Local community activists are trying to raise money to pay for Pittsburgh-area students to view the movie Selma. They are modeling the fundraising efforts on successful efforts in New York and other cities.
The civil rights movie Selma focuses on the voting rights marches that occurred in Alabama in 1965. Paradise Gray, who is organizing the fundraiser says its important for students to understand how hard it was for blacks to get the right to vote – so when they become voting age, they’ll vote.
“Its always important to us to engage in our civic duty when it comes to voting and caring for our community and the movie Selma is a movie about human rights, civil rights and voting rights,” he said.
Gray hopes educators screen the movie and then build curriculum around it.
“By them watching Selma and us having community conversations afterwards, it would really maybe spark ideas and concepts in their minds and get them to be more mindful of what their civic duty is,” he said.
They are trying to raise $50,000. Donations can be sent to the Black Political Empowerment Project with "Selma for Students" in the memo/comment section. They can be sent to B-PEP at 2201 Wylie Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
