Into the Garbage Chute, Flyboy!

Welcome aboard Kyber Squadron! The newsletter is back and what a year last month has been! Regardless of how you prepared for 2025, we were all welcomed into the new year with a series of shocks, and headlines that immediately thrust us into chaos. Hope is like the sun, and the year may have started in darkness, but we must believe the sun will shine again.

January’s episodes took on a very political tilt with one bright Star Wars spot in Skeleton Crew. I was able to speak with elected officials in Colorado from both sides of the aisle and make good on a promise from last season of doing more “on-the-ground” episodes. My goal this year is to remind people that there is no “red” or “blue” in the United States, but a series of problems that need solutions for everybody. The more common ground we can find, the more likely we are to find allies where we thought none previously existed. If the Rebels could convert people to fight against the Empire, then we should be able to do the same. From internal Republican fights, to understanding state politics better, there was plenty to explore in January. Of course, the pace of political news made me focus on the most prominent headlines in order to make sense of the world around us. For me, the most important conversation was Net Neutrality as there is a real opportunity to build common ground with people from various backgrounds because of how important the internet has become whether you live on a ranch or a studio apartment downtown. Driving that point home, I got to speak with Assistant Minority Leader Ty Winter about Nuclear Energy and how that could be a viable solution for rural communities left out of the energy revolution Democrats routinely talk about during election years. When I talk about common problems and solutions that help us all, this is what I mean. The path ahead will require us to fight many people on both sides of the aisle, and we must remember that the people impacted by these policies are what matters most. Our rage is real, and it is raw, but we must not allow it to bring out the worst in us. That is what Emperor Palpatine wanted, and I refuse to give him the satisfaction.

Of course, the big news this month was clearly immigration and Diversity. From the beginning of increasingly public ICE raids, to the rhetoric from both the President and Corporations either closing or solidifying their DEI efforts, there has been a real tug-of-war between a variety of factions. I asked people on BlueSky to share their small ways of pointing out where they stood, and there were answers ranging from simply being kind, to voting with your dollars and supporting businesses that align with your values. Perhaps the most important thing here is to build local community. Small actions become large movements with impacts that no amount of Executive Orders or rhetoric can dismantle. If you can volunteer at a local food pantry, help at a mutual aid for unhoused people, or create a book club that meets at a local small business, there are plenty of options to build community and find ways to push back on a variety of issues. As the new administration begins to get its footing, we must remember that the only way through is together. Supporting Trans people nationally starts with supporting the Trans people in your immediate community. Shaming Republicans won’t convince them to vote a different way in the future, but being there for them when these policies favor oligarchs and not their local communities will go a long way towards understanding that their neighbor is not the problem. The future is uncertain, but we can create certainty by building community!

For this week’s fandom files, I wanted to highlight the 2024 viewing numbers from Luminate that highlighted the various Star Wars shows that we viewed last year. Although the numbers point to a very active fandom, I was surprised to see how shows like Ahsoka and Mandalorian still held a large part of the fandom watching. It got me wondering, what Star Wars got you through 2024? Acolyte was definitely the standout for me, and the data bears that out as it was only barely edged out by Percy Jackson with 6 fewer months streaming. I had frankly forgotten that Bad Batch season 3 even came out in 2024, but it also points to the versatility of the franchise. Simply put, whether you love animation, Jedi, Sith, Mandalorians, or Pirates, there is always something to watch and an active part of the fandom to share your love with! Of course, these numbers don’t even address the myriad of books, comics, and other media we got to consume, which is why I want to hear from you! From Exegol to Coruscant, see you around Kyber Squadron.