LeakyCon 2012 Press Kit

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A FAN CONFERENCE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS AUGUST 9–12, 2012

Transcript of LeakyCon 2012 Press Kit

Page 1: LeakyCon 2012 Press Kit

A FAN CONFERENCE CHICAGO, ILLINOISAUGUST 9–12, 2012

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AN OvERviEw OF LEAkyCON 2012LeakyCon is a conference just for fans—presented by fans.

LeakyCon is a fan conference for fans presented by fans. LeakyCon will take

place August 9 through 12, 2012 at the Chicago Hilton in

Chicago, IL, and will give fans a chance to celebrate J.K. Rowling’s stories

about the boy who lived.  The Harry Potter novels have spread messages of

friendship, community and love. These three principles guide LeakyCon —

with the important addition of fun.  The four-day long conference provides

an opportunity for attendees to experience an exciting, enlightening, safe,

and magical weekend with their fellow Potter fans and book lovers.

LeakyCon will feature unique keynote events, speaker panels, roundtables,

and formal academic programming.  Fans will also experience informal

events including rock concerts, a quidditch tournament, costume contests,

podcasts, a vendor room and craft show, and a charity ball.

The conference works to support such charities as the Harry Potter Alliance,

a non-profit organization that champions such causes as disaster relief and

social equality. The conference will also benefit Book Aid International,

the This Star Won’t Go Out Foundation and other smaller charitable

organizations. In 2011, LeakyCon donated over $120,000 to various

charitable causes, and charitable giving continues to be at the forefront

of our priorities for 2012.  For more information on the charities involved

with LeakyCon, please see the charity information page in this press kit.

OvERviEw

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LeakyCon will also include appearances, performances, and special events

featuring the wildly successful theater troupe and YouTube sensation

Team StarKid, as well as actors from the Harry Potter films, including

Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), Louis Cordice (Blaise Zabini),

William Melling (Nigel Wolpert), and Robbie Jarvis (Young James Potter).

Other special events will include a premiere of the fan made documentary,

“Real for Us: Fandom, Friendship and the Boy who Lived,” and performances

from nine musical acts, including Harry and the Potters, The Whomping

Willows, Alex Carpenter, and Meghan Tonjes.  This year, LeakyCon will also

feature LeakyStars, a talent competition showcasing fans from within the

community inspired by their favorite fandoms.

LeakyCon will also present LitTrack, a special two-day “conference within

a conference” focusing on Children’s and Young Adult literature. Planned

in coordination with New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson,

the lineup of writers, agents, and editors includes heavy-hitting industry

professionals such as New York Times bestselling authors John Green,

Lev Grossman, Holly Black, Margaret Stohl, and more.

Harry Potter star Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) on stage with Wizard Rocker Brian Ross of Draco and the Malfoys at LeakyCon 2011

Team StarKid performs during LeakyCon 2011

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“We couldn’t be more thrilled to be able to continue to grow and evolve

LeakyCon as our own fandom grows,” said Melissa Anelli, the conference’s

organizer. “LeakyCon is a place where fans can come together and celebrate

a decade and a half of community and charity, and continue to pay tribute to

the novels that brought us all together.”

We are honored to bring LeakyCon to the fans once again, and to be

celebrating in the great city of Chicago. Please find additional information

about the conference throughout this press kit and email [email protected]

with any questions.

Wizard Rockers Paul and Joe DeGeorge (Harry and the Potters) perfom during LeakyCon 2011

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SPECiAL EvENTS

SPECiAL EvENTS

A Very StarKid Event (II) A special musical event featuring the cast of performers from Team StarKid

that will include singing, dancing, and a question and answer session. In

addition, Team StarKid will be performing a staged reading of the much

anticipated follow-up to their YouTube sensations A Very Potter Musical and

A Very Potter Sequel, titled A Very Potter 3D: A Very Potter Senior Year. These

spoof Harry Potter musicals have been global hits, collecting tens of millions

of views on YouTube. Confirmed attendees to LeakyCon include: Julia

Albain, Chris Allen, Clark Baxtresser, Jaime Lyn Beatty, Tyler Brunsman,

Richard Campbell, Britney Coleman, Brant Cox, Darren Criss, Denise

Donovan, Corey Dorris, Elona Finlay, Arielle Goldman, Brian Holden, A.J.

