HPA tackles important issue in new video: “Why I Can’t Go to LeakyCon”

Andrew Slack and the Harry Potter Alliance (HPA) havce recently released what they believe is one of their most important issues that they want to address to date: Being a Muggle-born American.

Many Harry Potter fans are heading to Chicago next week to join together for a fantastic convention at LeakyCon. But while many Harry Potter fans are unable to attend due to financial or logistical reasons, one fan in particular – Julian – can’t attend for a completely different reason: He is an undocumented American. And there are many more Muggle-born Americans with similar circumstances.

While MuggleNet does not take a political or legislative view on this topic, we agree with the HPA that word needs to spread so that intelligent discussions can begin.

From Andrew Slack of the Harry Potter Alliance:

When we first took a stand on marriage equality five years ago, the US was a far different place regarding this topic, but even then, our fandom was far ahead of the country. The main reason for this, I believe, is because most fans knew someone who was LGBTQ or were LGBTQ themselves.

This does not apply to undocumented Americans. The online fandom, while somewhat racially diverse is not particularly diverse economically, and so the chances of people having a close friend who is an undocumented American (or being one themselves) are far less than LGBTQ issues. So the main exposure we’re getting to this issue within the fandom is the mainstream media – which means that the fandom is going at the same speed as the nation. And we have a long way go as a nation regarding humanizing this issue.

How can you help make a difference? Watch Julian’s video and begin to spread the word and get a discussion going so that government officials can hear this story and other stories like it. Head on over to the Harry Potter Alliance website to become a member of Dumbledore’s Army to help combat the many social injustices that we face in today’s world.