Rosa Franklin, who was the first Black female senator in the state of Washington, is now being celebrated with a park named in her honor, King 5 News reported. The Tacoma, Washington's Franklin park was originally named after Benjamin Franklin, but will now be known as Senator Rosa Franklin Park to paying tribute to the 94-year-old trailblazer who served the community in various capacities.
Franklin, recognized as a champion of health equity and housing, is particularly celebrated for her work with the Washington Housing Policy Act and the Governor’s Interagency Council on Health Disparities.
T'wina Nobles, currently the Washington State Senator for the 28th district, spoke at Thursday's ceremony, saying Franklin's accomplishments have proven what's possible.
“It is so important to see representation,” Nobles said. “It allowed me to not only be inspired by her story, it let me know that one day, I could be a state senator. Being a senator now, I know how complex the work is, so I have even more admiration for her because I know what it takes to exist in this space. But to see her come before me made it a reality, and allowed me to see myself there or know that I could one day serve my state.”
The 94-year-old said she still has a lot to look forward to.
"I’m not finished yet though, at 94, I’m still going!" she said.
The celebrated politician also remains optimistic about the future of the country.
“I have great faith in the future because I look back at our history, and I know where we came from,” she said. “So without hope and faith, you’ll never make it.”
Washington's first Black female senator was greeted with applause as Franklin Park was renamed to highlight the work she’s done to help make Tacoma a better place. https://t.co/8QLPRiGu4g
— KING 5 News (@KING5Seattle) July 9, 2021
Before she was elected to serve as senator in 1993, Franklin worked as a nurse for 42 years, The Suburban Times reported. The politician retired from her senate position in 2012. Washington's elected officials made the decision to rename the park earlier this year with a unanimous vote.
“Senator Franklin is without question an outstanding individual, who forged a path for herself through adversity and built connections to advance the causes of social justice, healthcare, and racial equity in Tacoma and throughout Washington State,“ Metro Parks Commissioner Aaron Pointer said during Thursday's ceremony.
Franklin was shocked when the city voted to rename the park in February.
“Are you sure?” the former senator asked when she first heard the news, The New Tribune reported.
“I really believe that it means a lot to people — and to kids — to see people who look like them represented in the names of parks and schools and other facilities,” Pointer said. “It gives people inspiration. To some, it might not mean a lot. But to others, it can mean a sense of belonging, and that the city recognizes that our people are a part of the city, and not just something that is disregarded.”