Holmes, Matt Lang, Nick Lang, Lauren Lopez, Corey Lubowich, Devin Lytle,

Lily Marks, Alle-Faye Monka, Joe Moses, Jim Povolo, Joey Richter, Brian

Rosenthal, Dylan Saunders, Meredith Stepien, Sango Tajima, and JoeWalker.

Esther Earl Rocking Charity BallThe Esther Earl Rocking Charity Ball will be a time for fans to come together

to dance and celebrate on the last evening of the conference. Esther was an

avid Harry Potter fan and supporter of the Harry Potter Alliance who lost her

fight against cancer in August 2010. Her family, friends, and fans have worked

to keep her spirit and memory alive through the This Star Won’t Go Out

Foundation, created in her honor and dedicated to raising money for families

with children suffering from cancer. We are proud to work with the This Star

Won’t Go Out Foundation to remember Esther, and we cannot think of a

better way to honor her memory than with a celebration!

Leaky RockOn the evenings of August 9 and August 10, fans will be treated to rock

concerts featuring a variety of performers who sing about everything from

Harry Potter to The Hunger Games to Lost.  The line-up will feature

Meghan Tonjes, Tonks and the Aurors, Alex Carpenter, Ministry of Magic,

Gred and Forge, Lauren Fairweather, The Whomping Willows, Hank Green,

and Harry and the Potters.

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SPECiAL GuEST BiOGRAPhiES

Evanna LynchEvanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) answered an open casting call for the role

of Luna Lovegood in 2006, and her life was changed forever. She went from

being one of the series’ most ardent fans to the cinematic personification of

one of the fans’ favorite characters. She was fourteen years old, and had only

acted in school plays before; she took to the role with a level of passion and

spirit only a true fan can apply. She has played Luna in the final half of the

Potter films to acclaim by fans and critics alike, and remains one of Harry

Potter’s most enthusiastic supporters.

Evanna has also turned her creativity to fashion, bringing to life Luna’s

famous radish earrings, as well as designing the lion hat worn by Luna in

the sixth film. She has actively supported charity efforts such as the Multiple

Sclerosis Society of Ireland and the HP Alliance, speaking out on issues

of self-esteem and body image. Evanna attended LeakyCon 2011 and

has recently moved to the United States to pursue her acting career, and

travelled to Malta to film her first post-Potter role.

Louis CordiceLouis Cordice (Blaise Zabini) started off in the world of Harry Potter acting

as Alfred Enoch’s (Dean Thomas) double/stand in. He was later cast as

Slytherin student Blaise Zabini, a close friend of Draco Malfoy and Pansy

Parkinson. He appeared as Blaise in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood

Prince, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 and was delighted to

find out he would have further involvement in Harry Potter and the Deathly

Hallows Part 2. He also voiced Blaise in the video game adaption of the

Deathly Hallows Part 2.

SPECiAL GuEST BiOGRAPhiES

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SPECiAL GuEST BiOGRAPhiES

Robbie JarvisRobbie Jarvis played young James Potter in the movie adaptation of

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. He has also appeared in

the Nickelodeon show Genie In The House and did vocal work for The

History Boys. He has also guest starred in episodes of Waking the Dead

for the BBC and ITV’s Trial & Retribution. This is his first LeakyCon!

William MellingWilliam Melling is known to fans as Nigel Wolpert, the movie’s pint-

sized addition to Dumbledore’s Army. He appeared in the last five Harry

Potter films. He made his television début as the child in Smack the

Pony and appeared on Vanity Fair as Young Rawdy Crawley. This is also

his first LeakyCon!

StarKid ProductionsStarKid Productions is an ensemble of writers, actors, directors,

designers, producers, and other goof-offs. Blending live performance

with the accessibility of the Internet, StarKid has taken the long-revered

art of parody and fumblingly marched forward with it into the 21st

century. StarKid has its roots firmly embedded in the University of

Michigan’s School of Music, Theater, and Dance. In April of 2009, with

a budget of less than $150, an original script and score, and a cast and

creative team chock full of Michigan cohorts, A Very Potter Musical

premiered. Three months later, having filmed the live performances for

family and friends, writers Nick Lang, Matt Lang, and Brian Holden

posted the videos to YouTube, and within days the show had gone viral.

In just under two years, StarKid’s original works have garnered over

128 million views on YouTube, a devoted international fan-base of over

243,000 subscribers, and national attention from MTV, Entertainment

Weekly, blogger Perez Hilton, Access Hollywood, The Hollywood

Reporter, BillBoard.com, New York Magazine, The Detroit Free Press,

and National Public Radio, and more.

