'Black Panther Challenge' reaches Ottawa children's groups

A viral fundraising campaign that started in New York's Harlem neighbourhood has spread to Ottawa,raising enough money for more than 200 children to attend a free, private screening of Marvel Comic's latest superhero movie, Black Panther.

Marvel casts first black lead superhero

It's the first time Marvel has featured a black lead superhero, and the film's cast, writers and director are also mostly black. As well, the movie'splot iswidely seen as an empowering social statement. It's set in a hidden African nation that has never been colonized or enslaved, and it questions what would happen if such a nation were left to fulfil its own potential.

A New York resident was so taken by the film's messagehe created an online funding drive to provide a free-screening for the Boys and Girls Club in Harlem. Within days, he had created the "Black Panther Challenge" a call for others to help low-income or racializedchildren see the film incommunities around the world.

The initiative caught on among Hollywood stars and has now raised hundreds of thousands of dollars worldwide, including in cities across Canada.

The Rise Initiative, a local non-profit in Ottawa, has now raised enough moneyto offer its own free screening in Ottawa on Saturday. They are expecting more than 250 children, including some from the Children's Aid Society and the Boys and Girls Club.

"There's so many great messages in terms of representation, inclusion, having powerful women as well, particularly in today's political climate," said Rise Initiative co-founder Tasia Brown. "We've kept it open to all youth but of course we'd love to see as many racialized youth, because it's super important for racialized youth to be able to see superheros that look just like them on the screen."

At the premiere Friday night, young children and their parents could be seen leaving the theatrevisibly excited.

"It really meant a lot because I've never seen a black Marvel hero and then I see all these Marvel commercials and I see Black Panther and I'm surprised. I'm like 'What?Ablack Marvel person?'I feel really inspired by that movie," said 10-year-old Brycen Simms.

Film viewed as conversation starter

Parents at the premiere said the movie was also a conversation starter.

"As a mom we were going to have this conversation on the way home about how she could take charge of her life and overcome obstacles and it's a movie where you can actually think about it and take some things home and have some good conversations," said Rose Osman, who took her nine-year-old daughter Melissa to see the film.

Organizers with the Rise Initiative say they will be setting aside some time ahead of Saturday's screening toopen up those conversations about diversity, representation, empowerment and following your dreams.

The fundraising has been so successful, they said, they are now considering holding a second screening for at-risk youth in the weeks to come.