“be all in for me like you were all in for the streets”

Stanley Frankart immediately commands attention in a room but in a humble and inviting way with a laugh that is contagious. Once you hear more of Stanley’s story it is clear his joy is deep, genuine, and hard fought through trials and seeing the beauty of God’s redemption plan for his life. He now pours his life into inviting and leading others to experience that same freedom. As a young person Stanley was only exposed to a certain way of life, he experienced racism even from his family as a biracial man, and by 10 years old was justice involved. By his mid twenties Stanley had already been incarcerated for over a decade. You can hear more of his story in his own words on Pass The Mic with Jemar Tisby & Tyler Burns.

Stanley now works with justice involved people through YCP Leadership and shares his story and his gifts with others. He shares a powerful moment that was a turning point in his life, “After a gang fight where 10 men jumped me and I was bleeding on the floor I heard a still small voice “be all in for Me like you were all in for the streets. Then when I folded the flag for the gang God said “you have been leading them in the wrong direction all your life- it’s time to start leading them in the right way.” He shares more of this story on the podcast- so worth the listen!

YCP is “taking a stand against crime, drugs, gangs, and poverty within our community by reaching the youth of an independent, entrepreneurial generation, and meeting the needs of our communities by fostering the young entrepreneur’s skills thorough biblical character development, executive etiquette, and personal training from Christian professionals.”

Stanley is a leader with Young Christian Professionals which helps formerly incarcerated people re-enter life on the outside. In 2021, Stanley became part of the inaugural cohort of The Witness Fellows.

I was invited to photograph this exceptional group of Black Christian leaders in Little Rock, Arkansas.

“When The Witness came through it was a blessing because I was working 4 jobs and being a husband and a father and doing this ministry.” 

 Stanley led a prayer to begin the retreat, “God, Everything we need you are. We are a royal priesthood and you have given us the grace to carry the mantle of the things you created us to be. We can do nothing apart from you. May we never forget where we were so that it lends and guides us to where you are leading. We can walk free and bring liberation to others. As Institution builders may we glorify You; our actions, motives, and intentions being led by You.”

Stanley’s thoughts on the experiences of the retreat and fellowship, “There was a vision planted at a conference (Joy & Justice Conference in Chicago in 2020) and we are the fulfillment of that and those prayers over us and we are here.”

“Sometimes we get caught up in the doing and not being. As we impact and influence we must be impacted and influenced and I will work hard to recreate what I experienced here, that everywhere I go people can be their authentic selves and heal and live.”

“When the organism of the church just becomes an organization there is no more life.”

After visiting the Little Rock Central High School the Witness Fellows debriefed and Stanley shared, “it hit me that the Black reporters that distracted the violent crowd, they were willing to suffer for those students. That reporter said “If Elizabeth did not run I will not run. ” We have to sit in these moments in order to move forward and I am thinking how important it is for the Civil Rights movement to move forward. I envision us fighting for Elizabeth, Emmet Till, and as Christian Black leaders that is what we doing is fighting for them.

“When we collectively assemble there is an anointing. It is our responsibility to say how we respond collectively. We have to feel the feels of this moment. We can redeem the narrative by trying to feel this- she was being spit on by grown white women and other children.”

“Our orthodoxy must impact our orthopraxy. Our view of God has to impact the way we live our everyday lives. We will experience the spiritual warfare so we need the stories.”

 Throughout the retreat time Stanley shared so much insight and his passion for seeing God’s justice roll down is clear and inspiring, “The only framework I knew of justice was broken but we must be changed to usher in change here on earth. This is my work. In the end Liberation is about Justice.” Support his work here.

Stanley shared this review, “Roxanne does some of the most amazing and anointed work I’ve seen. She’s supernaturally gifted to capture the essence of the story, tell it with integrity, and truly bring the best of who you are and the work you do, to the table! Roxanne isn’t just a storyteller, she captures the heart and soul of the story in a way that captivates people!”