On the Shoulders of Giants(cont.)
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STONE: How did you two come together to start this project?
COSBY: Renee and I were involved in previous projects about African-American
elders. I was working on a television movie and a Broadway play about the Delany
sisters, Having Our Say, and I was introduced to Renee by her uncle, Dr. Alvin
Poussaint. We realized we shared a desire to develop something of value about
African-American elders. Renee came up with a concept that involved Dr. John Hope
Franklin and Archbishop Desmond Tutu's being transported to Goree Island in Senegal
to impart their wisdom to 21 young people: seven from Senegal, seven from the
United States and seven from South Africa--all teenagers and from different cultures
in each country. It was a documentary that was eventually aired on PBS. And from
that came the idea to create a forum for elders to speak and for young people
to learn about their tenacity.
STONE: How do you determine whom to interview?
COSBY: We get names from our advisory board and nominations through the
Web site, where members of the public can nominate anybody they want.
RENEE POUSSAINT: You can also call up and nominate people. We want this
group to be as wide and as diverse as possible.
STONE: Your goal is not just to preserve history but also to bring elders
and young people together. What do you hope to accomplish by bridging these generations?
COSBY: We want to provide a forum for these elders to interact with young
people. Today the old are perceived to be valueless and decrepit. And the young
are looked at as troublemakers or oversexed and reckless. Renee and I are trying
to counter those distortions. And we want young people to know the real meaning
of leadership. That you should be passionate about what you do--in your life and
in your work. That you should speak truthfully and clearly so that everybody will
understand you, no matter the level of education.