community-operated, nonprofit campaign called The Amidala Initiative. Named, in tribute, after Padmé Amidala, the Star Wars character who was not only the biological mother to franchise heroes Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa, but also served as elected Queen of Naboo and, later, as the planet’s Senator (as well as having a hand in fostering the origins of the Rebel Alliance). The Amidala Initiative seeks to follow in Amidala’s footsteps as an individual who “tirelessly used her voice to speak up to protect disenfranchised and endangered people within a flawed political system” by using their their platform to raise funds for Equality Texas, the largest nonpartisan statewide political advocacy organization working to eliminate discrimination targeting the LGBTQ+ community in the state of Texas.
Composed of 77 fan content creators, podcasters, YouTubers, TikTokers, artists, writers and cosplayers (including well-known individuals and entities in the Star Wars fandom community, such as Blast Points Podcast, Shaylo Ren, Star Wars Explained, Pink Milk, Skytalkers, Steele Wars, and many more), The Amidala Initiative stands in direct opposition to the recent actions taken by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in late February of this year, ordering state child welfare officials to launch child abuse investigations into reports of transgender kids receiving gender-affirming care. As is stated on their GoFundMe page, the group notes the following regarding the state of Texas’ continuing assault on the rights of Trans individuals:
“We… have joined together to use our limited platforms to stand in solidarity with our trans siblings and their families in Texas. No child should fear that their teachers will report their parents to the government for allowing them to live as their true gender. No parent should fear criminal charges for supporting their transgender child and helping them seek therapeutic and medical support to treat their gender dysphoria. Trans people exist. Trans children exist. This is not a topic up for debate as decades of peer reviewed medical, psychological and scientific research have validated time and time again.”
As demonstrated through Fanbase Press’ own #StoriesMatter initiative, we are very much believers that each of us carries stories that have impacted us significantly, and that, through storytelling, both words and ideas can change the world. The Amidala Initiative is a prime example of how storytelling impacts the world around us and how the idealistic values of fictional characters can inspire very real and positive action within in our own societies, even in the face of intimidating institutional opposition. As The Amidala Initiative states in regards to their noble efforts, “While we may not have the reach, impact or resources of larger online presences, we do not believe that is an excuse to sit by silently as hate seeks to establish stronger footholds and threaten our most vulnerable siblings in our own galaxy.”
The Amidala Initiative’s GoFundMe page is currently available at this link and is accepting donations to meet their goal of raising $25,000 for Equality Texas. We encourage those who can afford to donate to this meaningful cause to visit The Amidala Initiative’s page and do so.
If you have a volunteer opportunity or an important cause that could use the assistance of a few geeks, please email the details to barbra (at) fanbasepress (dot) com.
