Recently I sat down with Pendarvis Harshaw, a 24 year-old Oakland freelance writer who met with the San Quentin News staff. In a one-on-one conversation, Pendarvis asked me a simple, but profound question that caused me to really think about my answer.
It was a rather straightforward question that I should not have hesitated to answer. After all, it wasn’t that I hadn’t thought about the question before. Nevertheless, I found myself scrambling for words that could adequately capture my thoughts.
As I sat with Pendarvis, he turned to me, with a serious expression, and said, “In your article you say you have something relevant and important to say to the younger generation. Then tell me, if you had the ear of the youth, what wisdom would you bestow upon them – what would you tell them?”
At that very moment, I wanted to deliver several meaningful messages all at once. I wanted to say something truly relevant, something that would inspire and provoke conversations. But, the more I thought about the question, the less precise I felt about the answer. I realized that the difficulty of answering this question was not due to lack of knowledge and understanding. Rather, it was from an inability to communicate a message and meaning in a language and logic that could be understood by young people.
As I thought about the question, I looked at Pendarvis and finally responded by saying, “I would tell them my story and have a conversation. ”
I am writing this monthly column because I want to let young people know that my story is part of their story, and all of our stories have a meaning and a message. Each story is part of the human experience. For even a sad and tragic story has its lessons. We must hear those stories and connect with them in the process of moving toward a better self, society and world.
If we understand the responsibility we have to share the lessons of our stories, we can realize that we are generational teachers and students to each other. We are heirs and custodians of a legacy. We must receive it and pass the historical baton.
Passing the baton is something I have come to understand about life. It’s what brought me to meet Pendarvis who has a photo essay project on his website called “OG Told Me.”
Armed with poignant questions and a camera, Pendarvis described his activities by saying he “moves about the community of Oakland, snapping photos and gathering snippets of wisdom from ‘OGs.’” He goes through Oakland, sees an “OG,” and asks them questions—inviting them into a conversation. From their conversation, he takes a picture and quote to post it on his site.
After learning about “An OG’s Perspective,” Pendarvis said he liked both the concept and content of the “OG” column. He told me that he sees this column as a creative and effective way to generate conversations between the older and younger generation.
The more I talked to Pendarvis, the more questions he asked. He asked me about my views and values on a range of critical issues.
He was particularly interested in the perspectives of OGs and how they interact with the younger prisoners here at San Quentin. He was also curious about the degree and manner of respect younger prisoners elect to show the OGs. What do young prisoners want to know? What and how much are OGs willing to share? Is there a distance or a sense of generational obligation and responsibility on the part of OGs?
Talking to Pendarvis made me feel like I had another connection to the younger generation—to someone in the community trying to make a difference. In addition, our conversation helped me realize what I want to share with the next generation.
For the youth, I wish to pass on personal and social stories of struggle and sacrifice—stories of family and community and of violence and reconciliation. I tell these stories, not in any self-righteous, preaching or condescending manner. I tell these stories in a manner that raises critical questions, inspires dignity and determination, and invites dialogue, debate and conversation. I realize that once a generation falters or neglects to pass the torch, a disconnection and a generational breakdown inevitably emerges.
Now, I ask the OGs the same question Pendarvis asked me.
If you had the ear of the youth, what would you bestow upon them – what would you tell them?
Send your answers and your age, so we can put them on the table for a dialogue. Once a few of the answers have been considered, this column will be open for the younger generation to respond.
OGs, please put your answers in a U-Save-Em envelope addressed to San Quentin News, Education Department, and drop it in the mail.
