RICHMOND, Va. -- Ahead of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever's release on Friday, several Richmond groups and organizations are working to repeat the phenomenon of the first Black Panther and to raise awareness about the disease that took the life of its star.
"We actually rented a theater the day before the premiere, which is kind of cool," Mike Jones, a Richmond City Councilmember and a pastor at Village of Faith Ministries, said.
When the original Black Panther was released in 2018, many people took part in what became known as the "Black Panther" Challenge as musicians, police, and activists in Richmond (and across the country) worked to get kids in to see the movie for free and see a positive representation of African-American culture on screen.
"To see it brought to life and have young people see someone that looked like them playing the lead character, not the villain, but the actual hero, that was positive to see," Jones said.
To get tickets, people had to share their good deeds, like paying for groceries or giving out gift cards.
"We wanted to challenge individuals to do acts of kindness or heroic acts that we can do every single day," Jones said.
Jones is also raising awareness for colon cancer testing, as the disease is what killed Black Panther's original star, Chadwick Boseman.
"Take care of your body, take care of yourself, don't die too soon," Jones said.
On Friday, a two-day celebration will begin.
"In 2020, we went through a lot. We had COVID, we had Black violence and we just want to come together as a group and show our love for each other," Connie McGowan, the owner and organizer of House of Photography, said.
"You'll come in, you'll get your Wakanda passport. You'll be escorted in by a drum and dance troupe," McGowan said.
There will also be events later that night and several on Saturday throughout the city, including a lecture at the Black History Museum.
"I want every kid to come in here and feel like they're at Wakanda," Frank Lester, the founder of RVA Avengers, said.
While the screenings are separate, both will feature the RVA Avengers, a group of local cosplayers who do charitable work. Lester said the original Black Panther is what inspired him and he hopes others will get a similar experience.
"Find your passion and push and don't stop. Don't stop. Keep going and if it's something you've made and it's become yours, it's your craft," Lester said.
McGowan said she hopes people who come out will leave wanting to showcase Black excellence for more than just a weekend.
For more information about the events, click here.
