This is the final episode of four from my conversation with Changemaker Penny Franklin.  You’ll want to be sure you caught the first three parts where she talks about her work with people across differences to create homegrown solutions to racial injustices in her community.  In this last piece, you will hear Penny talk about the “ripple effects” of this work that are starting to radiate outward to communities beyond Montgomery County, Virginia. She also speaks to the great importance of keeping young people engaged in the efforts that will need attention for years to come.










































Penny begins this portion of the conversation expressing amazement at how change happens and how people become deeply engaged in the work. She marvels at the way African American people in her community have steadily begun to have more of a voice. 
“There were people who I’ve known and worked with and they did not feel they had a voice. Now, they have a voice, and they will talk about how being engaged with the Community Group and with the Dialogue on Race has given them a space and the outlet to be able to share how it feels for them to be here in Montgomery County.”
As the voices of local people began to be heard, word spread about what was going on.  Others began to take notice.  Visitors came from Roanoke, Franklin County, Fredericksburg and other parts of Virginia, North Carolina and beyond asking questions like,
“How does that work? How does that happen? How do you engage the local governing bodies? How do you keep bringing in all these people and having these conversations?” 










Penny’s answer is this.
“It’s because of those calm ripples and people speaking to other people and understanding we’re not here to beat up on people. We’re not here to call people out … not that I have a problem doing that… It is just because we’re here to make a change.
Penny wants to be clear that this work with The Community Group and the Dialogue on Race is about the needs of the African American community specifically.  She believes that it is important to remain intentional and unapologetic for this focus and not allow it to be “diluted” with other, albeit important, efforts.  When she is asked why the group isn’t also working on the needs of native peoples, or Latino people or women, she acknowledges the dilemma, but maintains that there are needs and conversations on behalf of the African American population that have not yet been fully addressed. 
“Because we live here in Montgomery County and we’re in an African American group, our focus is the African American community. The whole idea has always been if other races of people or other groups of people want to understand how we’ve done this, we love to have those conversations to keep those ripples going,  but I believe it is very, very important that it happen among those groups.”
Penny had the honor of being included in a Fellowship with the Kellogg Foundation focused on racial equity and healing.  The national cohort included 25 people from all over the country.  In that group she learned things that sometimes keep her awake at night, things like the mistreatment of native peoples, Latinos and many others.