Disney just gave $1M to the Boys and Girls Clubs because of 'Black Panther.'

"Black Panther" is well on its way to making the folks at Disney and Marvel a pretty penny, crushing the $700 million mark in just its second weekend .

Beloved by audiences and critics alike, the latest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a naysayer-defying behemoth worthy of a Wakandan king. It did so well that director Ryan Coogler even penned a heartwarming message to fans thanking them for their excitement and support.

[rebelmouse-image 19533959 dam="1" original_size="500x208" caption="GIF from "Black Panther."" expand=1] GIF from "Black Panther."

On Feb. 26, Disney announced plans to donate $1 million to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, going toward the group's youth STEM programs.

According to a press release, Disney made the donation to boost kids in science, technology, engineering, and math fields in celebration of the record-breaking success of "Black Panther."

Disney chairman and CEO Robert Iger praised the film for its status as an "instant cultural phenomenon" and for "sparking discussion, inspiring people young and old, and breaking down age-old industry myths." Iger pointed to the movie's incorporation of STEM concepts in explaining why the organization chose the Boys and Girls Clubs for the donation.

Disney Donates $1 Million to Youth STEM Program in Celebration of #BlackPanther : https://t.co/l20v2x1C7r https://t.co/CUJEfeeOWn
— Walt Disney Company (@Walt Disney Company) 1519655910

The money will be used by Boys and Girls Clubs to develop its STEM curriculum and build new STEM Centers of Innovation in Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Harlem, Hartford, Memphis, New Orleans, Oakland, Orlando, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Watts, California.

Image via Marvel Entertainment.

It's possible that Disney landed on this decision out of the kindness of their hearts, but they might have gotten a little inspiration to act.

A petition on Change.org that was launched before the film's release urged Disney to donate 25% of the film's profits to black communities around the U.S. To date, the petition, which asks Disney to put money into "programs within [black communities] that focus on STEM," has received just over 8,500 signatures. The company never officially acknowledged the petition.

To be sure, $1 million is obviously a lot less than 25% of Disney's "Black Panther" profits, and it's almost certainly just pocket change to one of the world's largest companies. Still, it's something, and that money is going to help some kids do some cool things in life. That's hopefully something we can all get behind.

[rebelmouse-image 19533961 dam="1" original_size="500x207" caption="GIF from "Black Panther."" expand=1] GIF from "Black Panther."

Community

Facebook group brings people together IRL to make meaningful friendships

True

Making new friends as an adult is challenging. While people crave meaningful IRL connections, it can be hard to know where to find them. But thanks to one Facebook Group, meeting your new best friends is easier than ever.

Founded in 2018, NYC Brunch Squad brings together hundreds of people who come as strangers and leave as friends through its in-person events.

“Witnessing the transformative impact our community has on the lives of our members is truly remarkable. We provide the essential support and connections needed to thrive amid the city's chaos,” shares Liza Rubin, the group’s founder.

Despite its name, the group doesn’t just do brunch. They also have book clubs, seasonal parties, and picnics, among other activities.

NYC Brunch Squad curates up to 10 monthly events tailored to the specific interests of its members. Liza handles all the details, taking into account different budgets and event sizes – all people have to do is show up.

“We have members who met at our events and became friends and went on to embark on international journeys to celebrate birthdays together. We have had members get married with bridesmaids by their sides who were women they first connected with at our events. We’ve had members decide to live together and become roommates,” Liza says.

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Members also bond over their passion for giving back to their community. The group has hosted many impact-driven events, including a “Picnic with Purpose” to create self-care packages for homeless shelters and recently participated in the #SquadSpreadsJoy challenge. Each day, the 100 members participating receive random acts of kindness to complete. They can also share their stories on the group page to earn extra points. The member with the most points at the end wins a free seat at the group's Friendsgiving event.

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friendship

Joy

Woman who lives on a cruise ship shares the hardest part about her perfect life

She's a little afraid to leave her cabin.

via Christine Kesteloo/TikTok and Cagri Gurbuz/Pexels

Christine Kesteloo has one big problem living on a cruise ship.

A lot of folks would love to trade lives with Christine Kesteloo . Her husband is the Chief Engineer on a cruise ship, so she gets to live on the boat pretty much for free as the “wife on board.” For Christine, life is a lot like living on a permanent vacation.

