 My mother’s answer was to bring together a coalition of women, the same women who she was raised with….They were always an integral part of her life and naturally became an integral part of our life too, even more so after my father died.These nine women (my mother, Grandmother, Aunt Nuna, Aunt Jayne, Aunt Ida, Aunt Enis, Aunt Chrystal, Aunt Donna and Aunt Sondra) were not only the village that would raise us, but also formed the foundation of who we would become as men.”

Following his father’s death, Franklin threw himself into academics and activities as means of coping with the loss.