Organising and community go hand in hand. But in a world where spontaneous community is rare, the real challenge for organisers is finding creative ways to welcome newcomers and build bridges that spark collective action.As campaigners we often focus on building community around our organisations or movements, rather than joining existing ones that already share our values. Fandom organising can teach us a lot about community building.
The power of fandom communities
So what exactly is a fandom? Quite simply, they are communities that are brought together by a shared love for a particular piece of art or fictional world. Think of the book club that loves to read and discuss the works and worlds of Jane Austen. Online forums where Lord of the Rings fans excitedly discuss the rich worlds created by J.R.R Tolkien. Or the 2010s Twilight craze that split fans into #TeamEdward or #TeamJacob.
Fictional worlds have always offered an escape, but they also spark connection. Talking with others who share a passion builds community rooted in shared values. In the past these places of community centred around fan conventions or other events. Fandom communities now thrive online connecting people around the world.
Art has always united people. Online fan communities stem from our human need to share our interests and passions with each other. For organisers, it is easy to see how stories of a small band of heroes standing up to an evil empire resonates with the values we hold in real life.
So when the company that owns many of the underdog franchises we love cancels a late night talk show over remarks deemed offensive by President Trump, what happens? Star Wars fans come together along with many others to hit Disney where it hurts, organising a boycott campaign that ultimately resulted in Disney backtracking and reinstating Jimmy Kimmel.
Disney Boycott Campaign
At its core Star Wars is a story about hope and resistance of a small group defying an authoritarian empire. Get Free tapped into these values when they engaged the Star Wars fandom communities teaching people about the real history of resistance and organising tactics.
During the second season of Star Wars TV show Andor, Project Fulcrum sent a weekly newsletter detailing the real life history of resistance movements that inspired the show, along with a call to action for resisting rising imperialism in the USA. Their efforts cultivated an active community of Star Wars fans engaged in resisting the Trump regime. Because of the engagement of this community, Get Free continued to facilitate the community beyond the end of the show, ready to be mobilised to respond to Disney’s role in the censorship of Jimmy Kimmel.
When Charlie Kirk was murdered, the Trump regime and far-right actors sought to weaponise his death against progressives across the USA. After Jimmy Kimmel repeated some of Kirk’s racist and misogynistic statements, the Trump regime and right wing media were quick to mobilise against him. Media companies Nexstar and Sinclair pull the show in their regions, and Disney (which owns the broadcaster) then followed up by cancelling the show.
In response, progressives launched campaigns calling out the censorship and the tactics of the Trump administration. But instead of targeting politicians, they used their consumer power calling on people to cancel their Disney Plus and Hulu subscriptions. This worked, Kimmel was reinstated.
1.7 million people joined the boycott campaign from the 17th to 23rd of September, a 436% increase in the cancellations that cost Disney and estimated $3.5 billion. Organisers across the USA took part, and the campaign’s unbranded approach allowed diverse groups to make the campaign their own. Fandom communities, social justice organisations, celebrities, and everyday people united to show that censorship and capitulation will not be tolerated. It served as a reminder of the power that people have over businesses.
Get Free capitalised on their fandom organising work by activating their Star Wars community mobilising the fans against the company that seeks to profit from their engagement and attention. After Disney caved and reinstated Jimmy Kimmel, organisers quickly shifted attention towards Sinclair and Nexstar which initially refused to air the show on their channels, and then quickly back tracked following public pressure.
This rapid campaign drew on years of groundwork in media industry organising. It built on the momentum of wins in the creative industry – writers and actors winning higher pay and better conditions through union organising. We know collective action works, and this shows us that building community creates the foundation for rapid wins.
What campaigners can learn from fandoms
We’ve seen popular culture influence resistance movements before, and it certainly won’t be the last. These moments reveal the power of stories in building community and inspiring action. So what can we learn as campaigners from fandoms?
- Build community around shared values – seek communities that share your values, and look in unexpected places.
- Cultural knowledge is a connector – understanding how people connect and socialise can help you craft successful community building strategies.
- Mobilise people where they are – not around our brands and organisations alone.
- Centre our values, not our brands – genuine connection will out-power and outlast controlling messaging and brand.
- Value people and connect with their interests – authentic love for the things they care about build trust and participation.
Times are bleak right now. As campaigners it can feel daunting holding the line and making progress against far-right narratives while dreaming of a better future. But there are always pockets of hope to draw strength from, places where communities continue to organise.
Together we will build a future where everyone thrives, and the stories we escape to may just provide the inspiration we need to do the work.
Categories:
narrative, framing and storytellingorganising, mobilising and engagementResisting Authoritarianism
