In this clip, Kowan and Felix discuss the benefits of elder mentorship and the persistence of structural racism. As Kowan reflects on the joys of listening to elders for knowledge and wisdom, Felix draws our attention to the gravity of generational moments of reckoning.
Every generation has a flashpoint and a story or an occurence that becomes their siren song to try and to do something. And to try and decide how they’re going to rally around what those important points are…Hearing how people did it before is very important
The flashpoints in my life around racism encompass the turbulent years of the civil rights movement starting in the 50’s and 60’s and the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, the Kennedy’s. My most devastating and frightening personal experience was the invasion of Texas Southern University by police who fired shots into dormitories and destroyed the personal property of students. during a night of violence. As an elder, I’ve tried to relay the personal impact of these events by sharing with later generations through story telling.