“The Wire” Actress Addresses Crowds in Memphis

Actress and activist Sonja Sohn from HBO’s critically-acclaimed series The Wire addressed Facing History and Ourselves audiences this week in Memphis, Tennessee.

"It is up to us. It is up to us to acknowledge that our best bet is to educate and enlighten young people…lest we lose them to our own apathy and ignorance,” Sohn told crowds at “What's at Stake in Our Communities if Our Schools Fail?” a Community Conversation held in partnership with The Allstate Foundation. “They need to find inside themselves to shine and live their ultimate purpose in the world, which is simple. It's the same for us all. To simply make this world a better place than it was when we were born into it."

The free, public event was the culmination of Engaging Education: Rethinking Learning, Teaching, and Achievement in Urban Schools, Facing History’s day-long conference on urban education.

Attend a Community Conversation in your area. Learn more about upcoming events!

Read “‘The Wire’ Actress Talks Education at Memphis Forum,” by Michael Kelley, in the Commercial Appeal.

Learn more about Facing History’s work in Memphis.