To generate a national conversation on the plight of Black men and boys, the Twenty-First Century Foundation (21CF) has partnered with actor-director Mario Van Peebles and producer Karen Williams to create BRING YOUR A GAME - a groundbreaking documentary film that, in Van Peebles' words, "sheds light on the resilience and influence of Black males." BRING YOUR A GAME is a film that will use screenings accompanied by community discussions as a catalyst to transform the lives of urban youth. Using a cinematic style influenced by popular culture and employing innovative technologies, the film details strategies that have improved the lives of Black men and boys. It underscores how essential educational achievement and high school graduation are to survival and success in today's world. Interviewees include such Black male icons as Richard "Dick" Parsons, Chris Rock, Spike Lee, Dr. Cornel West, Ice Cube, Newark, New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Russell Simmons, Kevin Liles, Lou Gossett Jr., Lupe Fiasco, Hill Harper, Damon Dash, Kevin Powell, Melvin Van Peebles, Geoffrey Canada, Bruce Gordon and former NBA star Alan Houston, among others. To learn more about the Twenty-First Century Foundation, please visit: http://www.21cf.org/agame
Learning Questions
1. What is the currant graduation rate of Caucasian, Asian, and African American High School students in the United States?
2. How do private prisons in the United States profit by remaining full capacity?
3. To what does Sean “P. Diddy” Combs largely attribute his success?
4. Considering all the advice offered by the successful interviewees of the film, describe 5 key points that you found especially inspiring.
5. How does director Spike Lee relate society’s sudden obsession with reality television to the current work ethic of the US? Explain.
6. What did you like most about the film?
SnagLearning is dedicated to presenting high-quality documentary films as educational tools to ignite meaningful discussion within the learning community.
