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UPDATE | After more than a week of unreturned phone calls and emails, LBUSD Superintendent Chris Steinhauser approved local artist Senay Kenfe’s goal to send almost 900 underprivileged Long Beach students to see Black Panther in theaters.

“He said he heard I was working on a project that he was interested in and gave me the green light,” Kenfe told the Post. “Superintendent Chris Steinhauser was very understanding of the cultural moment that we are taking part in […] and acknowledged my insistence that Title I students [see the movie].”

Kenfe will now begin negotiations with Cinemark.

PREVIOUSLY: Local Man’s Goal to Send Underprivileged Students to See BLACK PANTHER Blocked by LBUSD Officials

2/16/18 at 1:09PM | The local artist who joined the #BlackPantherChallenge by starting his own GoFundMe to send low-income, Central Long Beach students to see Marvel’s latest superhero flick has hit a roadblock.

Local Artist Using BLACK PANTHER Challenge To Spread Positive Imagery to Underprivileged Students

Senay Kenfe took to Facebook Thursday to air his frustration that both the City of Long Beach and Long Beach Unified School District have yet to respond to his request to send 850-plus students to the theatres. The opening of the film is Friday.

https://www.facebook.com/eclecticnative/posts/10212937148397029?pnref=story.unseen-section

Kenfe told the Post he needs the approval of district officials because the schools need to have the “ok” from administrators before being able to accept any tickets.

“It’s crazy to me they can post this,” Kenfe said, referring to a tweet from @LongBeachMayor congratulating the Boys & Girls Club of Long Beach for joining the challenge and sending 245 members to an advanced screening of the movie.

“I’m doing four times the amount and no response,” Kenfe said. “All the schools that I’ve been in communication with have readily approved and been excited to accept.”

Kenfe said he started making calls on Tuesday of last week to the offices of the assistant superintendent, the public information office, the mayor’s office, his city councilman’s office, alongside sending multiple emails.

“They’ve all said they’ll get back to me,” Kenfe said, but none have responded.

“This slow response is lessening my opportunity to buy out a theater and have all children be inside which was my original plan. Not that I think this is a personal thing, more just a ready example of why things don’t work in this city unless you’re connected,” he continued, referring to the Boys & Girls Club.

The Post reached out to LBUSD Thursday evening regarding the lack of response. A spokesman for the school district said they would be in touch with him, but, as of Friday afternoon Kenfe said no one has responded.

Additional reporting by Stephanie Rivera.

Asia Morris is a Long Beach native covering arts and culture for the Long Beach Post. You can reach her @hugelandmass on Twitter and Instagram and at [email protected].