“I live on a cruise ship for half the year with my husband, and it's often as glamorous as it sounds,” she told Insider. “After all, I don't cook, clean, make my bed, do laundry or pay for food.“

Living an all-inclusive lifestyle seems like paradise, but it has some drawbacks. Having access to all-you-can-eat food all day long can really have an effect on one’s waistline. Kesteloo admits that living on a cruise ship takes a lot of self-discipline because the temptation is always right under her nose.

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cruise ships

Health

Please read this before you post another RIP on social media

There is a hierarchy of grief and it's important to know where you fall on it before posting about someone's death.

Image from GOOD .

Working through grief is a community thing.

Grieving in the technology age is uncharted territory.

I'll take you back to Saturday, June 9, 2012. At 8:20 a.m., my 36-year-old husband was pronounced dead at a hospital just outside Washington, D.C.

By 9:20 a.m., my cellphone would not stop ringing or text-alerting me long enough for me to make the necessary calls that I needed to make: people like immediate family, primary-care doctors to discuss death certificates and autopsies, funeral homes to discuss picking him up, and so on. Real things, important things, time-sensitive, urgent things.

At 9:47 a.m., while speaking to a police officer (because yes, when your spouse dies, you must be questioned by the police immediately), one call did make it through. I didn't recognize the number. But in those moments, I knew I should break my normal rule and answer all calls. "He's dead??? Oh my God. Who's with you? Are you OK? Why am I reading this on Facebook? Taya, what the heck is going on?"

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culture

Disney just gave $1M to the Boys and Girls Clubs because of 'Black Panther.'

"Black Panther" is well on its way to making the folks at Disney and Marvel a pretty penny, crushing the $700 million mark in just its second weekend .

On Feb. 26, Disney announced plans to donate $1 million to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, going toward the group's youth STEM programs.

It's possible that Disney landed on this decision out of the kindness of their hearts, but they might have gotten a little inspiration to act.

Van Gogh saw something it took scientists another 100 years to see.

I'm not easily impressed, OK?

Get this: Van Gogh was a pretty cool artist (duh), but as it turns out...

...he was also A SCIENTIST!*

Here's the story.

~~~TURBULENCE~~~

Thing is, scientists are pretty much *just* starting to figure this stuff out.

Then you've got Van Gogh, 100 years earlier, in his asylum, with a mutilated ear, who totally nailed it!

But did other artists depict turbulence the way Van Gogh did?

Not even "The Scream" could hold a candle to Van Gogh!

Watch the video below to learn even more:

And experimenting with online dating for dogs and cats might just be working.

An estimated 50 million people worldwide use Tinder. So LifeLine and other shelters and rescues figure why not give it a shot?

Animal profiles are also showing up on Bumble, which is home to another 20 million users or so.

Like sweet Duke here.

Each pet is assigned to a volunteer who creates the profile and handles the conversations after a match

For LifeLine, the experiment is still new. But Hirsch says people are responding to it incredibly well so far.

This new animal dating idea has another upside for apps — and the people using them, too.

She's a little afraid to leave her cabin.

There is a hierarchy of grief and it's important to know where you fall on it before posting about someone's death.

Grieving in the technology age is uncharted territory.

While I can in no way speak for the entire planet, I certainly feel qualified to propose some suggestions — or, dare I say, rules — for social media grieving.

There is a hierarchy of grief.

In the days before social media, these expressions came in the form of phone calls, voicemail messages, and floral deliveries.

Please give us a minute.

Do you get where I'm going with this?

Your love and expressions of support are appreciated and needed, but they can also be ill-timed and create unintended additional stress.

Few gifts are greater than having your final wish granted.

Before 54-year-old Mario passed away, he had one special goodbye he needed to say ... to his favorite giraffe.

The Ambulance Wish Foundation , a Dutch nonprofit, helps people like Mario experience one final request.

Even more beautiful than the work this organization does, though, are the things its patients are asking for.

Sometimes it feels like there's never enough time. Not in a day. Not in a year. Not in a life.

A victory for America.

~TURBULENCE~

Thing is, scientists are pretty much just starting to figure this stuff out.