Musician Nathan Nzanga has marched in Portland, Chicago, and his hometown of Seattle. 
 
The rapper also has written songs that reflect why he protests, compositions calling for change and telling his story as an African American and as the U.S.-born son of immigrants from Congo. A film starring Nzanga and featuring his music that was released online in January adds his artistic perspective to the social justice movement. 
 
"I feel like God gave me the gift of being able to tell stories," Nzanga told Reuters, speaking via Zoom from his bedroom in Seattle decorated with posters of such figures as Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and Nelson Mandela. "I`m trying to find ways to make sure we see the human in one another." 
 
The 13-minute film Nzanga made with director Caleb Slain, titled "enough," opens with the song "Truce." Nzanga, now 22, wrote it when he was a teenager at summer camp in 2016. 
 
Nzanga followed the news between camp activities and learned of the death on July 5, 2016 of Alton Sterling after he was shot in a convenience store by police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. On July 6, a police shooting during a traffic stop in Minnesota killed Philando Castile. On July 7, a gunman killed five law enforcement officers during a demonstration against police brutality in Dallas before being shot and killed after a standoff with police. 
 
"It seems like every day we add a few more names to the list," Nzanga wrote in "Truce," adding, "I`m scared that I`m the next one that they`ll hit." 
 
Vanderbilt professor Michael Eric Dyson, whose book "Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America" was also inspired by those July events, told Reuters that Nzanga`s art "forces us to think and reflect in a serious way." 
 
The film is named for and includes another of Nzanga`s songs, one he wrote following the May 25, 2020 death in Minneapolis of George Floyd, who died after he was pinned to the ground by a white police officer, pleading for air until he became unresponsive. 
 
"Every time something like this happens, we see ourselves in the person that the police decided not to treat like a human," Nzanga said. 
 
After Steven Cleveland, a professor of ethnic studies and history at California State University East Bay, saw Nzanga`s film, he set out to use "enough" to start conversations about race, violence and policing in classrooms at his university and others across the country. 
 
"The vision for this is to go into spaces and be able to bring both sides of the story so we can begin to have dialogue and build us up and move us to places where we can get sustainable, transformative change that we need," Cleveland said. 
 
In "enough," a Black American is seen not in his dying moments, but fully. Nzanga was interviewed once a year as he progressed through school, as part of what started as a documentary project in 2001. 
 
As a round-faced boy, Nzanga describes bickering with his little brother and relates the time he and his family had to open their bags for searches as they left a shop, while white customers did not. The boy grows into a young man who empathizes with the fear police officers express, but argues that the racism Black people endure is the heart of the matter. 
 
Nzanga is in full voice in the film, not gasping for air. As he raps in "enough": "Can`t love me if you don`t know me. Can`t know me if you can`t hear me." 
 
 
 
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Musician Nathan Nzanga has marched in Portland, Chicago, and his hometown of Seattle. The rapper also has written songs that reflect why he protests, compositions calling for change and telling his story as an African American and as the U.

Musician Nathan Nzanga has marched in Portland, Chicago, and his hometown of Seattle. The rapper also has written songs that reflect why he protests, compositions calling for change and telling his story as an African American and as the U.S.-born son of immigrants from Congo. A film starring Nzanga and featuring his music that was released online in January adds his artistic perspective to the social justice movement. "I feel like God gave me the gift of being able to tell stories," Nzanga told Reuters, speaking via Zoom from his bedroom in Seattle decorated with posters of such figures as Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and Nelson Mandela. "I`m trying to find ways to make sure we see the human in one another." The 13-minute film Nzanga made with director Caleb Slain, titled "enough," opens with the song "Truce." Nzanga, now 22, wrote it when he was a teenager at summer camp in 2016. Nzanga followed the news between camp activities and learned of the death on July 5, 2016 of Alton Sterling after he was shot in a convenience store by police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. On July 6, a police shooting during a traffic stop in Minnesota killed Philando Castile. On July 7, a gunman killed five law enforcement officers during a demonstration against police brutality in Dallas before being shot and killed after a standoff with police. "It seems like every day we add a few more names to the list," Nzanga wrote in "Truce," adding, "I`m scared that I`m the next one that they`ll hit." Vanderbilt professor Michael Eric Dyson, whose book "Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America" was also inspired by those July events, told Reuters that Nzanga`s art "forces us to think and reflect in a serious way." The film is named for and includes another of Nzanga`s songs, one he wrote following the May 25, 2020 death in Minneapolis of George Floyd, who died after he was pinned to the ground by a white police officer, pleading for air until he became unresponsive. "Every time something like this happens, we see ourselves in the person that the police decided not to treat like a human," Nzanga said. After Steven Cleveland, a professor of ethnic studies and history at California State University East Bay, saw Nzanga`s film, he set out to use "enough" to start conversations about race, violence and policing in classrooms at his university and others across the country. "The vision for this is to go into spaces and be able to bring both sides of the story so we can begin to have dialogue and build us up and move us to places where we can get sustainable, transformative change that we need," Cleveland said. In "enough," a Black American is seen not in his dying moments, but fully. Nzanga was interviewed once a year as he progressed through school, as part of what started as a documentary project in 2001. As a round-faced boy, Nzanga describes bickering with his little brother and relates the time he and his family had to open their bags for searches as they left a shop, while white customers did not. The boy grows into a young man who empathizes with the fear police officers express, but argues that the racism Black people endure is the heart of the matter. Nzanga is in full voice in the film, not gasping for air. As he raps in "enough": "Can`t love me if you don`t know me. Can`t know me if you can`t hear me."

