In a world where women are not always given the same opportunities as men, a film that shows powerful women breaking down gender barriers deserves celebration. Audiences are gearing up to see the highly-anticipated Marvel film Black Panther, and for all the right reasons. In addition to having a predominantly African-American cast, the film features an ensemble of vital female characters. Fierce warriors, a powerful queen, and a young genius don’t just work beside the hero — they are heroes...
The first full-length trailer for Black Panther gave audiences a sneak peek at the fictional nation of Wakanda. There’s a lot to love about the look of this land, but its awe-striking technology stands out. Some backstory: Before protagonist T’Challa inherited the throne, Wakanda was ruled by his father, T’Chaka. After a meteorite containing vibranium (a fictional super-metal) crashed into the nation, T’Chaka feared that the rest of the world would attempt to seize the land for the precious resource. He...
Audiences around the world are getting ready to see Black Panther and dive into the film’s fictional kingdom of Wakanda. Though the film’s setting is a work of fantasy, the cultural influences behind it are entirely real. South-African actor John Kani plays T’Chaka, the old king of Wakanda who is succeeded by the film’s protagonist, T’Challa, played by Chadwick Boseman. Kani brought the language of isiXhosa into Black Panther, and made it the official language of Wakanda in Captain America:...
If anyone understands the power of narrative, it’s Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. The highly-acclaimed Nigerian author has many achievements to her name, including becoming a recipient of the MacArthur Foundation Fellowship and having one of the most viewed TED Talks of all time, “The Danger of A Single Story.” Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'d6_dD-b6RYZzCWOUKJ29lA',sig:'UJ8Kmj48BmSxDc7rHB2O5tsTde3C6xx518UE_wlVlCQ=',w:'594px',h:'409px',items:'909740240',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })}); There’s no doubt that the narratives found in stories shape how we see the world. Adichie knows too well how problems can arise when a...
More than 130 million girls weren’t given the chance to go to school today. That’s why people around the world are adding their voices to the #GirlsCount campaign to tell our elected officials that they need to make girls’ education a priority. Girls’ Voices shares in our passion to educate girls around the world. Their organization believes that “when a girl stays in school, she has the power to transform lives, families, and communities.” Through digital media training, they’re empowering...