Charity Campaign Raises Money to Book Black Panther Screening For Low-Income Youth

When Black Panther opens in theaters next month, it will mark the first time a Marvel Cinematic Universe film will feature a predominantly black cast and crew. It’s a first that is significant for many people and now, thanks to the internet, over 100 low-income youth in Michigan will have the opportunity to enjoy it.

On Friday, Jermaine Dickerson, founder of Hero Nation, a free comic convention in Ypsilanti, Michigan that “celebrates superheroes and diversity, with the mission that everyone has a hero inside of themselves that deserves to be celebrated,” posted on Twitter that he and his organization wanted to book a theater for a screening of the upcoming Black Panther movie so that low-income black youth in his community would have the opportunity to see the highly-anticipated film. However, funding the event would cost $3000 so Dickerson asked users of the social media platform to help out.

“We feel moved to eliminate any financial barriers for youth that hinder them from experiencing this highly-anticipated and important film,” Dickerson wrote. “This includes providing concessions and special gifts. Any support you offer would be greatly appreciated.”

The significance of Black Panther is something that even the film’s stars have spoken about previously. Last month, Lupita Nyong’o and Letitia Write, who play Nakia and Shuri in the film respectively, told Teen Vogue that Black Panther — which centers around T’Challa/Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) as the new king of the advanced fictional African nation of Wakanda that has never seen influence from the outside world — would open doors not just for the black community, but for other minorities as well.

“I’m excited for what Black Panther is about to do, not just for young black boys and girls, but for everyone,” Wright said. “There’s a black superhero, but then we’re going to have more Asian superheroes and more from India. The solution to the problem being: We don’t have enough of this so we’re going to make more. I’m excited!”

The campaign to fund the special screening quickly went viral with Dickerson and Hero Nation surpassing the goal in under two hours. With the special screening secured, Dickerson explained that the money in excess of the screening goal would go toward funding other free Hero Nation events for youth in the community as well as other charitable initiatives.

Black Panther opens in theaters February 16, 2018.