Chelsea football club has done and continues to do a lot when it comes to promoting the ideals of racial and social justice. It’s really great that they do so, because, well, some of their supporters sometimes do the polar opposite.
And while these episodes tend to receive a lot of media coverage, the good news often gets buried. With that in mind, this Black History Month, we would like to spotlight the fact that Chelsea are asking their fans to follow @Equiano.Stories to meet 11-year-old Equiano and watch the new film Equiano Stories.
Wait til you see how @DuSableMuseum is telling the story of Olaudah Equiano, kidnapped from Nigeria and enslaved in 1756. #BlackVoicesWTTW @wttw #BlackHistoryMonth pic.twitter.com/mpfaBXsoW0
— Brandis Friedman (@BrandisFriedman) February 12, 2022
It consists of 400 individual Instagram stories, for a total run time of 80 minutes. It’s the memoir of famed British abolitionist Olaudah Equiano, who was kidnapped and enslaved as a young boy in West Africa in 1756. The film premieres tomorrow, February 16.
The movie’s tagline says it all- what if child who was kidnapped and enslaved in the 18th century had access to Instagram.
“We are proud to partner with Stelo Stories and the DuSable Museum of African American History to tell the story of Olaudah Equiano,’ said Chelsea Chairman, Bruce Buck.
“At Chelsea FC, we know that education is key in understanding our history. Learning from our past can empower us to stand up against hatred, racism and injustice in the world today. We are committed to using football as a tool to educate our audiences, harnessing the power of sport as a force for good.”
Chelsea FC state their hopes that “the partnership is an example of continuing to use soccer as a tool to educate its audiences, harnessing the power of sport as a force for good.”
Meanwhile Stelo Stories co-founders, sisters Adi and Maya Kochavi, state that “The story starts with a vibrant young man who is not so unlike today’s youth – he loves dancing, running through his neighborhood and hanging out with his friends. Equiano Stories paints a vivid portrait of a history that starts with freedom.”
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.
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