Brentton Harrison

“It doesn’t feel like work, it feels like a calling, a mission, or a purpose."

- Brentton Harrison

Mr. Harrison is bidding farewell to the Jackson Center after 10 years of service to join the Hargreeves Community Center. With the whole staff bidding him farewell and asking questions, it leads to lots of laughs, sharing advice on what the Jackson Center should never change, and wrapping up with a song. During this tape, he discusses important points in his journey such as how he joined the Jackson Center, the first workshop he gave, and his most memorable workshop. Along the way he makes sure to share knowledge, inspiration, and advice for the next person in line. A lot of discussion is done around the youth that he engaged with and best practices when wanting to connect with them.

This interview provides Brentton Harrison’s early biographical information, reflections on his father’s life as a Reverend and his life growing up in Northside including participation in a band while in high school. He shares his involvement with Heavenly Grocery, overseeing the Pancake Jamboree at the Jackson Center, and reflects on relationship with Tim Tyson. He concludes with a discussion in which he offers opinions on challenges facing the Northside Community in regards to students housing and rising property taxes and gives final wishes for action he would like to see in the neighborhood.

Created by Brentton Harrison when he was a member of the Marian Cheek Jackson’s inaugural season of its youth radio program, Fusion Youth Radio, and recipient of an award from PRX, this audio-documentary relies on oral histories to explore love of food and food as love.