If you're like me, then these weekly Andor drops are leaving you fired up. Okay — each batch of episodes is leaving you an emotional pile of rubble, and then you're fired up once you build yourself back into a functioning human-shaped thing. You want to be the Cassian, the Luthen, the Kleya, the Bix, because we've all been the Mon (i.e. dancing ourselves into oblivion to stave off an emotional crisis). The question consistently remains, though: What are you gonna do about it? Disney+ is gonna air pop culture's most inspiring and radical call to action against fascism that we've seen in a generation, but they ain't gonna tell you where to direct your dollars and energy to fight the actual fascism threatening our actual democracy.
Enter: Project Fulcrum.
A battle plan from the nonprofit Get Free (as in "free from white supremacy"), Project Fulcrum aims to take the lessons encoded in every episode of Andor and beam them wide so that Star Wars fans can fight for freedom and equality in "a country not so far away (the U.S.)."
This is accomplished in part via the project's newsletter, Nemik's Weekly Manifesto. Named for the realest one to ever f'ing do it, Nemik's newsletter includes "calls to action to fight for reckoning and repair and counter the fascist and white supremacist faction’s hold on our real-life republic." This includes, well, let me just copy/paste from the press release:
- A bit about the real history of resistance movements behind the show.
- An action item of something you can do right now to rebel against imperialism in the U.S.
- As a part of Project Fulcrum, you can also join Get Free's Discord where you'll receive official Fulcrum Transmissions about actions we're organizing nationally and locally, and be able to discuss Andor weekly with fellow rebels.
And while I have the press release open, I should also paste the statement from Get Free and Project Fulcrum spokesperson Anthony Vidal Torres, because I really can't say it any better:
"For many of us, Star Wars was our first introduction to the idea of resistance to fascism in fiction, even if we didn't realize it when watching as children. Andor's first season kicked that into overdrive, and many fans felt galvanized by its messages of freedom. Project Fulcrum aims to bridge the gap between the story of Andor and the real life history of freedom fighters and movements for equality and civil rights. Just like the Galactic Empire, the white supremacist faction in the U.S. has used laws, lies, and violence time and again to justify mass exploitation, segregation, and repression. Star Wars is a story of antifascist rebellion, and fans like us have a unique opportunity with Andor Season 2 to intervene on the MAGA regime's attacks on our freedoms and organize for real equality in a country not so far, far away."
We're halfway through Andor Season 2, and many things are clearer than ever: this is a perfect TV show, quite possibly the best example of what happens when billion-dollar companies get out of the damn way and let smart creators — from writers to production designers to actors and composers and beyond — run wild; and, on a less upbeat note, that Star Wars is and always has been about the fight against imperialism, tyranny, and fascism — from the Vietnam War to the present moment. The fact that Andor is airing right now in this moment — I mean, to quote Saw Gerrera: "Remember this. Remember this moment! This perfect night. You think I’m crazy? Yes, I am. Revolution is not for the sane!" And lord knows, I think we all left sanity in 2015.
You can follow Get Free/Project Fulcrum on Instagram, Threads, TikTok, and Bluesky. Click here to learn more about Project Fulcrum.
