Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/557480
pened to be in town and was cooking for the group. It might have seemed like two worlds colliding, but Jocelyn, who had lived with her husband's mother in Pitts- burgh after moving to the United States, was a particularly talented cook. "My mom's first introduction to this country was nothing but black people, in the Hill District, on Bedford Avenue, learn- ing how to cook soul food and everything else," Franklin said. "And my mom is as white as your shirt. She was really fair. She went grey really early, but she had red hair, was fair-skinned, that whole deal." While Franklin entertained his guests, his mother prepared collard greens, black- eyed peas, macaroni and cheese, ham, and sweet potato pie and brought each dish to the table. "I remember the kids looking down at the plate and looking up at my mom, and looking down at the plate and looking up at my mom. They could not figure this out," he said. "So it was this really weird dynamic. A really, really weird dynamic." Although he was raised almost exclu- sively by his mother, all of Franklin's hol- idays and family time were spent around his father's extended family down South. As a result, he's never considered himself to be just one thing. "I've always kind of looked at that as a strength," he said, "because I feel like I can relate to so many different people." Franklin's outlook resonates with re- cruits, and it has helped to ease the sort of tensions that sometimes flare up on a squad of more than 100 players from wildly diverse backgrounds. "I like the way that he conveys his mes- sage," said quarterback Jake Zembiec, an- other member of Penn State's 2016 re- cruiting class. "When you get here, playing time [goes to] whoever is the best. It doesn't matter if you're black, white or tan." Franklin tries to relate to everyone he interacts with, and his background en- hances his ability to connect with others. He considers himself to be at the forefront of social change in a nation that is growing ever more diverse. "Growing up, being biracial and all that kind of stuff, it was unique," he said. "It's not unique anymore, which I think in a lot of ways is a really powerful thing for our country. I think in a lot of ways it's probably going to change our country for the better, in terms of eradicating racism." ■ K I C K O F F I S S U E