A FiveThirtyEight writer argues that Shuri, the charismatic young black woman scientist running Wakanda’s technological wonders, will inspire more black girls and women to pursue careers in science:
This potential is essential to the character and factors into Wright’s performance; the actress told Vogue: “I hope it can spark someone to say, ‘I’m not a superhero, but I can be a scientist or build the next spaceship, like Shuri.’”….
It’s also inspiring voter registration drives by the Electoral Justice Project, an offshoot of the Movement for Black Lives. I’ll bet they are going to register quite a lot of new voters who normally don’t get involved in politics but have strongly Democratic views:
This weekend we wanted to meet our people in Wakanda," Byrd and Reed told Blavity. “We know that for some it's a superhero world, but we know that the world we deserve is still waiting to be built — and we want to build it.”
The project’s website notes that volunteers will be wearing “Wakanda inspired outfits” to help moviegoers register to vote.
Byrd and Reed told Blavity that they plan to further their efforts ahead of the 2018 midterm elections by holding a campaign manager institute called the “Electoral Justice League,” and to have “thousands of conversations” with black voters about upcoming elections.
thehill.com/…
What a fun, hopeful, inspiring film, so sorely needed in this horrible time! And it just broke opening weekend records for films opening in February, and may be the highest-grossing Marvel film of all time. I hope the success of this film inspires a lot more like it.