The Protojournalist
12:01 pm
Mon July 29, 2013

5 Faces Of Nerdfighters

Originally published on Mon July 29, 2013 10:13 am

Springing from affection for the posts of VlogBrothers John and Hank Green — and a love of geekitude in general — the Nerdfighters is an eclectic online community.

Occasionally, local chapters gather in real life to chat about favorite games, movies and TV shows, and superheroes. They give each other the Nerdfighter salute (see above) and say "DFTBA," which stands for Don't forget to be awesome.

Recently we caught up with some Washington, D.C., Nerdfighters, at a premier showing of A Film to Decrease Worldsuck: The Nerdfighters Documentary.

1) Diffy Stabbe, 17, event organizer

"I've been going to the same school my whole life, and I never seemed to quite get along with people there. I don't know what it was that made me unable to thrive in those social circumstances, but it made me rather unhappy. Then, I was introduced to the Nerdfighters by one of my few friends at my school and got heavily involved by constantly weighing into discussions. Everyone in the group is very kind, open minded, intellectual, loving, and the best people I know. I've been actively involved for about a year and a half now, and I can really say that these people's key identifiers for me aren't "Nerdfighters," but rather they're just my friends."

2) Friends Charles Scheider, 17; Rakim Muhammad, 22; and David Martin, 19

"Since joining Nerdfighters, I have gained new friends, a new support system, a more positive outlook on life, and more hope for the future after meeting more awesome people." — Rakim Muhammad

3) Rachel Arbacher, 14, aspiring actress

"I love spending time with a community that is so inclusive and accepting. The great thing about Nerdfighters is that there is an unspoken agreement not to judge or exclude. Everyone is free to be excited without worrying about appearing overenthusiastic, and the feeling of community support and love is constant."

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