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The Lizzie Bennet DiariesThe Lizzie Bennet Diaries is a YouTube vlog-style retelling of Pride and

Prejudice by Jane Austen featuring Ashley Clements (Lizzie Bennet),

Laura Spencer (Jane Bennet), Julia Cho (Charlotte Lu), and Mary Kate

Wiles (Lydia Bennet). Created by Bernie Su and Hank Green, the web

series takes viewers through the life of Lizzie and her family through

a modernized adaptation of the classic tale. Garnering over 77,000

subscribers and over 3.6 million views since their inception just a few short

months ago, the unique series has proven to be a fast fan favorite.

Potter Puppet PalsNeil Cicierega and his team are behind a viral Harry Potter puppet

act that has garnered a staggering 172 million YouTube views to date.

Through comedy and puppetry Cicierega and his friends have created a

loyal fanbase as active and avid as that of the Harry Potter series itself.

The video “Mysterious Ticking Noise” is one of the most viewed YouTube

videos of all time, considered nearly required viewing for a Potter fan; it

was the winner of the best comedy video in the 2007 YouTube Awards and

has been mentioned by Daniel Radcliffe as something the Potter actors

joked they would like to recreate themselves. The Potter Puppet Pals will

appear at LeakyCon again this year with an hour-long special event, which

will offer fans the chance to see the world famous puppets live in action.

Dominic Barnes Dominic Barnes has been gracing your living rooms for only a mere two

years but has loved every single second of it and is so honored that you (the

fans) have brought him to where he is today! He has been on such shows

as “Greek”, and had an extremely brief stint on ABC’s “Suburgatory”.

You probably know him best as that sassy dancin’ fool, Warbler Trent on

FOX’s hit TV show “Glee!” He is so grateful that LeakyCon has invited

him and his Warblin’ brothers to join you all this weekend, and he can’t

wait to meet all of you! Have a great time and don’t be afraid to come up

and say a quick “Hello!”

SPECiAL GuEST BiOGRAPhiES

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Riker LynchRiker Lynch is a singer-songwriter, musician, actor, and dancer. He plays

bass and sings with the band R5 along with his brother Ross (from Disney

Channel’s Austin & Ally), his brother Rocky, sister Rydel, and best friend

Ellington Ratliff. The band recently signed a record deal with Hollywood

Records and are gearing up for some summer concerts around North

America. (see R5rocks.com). Riker and Rocky write all the songs for R5,

and are planning on releasing an album in early 2013. Riker is best known

for his role of Jeff, one of the Dalton Academy Warblers on Fox’s hit TV

show Glee.

Titus Makin Jr. Titus Makin Jr. was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and found an interest in

gymnastics, dance, and acting from a young age. He attended The New

York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts (School of Film and Television) for

a two year professional training program. Titus is currently a reoccurring

character on Fox’s hit show “Glee” and co starring in the new ABC family

original movie, “A Cinderella Story: Once Upon A Song.”

Curt MegaCurt Mega is an actor, singer and writer originally from Dallas, Texas.

He guest starred as “Nick” the Warbler on Fox’s “Glee” (Seasons 2 & 3)

and was the featured soloist on Billy Joel’s “Uptown Girl” in the episode

“The First Time” (“Glee”, Season 3). Stage work includes Damn Yankees

with Richard Kind and the Texas regional premiere of The Light in the

Piazza. He has been seen on national commercial campaigns for Subway

Restaurants, 7/11 and Hasbro. Last summer, he toured the U.S. and U.K.

as a cast member of the “Glee Live!” 2011 International Tour.

SPECiAL GuEST BiOGRAPhiES

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MinaLimaMinaLima was founded in 2009 out of a coincidence of ideas between

Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima. Mira and Eduardo had the

extraordinary fortune to meet on the set of Harry and the Chamber of

Secrets, and immediately forged an alliance of creativity and humour,

connecting them in every design decision from then on.

Mira and Eduardo have led all elements of the graphic design for the

Harry Potter films. As creators of the Marauder’s Map, the Daily

Prophet and every other graphic prop in the film series, they have a

superb and passionate understanding of the Harry Potter films.

