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Hundreds of Boston students get to see 'Black Panther' for free

BOSTON – Hundreds of teens from Boston are looking forward to witness history on the big screen as Marvel’s ‘Black Panther’ becomes the first move starring a black superhero and a featuring a predominantly black cast and crew.

To make the experience even better, they will not have to pay for their tickets thanks to thousands of dollars raised by the #BlackPantherChallenge.

“Superhero movies have a way to inspire young people to see themselves as heroes too. 3532 and that was really important to me,” Liza Miranda, the executive director of the Hawthorne Youth and Community Center in Roxbury, said. “I want young people to be inspired by the film and be encouraged to create change.”

The #BlackPantherChallenge is a viral fundraising effort that started in New York, but has expanded nationwide as an effort to help get black youth into theaters to see the movie.

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“It's like really cool to see a black superhero because we've never had one before,” Niyara Kelly, a student who is going to see the movie thanks to the Hawthorne Youth and Community Center, said.

Miranda says she hopes the movie will inspire young people and spark their creativity.

“I work with young people day in, day out. Seems there's a lack of imagination, a lack of adventure,” she said.

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In less than two weeks, more than $12,000 was raised publicly plus another $5,000 in private donations – enough to buy out the tickets for “Black Panther” screenings at five local theaters.

“I am excited to finally see Africa in the light of royalty because it's always shown as a poverty struck place,” Kelly said.

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Hawthorne youth and community center is still raising money. There’s already enough to send 600 students to see the film, but Miranda said she’d like to reach 1,000,  especially since so many will be on their February break starting next week.

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