Selma, The Movie

The movie “Selma” opens Christmas Day in select cities across the country. While Atlanta is one of the select cities, it is not being shown in any south side theaters. Atlantic Station and Phipps Plaza are the north side theaters to get the nod.

Hmmm. Selma was partially filmed in Atlanta at Wheat Street Baptist Church on Auburn Avenue.

So, why is it not opening on the south side of town at Movies ATL on Camp Creek Parkway so more Blacks can see it over the Holidays?

Why do we have to wait until January 9th? Then people will be back at work and probably foget about the movie.

Why is it that we can’t even get the early release of a movie about “us” in “our” own neighborhood? This is not rocket scientist stuff for the movie distributors!

Someone PLEASE call Oprah!! I am sure she does not know this is going on!!

Why not “early open” Selma in neighborhoods where the people have experienced it actually live? That revenue and those tax dollars could benefit our neighborhoods.

In Atlantic Station (Atlanta’s Midtown) and Phipps Plaza (Buckhead) theaters where the movie is early opening, we have to commute outside of our neighborhood to see Selma, the movie about us. How does that make sense?

I know movie distribution and attendance can make or break a movie. So let’s call, email, text, tweet, Facebook, and Instagram movie execs and get your friends to do the same. Let’s ‘burn up’ social media with this request.

Then we can get it in theaters on or before New Year’s Eve while everyone is still on vacation with extra time to see it!!

We want Selma, the movie, to be profitable despite the movie distributors apparent attempt to sabotage it before it has a fair chance to be seen. Then, let’s go see Selma in our neighborhoods in BIG numbers. Take some young people with you because most millennials will not learn about it in school, despite its’ importance.

THANKS in advance 4 ur help! 🙂

Saluting Community Volunteers

Today, the Atlanta Planning Advisory Board (APAB) recognized community volunteers from each of the 25 Neighborhood Planning Units (NPU) that bothered to nominate, vet and submit the information.

The NPU system, created under the leadership of former Mayor Maynard Jackson, is vital to the success or failure of our neighborhood programs, vitality, safety, and more; both now and in the future. NPUs are the eyes, ears, advocates, nurturers and protectors of all that is currently unique and needed in the future to maintain and improve the quality of living in our neighborhoods. While some NPUs are more effective than others, they all need more community members to help them become more sustainable.

It takes a village of action-oriented people to help keep our communities safe and our community organizations viable.  As we invest our time and resources into these important entities, our neighborhoods reflect the cohesion…or lack of. The best security is knowing your neighbor…nosey neighbors are our best allies. Crime is always lower in communities of active and involved neighbors.

Are you active in yourneighborhood?  Do you attend your local community meetings?  If so, how often?  If not, why not?

For those who think “they ought to do more”.  “We” are the “they”. And, we need ALL hands on deck. We all have different talents.  ALL our talents are desperately needed!  If we ALL do a little, no one will have to do a lot. No one will get burned out and great community work will continue into the future. The long term health of our communities is dependant upon this.

If more of us would take the time to support our community organizations and churches BEFORE we need them, they would be more effective and resourceful.

I am so humbled to have been recognized among this group today. However, I am perplexed as to why only one of our City and Fulton County leaders bothered to attend the APAB Community Service Awards Program this morning. (Yes, I know the Mayor’s Masked Ball is tonight.). If only to stop in for a few minutes to salute and show support to those they expect to help them with new and ongoing programs as well as votes during election season.  Without community volunteers, where will their support come from?

I’m just saying.