FOR IMME
DIATE RELEASE
Contact: iUrban Teen
Phone: (360) 747-7068
Email: Info@iUrbanTeen.org
#RepresentationMatters – iUrban Teen Holds Two Free “Black Panther” Student Screenings in Seattle Area
Not-for-Profit STEM education program joins nationwide movement to empower youth of color.
SEATTLE, WA, February 15, 2018 – Not-for-profit STEM education program, iUrban Teen is holding two special free screenings of Marvel Studio’s “Black Panther,” on Sunday, February 18, and Saturday, February 24. 200 students of color are invited and will also participate in a panel discussion dubbed “Real Life Superheroes” before each screening.
The special screenings and associated discussions are part of a nationwide movement accompanying Marvel Studio’s first big-screen superhero of color, “Black Panther,” starring in his own movie. It is an opportunity for black youth, both girls and boys, to become their own superhero.
Donte Parks, VP of culture at Substantial, a Seattle-based tech company, describes the movie’s importance, saying, “The release of Marvel’s film ‘Black Panther’ is a rare opportunity for young students (primarily of color) to see a black major cinematic and comic book character come to life. This representation is truly fundamental for young people, especially those who are often underrepresented and marginalized both nationally and globally.”
Parks adds, “I really wished this movie was out when I was a kid. And I had this idea, but I didn’t know how to execute it.”
Parks then crossed paths with iUrban Teen founder, Deena Pierott, at a local event where she was keynoting. Together, they changed his idea into something more, bringing real-life “superheroes” for the panel discussion and movie viewing.
“We wanted to get the kids not only excited about the movie but also about science, technology, engineering, and math,” Deena said. “So, we’re bringing in STEM professionals to speak about career paths in technology to further inspire our students.”
iUrban Teen’s free screenings in the Puget Sound area joins a nationwide movement to bring “Black Panther” to youth of color and see themselves represented. This movement will use the hashtag #RepresentationMatters.
The “Black Panther” movie is based on Marvel Comic’s comic book character of the same name, created by industry legends Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. “Black Panther” was the first representation of a black superhero in mainstream comic books, including in “The Avengers” and “Fantastic Four.”
About iUrban Teen – iUrban Teen is a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) nationally recognized program dedicated to bringing career focused education to underrepresented teens ages 13 to 18. Youth receive hands-on exposure to a variety of careers and civic engagement that step them outside of their current boundaries. Our target demographics are African American, Latino and Native American males, however, the program is inclusive of all youth. We have almost equal parity of girls that participate in our programs and also youth with special needs. iUrban Teen programs are now in Washington, Oregon, California, Texas and launching in Connecticut. Founder Deena Pierott has been recognized as a White House Champion of Change for Technology Inclusion. The program launched in 2011 and has served more than 5,500 youth. The program was recently featured in INC Magazine as one of the top five organizations building the diverse talent pipeline in tech outside of Silicon Valley. For more information, visit https://iurbanteen.org/ or contact Deena Pierott at 360.747.7068.
# # #
