Ryan Coogler was honoured by the American Black Film Festival the other night with the Rising Star Award. The award was presented to him by Octavia Spencer who he directed in Fruitvale Station. People keep saying that Ryan is an emerging talent. I feel like he’s kinda arrived now, non? Have you seen Creed yet? If you haven’t, you don’t have to wait long. Creed will be released for home viewing a week today, two days after the Oscars, from which it was largely ignored. And that, as it turns out, is totally OK. Because Ryan now has other things to do on Sunday night.
He confirmed to Buzzfeed that along with Ava DuVernay, Hannibal Buress, Janelle Monae, and Jesse Williams he’ll be in Flint, Michigan on Oscar night to participate in #JUSTICEFORFLINT, in support of a community that’s been betrayed by the very people who promised to represent them. The event is free, presented by Ryan’s collective Blackout for Human Rights, and will be livestreamed around the world to raise awareness about the situation in Flint and to raise money and resources to help the city’s youth. OMG this guy. So, OK, fine. I guess not all millennials are lazy.
