Rising to the challenge
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on March 3, 2018 5:34 PM
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Tracey Suggs, center, sits at the front of the theater after purchasing tickets for over 70 Dillard Academy Charter School students and teachers to watch "Black Panther" at UEC Theatres 12 Saturday. Suggs, a Goldsboro High School Graduate, created a Go Fund Me account to take children in several cities to see the movie as part of the Black Panther Challenge.
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Tracey Suggs and some of the Dillard Academy Charter School students he paid for tickets to watch Black Panther shout "Wakanda Forever" while taking a group photo before the beginning of the movie.
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Tracey Suggs buys concessions for his son Tracey Suggs Jr., 11, before the movie Saturday. The Goldsboro High School graduate returned to his hometown to treat more than 70 students, staff and parents from Dillard Academy Charter School to a showing of "Black Panther." Suggs' daughter, Treana Suggs and mother, Lillian Suggs of Pikeville, were also part of the group and wanted to show support for what he has done.
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Dillard Academy Charter School students take their entry tickets to they can watch Black Panther free Saturday afternoon, thanks to a Go Fund Me account created by former Goldsboro resident Tracey Suggs, who is participating in the Black Panther Challenge.
A Goldsboro High School graduate accepted the "Black Panther Challenge" -- started in Harlem, N.Y. to raise money for kids to see the groundbreaking film with an African-American superhero -- and used it to treat youth in his hometown to a matinee on Saturday.
Tracey Suggs, Class of 1992, now lives in Charlotte.
But it was worth the trip to see the looks on the faces of nearly 80 students, staff and parents from Dillard Academy Charter School, he said.
The lobby of UEC Theatre was quickly packed as the group filed in for the 1 p.m. show.
The momentum had been building all week, ever since the announcement was made at the PTO meeting, said Danielle Baptiste, director of operations.
"I told him, 'you're just an angel that makes our dreams come true,'" she said. "He even got a couple extra tickets to make sure parents go could with their younger students."
In addition to an entertaining and inspiring outlet, the popular film also lends itself to some teachable moments, she said.
"Our technology coordinator, Englisamenia Bryant, actually had requested a field trip to see the 'Black Panther' and relate it to the technology elective," Baptiste said. "And our middle school English teacher, Kay Cox, will also tie it back to her classes."
Cox, who has seen the movie once, brought her 86-year-old mother, Beatrice Newsome. The blockbuster provides many life lessons, Cox said.
"Things like being loyal and respecting authority," she said. "That's what our children need, and also teaching the history of slavery. It teaches intellect and to think outside the box and to always reach higher than your goal."
Children from first through seventh grade made up the contingent for the matinee.
Fifth-graders Honesty Jones, Aamira Jones and Geonnah Evans agreed it was an exciting day.
Edwina Buck, parent of an 8-year-old and 12-year-old at the school, was very grateful for Suggs' generosity.
"I thought that was awesome. You don't see that often," she said.
Fourth-grade teacher, Lakisha Robinson, was also appreciative.
"I think this is so exciting," she said. "It's just wonderful, that somebody would do this for our students, because some of them would probably have never gotten the chance to see it."
Like Sydney Williams, a fifth-grader, walking in with classmate Ke'myrie Smith.
"I thought about coming (to 'Black Panther') but my mama said we can't come because we didn't have any money and she didn't have a ride," she said.
So when Sydney was given a free ticket -- plus a visit to the concession stand -- it was almost too good to be true.
"I felt very happy, that I was gonna come, because I always wanted to come to the movie theatre."
Suggs' was also accompanied by his children, Treana, 22, and Tracey Jr., 11, and his mother, Lillian Suggs of Pikeville.
"I'm very proud that he's come back to pay back to the community that he was raised in," Lillian said of her son.
Suggs said he plans to continue the trend, funding a similar event in Charlotte and other locations.
But he knew the initial effort had to take place here, where it all started for him and as a way to pay tribute to the youth of this community, he said.