You know the famous African proverb: "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler have been rocking with each other for decades and are a living testament to the power of our unity.
Coogler and Jordan first met in 2012 when Coogler was casting his first feature film, Fruitvale Station. After meeting Jordan, Cooglers told him he was a movie star the world needed to see. It was the first time anyone had said that to Jordan. Coogler’s belief in Jordan sparked a creative partnership that is still going strong.
In 2015, they did Creed, followed by Black Panther and its sequel, Wakanda Forever. Last year, they did it again with the Oscar-winning blockbuster, Sinners. The throughline? A partnership built on trust, creative synergy, and a deep reverence for Black culture.
For a century, film industry execs greenlit productions that intentionally depicted anti-Black narratives about our people. Coogler is adamant that his job is to portray the culture truthfully, as it is and as it could be.
Imagining, building, and creating new realities together is what we've always done. Look around you and align with those whose vision mirrors yours. When we commit to creating a for-us-by-us future together, we can go far and strike gold.