Black Panther is one of the most culturally significant, and highest grossing, movies of all time: #9 with $1.4B in worldwide sales! It is one of the first mega-budget films to have an African-American director and a predominantly black cast. Behind the mask of a superhero blockbuster, Black Panther tells the story of what it is to be black and empowered by a gifted, innovative community. Its themes of courage and identity make Black Panther so much more than a superhero movie. It offers inspiration for children and adults alike to harness and share our collective strength. This screening at Tom Tom is presented free of charge, but a donation portal will be open to raise funds for three essential organizations who are doing incredible work around education and opportunity in Charlottesville: Abundant Life Ministries, the African American Teaching Fellows, and City of Promise. Prior to the screening, these organizations will offer welcoming remarks to introduce their missions to the Charlottesville community. This year’s Tom Tom theme is “building better hometowns,” and one of the principal themes is the idea of equity and inclusion in our cities. Black Panther speaks to a hopeful narrative that has been inspirational to so many communities and invites the community to participate in a conversation surrounding some of the core values of Tom Tom’s conferences. Tamara Dias (CEO, African American Teaching Fellows) will be speaking the next day at the Civic Innovation Conference.
