Nonprofits Assemble. Lessons from the Avengers.

“I still believe in heroes.” –Nick Fury

Last weekend The Avengers grossed $207.4 million – smashing box office records and inspiring  Americans to dress in costume, stay up late, and wait in lines.  Often times when expectations are that high, audiences and critics are left disappointed.  That was not the case last weekend.  By all accounts, The Avengers blew us away.  I was careful to observe the faces of my fellow moviegoers during the film and my heart warmed at what I saw – children with their mouths wide open in disbelief and adults smiling from ear to ear.  We were captivated.  We laughed at every corny joke.  We jumped at every predictable explosion. And when people were walking out of the theater, they seemed genuinely…happy.  Spirits were lifted.  Problems were forgotten.  For a few hours…things were awesome.

As Americans, we have a long-standing love affair with superheroes.  They speak to the very best in us - regular people touched by extreme circumstances who rise above and do good; self-made men who reinvent themselves; deeply flawed, deeply hurt individuals who face adversity head on and win the day.  Whether they build a metal suit, get exposed to gamma radiation or have an experimental serum injected by the military…they react in the way we hope we would.  They save the world, and they do it over and over again.  We all want to be something more than we are.  We all want to be superheroes.  That’s why the kids leaving the theater were pretending they could fly, and why the adults were engaged in conversations about what power they would most like to have. 

Times are tough and I think we have all gotten a little bit more cynical than we used to be, but the success of The Avengers and similar superhero movies reveals something about who we are and what we are craving. The good guys can still win.  Teamwork still matters. The world is still worth saving.  These notions may seem old fashion, but as human beings and as leaders in the nonprofit community…we need to still believe in them.  They inspired millions to view this film, and they can inspire even more to get excited, get involved, and make a difference.  Nick Fury is able to convince the Avengers to work together and fight for good by appealing to their sense of heroism.  It worked, and against all odds they saved the day.  While most people don’t have suits of armor or mythical lightening hammers, they still have a desire to contribute to a cause bigger than themselves.  Perhaps your nonprofit can offer them the opportunity they need to get involved.  Perhaps we could all benefit from this type of appeal.

-Nicole P