Bayview native Andrea Gooden came with her younger brother to tell the story of their parents.

"Growing up here for me was a lot of love, neighbors looking after neighbors. But a lot of the men who were going off to the war never came back, or ended up in jail. So my dad was the guy that all the kids who didn't have fathers would knock on the door and say, 'Can Dad come out and play?'" Gooden said. "Dad died this year. So we're going to talk a little bit about that. What was it like growing up, feeling loved, being poor, but not knowing it because we were so rich with love."

Gooden works for PG&E in environmental remediation. The utility helped fund the recording project, which is on the site of a former PG&E power plant.

These stories will help preserve the history of the Bayview, said Jacqueline Flin, who runs A. Philip Randolph Institute San Francisco, a longtime workers’ rights and civil rights organization that also helped bring the recording project to the neighborhood.

“Data show that the community is changing, there is a significantly smaller black population.” Flin said. “Our goal and our effort is to say to the remaining families, come and speak on your history and tell us your story and let’s capture that history for the legacy that will remain after we’re all gone.”

Some recording slots remain on Sunday for Bayview residents, and more recording events are planned for early next year. If you’re interested in participating, call 415-265-0228.

StoryCropsStoryCrops

A Chance for Bayview Residents to Tell Their Stories