After ten years collaborating on the largest film franchise in history,

their Harry Potter graphic design expertise continues to be sought

after – from designing collectable merchandise to the hugely successful

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London. They recently designed the ultimate

Harry Potter Wizard’s Collection DVD/Blu-ray box set for Warner

Home Video, which is to be released in September and is currently

available for preorder.

Melissa AnelliMelissa Anelli has been active in the Harry Potter fandom for nearly 12

years. In addition to co-founding LeakyCon and Mischief Management,

she is the owner and operator of The Leaky Cauldron and the new site

LeakyNews.com. Melissa’s first book, the New York Times bestselling

Harry, A History, was published in 2008 with a foreword from

J.K. Rowling. Since 2009, Melissa has also served as senior creative

consultant on Pottermore. In her spare time, she indulges her other

obsessions: theater, television, and the sparklification of designer

shoes. A NYC native and dweller, Melissa is currently hard at work on

her second book.

SPECiAL GuEST BiOGRAPhiES

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LEAkyCON LiT BiOGRAPhiES

Holly BlackHolly Black is a best-selling author of contemporary fantasy novels for kids,

teens, and adults. She is the author of the Modern Faerie Tale series (Tithe,

Valiant, and Ironside), The Spiderwick Chronicles (with Tony DiTerlizzi), and

The Good Neighbors graphic novels (with Ted Naifeh). She is also the co-editor

of three anthologies, Geektastic (with Cecil Castellucci), Zombies vs. Unicorns

(with Justine Larbalestier), and Welcome to Bordertown (with Ellen Kushner).

Her most recent works are The Poison Eaters and Other Stories, a collection

of short fiction, and The Curse Worker series (White Cat, Red Glove, and the

forthcoming Black Heart). She lives in Massachusetts with her husband, Theo,

in a house with a secret library. You can find out more about Holly on her

website, blackholly.com

Daniel EhrenhaftDaniel Ehrenhaft is a bestselling author of books for teens, among them

The Wessex Papers (winner of the 2003 Edgar Award) and most recently

Americapedia, which the New York Times called “Jon Stewart’s America for the

YA set.” As an editor, he helped to create the Gossip Girl and Peaches series. He

is now Editorial Director of Soho Teen, whose first list launches in January 2013.

He is also a member of Tiger Beat, the world’s only all-YA-author band–and

perhaps the only semi-functioning band with no website or Facebook Page or

Twitter handle, because Tiger Beat is SOLELY DEVOTED TO ROCK.  Plus,

they are lazy. Find out more about Daniel on his website, danielehrenhaft.com

John GreenJohn Green is the New York Times bestselling author of Looking for Alaska, 

An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns, and The Fault in our Stars. He is also

the co-author, with David Levithan, of Will Grayson, Will Grayson.  His novels

have received much critical acclaim, including the Michael L. Printz Award and

the 2009 Edgar Award.  No stranger to the internet, Mr. Green releases vlogs

along with his brother, Hank, on the popular YouTube channel, VlogBrothers,

which began in 2007.  John Green lives in Indiana with his wife and young son,

Henry.  More about John can be found on his website, johngreenbooks.com

LEAkyCON LiT BiOGRAPhiES

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Lev GrossmanLev Grossman is the author of the New York Times bestsellers The Magicians

and The Magician King. He is also the book critic at Time magazine. 

He has  written for Salon, The Village Voice, The Wall Street Journal, Wired,

Entertainment Weekly, The Believer, Lingua Franca, the New York Times,

and several other publications.  You can find out more about Lev on his

website, levgrossman.com

Amanda HockingAmanda Hocking is an incredibly successful writer of young adult

paranormal romance and urban fantasy novels. Hocking, author of the

USA Today bestselling Trylle Trilogy and My Blood Approves series, gained

prominence shortly after she began self-publishing in 2010, selling her

novels as low priced (99 cents to $2.99) eBooks. Since then, she’s become the

exemplar of self-publishing success in the digital age, having sold over one

million copies of her novels. Before becoming a full-time writer, Amanda

worked in group homes for people with disabilities for five and a half years

writing in her spare time. That all changed in 2010, when sales of her books

began to take off, and she has been a full time writer ever since. St. Martin’s

Press will publish her new 4-book Watersong series beginning in August

2012. The first book in the series, WAKE, goes on-sale in August 2012. She

currently resides in Minnesota.

