Teaching Our Children to Feel Blessed, Powerful, and Beautiful: Black Panther Press Conference
I was invited to an all-expense paid trip by Disney in exchange for my coverage. No other compensation was provided. All views shared are completely my own.
I was so glad that we were able to register for the BLACK PANTHER Press Conference early. Why you ask? Well that meant that we were among the first group of press to go in the room. I sat myself down on the second row, end seat, center aisle. The room was full of media and the stage was amazing.
Nischelle Turner from Entertainment Tonight served as moderator and introduced the cast one by one. Kevin Feige (Marvel Studios President), Ryan Coogler (Writer/Director), Forest Whitaker (Zuri), Angela Bassett (Ramonda), Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther), Michael B. Jordan (Killmonger), Lupita Nyong’o (Nakia), Danai Gurira (Okoye), Daniel Kaluuya (W’Kabi), Andy Serkis (Klaw), Martin Freeman (Everett K. Ross), and Winston Duke (M’Baku).
RYAN COOGLER FELT BLESSED
I was so impressed with Ryan Coogler. When told that he created something special and asked, what he thought about the audience response at the premiere. Ryan said, “Oh, man, I felt – I just felt incredibly blessed to have had the opportunity to make the film this way, to make the film with this studio. Working with Kevin and his team – Victoria Alonso, Louis D’Esposito, and Nate Moore, is an incredible opportunity.”
The beauty of the answer was the word “blessed.” Ryan felt “blessed” to do what he loved with like-minded people. As moms we are challenged with teaching our children to appreciate their gifts, talents, and opportunities with gratitude. Ryan enjoyed working with the Marvel team, saying it was “an incredible opportunity.” I imagine because he felt blessed, he was able to recognize incredible opportunities. Helping my son feel loved, supported, and blessed is important to me. To be blessed is to be held in reverence, enjoying happiness, or to bring pleasure and good fortune – according to Webster. Yes Ryan, I would say that you are blessed sir!!!
THE WOMEN OF WAKANDA ARE BEAUTIFUL AND POWERFUL
I was completely having a girl crush moment during the movie and the press conference. I was so happy when Nischelle gave props to women of Wakanda asking “how proud you were to see yourselves being so powerful, beautiful and regal on screen?” Angela Bassett jumped right in, “Extraordinarily so. And so pleased that this story, written by Ryan, Joe Robert Cole, and Marvel supported that. In this story, it highlights the queen, the warrior, the general – the young sister. So, I was so proud to have my daughter, and my son there last night (at the Premiere), because in their faces, and in their spirit – and they were feeling themselves.”
There were so many amazing comments from the women of Wakanda. Danai spoke about cutting her hair bold and how that become her symbol of power and beauty. Letitia shared her thoughts about being the smartest person in the world. Wow! But for me, I thoroughly enjoyed the beauty, power, strength, and wisdom of Ramonda. As a boy mom, I get it. The mother-son relationship is good for a boy’s mental health. Moms are their sons first love, the most beautiful person in the world. I think it is important for our sons to see roles where moms are still serving as mothers and guides. Teaching our children, especially sons to respect and appreciate women is crucial.
THE BLACK PANTHER CREATION TOOK GUTS
The critics are celebrating the diversity that BLACK PANTHER brings to the comics. When asked, “how far did you want it to go without it being too radical but still relevant,” Kevin Feige said, “Well I think it’s happened for the comics, it’s happened with the movie. Ryan wrote this for the most part, a year and a half ago, two years ago so things have happened in the world which makes the film seem more relevant. There are other things in the film that have been relevant for centuries, but the truth of the matter is Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and the whole Marvel bullpen created Wakanda, T’Challa and Black Panther and made him a smarter, more accomplished character than any of the other white characters in the mid 1960s. So, they had the guts to do that in the mid 1960s. The least we can do is live up to that and allow this story to be told the way it needed to be told and not shy away from things that the Marvel founders didn’t shy away from in the height of the civil rights era.”
I remember thinking “wow” and applauding so loud in response to Kevin’s answer. I was so impressed not just by the creative boldness of Stan Lee and Jack Kirby but also with Kevin for giving Ryan the permission to make Wakanda what it was intended to be. The idea of BLACK PANTHER being smarter and more accomplished than every other superhero was not only gutsy, but heroic. What a “teachable moment” for us moms, especially moms of black boys and girls. We have an opportunity to help them see themselves as smart, accomplished, powerful, and loving…all at the same time – just as T’Challa.
I say this all the time but as moms, we are our children first teacher. I don’t know about you but we’ve encountered bullying, racism, and just down right mean behavior from other children against our son. As a parent that is one of the hardest things to deal with – someone intentionally trying to hurt your child. Saying and doing things that could potentially hurt him physically and mentally. That’s why this movie and the lessons attached to it are so important.
I enjoy telling Chance how blessed he is – and how he should be a blessing to others. I want him to know that he is beautiful both inside and out and he should never think otherwise. We teach him that being black does not make him any less than anyone else. It’s nice to have movies that reinforce those beliefs.
Are you teaching your children that they are blessed, beautiful, and powerful? On February 16th BLACK PANTHER will be in U.S. theatres everywhere. I hope you and your family decides to go see it – and share your thoughts with me. In the meantime, follow Marvel on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates.
[latoyia]
