Yes•Maj Magazine

MACUSA Journal

yESMAJ yES FALL 2019

Guide to Everyday Magic

US

QUIDDITCH

Leader IN ATHLETIC INCLUSIVITY

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

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Letter from the Editor One of the most significant American magical laws was created in 1790, when MACUSA� approved an edict to enforce total segregation of the wizarding and No-Maj communities. Intermarriage and even friendship between wizards and No-Majs became illegal in the United States.

The International Statute of Secrecy, while necessary for the safety of witches and wizards, undermines the potential for growth, progress, and unity. YES•MAJ is produced in partnership with MACUSA to share Wizarding World™ everyday magic with the No-Maj community.

Teri Lanier

ON THE COVER, left to right: � Materials and magical lingo from the Harry Potter series of films and from the film Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them are courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment.

Wizarding World Publishing and Theatrical Rights © J.K. Rowling. Pottermore.com and Artwork © Pottermore Limited.

Nicole Jackson of the Western Washington Wyverns by team photographer; Kyle Pickett, player for Bay Area Breakers by Magali Gauthier; Rain City Raptors by team photographer

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TRAVEL

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High Holidays in Hogsmeade

Quidditch for All The international sport celebrates an inclusive community in the US.

HOME & GARDEN

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Potion Plants you want

Schedule a classic tea during your holiday visit to Universal Studios™ Hollywood.

SPORTS

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Bring dittany, nightshade, and hellebore to life in the garden.

COMMUNITY

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FOOD

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Craft beer meets Pumpkin Add seasonal flavors to your home brewing projects.

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socks for dobby project Meet a philanthropic group helping the homeless this “Socktober.”

Recipes » Figgy Pudding » Pumpkin Pasties

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TRAVEL

Schedule your Tea

Universal Studios California Dining Reservations (407) 224-3663 Representatives available 8:30 am-9pm www.universalstudioshollywood.com

Photo credits from left: u/magiccitymayhem on Reddit, HarshLight on Creative Commons

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in

High Holidays Hogsmeade

Winter visitors to Universal Studios Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ in Hollywood, California can partake of splendid British holiday foods and a bottomless pot of tea.

Select locations around the park will be hosting tea, each with a distinct prix fixe menu and festive decorations. Classic English tea will be served at Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop™… think warm scones with lemon curd and tea sandwiches. For a more lively and adult environment, choose the pumpkin pasties and roast meats served with Pumpkin Juice™ or Butterbeer™ at the Three Broomsticks™. Wizards and witches with a sweet tooth can dine on Christmas pudding or petits fours at Honeyduke’s™

private parlor. Make your reservations in advance; the special holiday menu is not available to walk-in park patrons.

Also happening in Hogsmeade™: the annual tree lighting ceremony will begin the holiday season on November 16, carolers will sing seasonal melodies as they roam the lanes, and roasted chestnuts (alas, not dragon fire-roasted) can be purchased from street vendors. For your tree at home, unique ornaments are available at all Hogsmeade™ retailers and will add magic to your home throughout the season.

– Teri Lanier

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SPORTS

Chaser or seeker…

Organized Quidditch in America is not a passing flight of fancy. As it Sets standards for inclusivity, US Quidditch builds community at all age groups.

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ight off the broom, the US Quidditch (USQ) website proclaims its vision statement: “We envision a future where every person in the United States is aware of quidditch as a sport and has opportunities to play and engage at all levels.”

U

S Quidditch is the national governing body for the sport of quidditch. It advances the sport by organizing events and programs that build community and empower all genders to compete together. A nonprofit founded in 2010, US Quidditch serves nearly 4,000 athletes on over 150 teams nationwide and provides a range of programs and services. These include hosting regional and national championships; supervising regular season

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competition; supporting and certifying referees, snitches, and tournament directors; offering grants; and working to expand the sport into younger age groups through outreach programs at the

uidditch For All By staff writers at USQ Photo from Wikimedia Commons

The “Four Maximum� rule is one of THE

elementary, middle, and high school levels. Membership is open to teams and individuals in any age group.

Continues on page 9

most progressive rules in sports. yESMAJ 7

SPORTS

Start a team: College Your college is an excellent place to play USQ. It is diverse, often replete with green space, and filled with optimistic young people looking to try something new.

You don’t need to be an expert to recruit, but you need to be able to sell this to peers and your administration. Be prepared to target your audience with talk of full contact sports, Harry Potter, or the incredible inclusive community you will create. You are not alone. Reach out to your Regional Director for help.

A PRIMER ON QUIDDITCH According to US Quidditch rules, seven players per team are on the field at a time.

