Tee Franklin

Tee Franklin is a Black, queer, disabled, autistic, award winning, best selling comic writer, TV writer and public speaker from New Jersey. In 2018, Franklin became the first Black, queer, disabled woman writer with a series published by Image Comics, for her bestselling queer romance graphic novella, "Bingo Love", which is currently on its third printing. Franklin is also the first Black woman to write the DC Comics well-known characters, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, from the GLAAD nominated and bestselling "Harley Quinn: Eat. Bang! Kill. Tour" series based on the Harley Quinn animated series on HBO MAX. Recently, Franklin is writing for Archie Comics and has created a brand new character — Eliza Han — which was announced in the New York Times.

Franklin’s stories have also appeared in the New York Times bestselling and Eisner winning graphic novel, "Love Is Love" as well as award winning anthologies — "Elements: Fire" and "Femme Magnifique."

Franklin won the 2017 Prism Queer Press Grant, which allowed her to create "Bingo Love" and raised almost $60k via Kickstarter. "Bingo Love" was nominated for a GLAAD award for best comic in 2019, in addition to being a GoodReads Choice nominee. "Bingo Love" dominated “Best Of” 2018 lists and won the Virginia Library Diversity Award for best graphic novel in August 2019. Franklin was named one of 2018’s Icons, Innovators and Disruptors by Advocate Magazine.

Franklin’s goals are to change the ugly and harmful narrative the media has created about disabled people. She wants to show that you can create works of art without offending disabled people. Franklin has proven if given accommodations and accessibility, disabled people can accomplish anything. There’s so much talent that lies within disabled people: “all you need to do is open your mind and see us as more than our disabilities.”

Franklin has created trending and viral hashtags throughout her time on social media, from #BlackComicsMonth, #TeensThatLookLikeTeens, #NoRampNoPanel, her favorite: #MakeAbleistsUncomfortable and several more. Franklin consistently uses her platform to discuss topics that affects her daily life as a Black, queer, disabled woman and speaks up for those who don’t have a large platform.

Franklin is a New Jersey medical marijuana patient and marijuana influencer. She speaks about cannabis often as it relieves her chronic pain, anxiety, depression and a host of other illnesses. She advocates for decriminalization and legalization of cannabis on social media and fights for homegrown accessibility for disabled patients. The “war on drugs” has turned many off to marijuana — including her past self — but Franklin shares her journey on how she went from taking opioids for almost a decade to only using marijuana within months often.

When she’s not writing — or tweeting — Franklin is watching anime, Asian horror movies, or reliving the joy from rewatching the "Justice League" and "Justice League Unlimited" shows — especially the episodes featuring Vixen!

Tee Franklin is available in partnership with Collective Speakers.