The city of Oakland appears at the beginning and the end of the recently released Black Panther as events take T’Challa and his sister Shuri full circle. Now, life is imitating art thanks to the film’s phenomenal box office take. Disney has pledged to help open a new STEM center in Oakland by using Black Panther‘s success for a good cause.
Via ComingSoon, Disney is making a one-time donation of $1 million to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Science (BGCA), Technology, Engineering and Math programs to establish a STEM Center of Innovation in Oakland, California. From there, the BGCA plans to expand its STEM Centers in other cities, including Baltimore, Chicago, Harlem, Hartford, Memphis, New Orleans, Orlando, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, and Watts.
While the STEM Centers won’t have the wonderfully impossible gadgets Shuri created for her brother, they will give children a rare chance for hands-on experience using 3D printers, robotics, high-definition video equipment, and other advanced technology. The goal is to help these kids develop their own STEM skills and hopefully lead them to create their own innovations in the future.
Although the completion of these STEM Centers may be years away, this could help shape the lives of children who would otherwise go without the opportunities to explore their full potential. If the Black Panther movie can help make that a reality then its legacy will go far beyond box office numbers.
Are you excited about the potential of the STEM Centers to help children create their own bright futures? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!
Images: Marvel Studios
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