The 100 Black Men of Las Vegas, The Urban Chamber of Commerce, and Eclipse Theater partnered together to raise $12,000 through a grass roots fundraising campaign to send 600 students to view the historic and record breaking Black Panther film. This effort was called the Black Panther Challenge. Included with the film, was an opportunity for the students to hear from successful business owners and film actors and producers who live or are from the Las Vegas community. Among those who spoke was international acting star, Antonio Fargas, Nic Steele, owner of the luxury Eclipse Theaters, Cameron Miller, international actor and film producer, and Brandon Spencer, creator of the fundraising app Joyful Giver.
The students attested the experience was inspiring and impactful to them. Data from surveys revealed that:
- 78% of the students became more interested in learning more about STEM to develop new technologies
- 62% of the students left the experience with more belief they can achieve their dreams
- 63% of the students said after their experience they are more likely to give back to others when they are in position to
- 83% of the students attested that it is extremely important to make the many people proud who had given their time, money and effort to send them to the experience
- 40% of the students who participated had never been to a luxury movie theater