The Screening
We would like to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who helped make 2008 another successful year for Charlotte's Can't Stop the Serenity event. Thanks to tireless volunteers and generous supporters, we were able to raise over $6,000 for Equality Now. (The exact donation amount will be calculated and announced soon.)
I hope you will all join us next year. I guarantee it will be even better.
Everyone who came out for the screening is a Big Damn Hero. But in particular, I'd like to recognize a few:
- Jonathan Broadus of HIScommunications.com for designing and hosting our website
- Cedric of the Bedlam Bards for traveling all the way from Austin, TX to deliver an outstanding performance (www.bedlambards.com)
- Susannah Ravenswing for performing her original filk songs. And for donating a beautiful set of handwrought earrings. (www.jewelsofthespirit.com)
- Linda Russell who has designed all of our graphics including banners, shirts, tickets. (www.bigdanglarp.com)
- Dale Koontz for signing copies of her new book "Faith and Choice in the Works of Joss Whedon" to benefit Equality Now.
- Heather Hill for continuously supporting Can't Stop the Serenity with donations of her cunning Jayne hats. (www.jaynehats.com)
- Dawson Berry for donating a really cool tattoo design that everyone tried to win. You can check out Dawson's own hat designs on his MySpace.
- Lela the Bionic Quilter who donated a very intricate wall-hanging and baby blanket that were the envy of all prize-seekers. You can learn to quilt like Lela at her website.
- Jen Hilton of the Raleigh Browncoats for donating her handmade earrings from MonkeyShines Beadery.
- Jaime McCall, who donated four of her original Serenity drawings. You can find more of her work at Quixotical Design.
- 11th Hour, one of the original Browncoats, for donating several of her orginal graphics. Check out her CafePress store.
Can't Stop the Serenity
Can't Stop the Serenity is a global, grass-roots fundraising event. Cities in the United States and around the world will show the movie Serenity to show our support and appreciation for Joss Whedon and the universe he created, and raise money for Equality Now.
Serenity Movie
A passenger with a deadly secret. Six rebels on the run. An assassin in pursuit. When the renegade crew of Serenity agrees to hide a fugitive on their ship, they find themselves in an action-packed battle between the relentless military might of a totalitarian regime who will destroy anything - or anyone - to get the girl back and the bloodthirsty creatures who roam the uncharted areas of space. But, the greatest danger of all may be on their ship.
See the IMDB entry for Serenity for more information on the movie.
Equality Now
Equality Now was founded in 1992 to work for the protection and promotion of the human rights of women around the world. Working with national human rights organizations and individual activists, Equality Now documents violence and discrimination against women and mobilizes international action to support their efforts to stop these human rights abuses.
There are two ways to fight a battle like ours. One is to whisper in the ear of the masses, try subtlely and gradually to change the gender expectations and mythic structures of our culture. That's me. The other is to step up and confront the thousands of atrocities that are taking place around the world on an immediate, one-by-one basis. That's a great deal harder, and that's Equality Now. It's not about politics; it's about basic human decency. - Joss Whedon
All of us at Equality Now continue to be amazed by and grateful for the Browncoats' and Serenity fans' generous and committed support for our work. Their energy and enthusiasm is inspiring and these screenings are coming at a critical time when we are especially in need of funds! We thank each and every one of them and Happy Birthday to Joss! - Amanda Sullivan, Equality Now