I’m also offended that potential legal impacts are even being considered. But, I’m ahead of myself. Let me lay this out so I can clarify my position.
Marvel/Disney this year released a FABULOUS movie,”Black Panther “ to record audiences globally. The hero Black Panther is King of the sovereign fantasy nation of Wakanda.
. Wakanda is the height of excellence for those of African descent worldwide. It’s education, wisdom, technology, culture, diversity,leadership and spiritual strength as an everyday lifestyle.
It is beautiful and painful simultaneously. Beautiful because it displays and cinematically manifests the best qualities of the human experience so wonderfully.
Painful because the underlying narrative is that it is fantasy and that these attributes don’t actually exist in present day African or diasporic African communities globally. To some, that may not seem like much but it’s massive. I will elaborate more in a future piece called “The Other-Worldly Power Of Narratives , True & False”
Well, this imagery recreated a stir in Black people globally that hasn’t been seen in unity sadly, for many years. This reminder of who we were…are still, stoked the fires of community building across and above geographic regions and barriers. There’s a bit of irony here actually. The power of visual imagery that we’ve been fighting for decades via Media outlet racial bias is in fact, what has come to assist us in finding a simpler focal point to move forward with:
Financial literacy and education.
The power of community support and economics.
The importance of making sure the tools and information needed to make change and eradicate financial illiteracy.
The importance of building generational wealth.
Getting in on the ground floor of business opportunities thereby creating crowd funding pools and potential go to points for budding minority entrepreneurs. Hopefully this will lead to even some Angel Investors seeing the lower risk potential in aiding small business start ups that are supported by this community.
. This is WACOINDA . Social Media’s fastest growing global group that is focused on the eradication of great economic disparities through education and financial literacy.
Wacoinda is the real world manifestation of the positive energy and sense of global community that the visualization of Wakanda brought about. The energy has existed for decades but the imagery of Wakanda was a call to action. Again the average person doesn’t get the true power of an image. Just keep this thought in mind: the mind retains pictures longer than words.
Now, this Marvel/Disney vs Wacoinda I’m willing to bet is merely an accidental overheard conversation to press scenario. I say that because in the grander scheme of things we operate in two distinctly different arenas. Disney/Marvel an entertainment company took the ongoing struggle of Black people and used it as a canvas to enhance a character in a way those same people would embrace. It doesn’t seem to be rational that that exact same board would then viciously mount an assault upon those same Disney/Marvel fans and supporters as they collectively sought to physically and idealistically manifest that same level of projected advancement.
How do you limit any aspect of a people’s struggle that you used for your personal gain by saying they shouldn’t ?…Because you “own the concept of progress”?
It does in fact seem contrary to Disney/Marvel’s historic growth and embrace of community to act in such a manner. My thought…expectation…is that a corporation of such position would want to reach out and assist their followers with whatever educational resources or incentives they may have access to in order to secure their position in this community moving forward. Lawyers move papers by established precedent. Boards of directors move people and change the world by taking the actions that improve people’s lives. Especially the people who support and embrace their brand. I’m hoping that this is the type of visionary board that is moving Disney/Marvel into the future and not the type to recreate a horrible past.
With a loving shout to the community and leaders in Wacoinda I send this love with the sincerest hope that Disney/Marvel doesn’t make me eat this piece. Because we are building for tomorrow on your willingness to work for change. I’m sure once they understand they will reach out to add value. In their executive boardrooms they will simply smile when they’re asked, “Why Wacoinda?”