Essence

Bold and Beautiful 2007:
Shirley Franklin
by TATSHA ROBERTSON

"Shirley Franklin knows the city's heart." —ANDREW JACKSON YOUNG, JR., FORMER MAYOR OF ATLANTA AND FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS

Atlanta's first female mayor stunned an audience of journalists and city leaders during a press conference last November with the statement that, as a little girl, she had been sexually assaulted by a friend's father. Her revelation came as she announced the Dear John campaign, the city's aggressive plan to end sexual exploitation of underage girls in Atlanta. "Atlanta is a major hub for human trafficking and exploitation," says the 62-yearold mother of three adult children. "The only way to reverse the problem is to acknowledge it. I imagine that's why I told my story.'' Franklin's task force aims to ensure that there aren't any more young victims. "These men are breaking the law. We want to make it clear that this is not acceptable."

GET INVOLVED WITH HER CAUSE TAPESTRI, INC. IS AN ATLANTA-BASED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO ENDING VIOLENCE AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW YOU CAN HELP, VISIT TAPESTRI.ORG OR CALL 404-299-2185.

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