LEAkyCON LiT BiOGRAPhiES

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Maureen JohnsonMaureen Johnson is the bestselling author of such books as Suite Scarlett,

The Bermudez Triangle, 13 Little Blue Envelopes, Let It Snow (with John

Green and Lauren Myracle), The Last Little Blue Envelope, The Name of the

Star and the upcoming The Madness Underneath. Before attending graduate

school in theatrical dramaturgy and writing at Columbia University, she

held a variety of unlikely jobs, many of which involved fire (usually not on

purpose). In addition to her novels, she was the scriptwriter for the “Harry

Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” handheld video games. She lives in New

York City, but travels to England on a regular basis. She has the dubious

distinction of being Mashable.com’s “Most Interesting Person to Follow

on Twitter” award winner for 2009. This is because she lives on her Twitter

account. You can also find her at maureenjohnsonbooks.com

Jennifer LaughranJennifer Laughran is a literary agent at Andrea Brown Literary Agency, based

in New York. She went from reading children’s books to selling them with her

first job in a bookstore at age 12, and has been up to her neck in kids and YA

books ever since. She represents many popular and award-winning children’s

authors, all of whom are adorable geniuses. You can find out more about Jenn

on twitter, @literaticat, and about the agency at andreabrownlit.com

Stephanie PerkinsStephanie Perkins writes young adult novels with funny bits and kissing.

She is the author of Anna and the French Kiss, Lola and the Boy Next Door

and the much anticipated Isla and the Happily Ever After. Her husband is

wizard rocker Jarrod of Gred and Forge, and they live with two elderly pups

and a pesky cat named Mr. Tumnus. More information about Stephanie

Perkins can be found on her website, stephanieperkins.com

LEAkyCON LiT BiOGRAPhiES

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LEAkyCON LiT BiOGRAPhiES

Rebecca ShermanRebecca Sherman is a literary agent for the publishing company Writers

House, based in New York City.  With over eight years of experience in

the industry, Sherman has worked with such authors as Grace Lin, author/

illustrator of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon; Andrea Davis Pinkney

and Brian Pinkney, author and illustrator of Sit-In; and David Ezra Stein,

author/illustrator of Leaves. She also represents Melissa Anelli, author of

the New York Times best-selling Harry, A History. Further information

about Rebecca Sherman can be found on the Writers House website,

writershouse.com

Margaret StohlMargaret Stohl is the author of Icons, the first book in the Icons Series,

forthcoming from Little, Brown in Spring 2013 – as well as the New York

Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Los Angeles Times, Indie-Bound

and Internationally Bestselling co-author of the Beautiful Creatures Novels

(with Kami Garcia.)  You can find out more about Margaret on her website,

margaret-stohl.com

Laini TaylorLaini Taylor is the author of the National Book Award Finalist Lips Touch:

Three Times, as well as the novels Blackbringer and Silksinger.  Her

upcoming novel, Days of Blood and Starlight will be released in the fall of

2012 and is the sequel to the highly acclaimed Daughter of Smoke and Bone. 

She lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband, illustrator Jim Di Bartolo,

and their daughter.  You can visit her website to learn more about Laini

at lainitaylor.com

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LEAkyCON LiT BiOGRAPhiES

Kate Schafer TestermanAfter nearly ten years with industry powerhouse agency Janklow & Nesbit

Associates, Kate Schafer Testerman formed kt literary in early 2008, where

she concentrates on middle grade and YA fiction. Her clients include

Maureen Johnson, Ellen Booraem, Stephanie Perkins, S. Terrell French,

Thomas E. Sniegoski, Josie Bloss and Matthew Cody, among others. Kate is

a graduate of the New York Renaissance Faire, and an avid collector of shoes.

Her interests cover a broad range including teen chick list, urban fantasy,

magical realism, adventure stories, and romantic comedies. She is an active

member of the SCBWI and AAR

Megan Whalen TurnerMegan Whalen Turner is the author of the Newbery Honor Book The

Thief and its sequels, The Queen of Attolia, The King of Attolia, and A

Conspiracy of Kings. A Conspiracy of Kings won the 2011 LA Times Book

Award for Young Adult Literature and the series of books was awarded

the 2011 Mythopoeic Award for Children’s Literature. She has been living

in Oslo, Norway for the past year where she worked on her next book

and learned a lot about trolls. There is more information about Megan at

meganwhalenturner.org.

