FRANK Talks

Free, thought-provoking discussions on important issues facing our communities produced in partnership with Arizona Humanities and the Arizona State Library, Archives & Public Records.

FRANK Talks Programs

Facilitators & Topics

FRANK Talks are hosted by FRANK Talk Facilitators and local libraries and span a total of 60-90 minutes. The purpose of FRANK Talks is to encourage participants to weigh facts, provide the opportunity to put them in context, and consider different points of view. FRANK Talks inspire people to practice the skills of citizenship—to listen respectfully and engage thoughtfully on issues that affect our communities. Topics can include education, immigration, religion, civil rights, and more. Attend a FRANK Talk and join a community conversation today!

FRANK Talks will be offered both virtually and in-person. The host library and the facilitator must agree in advance on the format.  Please note that some topics are offered virtually only. 

We are no longer accepting applications for FRANK Talks this year.

For Host Libraries:

For scheduling and dashboard support, contact:

Julianne Cheng, jcheng@azhumanities.org

(602) 257-0335

Schedule a FRANK Talk Program

Please refer to these directions:

  • Contact the facilitator and select the date, time, and format (in-person or virtual) for your program. Contact info for facilitators is available in the facilitator tab above.
  • Go to azhumanities.org and apply through the online dashboard. You must be registered with an account. 
  • Complete and submit the online application form. Please note that there are separate applications for in-person and virtual FRANK Talks.
  • For virtual programs AH staff will schedule the program with our ZOOM account and send you a registration link to share with the public. You will receive a separate email from Zoom with your host link to open the meeting the day of your program. Please review the VIRTUAL FRANK TALKS PROGRAM GUIDE (.PDF)

Hosting a FRANK Talk

 FRANK Talks are a safe space to explore difficult social issues. All opinions are welcome, but participants must model respectful behavior, or they may be removed from the meeting. FRANK Talks rules and code of conduct apply – please refer to the “Ground Rules” as a guide.

Your Library’s Role

Once the in-person program has been approved, host libraries should coordinate directly with the facilitator regarding event logistics. Host libraries are responsible for the following:

  1. Promote the FRANK Talks in your community. Please refer to the Host Library Tool Kit to the right for marketing material.
  2. Set up the space in a circle to encourage conversation. 
  3. Introduce the facilitator and supporting the facilitator as needed.
  4. Acknowledge Arizona Humanities and the Arizona State Library.
  5. Distribute the “ground rules” and audience surveysYou must upload audience survey responses with your Project Director Evaluation
  6. Complete the Project Director Evaluation within two (2) days of the program. 

Virtual

Once the virtual program has been approved, you will receive a Zoom link for your virtual program. You will use the link when you market and promote the program. The link will allow participants to register for the program in advance. It will require them to enter their name and email address. Following registration, participants will receive an electronic confirmation. They will use this information to participate in the program. This process allows AH to protect the security of the program and reduce hacking, ZOOM bombing, or other program disruptions. You may not use your own ZOOM account or other virtual platform to register participants. This is strictly prohibited. AH will email the audience survey within the next business day.

For directions on hosting in Zoom, please refer to the VIRTUAL FRANK TALKS PROGRAM GUIDE (.PDF).

Why the name FRANK Talks?

FRANK Talks is named in part to honor Lorraine W. Frank, the founding Executive Director of Arizona Humanities. During her tenure from 1973 to 1989, she elevated public discourse and understood that engaging communities in dialogue was critical to the life of our state. Lorraine W. Frank passed away in 2005, and in 2015 she was inducted into the Arizona Women’s Hall of Fame.

Fill out the info below to sign up for our E-Newsletter.