Fandom Organizing: A Powerful Strategy for Movement Building

In the original “Star Wars” movie, Princess Leia receives the Death Star plans thanks to the sacrifices of fellow rebels like Cassian Andor. The Andor prequel series, which premiered on Disney+ in 2022, dives into the early rebellion against the Empire, shining a light on the triumphs and sacrifices of everyday people and leaders like Andor.

When Get Free saw the potential for “Star Wars” fans to take real-life action for freedom, we created Project Fulcrum. This initiative provided fans with a platform to learn about movement strategy and get involved in concrete ways. As Season 2 of “Andor” came to a close in May, our community was ready to spring into action alongside figures like Nelini Stamp from the Working Families Party. Through our efforts, nearly 1.7 million subscribers canceled Hulu and Disney+ accounts in protest, costing Disney/ABC a significant $3.5 billion.

The pressure didn’t stop there. We urged fans to push back against Sinclair and Nexstar, resulting in a victory when the companies reinstated Jimmy Kimmel after fan-led pickets outside their headquarters. Through these actions, we tapped into the power of fandoms as a driving force for social change.

Writer and organizer adrienne maree brown notes that organizing is like science fiction—shaping the future we long for but haven’t yet experienced. By bridging the gap between fandoms and activism, we’ve harnessed the passion and energy of fans to make a real-world impact on issues that matter.

The right-wing’s interventions in pop culture, targeting diversity in casting and storylines, have turned fandoms into battlegrounds for hate and exclusion. However, efforts like ours have shown that fans can come together to counter these harmful narratives, as seen in the success of our actions surrounding the “Andor” series.

“Star Wars” has always been political, reflecting themes of rebellion and resistance against tyranny. Showrunners like Tony Gilroy have drawn inspiration from history to encourage audiences to resist authoritarian politics. By uniting fans from diverse backgrounds, we’ve created a platform for meaningful action and change in the world.

Our work started at Star Wars Celebration, where we launched Project Fulcrum to engage young Black and brown fans in organizing efforts. By joining Get Free as a “Fulcrum,” fans gained access to a community on Discord and a weekly newsletter providing insights, analysis, and calls to action based on the latest episodes of “Andor.”

The response was overwhelming, with hundreds of new members joining us on Discord and eagerly anticipating each new newsletter. Throughout the show’s run, we worked to educate and mobilize our community, empowering them to participate in real-world campaigns and initiatives for social justice.

Our efforts extended beyond the show’s finale, leveraging the ongoing discussions and excitement in the fandom to reach new audiences and promote our movement. By collaborating with influencers, journalists, and content creators, we expanded our reach and engaged fans in our work for a better future.

Through a combination of online and offline actions, we’ve deepened our engagement with fans, providing opportunities for involvement and growth within our community. By harnessing the power of “Star Wars” fandom, we’ve shown that together, we can create positive change in the world.