Captain Marvel, slated for release on March 8, International Women’s Day, is stirring up as much excitement as Black Panther did. The #BlackPantherChallenge, started by Frederick Joseph, generated $950,000 and enabled more than 75,000 children to see the film.
Black Panther presented a new side of Hollywood, one with an extensive, stealthy Black cast and Black leads. Hollywood was never an accurate representation of all Americans, excluding minority groups and people of color. Black Panther opened with seemingly down-to-Earth Oaklanders who doubled as authority figures in Wakanda, an advanced world unlike any other concealed to the rest of mankind.
In Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers is a fighter pilot. As Marvel’s most powerful superhero, she is extraordinarily strong and flies at high speeds. Her story is that of a strong, independent woman. The film consists of other women characters who embody diversity through varied talents, careers, and races. The movie is co-directed by women to boot. Captain Marvel is Marvel’s first movie with a female lead.
Within 24 hours, Girls Inc. of Greater Los Angeles, servicing schoolgirls in Title I schools throughout Watts, South Los Angeles, and Compton, raised $5000+ on GoFundMe for its #CaptainMarvelChallenge fundraiser. Among other positive developments, young girls are motivated to pursue their dreams and better themselves partly by being exposed to movies in which the heroine does just that and overcomes evil. Girls Inc., partnered with non-profit leader, Frederick Joseph, and nonprofit grant and marketing agency, We Have Stories, is striving to raise $10,000 to fund viewings for girls who benefit from extra encouragement and role models.