Black Panther Returns to The Theater for One Week in Celebration of Black History with Free Screenings

After a year of breaking records, Marvel Studios’ Black Panther is returning to theaters in a one week engagement. In celebration of Black History, free screenings of Black Panther will be shown at select AMC Theaters for one week running from February 1-7. AMC will show the movie at 250 locations in the U.S. Participating theaters will offer two free showings each day during that week.

Since opening in February 2018, Black Panther has amassed over a billion dollars in sales making it the highest grossing superhero film of all time in North America. Following this success Panther has scored seven Academy Award nominations, including an historic Best Picture nod, and has won for Best Ensemble at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.  Starring Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa, Michael B. Jordan as Killmonger, and Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia, Black Panther changed the dialogue on the  marketability of Black films. For many African Americans the film represented a new narrative on Black culture.

Disney is also giving a $1.5 million grant to support UNCF (United Negro College Fund), an organization dedicated to helping minority students gain access to college education and fund their higher education.

To find participating theaters near you and obtain a free ticket, visit the advanced ticketing site for Black Panther.

Visit: https /https://www.weticketit.com/blackpanther/

Are you a high school junior interested in journalism?

Apply to the free summer journalism program at Princeton University.

The Princeton University Summer Journalism Program is a free 10-day journalism program hosted at Princeton University for high-achieving, low income high school juniors.

Students learn reporting from celebrated journalists and are paired with a college counselor during their senior year.

All expenses, including students’ travel costs to and from Princeton, are paid for by the program.

Application deadline is February 15.

Visit psjp.princeton.edu for more info.

Misty Copeland Shares Her Success

Photo: Rebecca Miller/Disney Enterprises  

Misty Copeland continues to electrify the world of classical ballet and provide inspiration to young people of color.  In 2015, she made history when she became the first African American woman to be promoted to principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre (ABT).  Later she along with Brooklyn Mack became the first Black couple to play the lead roles in a full-length production of "Swan Lake" at the Washington Ballet.

"Beyond my personal goals as a ballerina, I want to celebrate, elevate and give opportunities to talented Black and brown dancers to share the stage with me while I have the power and presence that I do," Copeland told the Los Angeles Times in an email. "And to build a structure which can continue to exist beyond me."

With that goal in mind, Copeland broke another barrier at the American Ballet Theatre when she and Calvin Royal III made their debuts as Pierrette and Pierrot in "Harlequinade" at Segerstrom Hall in California early this month. Taking on the ballet's secondary leads to the main character, this marks the first time in ABT's history that an African American man and woman will dance a lead couple's roles.

Royal, who joined ABT in 2010 and was later promoted to soloist in 2017, said of the feat: "To finally be able to take the stage, two leading dancers in a production with ABT, I see it as such a huge step forward in terms of visibility."  As for Copeland, she plans to continue to spread her good fortune and inspire budding artists through the country.

American Ballet Theatre will present "Harlequinade" at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts -  2700 F St NW, Washington, DC 20566, Washington, D.C., starting Jan. 29- 31 and at Lincoln Center For the Performing Arts - 30 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023  starting May 13 - 18.

BAM Black Comix Expo

In conjunction with Fight The Power: Black Superheroes on Film,  the Brooklyn Academy of Music and the Black Comics Collective present a free day-long expo celebrating comics of color. The showcase features comic exhibitors, a panel discussion, a children's art workshop, and a superhero cosplay showcase for fans of all ages.  The BAM Black Comix Expo examines the demand for diversity and representation across sci-fi and fantasy genres by presenting a range of acclaimed independent comic writers and illustrators, as well as the freshest emerging talent.  

All activities will be held at BAM Rose Cinemas and BAMcafé located at the Peter Jay Sharp Building, 30 Lafayette Ave, Brooklyn, NY, 11217 on February 11, 2019 from 11am- 5pm.  Admittance to the BAM Black Comix Expo is on a first-come, first-served basis until capacity is reached.  

