Photo by This is Dope

By: Miles Johnson, Managing Editor 

Michael B. Jordan showed that there’s not only opportunities for Black youth to be in front of the camera, but opportunities to be key decision makers behind the camera. Jordan continued his support for Historically Black College and Universities by partnering with “This is Dope” marketing and PR agency to have an HBCU press conference, exclusively for HBCU journalists across the nation to speak with the stars of the film a week before the release date.

Giving back to HBCUs is nothing new for Jordan, as he led the Legacy Classic in Newark, NJ. This classic featured four HBCUs including: Morgan St, Norfolk St, Delaware St and Hampton University, that produced two nationally televised games on TNT. Jordan was asked what it meant to continue to support HBCUs by orchestrating a press conference exclusively for HBCU journalists.

“We have to close the gap somewhere” Jordan replied. “In key positions, there’s not a lot of us in positions that move the needle. And I feel like that’s lack of a pipeline. So to be able to lay the tracks for that in a real way, in the place that I came… it was a no brainer for me.”

In addition to Jordan, Jonathan Majors and Mila David-Kent were also in attendance. 

“It’s a movement y’all, stay tuned!” Jonathan Majors said.

Currently, only 6% of writers, producers and directors in U.S produced films are Black. Jordan wants to push for more opportunities like this in the future because it’s important show Black youth that there are other options to break into Hollywood aside from being front of the camera.

“There are mentor and mentee programs that we need to put in place,” Jordan said. “Shadowing key positions, opportunities and jobs that maybe you guys don’t even know is available to you.”

Jordan did not think about what his legacy would look like after this film was released. However, he was conscious of the work he is doing now, will impact his legacy.

“If this was my last movie and I wasn’t going to direct again, I wanted to have no regrets,” Jordan said. When speaking to the journalist in the room, “You guys, I think about a lot. In how I make decisions and what I choose to live my name, energy, and voice to.”

All of the HBCU journalist were invited to watch the premier of Creed III on Feb. 23. Creed III is out in theaters, now!