EDUCATION & CONVERSATION
A COMMUNITY AT WORK FOR ANTIRACISM IN FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE
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Justice.
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Equity.
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Healing.
In historic Franklin, Tennessee, people of color continue to experience inequality, racism and systemic oppression.
The Public promotes antiracism through education, advocacy and action so that Franklin experiences healing, equity and justice for all its residents.
THE PUBLIC’s Story
This short video is The Public’s story as shot through the lens of Adam Rosenbaum, a long-time supporter and member of The Public. Adam’s video captures this grass-roots movement’s story and it’s vision for the city of Franklin.
Education.
Lack of knowledge about our local and national history allows for racial brokenness to cultivate under the surface and in broad daylight in this Post-Civil Rights Era. Additionally, without direct, personal experiences witnessing racism in our community, people are unlikely to change through education alone. The Public invites Franklin residents and their friends to hear stories, learn how our racial history continues to invade the Franklin community today, and act in ways that challenge racial and economic disparities in order to make our town a more loving community.
Conversation.
“In no other capacity is a problem solved by not talking about it,” says Ibram Kendi. “And yes, it’s extremely hard to treat racism. It’s extremely painful. Just like it’s extremely hard to treat cancer.” Our hope is that the Franklin public would have a safe space to ask the hard, painful questions about race, and leave with an empathy for otherness, a perspective they’ve never heard before, and a passion for social change.
Antiracism in Franklin, Tennessee.
A statue in the center of town. A high school mascot. A flag on the county seal. All current signs of a Franklin that has not yet been liberated from the evils of its past. Our history points to broken systems, miseducation, and an abuse of position, power, and prosperity. At The Public, we believe the culprit is ignorance. We believe that education and conversation are our weapons against it. Join us.
“Thank you for educating us. Thank you for this conversation. We are listening. We are changing. We are not believing the lies anymore. I (a white woman) stand with you.”
— Karen, Franklin Resident
Make a donation.
100% of every donation goes toward funding our programs associated with racial justice and our fight against systematic oppression and inequity in Franklin, Tennessee.
Throughout the course of US history, when Christians had the opportunity to decisively oppose the racism in their midst, all too often, they chose silence. They chose passivity. The refusal to act in the midst of injustice is itself an act of injustice. Indifference to oppression perpetuates oppression.
Jemar Tisby
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