Michael Franklin

As a Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City alum, I wrote this piece because we have a responsibility to call out attacks on an independent institution, the targeting of a Black woman making history, and the ongoing ways our systems undermine leaders who are trying to make a difference.

Lisa Cook made history. Now she’s being punished for it. Her removal isn’t about merit — it’s about politics and baseless attacks designed to silence her voice.

A president has no legal authority to remove a Federal Reserve governor, yet Trump is moving to oust Lisa Cook. Michael Franklin reports on how the attack echoes a larger pattern of overreach.

Check out my latest for @contrariannews.org

The real divide isn’t left vs. center—it’s action vs. inaction. And too often, Democrats side with consultants who deliver nothing while communities lose everything.

The credibility crisis no one names: Democrats keep elevating losers Experience only matters if it delivers.

Cuomo’s failed political comeback highlights a much deeper crisis inside the Democratic Party. The question is whether anyone will face it. Michael Franklin explains.

What 'Building the Band' teaches us about talent, culture, and the dream of America The show uses music and storytelling to build a vision of the world we could have if we centered connection over competi

In a time when everything feels divided—politically, culturally, generationally—this new show builds a vision of the world we could have if we centered connection over competition.

@mfranklin628.bsky.social‬ on "Building the Band":
https://contrarian.substack.com/p/what-building-the-band-teaches-us

I wrote about Megan Thee Stallion—not just the trial, but the disinformation, the silence, and the dangerous strategy now unfolding around it.

Misogynoir isn’t abstract. It’s political & calculated. And Black men must speak up now, otherwise we risk letting others define us and our communities.

Men can't be silent on misogynoir Black men must lead the conversation.

In 2020, Megan Thee Stallion was shot. Her shooter was convicted, but years later, she’s still on trial in the court of public opinion. As @mfranklin628.bsky.social explains, protecting Black women isn’t just a cultural slogan. It’s a political responsibility.

The NFL draft shows us where the people are. Now we just have to show up.

The NFL Draft unites America, but civic leaders are MIA. As Michael Franklin writes: Culture builds politics. Meet people where they already are.

‘One hairdresser' is the voice of complicity in 2025 Andry Hernandez Romero and the others whose names we don't know are another victims of state-sponsored violence.

“He came to the United States seeking safety, and he did everything right… Then, one day, he disappeared.” Michael Franklin on the quiet cruelty that made Andry Hernandez Romero’s dissapearance possible.

Cory Booker Met the Moment The senator’s record-breaking speech reminds us that voice is still a form of resistance

Sen. Booker didn’t just deliver a speech—he created a moment. When values speak louder than fear, change follows. Michael Franklin explains