Visit their website: https://www.bam.org/community/2018/black-comix-expo

Wellesley Summer Program

Discover what's possible in One Wellesley Summer!

If you are a motivated young woman and a rising sophomore, junior, or senior in high school, you are invited to find out what it is like to experience college life.  Enjoy a balance of scholastic and social experiences in a safe, academically challenging, and culturally inclusive environment.  Take thought-provoking undergraduate-level courses from data and mathematics to college writing.  Connect with college staff, explore the Boston area, and form friendships with women from around the world.  

Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day

The African American Children's Book Fair

Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Celebrating a Day of Service

Marin Luther King, Jr. who was born on January 15, 1929 would have celebrated his 90th birthday this year.  As a civil rights leader he extolled the importance of service. "Everybody can be great ... because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love."

His birthday is now a national holiday celebrated on the third Monday of January. To honor King’s memory, since 1994 this federal holiday has also been celebrated as a day of service. The website for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service encourages people to think of the holiday as “a day on, not a day off” by volunteering for local causes. Join with people around the country to make a difference especially this year with so many of our public servants working without pay.  Visit the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service for ideas and opportunities to volunteer.

Activism and community building are buzzwords not just for this day but as a way of life. As the website A Mighty Girl explains,  "In addition to contributing time to good causes, this day also provides an excellent opportunity to talk about service, charity, and generosity with children. By providing concrete examples of ways to help and showing them that their efforts do make a difference, parents and educators can encourage children and youth to be socially minded. Then they can turn their creative minds toward finding solutions to the problems they see around them!" Check out their list of books and resources for parents at A Might Girl. Kids who are used to having what they need may find it hard to believe that anyone lacks for the basics. These books will help parents and educators show kids that there are many people out there who need our help — and that small contributions can make a big difference, both locally and globally.

Counting The Days of Kwanzaa: A Day of Meditation

The seventh principle of Kwanzaa: Imani

The last day of Kwanzaa is considered a day of meditation and reflection. Kwanzaa is the only holiday where we are asked to examine our moral conscious as a people, evaluate our lifestyle and principles, and embrace each other. For families this is an opportunity to create a family mission statement, hear the stories of the elders and allow children to learn and express themselves. This is the time to renew ourselves as we start a new year.

How are we doing? How are we dealing with daily stress?  Where are we going?

Reflection: From Langston Hughes

                    Harlem

What happens to a dream deferred?

      Does it dry up
      like a raisin in the sun?
      Or fester like a sore—
      And then run?
      Does it stink like rotten meat?
      Or crust and sugar over—
      like a syrupy sweet?

      Maybe it just sags
      like a heavy load.

      Or does it explode?

Counting The Days of Kwanzaa: Karamu The First Fruits Celebration

The sixth  principle of Kwanzaa: Kuumba: Creativity. 

Karamu "The First Fruits Celebration" is the celebration of the seven days of kwanzaa. This is when family, friends and neighbors sit down to the welcome table and share traditional dishes. The Kwanzaa holiday is rooted in the harvest celebrations of ancient African civilizations. African Americans are part of a global nation sharing many different traditions representing African, American, Caribbean and South American cultures giving us a unique perspective. The dishes prepared show the creativity and ingenuity of the people from the diaspora. This is a reminder that no matter where we go or how diverse we are our cultural heritage unites us. Sharing food, stories and history in our home and community is an important part of Kwanzaa. 

This is also the time to express gratitude for those who prepare and organize the welcome table and activities for Kwanzaa. There is always that one person whose home is always opened to everyone for holiday gatherings or that person who organizes community events every year. They are unsung heroes. Today we thank them and honor them for their service. They have kept alive our history and traditions.

For inspiration visit Kwanzaa Culinarians for stories and recipes that make Kwanzaa special. Sanura Weathers, the founder of the website has curated stories and recipes according to the The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa that are both creative and informative.