Explorations in Black Leadership

Co-Directed by Phyllis Leffler & Julian Bond

Greatest Contribution: Mentoring Others

BOND: When you look at your life, what do you think is your greatest contribution as a leader?

PINN: I’m guess I’m a little nervous when you keep calling me a leader, but, you know, hopefully I have led —

BOND: When you came in this room — when you came to this room, you were a leader.

PINN: I’d like to think that perhaps I have been a leader or will be a leader, but I think my greatest contributions are in what others that I have been able to advise or mentor or work with or perhaps give advice to have been able to move onto accomplish not so much — in other words, it’s not so much what awards I have and what plaques I have. It’s what really makes a difference which is affecting the lives of others and for each person that I hear from ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five years later who say, "You gave me some good advice and my career is moving forward. I’ve done this. Thank you" to me — that’s a far greater tribute than any award or honor that might be directed specifically to me publicly and I really believe that. I really feel that way.