Donors send dozens of local kids to showing of 'Black Panther'

LANSING — "This movie is so cool," a little girl shouted while watching the "Black Panther" movie at Celebration! Cinema on Saturday morning.

A few minutes later, that same girl yelled, "I'm so lucky to be in this movie."

Nearly 100 boys, girls and their parents laughed, cried, cheered and clapped in between scenes in a joyful two hours that was anything but a quiet crowd.

Marvel's "Black Panther" made its debut on Friday, and the movie is already on track to smash records with an estimated $200 million in sales this weekend.

And dozens of local children and teens were able to see the movie Saturday courtesy of the efforts of two Lansing area men and donors who were part of the #BlackPantherChallenge, a campaign that spans 16 countries including the U.S.

"Black Panther" tells the story of T'Challa, a superhero from the fictional African nation Wakanda. After the death of his father (King of Wakanda), Black Panther returns home to assume the throne and lead his nation.

The character Black Panther is the first black superhero to be featured in a mainstream American comic, so it's groundbreaking and a symbol of change for many people.

"It's a new day," said Deon Holliman, who was gearing up to see the film with his grandson at Celebration! Cinema. "I didn't know much about the movie at first, but my grandson (Justin) filled me in. Seeing an all-black cast is a breath of fresh air."

On Feb. 2, Jim Phan and his friend Howard Johnson created a GoFundMe page in an effort to raise enough money to purchase tickets for as many as 100 children from local schools and organizations, including the Boys & Girls Club of Lansing.

Philanthropist Frederick Joseph first launched the #BlackPantherChallenge in New York City. His GoFundMe campaign received $40,000 in donations. His efforts inspired other communities to do the same, with more than 200 campaigns in 50 states and 15 countries, according to Nerdist.

Phan and Johnson's fundraising goal was a modest $600, but they ended up raising $1,344.

"Kids are very impressionable at this age," Phan said. "When they're able to see themselves portrayed as superheroes and powerful kings and queens, they start to think, 'Maybe I can do that.' The possibilities are endless."

Minutes before the movie started, Phan quickly addressed the audience: "The movie is incredible. Representation matters. That's why we did it. Enjoy the movie everybody."

But little kids weren't the only ones who left feeling inspired.

"It's about damn time," said 26-year-old Lansing resident Brittany Holmes. She was referring to the movie's mostly black cast. "So many people, black and white, are coming together to see this film."

"I was a big fan of the comics, and I feel that the movie did justice to the original story," added Ian Mahone, 26, from Kalamazoo. "For me, the story's narrative is everything because it sets the tone for the rest of the movie. It was even better than I thought it would be."

(Watch the video below to hear kids react to seeing the "Black Panther" movie for the first time.)

And because "Black Panther" is set in the technologically advanced nation of Wakanda, the movie is inspiring little girls to take interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.

Ten-year-old Aliyah Brown's favorite character was Princess Shuri, who happens to be T'Challa's sister and a tech genius. She also said she wanted to be Black Panther for Halloween.

"I like science a lot," Brown said, adding that a black superhero movie is cool because "you don't see it every day."

"This is amazing for my kids to see," said Candace Williams, Aliyah's mother. "It lets them know that anything is possible. They really wanted to see the movie, so I was shocked when the organizers reached out to (the Boys & Girls Club) and wanted to rent out an entire theater just for us. It made them feel special."

Related:

-Lansing men raised over $1,000 to send kids to 'Black Panther'

-Box office expectations very high for 'Black Panther'

Contact Reporter Princess Gabbara at pgabbara@lsj.com or (517) 377-1006. Follow her on Twitter: @PrincessGabbara.