Wow! We’re going to the White House!
On Wednesday, February 13th, Michelle Obama hosts Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry, Director Benh Zeitlin, Co-writer Lucy Alibar, Producers Michael Gottwald, Dan Janvey, Josh Penn and 80 middle and high school students from Washington DC and New Orleans to participate in an interactive student workshop to mark Black History Month.
According to USA Today, the group will “explore the inspirational themes of the film that students can apply to their own lives” as well as discuss the experience shooting in South Louisiana.
Watch the event live at 11:00am EST:
What an incredible honor!
4 Comments
Wonderful recognition for Black History Month. So excited up see and hear that youth from New Orleans will be involved as Black History is NOT a priority in many schools even though research CLEARLY indicates that youth with positive racial identity do better academically!!! So glad our FLOTUS gets it!! Might be the south side Chicago thing we share!! Mr Duncan!! Send a word out to educators across America the cultural infusion is a necessity!!!
This movie was not about color, but more about the love and steadfast ability to not give up in the hardest of times. The message I received was more of a spiritual ability to hold on to what you know in your heart is the soul of life!
The movie can mean MANY things to many people!! So race CAN be the lens from which some of us view it – the beauty of community, the “threat” of folks trying to get you to assimiliate when you KNOW you culture has MUCH to offer in spite of what “others” think you should become. So yes for African Americans, the movie, CAN be about race, as well as gender as well as social econimic class etc.. The threat of the loss of cultural identity and racial pride is what we want our children to hold on to – but first they have to be taught about is truth just in case “they are the LAST PERSON IN THE BATHTUB”… THEY MUST TELL THE STORY OF THEIR HISTORY with truth and power – thus the viewing in Black History month.
the beauty of the movie is that EACH PERSON gets to define its message… NOT a monolithic message and yes MY NOLA youth connect with it vis their Katrina experiences. Off to Buttermilk Drops – Winks Place, get get his famous donuts which are a CULTURAL delicacy in the heart of the 7th Ward in New Orleans!!!
vernessa gipson is right.the greatness of this film is that you can read it 50 different ways . I didn t ” see” the color of the characters . hushpuppy is not black white or yellow she is humankind ,