'Black Panther' Screenings Aim To Empower Black Youth

SEATTLE, WA — Donte Parks isn't shy about saying it: He was a nerd growing up. He liked science fiction, Dungeons and Dragons, and comic books, Spiderman in particular.

As a young black nerd, Parks didn't get to see himself represented in comics. All the big superheroes — Batman, Superman, Wolverine, and of course Spiderman — are white guys. But with the release of Marvel's "Black Panther" this week, young black people, nerds or not, will for the first time get their own hero.

When Parks saw a trailer for "Black Panther" several months ago, he had an idea: How could bring the movie to young black people?

"I really wished this movie was out when I was a kid," he said. "And I had this idea, but I didn't know how to execute it."

Parks, 39, vice president of culture at the Seattle tech company Substantial, turned to his tech-industry network to help him figure it out. Help came indirectly, however, when Parks attended a Washington Technology Industry Association event. He saw a speech by Deena Pierott, founder of the nonprofit iUrban Teen. He knew as soon as he saw her she could help him make his idea happen. Pierott has even helped stage movie screenings before, including for the 2016 Oscar-nominated "Hidden Figures."

The idea changed into more than just a screening of a superhero movie. Parks and Pierott decided to bring in real-life STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) professionals to speak about career paths in technology.

"We could show the film and then couple it with a panel discussion and get kids excited about science and technology," Parks said.

Parks contacted local movie theaters, eventually finding out he could rent a 100-seat theater at Ark Lodge Cinema in Columbia City. He started a GoFundMe campaign to raise the thousands of dollars needed to pull off a screening (even though he was ready to pay the costs out of pocket). He raised $2,000 in just one day. So Parks upped the fundraising goal to have a second screening for another 100 kids.

The screenings will be held Feb. 18 and Feb. 24. The audience will be young people who participate in iUrban Teen, which serves the entire Puget Sound region (plus in Portland, Tacoma, Houston, and Los Angeles).

Parks is not alone in bringing "Black Panther" to young people. From Minneapolis to Mississippi, there are dozens of fundraisers for screenings. There's also a "Black Panther Challenge," which aims to get as many young black people to see the movie as possible. And similar to Parks' idea, the screenings are about providing opportunities to see a black superhero front-and-center.

"The release of Marvel's film 'Black Panther' is a rare opportunity for young students (primarily of color) to see a black major cinematic and comic book character come to life. This representation is truly fundamental for young people, especially those who are often under-served, unprivileged, and marginalized both nationally and globally," reads a fundraiser for screenings in Jackson, Mississippi.

Black Panther was born in the 1960s, created by comic book legends Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Black Panther - real name: T'Challa - is the king of an African nation in addition to being a superhero. He made his first appearance in an issue of Fantastic Four in 1966, but later joined the superhero team, The Avengers. Black Panther was the first representation of a black superhero in mainstream comic books, and the first one with actual super powers.

Parks knows not every kid who sees "Black Panther" will be inspired or run out to buy a comic book or strive for a STEM job. But the point for him: See yourself represented.

"That's my biggest reason for this: to let them know this is for them, too," Parks said.

Caption: Chadwick Boseman, the Black Panther in the new "Black Panther" movie, poses at the premiere of the film at The Dolby Theatre on Monday, Jan. 29, 2018, in Los Angeles.

Photo by Chris Pizzello/Associated Press