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New York Activist Raises $40,000 to Ensure Young African-Americans Get to See ‘Black Panther’
Frederick Joseph is a man on a mission.
The New Yorker wants to ensure that young African-Americans don’t miss out on an opportunity to see Black Panther, an upcoming film about an African superhero, so he’s taken matters into his own hands. The self-proclaimed activist and Black Lives Matter supporter has started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money so black kids in Harlem can see the film.
So many people see how important representation for children of color is, and we are now at 25% of our total goal of $10k to send 300 underprivileged children to see #BlackPanther!
Please show your support by donating, retweeting, or sharing on Facebook. https://t.co/KQ6vXdY95O
— Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) January 7, 2018
Joseph’s initial goal was to raise $10,000 dollars, which would pay for 300 kids to see the film. In 10 days he tripled that amount, and as of press time 1,171 people had contributed a total of $39,945. The money will go towards tickets, refreshments, and chaperones, and what isn’t used for the endeavor will be donated to the Boys & Girls Club of America.
“I knew I wanted to do something for the children, especially of Harlem, because it was a community primarily of color,” the 29-year-old Joseph told CNN. “I said to myself, how can I get as many children as possible to see this film and see themselves as a superhero or a king or queen? … Representation and inclusion are legitimately essential pillars to creating dreams for yourself.”
The campaign received a boost from several celebrity contributors, including Chelsea Clinton, ESPN anchor Jemele Hill, and director J.J. Abrams.
Just contributed to support @FredTJoseph’s effort to bring Harlem kids to see #BlackPanther. If you also believe representation matters & you’re able, I hope you’ll consider supporting, thank you: https://t.co/vaLO7JmEwl
— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) January 8, 2018
When it comes community involvement, some get overwhelmed because the problems seem so massive. But do what you can, where you can. @FredTJoseph’s #BlackPantherChallenge is a great example. Happy to have helped https://t.co/8y7Jola2yy
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) January 11, 2018
Black Panther, which hits theaters on Feb. 16, stars Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa/Black Panther, Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger, Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia, and Danai Gurira as Okoye. The Marvel Studios film was co-written by Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole and directed by Coogler.
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