Benjamin Ahr Harrison, left, and Adam Pranica, co-hosts of The Greatest Generation podcast. Photo by Dennys Ilic.
The Star Trek universe may be science fiction, but that didn’t stop the creators of the popular Star Trek podcast The Greatest Generation from launching a campaign to support NCSE and “reality-based education” — a fundraiser that netted nearly $20,000.
Benjamin Ahr Harrison and his podcast partner, Adam Pranica, have been hosting fundraisers for NCSE for several years. But this year, Harrison and his team decided to enlist the help of six other Star Trek-focused podcasts for a “podcrawl” that featured special episodes from each: The Greatest Generation, The 7th Rule, Open Pike Night, SyFy Sistas, Mission Log, Women at Warp, and Star Trek: the Next Conversation. They all encouraged listeners to donate to NCSE and more than 350 people took up the call.
“The mission of NCSE is really aligned with what Adam and I believe in,” Harrison said when asked what motivates him to fundraise for NCSE. “We’re big admirers of the kind of optimistic vision of the future that is portrayed in Star Trek. And we think that can’t happen without excellent science education. So it seems like a great match.”
Harrison added that his mom was an elementary school teacher for 30 years “so education in general is a big, important thing for us.”
NCSE Executive Director Amanda L. Townley was overwhelmed by the ingenuity, effort, and generosity of this year’s podcrawl effort. “We are so fortunate to be supported by such a thoughtful, science-loving community that recognizes the importance of an education free from ideological interference,” Townley said. “I proudly admit that I am a big fan of Star Trek as well, so that makes this fundraiser that much more special for me.”
The Greatest Generation podcast has been holding fundraisers for NCSE since 2016, but the $20,000 donated this year far eclipses what has been raised in the past.
“There’s a lot of work to be done out there,” Harrison said of his podcast’s altruism over the years. “I think things like this fundraiser help strike a balance between a show’s need for escapism and not ignoring the problems in the world that we face today.”
