‘Who’s going to help us now?’ We must live up to Anita Franklin’s call to get better together.
Most of us don’t accomplish in a lifetime what Anita Franklin did in just six years.
In that short time, the Lexington activist, who died of natural causes on Monday, forged her heartbreak from the 2014 death of her 21-year-old son into a steel resolve to take on the random gun violence that killed him.
She organized peace marches, spoke in churches, joined Moms Demand Action Kentucky in their national quest to enact common-sense gun control. In a country transfixed by horrific mass shootings in schools and churches, she brought attention back to where guns claims the most victims — in our parks and on our streets, random violence that’s caused by too many available firearms.
That’s how her son, Antonio, was killed at the age of 21, shot by a random bullet fired in Duncan Park. Four teenagers were charged in the crime, four teenagers whom Franklin forgave. This is what she said at the sentencing of one of the teenagers charged:
“When you see me crying today, it’s not only for Antonio but for you as well,” she said. “I just want you to understand you aren’t only hurting our family, your family, you’re hurting the kids that were in the park, you’re hurting yourself. And I hope that whatever happens from your sentencing and why you’re in jail or when you get out, that your behavior changes.”
For the past two years, Franklin worked in Fayette Sheriff Kathy Witt’s office doing community outreach on some of the other issues she was passionate about: small children, senior citizens, violence survivors, the homeless.
“It was A-Z to try to get everyone connected and make Lexington better,” Witt said. “She always said ‘Let’s get better and do it together.’
“She spent these last six years really connecting people and talking about things that others would not talk about.”
Franklin’s death leaves an enormous hole in our community. Just Tuesday night, Witt attended one of the survivor groups that Franklin had organized when a little girl asked: “Who’s going to help us now?”
That is now Lexington’s charge. A vigil will be held on Thursday night at the courthouse to honor her life. Show up and hear more about Franklin’s life and work. Help Sheriff Witt with continuing plans for the April Peace Walk that Franklin first started in Duncan Park. Or do something Franklin cared about, Witt said. Read to a child. Visit a lonely senior citizen. Sign your drivers’ license to become an organ donor. Last year, Franklin led her peace march with the two men who received Antonio’s heart and lungs.
Police Chief Lawrence Weathers, who attended high school with Franklin, said no one person could take her place, but that was always her point. “Her thing was to call the whole community to get involved,” he said. “That was the message that she was trying to get out about stopping violence and making sure we’re there for each other.”
In recent weeks, Witt said, Franklin had been cast down by the rash of violent deaths in Lexington. On Feb. 12, the day before she and Moms Demand turned the Capitol into a sea of red, Franklin, who was a prolific Facebook poster, wrote a lengthy and foreshadowing post.
“I was sitting after my morning prayer thinking
People are leaving this Earth every day young and old
I dont want to die without saying
I LOVE YOU
DONT WORRY IM OK
I PRAY THAT I LEAVE A MEMORY OR TWO THAT MADE YOU SMILE
EVERYONE HAS STRICT INSTRUCTIONS ON MY LAST WISHES MAKE SURE THE HAIR LOOKS GOOD
MY RED LIPSTICK IS ON
AND MY FRIENDS SURROUND MY CHILDREN THEY NEED AUNTIES AND UNCLES ... NO NOTHING IS WRONG BUT JUST IN CASE
ONE WORD TO MOTIVATE AND DESCRIBE ME OR A SPECIAL TIME
WE SPENT TOGETHER HOW DID WE MEET MAKE ME LAUGH
IT’S GOOD TO DO IT WHILE IM BREATHING
I APPRECIATE EACH DAY BUT WHEN MY NAME IS CALLED ILL BE OK”
This story was originally published February 26, 2020 at 1:19 PM.