Each position wears a different colored headband. Four balls are in play at one time.

THE TEAM

THE BALLS

1 SEEKER

1 SNITCH

chases and catches the snitch to score points and end the game; must grab the tail off of the Snitch's shorts. The snitch is worth 30 points.

3 CHASERS

The Snitch is a runner dressed in yellow with a velcro tail attached to their shorts. They are released on to the field at the 18th minute and must evade capture. Once one of the seekers pulls their tail, the game is over.

1 QUAFFLE

score goals with the quaffle by throwing or kicking it into the hoops (each goal is worth 10 points).

A volleyball is used to score goals by throwing or kicking it into the hoops. The keepers and chasers are the only ones allowed to use this ball. Chasers can use a quaffle to block incoming bludgers.

2 BEATERS

3 BLUDGERS

use the bludgers to disrupt other players

1 KEEPER guards the hoops from opposing chasers

POINTS: 30

POINTS: 10

Theseballs are used by the beaters to set back other players. When a player is hit with a bludger, they must drop any ball they are holding, return to their side and touch one of their goalposts before re-entering play.

One of the best things about quidditch is its inclusivity as a sport—people of all identities are welcome, including those who belong in the “nonbinary” gender. � https://www.usquidditch.org/get-involved/start-a-team Photo: Alli Reissman of Western Washington Wyverns

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Continued from page 7

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Title 9¾

n the Harry Potter series, quidditch teams are not separated by gender, and neither are the teams in US Quidditch. Title 9¾ ensures the policies implemented by USQ promote gender equality and inclusivity. Title 9¾ gets its name from both the fictional platform to get to the Hogwarts Express and the US law that seeks to prevent gender discrimination in sports, Title IX.

USQ’S GENDER MAXIMUM RULE

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quidditch game allows each team to have a maximum of four players who identify as the same gender in active play on the field at the same time.

This number increases to five once the seekers enter the game. The gender that a player identifies with is considered to be that player’s gender, which may or may not correspond with that person’s sex.

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his gender maximum rule ensures that teams are working to recruit and to field a team that has diversity; the rule is also written in such a way that it does not exclude individuals who do not identify within the gender binary. USQ accepts those who don’t identify within the gender binary, and acknowledge that not all of our players identify as male or female.

USQ welcomes people of all identities and genders into the league.

I’ve seen people

change their mind on the issue just by watching a [quidditch] game, and it’s great to hear people go from saying ‘She’s great, for a girl’ to ‘She’s a great chaser.’ It makes a 2016 California Dobbys by Chris Rothery Photography

difference.

”

Players at 2018 Sanford Classic by Chris Rothery Photography

~USQ Online Testimonial

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HOME & GARDEN

By Teri Lanier

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old-time medicine Among the verified potions ingredients in the Harry Potter™ series are hellebore, dittany, and deadly nightshade. While the ailments for which they were intended are now better treated with a trip to a pharmacy, the plants themselves make unusual additions to gardens.

The helleborus genus has dozens of flowering varieties. Once used to relieve anxiety, hellebores are a reliable source of color in winter gardens.

They spread easily and rapidly fill the empty spots in garden beds.

Corsican hellebore

Historically, the bushy shrub dittany was used for topical healing; today, the aroma from fresh or dried leaves is believed to have therapeutic benefits.

Nightshades include the commonly known belladonna.

Once used for sedatives and anti-inflammatory relief, it’s a controversial plant to have in a garden. It is toxic from root to berry. Why choose it? The deep purple blooms of “death’s herb” and intriguing lore are attractive for history enthusiasts.

Gaze upon these varieties in your garden, and you’ll bring some ancient medicine to your yard.

Caution: Do not consume these plants for medical reasons. Comas, seizures, and poisoning are potential side effects. Enjoy them by sight only, and prevent humans and pets from ingesting them.

Green hellebore PHOTOS Opposite: Helleborus viridis by H. Zell for Creative Commons This page from left to right: Corsican hellebore by Yoko Nekonomania for Flickr, hellebore by Hreisho on Pixabay, black nightshade by “mayapujiati” for Pixabay, crete dittany by HomemadeMagicShop

Black nightshade

dittany

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We solemnly swear that we are up to so much good!

CHANGING THE MUGGLE WORLD...

ONE MILE AT A TIME. #somuchgood www.potterheadrunning.org

The Potterhead Running Club is a charitable program administered by Random Tuesday, Inc. – a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization (EIN 47-4958349) dedicated to harnessing the power of fandom to inspire communities of fans to be more physically active while raising funds for deserving charities.