Lighting The Road To The Future Look Like A Star! Fashion Page 7 “The People’s Paper” February 24 - March 2, 2018 52nd Year Volume 43 www.ladatanews.com A Data News Weekly Exclusive Page 2 Newsmaker National News Three Black Doctors Remembering Share their Path to Lerone Bennett, Jr. Success Page 4 Page 11 Page 2 February 24 - March 2, 2018 Cover Story www.ladatanews.com The Movie Black Panther Inspires a Community to Greatness “Black Panther” starring Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong’o and Michael B. Jordan, surpassed box office expectations during its opening weekend. Black Panther is a vibrant, empowering allegory hidden beneath the cloak of a comic book movie, where most of the characters are Black, large and in charge. By Edwin Buggage for that matter, there is great hysteria over this film Nyong’o, Michael B . Jordan, Angela Bassett and For- Data News Weekly Editor and its cultural impact . In its first week it’s made over est Whitaker . 200 million dollars at the box-office domestically and Across the country, civic groups, businesspeople, Black Panther Strike Box Office Gold with its international receipts; it jumps to an estimated fraternal organizations and families have come out to Black Panther,” Disney/Marvel’s African-oriented 369 million . see this movie that for many is more than just a film comic book adaptation, has taken the movie industry The film is directed by the young African-American about a superhero, but about promoting positive Black by storm breaking box office records for a film with a Director and Screenwriter Ryan Coogler and it has a images on the big screen and in the everyday exis- primarily Black cast . All over America and the globe stellar cast that includes; Chadwick Boseman, Lupita tence for African-Americans and the African Diaspora . Cover Story, Continued on page 3. DATA NEWS WEEKLY P.O. Box 57347, New Orleans, LA 70157-7347 | Phone: (504) 821-7421 | Fax: (504) 821-7622 INSIDE DATA editorial: [email protected] | advertising: [email protected] Terry B. Jones Contributors Art Direction & Edwin Buggage CEO/Publisher Production Jade Myers MainorMedia.com Edwin Buggage Delaney George Cover Story . 2 Fashion . 7. Editorial Submissions Marc Morial Editor datanewseditor@ Kay Coles James Cheryl Mainor bellsouth.net Newsmaker . 4 Commentary . 8. Flint Mitchell Managing Editor Anthony Bean Advertising Inquiries datanewsad@ Calla Victoria Kimani Hamilton State & Local News . 5 Health . 9 . Stacy M. Brown bellsouth.net Executive Assistant Dr. Kevin Williams Distribution June Hazeur Environmental On The Run Data Zone . 6 National News . 11. Protection Agency/ Accounting Creative Commons Courier Services Please call 504-309-9913 for subscription information or to obtain a back issue of the paper ONLY. Dated material two weeks in advance. Not responsible for publishing or return of unsolicited manuscripts or photos. www.ladatanews.com Cover Story February 24 - March 2, 2018 Page 3 Cover Story, Continued from page 2. This film is a source of pride and has for some raising the hopes of future Hollywood projects that can have uplifting stories about Blacks proving they can be both a critical Why It Can’t Be Real and commercial success . Community Goes to the Movies to be Inspired By Anthony Bean On the heels of the release of the Data News Weekly Guest of Disney/Marvel Studios “Black Columnist Panther”, local Attorney Juan La- Fonta, gave back to the community I had to stop looking more by treating inner-city kids and local than fifty years ago for a su- families to a red-carpet premiere of perhero that looked like me . the film at the AMC Palace Elm- In the era of Black is Beauti- wood Theater . ful I couldn’t settle for a White Partnering with several organi- Superman, Batman, Fantastic zations that included non-profits, Four, etc . You get the picture . churches and community pro- I had to satisfy my appetite by grams thousands showing up for opening a community theater this event . “I wanted the young where I can find or write heroes you go into the movie theater, people in attendance to see other New Orleans native Brandon Okpalobi runs Dibia Dream, Inc. recently, consistently in plays . More re- tell her not to get it twisted, professionals; I also wanted them he took a group of kids in Miami to see the film and is also sponsoring cently, there’s only been two this is only a movie . Just kid- to see they’re strong Black people a group of kids in New Orleans to see the film as well. other movies that got me out ding fellas . It’s a beautiful doing things that are impacting the