'Black Panther' Success Leads to $1M Donation to Oakland STEM Center

The good news surrounding the blockbuster film Black Panther keeps coming.

As the movie continues to makes hundreds of millions at the box office, Disney announced on Monday that it is giving $1 million to the Boys and Girls Club of America, who plan use the funds to build a center in Oakland dedicated to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).

Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger said in a press release that the donation is the company “showing appreciation” for the film’s success.

“It is thrilling to see how inspired young audiences were by the spectacular technology in the film, so it’s fitting that we show our appreciation by helping advance STEM programs for youth, especially in underserved areas of the country, to give them the knowledge and tools to build the future they want,” Iger said.

It’s probably no coincidence that the gift is a reference to the film’s touching ending, and that the newest Boys and Girls Club’s newest STEM Center of Innovation is being built in Oakland — Black Panther director Ryan Coogler’s hometown.

According to the press release, Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Centers of Innovation “provide youth with hands-on, advanced technologies that stimulate creative approaches to STEM exploration, including 3-D printers, robotics, high-definition video production and conferencing equipment.” STEM Innovation centers already exist in Chicago, Atlanta and New Orleans.

“Thanks to Disney’s support, we can expand our outreach and allow more youth to find their passions and discover STEM careers,” Jim Clark, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of America, said in the press release.

As of this weekend, Black Panther has made $700 million worldwide.