{"@context":"http://iiif.io/api/presentation/3/context.json","id":"https://saaacam.aviaryplatform.com/iiif/v69862d40r/manifest","type":"Manifest","label":{"en":["Franque Bains Interview"]},"logo":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/571/original/full-color_2x.png?1735841768","metadata":[{"label":{"en":["Publisher"]},"value":{"en":["The African American Network TV (TAAN TV)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Description"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eTeacher and writer Frankie Bains discusses education, writing, the African American writing and art  scene in San Antonio as well as the founding of Black Writers of San Antonio.\u003c/p\u003e"]}},{"label":{"en":["Rights Statement"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eAll materials are for noncommercial educational or research uses only. 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And we're celebrating San Antonio's Tricentennial: 300 Voices in 300 Days. And I have the pleasure to interview today Miss Franque Bains, here to share her story, her life and the contributions that she's made to our great city. So Miss Bains, thank you so much for joining me today. So tell me, where were you born?\r\n\r\n\r\nFranque Bains  0:25  \r\nI'm from Riverside, California. I- I’m born and raised a Californian. I've been in San Antonio for about five or six months now.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  0:33  \r\nOkay, well, so tell me what brought you here.\r\n\r\n\r\nFranque Bains  0:37  \r\nOkay. So I came to Texas to take some writing classes. And I'm a teacher, and I chose to take a year off and come to Texas, take some classes, and then go back to California and take my newfound writing skills. But Texas is an amazing place to be a writer, and San Antonio even more. I started in Austin, and then I met some amazing creatives and writers in San Antonio and I've made the transition to settle here. It's less expensive than Austin, there's a vibrant community here, and it's just- it feels more diverse than Austin did. So it's been a really great place to- to plant my feet.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  1:15  \r\nRight. Great. So you were teaching there in California–\r\n\r\n\r\nFranque Bains  1:19\r\nI was.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  1:19\r\n–and then came here to Texas. Were you teaching elementary, secondary or wh- what age group?\r\n\r\n\r\nFranque Bains  1:26  \r\nI taught middle and high school. I taught math for a chunk of time, and then I taught social emotional learning because wellness is such an integral part of who I- of just my life philosophy. So I believe that if you are well inside, then academically you can do good. I think just that wellness- starting with self, starting with just- a good sense of who you are, will allow you- allow you to achieve in other areas, right? \r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  1:55\r\nRight. \r\n\r\n\r\nFranque Bains  1:57\r\nSo that's- that was my motivation to switch from math to social emotional learning. And so from there, I have been just- I just have this call to write a book, and I look forward to sharing it- sharing it with you, but I'll focus on why I came to Texas. So I came to Texas to take some classes because I'm a trained math teacher and I hadn't done creative- creative writing since I was in elementary school. So I just wanted to get- get my feet wet a little bit. I knew people in Texas, I knew it was going to be a good experience. And so it's been awesome.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  2:31  \r\nSo you've had already- there was a foundation or a support system for you here. \r\n\r\n\r\nFranque Bains  2:35\r\nYeah, mhm.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  2:36\r\nOkay. Is most of your family, then, still in California or–? \r\n\r\n\r\nFranque Bains  2:39\r\nYeah, my family is in California.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  2:39  \r\nWow, that was a big step, then. \r\n \r\nFranque Bains  2:43\r\nIt was. It was. And they're amazingly supportive. I'm really, really grateful.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  2:48  \r\nThat's wonderful. And so you're writing, then, a book about-? Can you tell us a little bit?\r\n\r\n\r\nFranque Bains  2:53  \r\nI am, just a little bit. So I'm writing a book about Dallas in 1988, 1989, and it's through the eyes of a kid who loves to draw, who's curious, who loves the hip hop era, but is really looking critically and finding coping skills of dealing wi- with South Dallas in 1988: the crack epidemic, the crime, the way that kids were involved, and how he's navigating that as a kid.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  3:23\r\nYeah. And so when do you think you will come to completion with your book, and- it's going to be a while? \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFranque Bains  3:29  \r\nYou know, it's, um, it actually is moving along really good. Really well. I'm doing some good research and I found an organization called the Writing Compass, which is an organization that has accountability and critique opportunities, and it's been amazing. So it keeps me on a deadline. So I hope to be at a really good, solid, um, place with the first draft, um, about March or April when the program ends.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  3:56  \r\nOkay. So, um, what are some things that you do here in the city? What are some contributions, I guess, that you've made? Or have you had time to even do any of that?\r\n\r\n\r\nFranque Bains  4:06  \r\nYeah. It's been amazing. I've met, um, writers like Frederick Williams, Kinyo Laditon, Kevin Prince. And we have established the Black Writers of San Antonio. \r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  4:19\r\nOh, okay. \r\n\r\n\r\nFranque Bains  4:20\r\nYeah. So I'm doing programming in San Antonio for that, to help give visibility to black writers, to support black writers at no matter what stage that you're at, and to get our stories out there.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  4:32  \r\nWow, that's interesting. And so this organization, then, you all just started up. \r\n\r\n\r\nFranque Bains  4:37\r\nUh-huh.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  4:38\r\nAnd so, uh, you- have you had a lot of people come to you about that, or are you just in the initial stages of launching that?\r\n\r\n\r\nFranque Bains  4:47  \r\nWell, we've held a few events. And so we've had two author talks. We highlighted two authors already. The first one was Kevin Prince, and then another month we had Frederick Williams come in and talk about his work and the books that he has out. So we've been pulling people from that. We're on Meetup and we're on Facebook. And I can talk so much because we've done a really good job of establishing strong programming for black writers. We have a productivity and accountability event, we have a critique event, and then we have the author talks. So we're in our second month of this, um, of the programs that we do.