of the house and into the mov- thing . Speaking of beauty, the community in a positive way . Be- ie theater . It was “Django Un- sceneries are breathtaking . cause too often the focus is on the chained” and “GET OUT!” Up The Costumes are creatively negative things such as murdering, until then, those have been the African with a hint of urban killing; the things that are destroy- only films to satisfy my appe- America . The ships are shaped ing our community and that is not tite for Black excellence . I have like African masks, and the wa- who we are as a people,” Juan La- caught the 6 episodes of Black terfalls are mind-blowing, and Fonta told Data News Weekly . Panther, the animated series Black People are in charge all The premiere was filled to ca- on BET many time . So, I was the way . My only regret is that pacity . On hand was Data News quite familiar with the theme . Wakanda isn’t real . It only ex- Weekly’s Glenn Jones who spoke to So, all the hype surround- ists in Marvel Universe . The Rapper and Activist Dee-1, whose ing Black Panther, the movie ending was different also, the brand of spiritually uplifting hip- couldn’t help but catch my at- movie credits started rolling hop is a breath of fresh air in an in- tention . It was the talk at my and the audience thought the dustry where images of Black men school, theater, and at the gym . movie was over, so they ap- are often stereotypical and glorify- I couldn’t escape the hype . All plauded and was heading to ing the most antisocial aspects of the while I’m loving it . The last the exits when the final scene the Black community . “This film time I saw my people get this came back on, people who al- is about our heritage, we are here hype was voting our first Black ready left their seats, are now tonight because this symbolizes President into office, Barack standing in the aisles to catch Black excellence at its finest .” He Obama . Being in the entertain- the ending . When the scene says of the film and the people who ment business and a purveyor ends, people were still stand- came out and braved for hours in of my people’s true image I ing around, wondering if that’s a long line to see this film and that Local Attorney Juan LaFonta, gave back to the community by treating understood the importance of really the end, end . I thought defy stereotypes . inner-city kids and local families to a red-carpet premiere of the film at getting my people excited, that that was interesting . I was sit- the AMC Palace Elmwood Theater. Cumulus Radio, who is a Com- means, they will come out in ting with my guests watching munity Partner of Data News Week- Kings and Queens, but also are 10-year-old son Jamie Jones Jr . to support of you . When I pulled the credits roll when I couldn’t ly, was also on hand for the event . leaders, inventors and belonging see the film . Jones is a dedicated up to the theater on Premiere help but wonder . This is a big 102 .9 Radio Personality Downtown to a strong family unit . Due to the father who in addition to raising his Night for the Black Panther, budget movie . They had spare Leslie Brown telling Glenn Jones on current political climate, we felt it son plants the seeds of greatness in the lines were around the cor- no expenses . The script was the red-carpet of the significance of was important for our youth to see children every day in his role as an ner . The only thing I can say good, the acting was excellent, Black Panther the movie in inspir- a positive representation of them- art teacher . He takes great pride in was, (In my Esther Rolle voice) and the overall presentation ing a community of young people, selves .” He says that this is more being a father and an example for Damn, Damn, Damn . This bet- is worth the price of a ticket . “As a Black woman with a Black than simply about entertainment his young son and others . “I felt ter be good! But I couldn’t help but dream son and Black daughter they need but educating and inspiring the great because it was Son and Fa- “Black Panther” opens on that someday we will, as Black to see more positive role models .” youth after they watch the film, ther’s Day . It was a nice to see an a short re-telling of the his- people market our own image . “There are many hidden messag- African-American Marvel Charac- tory of the fictional country I heard this movie alone will Dreaming Big es within the movie and we will ter in a leading role because there of Wakanda, an African nation gross a billion dollars world- New Orleans native Brandon dissect those messages after the are very few,” says Jamie Jones Jr .