2012 marks our 7th Annual CSTS season and we are looking forward to welcoming back our fellow Browncoats, veterans of the cause, mentors and new organizers alike! We’re continually grateful and excited that folks interested in holding your own CSTS events to raise money for Equality Now. Registration is open now, so you've got plenty of time to start planning a Can't Stop the Serenity event for 2012. All the information you need to get you started can be found in the Events section on the menu above. Most CSTS events are known as "Screening Events" where Joss Whedon's "Serenity" is shown on the big screen in conjunction with auctions, raffles, contests, merchandise sales and other multimedia (pending licensing arrangements). If you're unable to organize a Screening Event (due to funds, location or proximity to other Browncoats), an Affiliate event may be the answer. This can be any kind of event, such as a BBQ, dance party, or trivia night. The choice is yours! Once you’ve decided, you can begin planning at once. Take advantage of Event Resources to help you and your team with the planning process. Next, you need to tell the Global Team about your plans so that you can become an official event. This year, there is a two step registration process – Pre-Registration and Registration. Being an official CSTS Event means that you become part of the wonderful CSTS community which comes with some amazing perks. We’ll help you raise money for Equality No

Can't Stop the Serenity has joined up with Kids Need to Read to give you the chance to win some fabulous prizes in our first ever "Words have the Power to bring about Equality" Writing Contest! Recently, we sent out some questions over the Cortex and received some fantastic interview responses (we'll be posting these soon!). Our very first response was from Heather in Maryland, who wrote "It was part of learning about CSTS that led me to learn about Equality Now. Some of the articles they've linked to show that women the world over still suffer terrible injustices for no other reason than their sex. Nobody should be put in a position where they're treated as inferior by anybody - no matter their sex, their race, their religion, or their sexual preferences. By fundraising for Equality Now, CSTS does its part to bring us to a future that's fairer for everybody." It's responses like this that keep us motivated, and inspired this contest. So, what do you need to do to enter the "Words have the Power to bring about Equality" Writing Contest? We're asking you, our fantastic CSTS supporters, to write a short piece (500-1000 words) on why you support Can't Stop the Serenity and Equality Now. And what are the prizes? Well, you're in for a treat! We have a major prize plus three runners up prizes up for grabs. The major prize winner will receive a hard cover set of The Softwire series (4 books) signed by author PJ Haarsma, a $75 Amazon giftcard, a CSTS 2011 shirt and p

Social media and social networking are a fantastic way to spread the signal about Can't Stop the Serenity and Equality Now, and we need to get that signal broadcast as widely as possible. To encourage more folks to follow our twitter feed and Like our facebook page, our Global Steering Committee Chair has pledged 5c to Equality Now for each CSTS twitter follower and CSTS Facebook Page like we have on 30 September (up to $500). So... If we have 4000 @CSTS twitter followers on 30 Sept, that's a donation $200 to EN. If we have 4000 CSTS facebook page likes on 30 Sept, that's a donation $200 to EN. We need your help to promote this far and wide! Follow/Like us and spread the signal!

Have you seen the awesome t-shirt Joss Whedon designed for Equality Now? Get yours today and help support the cause! Just head on over to the Equality Now Store.

Missed seeing the livestream of Can't Stop the Serenity Los Angeles yesterday? Watch it below! Special guests included Joss Whedon, Felicia Day, Michael Fairman, Tim Minear, Jane Espensen, Nathan Fillion, and Jessica Neuwirth and Amanda Sullivan from Equality Now. Watch live video from GeekWeek on Justin.tv

Artist James Hance, best known among geeks for his wonderful Star Wars themed "Wookie the Chew" take on Winnie the Pooh, has been working on a series of pieces featuring Muppets a la Firefly. You’ll be able to buy prints at www.jameshance.com later this week and super awesome exclusive, limited run prints at selected upcoming Can’t Stop The Serenity events very soon with all proceeds of those going to charity You can find his sketches and keep up with his progress here. A huge thank you to James for supporting Can't Stop the Serenity. Update: Prints will be available at CSTS Los Angeles and CSTS Edmonton so far...