aoi_to_midori

When I last wrote, I discussed my general disdain for dystopian trends in science fiction and how I became re-enchanted with the Lord of the Rings film trilogy.

Not long after aseanchai  and I finished watching The Return of the King, I started seeing news stories on my phone about flooding in Kentucky. I didn't think anything of it at first and filed it away in my mind as a mere news event. But as the days went by, it became obvious that this wasn't just some waterlogged streets and soggy basements. The news was shocking - towns swamped under 20 feet of water, entire houses washed away, children ripped from their parents' arms as they tried to seek higher ground. While it's become a cliche to say it was like, "something that only happens in other countries," this really did feel like some sort of bizarre alternate reality. I took to Twitter, sure that I would see people talking about the tragedy, even if it was just the typical political slap fight about who was to blame.

But the topic was virtually non-existent on my feed. If it wasn't for my interest in mutual aid groups, I probably wouldn't have found any information about the disaster at all. I decided to start a thread, if for no other reason than to let my friends know what was going on. I searched for related hashtags and put together a list of tweets - info on road closures, shelter locations, and which organizations were on the ground. As I searched #KentuckyFloods to find more information, I came across an odd tweet that read:

"The Federation is preparing for a relief mission to Fleming-Neon, Kentucky, and you can help." https://t.co/A78HXzfJa4

The tweet came from an account called The Federation. I thought it was strange - the Twitter account name was TrekFederation, which meant that it probably was a group rather than a person. But what was The Federation? I figured it was a Twitch stream or YouTube channel that focused on Star Trek games or reviews. But it was neither of those things. Instead, it was some sort of...Star Trek-themed Rotary Club? And they were based on Huron, Ohio, not terribly far from where I am located.

It was quite a happy coincidence. Huron is about 30 minutes away from the Lake Erie islands, and aseanchai  and I were already planning to head up there for a quick weekend getaway. We decided to gather up some supplies and visit these headquarters ourselves. I didn't know exactly what to expect, and I was a little apprehensive. While I love the idea of fandom-themed philanthropy, I worried that something so heavily Trek-themed would be run by some of those fans. The worst case scenario would be finding out that the purview of thardcore Trekkies, the sort of cultish fans who turned me off to the series way back in high school. Still, if they were seriously willing to drive laundry detergent and bar soap down to Kentucky...

I decided to reach out to the organization and ask about dropping off supplies. I also offered to make an Amazon wishlist that their members could use to purchase supplies for the relief mission. The co-founder of The Federation answered my email, thanked me for my interest and let me create a list based on requests I'd seen on Twitter. I was glad to help, even if it meant I'd have to take my computer with me on vacation. People needed help, and it was the least I could do. Gondor calls for aid, and Rohan will answer.

We nearly drove by The Federation headquarters. It's located in a fairly unassuming strip mall, but what it lacks in location it more than makes up for in heart. Russ, the co-founder of The Federation, welcomed me warmly and gave me a tour of the space. There are Star Trek displays and a gift shop, of course, but there is also a broadcast room and a conference room available for people to use for free. There is even a tiny weather station on the roof. (Russ reports the weather for Huron.) One space was set aside for another charity whose founder had been killed in an accident. Russ made sure that the charity's last project was fulfilled - supplying school supplies for low income kids.

While Russ is fond of Star Trek, I think his true passion lies with helping others. He explained that he was inspired by the world Star Trek presented - one without hunger, war or greed, where everyone was valued and cared for. He co-founded The Federation with Gene Roddenberry himself because he couldn't find the kind of Trek organization he wanted. Together, they decided that their new group would do what Federation crews do in every episode - namely, "go places and help people." It was absolutely something I could get behind.

Russ was impressed with the wish list I'd put together and asked almost immediately if I'd like to join his crew. I warned him that I was more of a fantasy fan, but explained that I liked what his organization stood for. Before I knew it, I was a volunteer for a group with members around the world. I'm still reeling a bit today, and feeling slightly out of my depth. I know very little about Star Trek, and I've never been part of anything this big before. I hope I'm up for the task.

So what's the point of all this? I'm not entirely sure, but I do know that I may have to revise my view of science fiction. Plenty of it is dystopian, sure, and plenty of it presumes that people want scenes of a dark, harrowing future in which hope is for fools and dreamers.

But Russ was good enough to show me that there is an alternative out there. There are still at least some people who crave a future where people look to the stars and see possibility. There are people who use beloved stories and settings as inspiration for what the world could be.

After all, there's some good in this world, friends. And it's worth fighting for.