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Happy First Contact Day Star Trek Fans!

Live long and prosper.

james cromwell

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Happy First Contact day, fellow nerds! The future Star Trek holiday, which takes place on April 5, 2063, is the day that human inventor Zephram Cochrane made his first warp speed flight on his ship, the Phoenix. During flight he drew the attention of the Vulcans, which led to humanity’s first contact with an alien race. This led to Earth joining the greater galactic community and the creation of the United Federation of Planets.

The date was chosen by writer Ronald D. Moore, who picked his son Jonathan’s birthday as the special day. First Contact Day is all the more poignant at this very moment in human history, as we battle a global pandemic. Cochrane’s contact with the Vulcans eventually pushed humanity to greatness, leading to the end of poverty, war, and injustice on Earth. By joining the greater universe and building community, humanity became better.

And while we should eschew actual human contact (6 feet away, masks up) we can still enjoy and celebrate our humanity and the enduring spirit of our species. And it’s another reminder to rise to our best selves on this particular occasion. Be kind, be thoughtful, and be compassionate.

We can all perform simple acts of everyday heroism by not hoarding resources, by checking in on our friends and family, by reaching out to those we love. It’s a scary time, but we’re all in this together. Many took to social media to celebrate First Contact Day:

Star Trek: First Contact is available on Amazon Prime, and the good folks at StarTrek.com are holding a virtual tweet-a-long with the film at 12pm PST.

Live long and prosper, friends.

(image: Paramount Pictures)

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Chelsea Steiner
Chelsea was born and raised in New Orleans, which explains her affinity for cheesy grits and Britney Spears. An pop culture journalist since 2012, her work has appeared on Autostraddle, AfterEllen, and more. Her beats include queer popular culture, film, television, republican clownery, and the unwavering belief that 'The Long Kiss Goodnight' is the greatest movie ever made. She currently resides in sunny Los Angeles, with her husband, 2 sons, and one poorly behaved rescue dog. She is a former roller derby girl and a black belt in Judo, so she is not to be trifled with. She loves the word “Jewess” and wishes more people used it to describe her.

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