When I first thought about creating the Oakland Gun Violence Interview Series project I had a lot of people come to mind for who I could interview. Growing up in Oakland, most of the people that I know have been affected by gun violence in one way or another. Either they’ve shot someone, have been shot, or have a friend or family member that have fallen victim to either/or.
I knew producing content for each piece would be easy, it just came down to what stories I would want to tell. The first story that came to me was my cousin Doodie. Doodie has been shot multiple times, and I’ll tell more about that situation later in the piece, but from the moment I started planning this, I knew his story would be one worth telling.
It’s just crazy because growing up in the hood in Oakland, people don’t tell you of all the opportunities and programs out there designed to help young Black people succeed, they only promote the negative things that keep us stagnant.
Like most young Black males from Oakland, Doodie has always found himself trying to make sense of a chaotic world. In the midst of his search for understanding and clarity, he’s made some decisions that have put him in some bad situations. What I admire most about him is his ability to always come back stronger and with more knowledge. I think his story is one that people can appreciate, and also use a source of motivation. The story of a young man that refuses to back down from life and it’s hardships.
Darius “Doodie” Irvin is a junior at San Francisco State University who’s been shot three different times. The most recent incident taking place in San Francisco in 2014, where he was shot 11 times. After spending 8 months in San Francisco General Hospital recovering from his gunshot wounds, Darius enrolled in the SF Wraparound Project. Wrap Around provides services to reduce and eliminate the risk factors that are associated with violent injuries in youth and young adults. After looking death in the face on multiple occasions, Irving says he now understands the importance of living each day with value, and making the most of every opportunity that is presented to him.
“I was in the streets from an early age. You know I was always considered mature for my age, so the older guys would let me hang around them all day and all night. As a result, I was exposed to things that most kids don’t see. I guess you can say I picked up some bad habits, but for me it was just the norm. I never judged people as “good” or “bad”. Everybody I saw was just trying to make a way, make something out of nothing. I don’t have any regrets but you know I put myself in some situations that lead to me being shot multiple times, but this last time was a real eye opener for me. I realized I keep being presented with the chance to learn from my mistakes and yet, I haven’t been doing that. I’m happy to be in school now and setting an example for my son, and anyone else who may be looking up to me. It’s just crazy because growing up in the hood in Oakland, people don’t tell you of all the opportunities and programs out there designed to help young Black people succeed, they only promote the negative things that keep us stagnant. Hopefully as I continue to learn and grow, I can help prevent someone else from going through some of the traumatic experiences I encountered.” – Doodie Irvin