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  5:29  \r\nOkay, that's great. Thank you. I will have to follow you all on Meetup– \r\n\r\n\r\nFranque Bains  5:33\r\nPlease!\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  5:33\r\n–or Facebook and look forward to see how that turns out, then. So, um, tell me what do you most like about the city of San Antonio?\r\n\r\n\r\nFranque Bains  5:43  \r\nI like that question. It's much different than I thought it would be. The, um, the city's done an excellent job of making the riverwalk a beautiful place, and it is absolutely beautiful. And working with artists, you'll find that artists are very mu- very collaborative in San Antonio. And so I think the culture of the artists is- the artists scene is the best part for me, because people are so collaborative, people are very supportive, and people are really progressive and hungry to create true art, honest art, um, rugged art that is going to push for change, or positivity or personal growth. And it's just been really inspiring to see what's going on out here. The city is beautiful, the weather is similar to California, so I’m- I’m a happy girl.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  6:34  \r\nSo it's, yeah, lots of opportunity for people, and I don't think everyone is always aware of all of the opportunity that’s–\r\n\r\n\r\nFranque Bains  6:41\r\nThere is.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  6:41\r\n–available. So that's great to hear. So you've made some contributions to the city starting up the group–\r\n\r\n\r\nFranque Bains  6:49\r\nYeah.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  6:50\r\n–and all that. And so when people hear your name–I know you haven't been around San Antonio for a long time–but what do you want people to think when they hear your name? When they hear Franque Bains and you leave this, uh, city, what do you want people to think of when they hear that?\r\n\r\n\r\nFranque Bains  7:10  \r\nUm… [pause] Make it happen. Whatever is on your heart, no matter what community that I'm working in, whether it's the Black Writers, or I'm working with, um, the Writing Compass, I'm working with, um- I am working in a few different writers- writing circles, but the biggest thing is make your dreams happen and manifest your vision. So– \r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  7:33\r\nThat’s awesome.\r\n\r\n\r\nFranque Bains  7:34\r\n–anything along those lines.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  7:35  \r\nYes, that is awesome. And who has been most impactful in your life, you sound like you're on just a really great journey, you're doing some awesome things. Who's been most influential in your life?\r\n\r\n\r\nFranque Bains  7:49  \r\nUm, I've had a lot of beautiful people in my life be very, very supportive of me. Um, but my- as a creative, which is so important to who I am right now, my dad and my younger brother have been really influential. My younger brother is an artist who has uncompromisingly created his art. He had- he was told to play football, but he didn't. He went straight to college to get his art degree. He's- is an incredible animator, Eric Bains is his name, you can find his work online. And he has this methodical process that is- allows him to have really crisp, amazing work. And he has this belief in himself that I didn't have, necessarily, as a creative. And then my dad, he says, you’re a Bains, you can do anything. And that sticks.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  8:40\r\nI like that.\r\n\r\n\r\nFranque Bains  8:40\r\n Yeah. So, um, it just is a way to have- to feel motivated to reach a high bar and to do my best.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  8:50  \r\nYes, I like that. I like that. Just basing it on your family and what they've done and just pushing you forward and having a high standard. And I think it's just amazing that you left California where you grew up and came here to this, um, awesome city, went to Austin and then decided that San Antonio really was the best place for you in terms of opportunity. And so that's really great to hear. So as an African American, why do you feel it's important to tell your own story?\r\n\r\n\r\nFranque Bains  9:23  \r\nYou know, I can say what I'm hearing a lot on TV, like, “I don't see enough of my story,” this or that, but I don't think my desire to tell my story really is rooted in that. I feel very, um… [pause] I feel like I'm just listening to my heart as a creative. I see content, I read books, and I feel like- well, I love them. I love reading books, I love watching the amazing creators that are on YouTube. I watch, um, Issa Rae on YouTube. There's several shows that I watch and I love them. Um, and something came to me and it wouldn't leave me alone. And so I want to create too, I want to create my story. I love the ‘80s. I love what it felt like to be a little girl in the ‘80s. So I'm writing about a kid in a time area that I love. And I haven't read a lot about it, so that gives me even more motivation. But it's just this pool to create what I have. As I've been thinking about it, there is one thing I do remember that did pull me, and it was that I don't see a lot of content with positive young black males. And so my protagonist is this- is a young black boy, and, um, so that- it is filling that- filling that need also.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  10:39  \r\nYes, that is a big need, um, that has to be met. And we're probably going to start seeing more and more of that with everything going on in the world, in the media. A lot of times they tend to show the negative, when there, you know, is a lot of positives, you know, where we are overcomers and especially our young black men have overcome– \r\n\r\n\r\nFranque Bains  11:04\r\nTalk about it.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  11:04\r\n–a lot and those stories definitely need to be shared. \r\n\r\n\r\nFranque Bains  11:06\r\nAbsolutely, absolutely. \r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  11:08\r\nAnd so thank you, Franque Bains. Thank you so much for joining us on TAAN TV, and just sharing your life, your story, your contributions, and what you're planning on doing here in this great city. Some things that you've already done are just totally awesome. So thank you for joining us today on TAAN TV.\r\n\r\n\r\nFranque Bains  11:29  \r\nThank you. Thanks for having me.\r\n\r\n\r\nSaundra Nichols  11:30  \r\nThank you. So this is Saundra Nichols, again on TAAN TV and we're here celebrating San Antonio's Tricentennial. Signing off with 300 Voices in 300 Days and you've heard from Miss Franque Bains today, and so we look forward to the great work that she's going to be doing here in our city. Thank you.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://saaacam.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2808/collection_resources/127824/file/239685#t=0.0,710.50667"}]}]}]}