FRANK Talks

We often hear about the widening wealth gap in the United States. If we look back through history, federal policies and discriminatory practices, from redlining to the current gender wage gap, have contributed to lasting social and economic inequities. Who holds the wealth now? How was that wealth acquired? Can we move toward a more […]

Debates over education—what is included and what is excluded—seem more heated these days. New legislative measures across the country seek to regulate curriculum and discussion about LGBTQ+ identity in schools. Lawmakers along with parents and community members are also asserting more control over books children read in the classroom, including literature on LGBTQ+ experiences. Should […]

In many organizations, institutions and corporations across the country, the words diversity, equity and inclusion, often referred to as DEI, are being incorporated into mission statements, workplace trainings, and sometimes day-to-day practices. So, what is diversity, equity and inclusion? Are the terms interchangeable, or do they address different issues? Do the definitions change when going […]

When a new highway is built—who does it benefit? Which communities are connected, and which communities are broken apart? Whose properties and which groups of people are valued? How has the development of transportation and land deepened inequities in our country? What steps can we take now to shape a different future? Join us for […]

There has been a lot of talk about Critical Race Theory or “CRT” in the news and social media lately. Opinions are divided. Some say that CRT is an examination of the historic effects of racism on society, and the resulting impact on access to legal rights and community resources. Others say that CRT discriminates […]

The first amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects press freedom. Freedom of the press is important because it plays a vital role in informing citizens about public affairs and monitoring the actions of government. But what happens when public trust in the media is eroded by sensationalism, foreign influences or bots, fake news, and business […]

The first amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects press freedom. Freedom of the press is important because it plays a vital role in informing citizens about public affairs and monitoring the actions of government. But what happens when public trust in the media is eroded by sensationalism, foreign influences or bots, fake news, and business […]

The first amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects press freedom. Freedom of the press is important because it plays a vital role in informing citizens about public affairs and monitoring the actions of government. But what happens when public trust in the media is eroded by sensationalism, foreign influences or bots, fake news, and business […]

The first amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects press freedom. Freedom of the press is important because it plays a vital role in informing citizens about public affairs and monitoring the actions of government. But what happens when public trust in the media is eroded by sensationalism, foreign influences or bots, fake news, and business […]

It has been said that “Whiskey is for drinking, water is for fighting.” This is especially true of water politics in the American Southwest, a region defined by its lack of water. The massive 20th century federal investments into dam systems controlled the great rivers of the West, allowing cities like Phoenix to “bloom like […]