Join Dumbledore's Army This Friday! Plus breaking news in Uganda.

February 29^th is International Be Awesome Day, the finale of Be Awesome Month (February). Be Awesome Day is dedicated to the loving actions you can take today, whether it’s to brighten someone else’s day or to help the needy and suffering.

The Awesome movement started with two Harry Potter fans on the Internet, who run the online Ministry of Awesome blog—which honors Harry Potter-inspired music—and the Cauldrons and Chocolate Frogs Harry Potter e-zine. They launched the Awesome movement when they realized that they could not honor a Harry Potter band on February 29, since the band could then only celebrate their awesomeness every leap year. Instead, they decided to honor the awesomeness displayed in everyday loving actions around the world.

The Harry Potter Alliance, which aims to follow Dumbledore’s example of love by rescuing the suffering in Darfur, has adopted Be Awesome Day. The Harry Potter Alliance had gained a lot of momentum recently, with coverage in the Chicago Tribune, New York Post, the New York Times bestseller Not on Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond, and Do Something’s web site. On the Harry Potter Alliance web site, the founder, Andrew Slack, points out that J.K. Rowling herself used to work for Amnesty International when she started writing the Harry Potter books. He believes her writing glows with a dedication to love and social justice.

Just look at Hermione and her compassion for house elves. Sound anything like a passion for abolition of slavery to you? If you want to join a real-world S.P.E.W. (Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare), visit the modern-day slavery organization Loose Change to Loosen Chains—started by teenager Zach Hunter—at www.lc2lc.com.

Check out Be Awesome Day at www.be-awesome.com and the Harry Potter Alliance at www.thehpalliance.org.

Breaking News on the Situation in Uganda: There is currently a ceasefire in Uganda. Peace talks are going on at this moment. If you want to help Ugandans during this crucial time, call your Congress representative now at (202) 224-3121. Check out peace updates here.