Promise Academy Analysis

Early on in the film, we learn that about 30% of African-American boys do not have their father in their life. While this statistic applies to several of the students we meet, Jamill’s story captured my attention more than the others. His experiences in school clearly demonstrate why having a good role model is vital for everyone, specifically African-American boys. Most teachers are white and female, and while they may be a good role model, they do not provide the representation that these boys require and deserve. They need a role model who they can see themselves in; everyone needs that. Before attending the Promise Academy, Jamill went to a disciplinary school, a place where he did not do well. He explains to Tavis Smiley that he got into trouble regularly, his mother had to come to the school multiple times a week, no one ever listened to his side of the story, and he was afraid he would never make it out of high school if he continued going there. However, once he transferred to the Promise Academy, he transformed into an excellent student. Jamill is now on his way to becoming the first man in his family to attend college. As I mentioned prior, Jamill stood out to me more than the other students because his …show more content…
Although the film does not explicitly apply that term, it is implied. When I use the phrase “intersectional representation,” I am referring to the idea that a person is represented by someone who shares both the same gender and race as him or her, not one or the other. Regarding the film, the boys may have had teachers in the past who were male or who were black, but they never had a teacher who was both male and black before attending the Promise Academy. They never had someone who fully represented