Riley: Jemele Hill tweet will send 200 Detroit students to see 'Black Panther'

ESPN "SportsCenter” host and Detroit native Jemele Hill took to Twitter to ask Detroit celebrities and others to help make sure kids in her hometown get to see the new "Black Panther" movie.

Done.

The Detroit Free Press, the Detroit Lions and I have agreed to partner with Hill, a former sportswriter at the paper, to take more than 200 students who have not missed a day of school this year to the Emagine Royal Oak theater to see the film, one of the most highly anticipated in recent history.

Hill, who is a friend, implored her 982,000 followers Tuesday to spread the word and get it done.

I knew she was right, so four emails and three phone calls later, the Free Press and the Detroit Lions were on board.

"We’re thrilled to help make this happen for children in Detroit," Editor and Vice President Peter Bhatia said.

The Lions, who already work with city schools on numerous programs, were equally quick to respond.

“We are proud of the programming we do with DPS, but it’s mostly focused on health and wellness,” said Detroit Lions Director of Community Relations Lauren Clayborne. “It’s exciting to be part of a collaborative effort that will reward our community’s students for their commitment to academics. Hopefully we can continue to work with DPS and other community leaders to find ways to help incentivize students to excel in school.”

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Besides the February 20 perfect attendance screening, Hill also plans to sponsor a second screening for students from her alma mater, Mumford High School. That screening will be cosponsored by the Detroit Free Press and Detroit Piston Brice Johnson.

Hill cannot attend the screenings, but will send the kids a message. And the players and I will fill her shoes as best we can.

After the highly anticipated "Black Panther" premiered Monday night in Los Angeles, a small group of get-it-done folks in Detroit got it done.

And Hill is thrilled, not just because the kids will get a free movie — and popcorn and a drink — but they'll get to see THE movie, a film that Hill says could change how young black kids feel about themselves.

"I left that movie feeling so inspired," Hill said, "And one of the many things that the 'Black Panther' movie is about is hope. That's the most important thing we can give children.

"I know, having grown up in Detroit, that here is sometimes a shortage of that there," she said. "Kids need to be inspired. This movie is meant to show them that they can move mountains. It’s almost meant to show them that your lot in life does not have to be determined by where you come from. I just connected with in on such a great level. Every child to deserves to see this movie."

More on freep.com:

The latest Marvel superhero movie, with one of the largest budgets ever devoted to a black film, "Black Panther" tells the story of T'Challa, who returns home to the African nation of Wakanda after his father's death to become rightful king. A powerful enemy threatens the fate of Wakanda and T'Challa and Wakanda warriors, who happen to be women, rise up to meet him.

"For young black girls, this movie is life-changing," Hill said. "Because the strength of this movie is what the black women do, what they stand for and how they fight physically and otherwise. That part is very unique. The strength of the black female characters, for young black female to see that on screen in such a visually stunning way, is important."

Contact Rochelle Riley: rriley99@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @rochelleriley. Rochelle will sign copies of her book "The Burden: African Americans and the Enduring Impact of Slavery" at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Michigan State Museum, 409 Circle Drive., East Lansing, MI. For more information, visit here.