The Goodnewspaper The Fandom Edition

HELLO HELLO! For me, it all started with “The Hunger Games.” I was a little late to the scene when it came to trendy books, though I was a voracious reader throughout my childhood. But nothing really stuck until I met Peeta Mellark. And when I say “stuck,” I mean I had a cardboard cutout of Josh Hutcherson, watched every movie premier when the clock struck midnight at my local theater, had every fandom-coded piece of merch (like, so many bird-themed necklaces), and even changed my Twitter handle to be @peeta_is_aBAKER for the entirety of my middle and high school careers. Eventually, the hype fizzled, but my inner revolutionary never quite went away. I was catapulted into a fictional dystopian universe that completely shaped how I saw the world, how…

Concerts and festivals are a great place to connect with other fans, make memories — and with the help of Head Count — register to vote. Head Count is an organization that meets young and marginalized voters where they already are — at shows and online. Since 2004, the organization has registered over 1.2 million voters and engaged over 60,000 volunteers. The unique approach of partnering with artists (like Lizzo, Ariana Grande, Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, Dave Matthews Band, Panic! at the Disco, and more) allows HeadCount to reach eligible young voters in a fun and accessible environment. “When we connect with a potential voter at a concert, we open the door to democracy through a cultural connection,” Head Count senior director of programming & strategy, Tappan Vickery, says.…

Any emergency room soap opera will paint the same picture: Children who are hospitalized lay still, connected to wires and beeping machines in a dimly-lit room, waiting for the worst. While hospitalization can definitely be scary and isolating; these children are still full of life and deserve access to thing’s that make childhood so joyful and explorative: Like an afternoon of “Fortnite” or “Animal Crossing.” Gamers Outreach is a nonprofit that brings top-of-theline tech and gaming equipment to children in hospitals, restoring a sense of joy and normalcy. To do this, the organization created the (aptly named) GO Kart, a portable gaming kiosk that is easy to sanitize, deploy, and develop, so any pediatric hospital staff can set up patients with a place to play. Each of these Karts can…

When Liana Rohozhyn had to flee Ukraine with her son, Misha, a non-verbal 19-year-old with Down syndrome, she encouraged him through the journey by saying they were on their way to find his hero, pro wrestler and actor, John Cena. Misha had always been inspired by Cena’s “Never Give Up” catchphrase, and this story of determination helped carry the family to safety, after their home was destroyed in Mariupol. In June of 2022, the two had made it to safety and were staying in a residence outside of Amsterdam when Cena came to visit the family and turn this dream into a reality. Cena had learned of Misha’s story, had some time off, and was coincidentally only an hour-long plane ride away. In a video shared by World Wrestling Entertainment…

GOOD Set a good example! Make sure you’re registered to vote, and stay up-to-date on politics on a local and national level so you’re prepared for the next election. Visit vote.org for more. BETTER Make sure everyone — regardless of fandom, identity, or political leaning — has equitable access to voting. Donate to Fair Fight to combat voter suppression and more.fairfight.com BEST Volunteer your time to help people register to vote. Whether you love sports, live music, festivals, or anything else, you can find an event to work by visiting headcount.org/volunteer.…

WE HAVE GOOD NEWS Whether Portland soccer fans are card-carrying supporters of the Thorns (of the Women’s National Soccer League), or the Timbers (of Major League Soccer), it was rare to see either group sitting idly on the sidelines in 2022. Instead, they took to the streets — or lapsed their season ticket statuses altogether — to protest the actions of a former coach and team executives. In 2021, two former Thorns players — Mana Shim and Sinead Farrelly — came forward to disclose their experiences of sexual misconduct by former coach Paul Riley. Soon, it was discovered these complaints of harassment were filed when they happened in 2015, and team owner Merritt Paulson was made aware (and did nothing), and general manager, Gavin Wilkinson publicly praised Riley. Fans were…