Music, marching and now a movie: How a young Black artist is pushing for justice in America

Chadwick Boseman's death has left the world in mourning. Tributes and condolences have been pouring from actors, political leaders as well as sports stars from the 'Black Panther' star. Actor Will Smith, one of the most prominent African-American stars in Hollywood, too has paid his tribute to Boseman. 
 
In a video tribute posted on Instagram, Smith said that "seeds of your magnificent contributions will be blossoming in our hearts forever." 
 
The 'Men in Black' star thanked the Marvel`s stalwart for making them "proud" for who they are. 
 
On Saturday, Marvel superstars Chris Evans, Ryan Reynolds, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, and Chris Pratt mourned the demise of co-star Boseman. 
 
Boseman died at the age of 43 on Friday after a four-year-long battle with colon cancer. He is survived by his wife and his family. 
 
Boseman rose to prominence after essaying the role of the real-life figures including Baseball Jackie Robinson in 2013`s 42 and American singer-songwriter James Brown in 2014`s `Get on Up`. 
 
However, it was his role as `Balck Panther` in the 2018 hit film that defined his career and made a huge imprint on his fans. 
 
In the movie, the late actor starred as the ruler of Wakanda, a fictional African nation with the most advanced technology. 
A legion of his followers also took Twitter by storm as they poured in a condolence message, and summed up their love for him by tweeting 'Wakanda Forever'.

Chadwick Boseman's death has left the world in mourning. Tributes and condolences have been pouring from actors, political leaders as well as sports stars from the 'Black Panther' star.

Chadwick Boseman's death has left the world in mourning. Tributes and condolences have been pouring from actors, political leaders as well as sports stars from the 'Black Panther' star. Actor Will Smith, one of the most prominent African-American stars in Hollywood, too has paid his tribute to Boseman. In a video tribute posted on Instagram, Smith said that "seeds of your magnificent contributions will be blossoming in our hearts forever." The 'Men in Black' star thanked the Marvel`s stalwart for making them "proud" for who they are. On Saturday, Marvel superstars Chris Evans, Ryan Reynolds, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, and Chris Pratt mourned the demise of co-star Boseman. Boseman died at the age of 43 on Friday after a four-year-long battle with colon cancer. He is survived by his wife and his family. Boseman rose to prominence after essaying the role of the real-life figures including Baseball Jackie Robinson in 2013`s 42 and American singer-songwriter James Brown in 2014`s `Get on Up`. However, it was his role as `Balck Panther` in the 2018 hit film that defined his career and made a huge imprint on his fans. In the movie, the late actor starred as the ruler of Wakanda, a fictional African nation with the most advanced technology. A legion of his followers also took Twitter by storm as they poured in a condolence message, and summed up their love for him by tweeting 'Wakanda Forever'.

Will Smith pays tribute to Chadwick Boseman: You made us proud to be us

Oscar-winning actor Mahershala Ali says he finds it "frustrating" that black artistes do not get cast on the basis of their talent.&nbsp;The actor, whose career breakout role came as fixer Remy Danton in 'House of Cards', believes the role gave casting directors "permission" to put him in their projects. 
 
"I had many years of auditioning, booking gigs, almost booking jobs and making some real allies in the business - people who wanted to cast me in things but I just wasn't a big enough name. What 'House of Cards' did was give people permission to cast me. 
 
"It can be frustrating. Just to be frank with you, African-Americans don't really get cast on potential. I hope that now I will have a window where I can finally do a lot of the kind of work I've been wanting to do for a long time. I've spent a long time playing the man next to the man next to the man. Finally, I'm getting to play the man!" Ali told Heat magazine.&nbsp; 
 
Following the success of 'House of Cards', the 45-year-old actor went on to win two Oscars in Best Actor in a Supporting Role category for 'Moonlight' (2016) and 'Green Book' (2019).&nbsp; 
 
This year he also played the lead role of a troubled police officer in the third season of the HBO anthology crime series 'True Detective'. Ali previously revealed he had to convince creator Nic Pizzolatto to change the character's ethnicity to black.&nbsp;

Oscar-winning actor Mahershala Ali says he finds it "frustrating" that black artistes do not get cast on the basis of their talent. The actor, whose career breakout role came as fixer Remy Danton in 'House of Cards', believes the role gave casting directors "permission" to put him in their projects.

Oscar-winning actor Mahershala Ali says he finds it "frustrating" that black artistes do not get cast on the basis of their talent. The actor, whose career breakout role came as fixer Remy Danton in 'House of Cards', believes the role gave casting directors "permission" to put him in their projects. "I had many years of auditioning, booking gigs, almost booking jobs and making some real allies in the business - people who wanted to cast me in things but I just wasn't a big enough name. What 'House of Cards' did was give people permission to cast me. "It can be frustrating. Just to be frank with you, African-Americans don't really get cast on potential. I hope that now I will have a window where I can finally do a lot of the kind of work I've been wanting to do for a long time. I've spent a long time playing the man next to the man next to the man. Finally, I'm getting to play the man!" Ali told Heat magazine. Following the success of 'House of Cards', the 45-year-old actor went on to win two Oscars in Best Actor in a Supporting Role category for 'Moonlight' (2016) and 'Green Book' (2019). This year he also played the lead role of a troubled police officer in the third season of the HBO anthology crime series 'True Detective'. Ali previously revealed he had to convince creator Nic Pizzolatto to change the character's ethnicity to black.

Mahershala Ali: Black actors don't get cast on potential