Behind the film: For Generations To Come

Behind The Film
Written By Nick Benoit

Sometimes, when we set out to write a story, we want it to push us, to take us somewhere new. We crave the challenge of creating something that stretches our imagination, our skills, and our hearts. But then, there are those stories that don’t need us to challenge them—they are the things challenging us.

A few months ago, the Global Leadership Network approached us with the opportunity to produce a story for their upcoming conference, the Global Leadership Summit. As we met with the team and the idea unfolded, we set our sights on the theme of LEGACY. The idea was to tell a story to inspire the leaders to think about one question: “How would considering the long-term impact of our decisions change the way we lead our teams, churches, families, and companies?”

The story we landed on to unpack that idea was Fredrick Law Olmsted’s journey to create Central Park, as told by his journal entries. 

Late in his life, Olmsted reflected on his long-term vision of Central Park, saying “In laying out Central Park, we determined to think of no result to be realized in less than 40 years. I have all my life been considering distant effects and always sacrificing immediate success and applause for the future.” Throughout this project—writing it, imagining it—these words have stayed on my mind.

I found myself challenged to ask in what ways am I grasping for immediate results, the roar of applause, and instant gratification? And where am I investing in something that truly matters – something that will outlast me? 

Legacy – it’s an interesting thing to contend with. It's something that from our vantage point in history, we can’t assess for ourselves. All we can do is plant the seeds of intent, water it with our daily choices, and trust that it will bear the fruit of the legacy we hope to have some day.

We either leave a legacy that inspires generations to come or become a cautionary tale to avoid. My hope is that we choose the former.


A note about Seneca Village 

I’d be remiss to not address the other legacy of Central Park. I’ve had the opportunity to explore some stunning landscapes in my life, but I’d rank Central Park as one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. There’s something about the way the park’s loveliness is set against the backdrop of the city’s architectural grandiosity that makes me appreciate each aspect all the more.

While working on this project, I was told another story that’s written underneath its trees and on the shores of its lakes, that of Seneca Village, a thriving community of predominantly African American families that was uprooted in 1853, their homes lost to make way for the park. These were real people with dreams, families, lives, and livelihoods that were forever changed.

If you dig in the soil even deeper, you’ll discover a long history that includes all manner of people and cultures—rich stories that were often punctuated by struggle, exploitation, or displacement. Throughout the process of telling one story about the park, these other stories often came to mind. They challenged me to remember that in our pursuit of something new, there’s often a cost, a piece of history that gets left behind. But that history matters. Those lives mattered.

Remembering these kinds of stories often challenges us to learn more, feel more, and honor those who came before us. The past still speaks, and that past has so much to teach us. 

If you ever find yourself wandering through Central Park (or any park, for that matter!) I encourage you to get curious about what stories may be buried a few layers deeper. And the next time you find yourself reimagining the landscape of your own life, I hope you’ll pause long enough to remember and honor the many lives and stories that form the ground on which you stand right now.

Resources to learn more about Seneca Village

Nick Benoit https://bravingbird.com
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