Robin WassermanRobin Wasserman is the author of The Book of Blood and Shadow and several

other young adult books including Hacking Harvard, the Seven Deadly Sins

series, and the Cold Awakening trilogy. (Though you may know her from

all-time bestselling literary triumph, Scooby Doo: The Search for Scooby

Snacks.) She grew up in Philadelphia, went to Harvard, and, for her very first

task at her very first job out of college, was assigned to scour the city for a

miniature red carpet that could be rolled out for J. K. Rowling’s imminent

arrival. (She failed.) More information about Robin Wasserman can be

found on her website, robinwasserman.com

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ChARiTiESLeakyCon is a charity supporting conference: We regularly benefit The Harry Potter Alliance and Book Aid International, two organizations close to our heart who have done phenomenal work in literacy and community action. We have also benefited This Star Won’t Go Out, an organization that helps families of terminally ill children and was inspired by Esther Earl, after whom our charity ball was named.

LeakyCon has raised more than $120,000 for charitable causes in its short history. We aim to continue to use our conference to support these and more charities as our commitment to good works grows and deepens.The Harry Potter Alliance

ChARiTiES

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ChARiTiES

The Harry Potter AllianceThe Harry Potter Alliance has worked for the past four years to motivate

and inspire youth around the world to get involved in various social issues

that face the world today. From the struggle for universal equal rights to

alerting the world to the dangers of global warming, poverty, and genocide,

the Harry Potter Alliance has been a champion of grassroots, community

activism in response to these vast issues. Their successes include raising

funds for the protection of thousands of women and children in Darfur

and Burma and collecting and donating thousands of books for a youth

village in Rwanda. In early 2010, efforts by the Harry Potter Alliance and a

network of related fandom communities raised more than $123,000 for the

Haitian people through Partners in Health. In July 2010, the HP Alliance

was awarded $250,000 through the Chase Community Giving Challenge on

Facebook. The HPA entered the four-week contest, which looked for the most

promising local charities from across the globe, and won the challenge with

38,000 votes. With the winnings, the HPA will be able to improve literacy,

LGBT rights, and build an online coalition of fandoms, YouTubes, and

organizations.

More about The Harry Potter Alliance can be found on their official website,

thehpalliance.org

ChARiTiES

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Book Aid InternationalBook Aid International increases access to books and supports literacy,

education and development in some of the poorest communities in the

World.  Each year the charity provides more than 500,000 new, carefully-

chosen books to libraries in villages and cities, schools and universities, reading

rooms and refugee camps in sub-Saharan Africa.  These books are read time

and time again by adults and children — for education, for vocation and for

pleasure.  The charity also provides training to librarians and teachers as well

as small grants to enable libraries to purchase books in the local language and

refurbish reading rooms to make them more attractive and functional. In sub-

Saharan Africa today at least 153 million people cannot read or write and Book

Aid International is a long-standing global charity dedicated to helping change

lives through books.  Leaky has supported many of the charity’s worthwhile

endeavors for several years, and we are proud to continue this tradition.

More information can be found on the Book Aid International website,

bookaid.org

This Star Won’t Go Out FoundationThe purpose of This Star Won’t Go Out foundation is to financially assist

families struggling through the journey of a child living with cancer. Caring

for a seriously ill child creates tremendous stress for the family system, and

having to worry about money is both burdensome and distracting. TSWGO’s

goal is to carry a bit of that burden for hurting families through financial gifts.

TSWGO has a second goal, and it’s tied to why the foundation got started in

the first place. TSWGO was established in memory of 16-year old Esther Earl,

an avid Nerdfighter and passionate Harry Potter fan. Her online friends and

causes met many of the social and emotional needs in her life, hampered as she

was by her progressing thyroid cancer. Yet Esther (Persian for “Star”) lived life

fully, getting involved in social justice issues, loving her friends, her family and

cats, and always remembering to be awesome. With the goal of never letting her

Star go out, TSWGO will also be funding occasional projects that fit Esther’s

quirky, compassionate life vision.

More information can be found on the This Star Won’t Go Out Foundation

website http://www.thisstarwontgoout.org/

Additional Charities

Profits from LeakyCon will be donated to

charity and while the money will primarily

go to The Harry Potter Alliance, Book Aid

International and the This Star Won’t Go Out

Foundation, we may make additional, smaller

donations to other organizations.

All donations will be listed on LeakyCon.com.

ChARiTiES

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CONTACT

Katie BurnsidePublicity Coordinator

[email protected]

(773) 966-8162

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