By Britton Edwards, COO Atlanta Way 2.0
On Monday, the King Center hosted the Beloved Community Commemorative Service, marking the culmination of the 40th Annual King Holiday Observance Week with a multiracial, multigenerational, and interfaith celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s enduring legacy. Held at Ebenezer Baptist Church, the service featured powerful messages, including remarks from Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, who noted that “Dr. King’s Beloved Community is still under construction.” While Atlanta has long been a beacon of hope and collaboration, Dickens acknowledged, “we still have work to do.”
MLK Day is often referred to as a “Day of Service,” but in Atlanta — King’s birthplace and a cornerstone of the civil rights movement — it has evolved into a week-long series of events and volunteer opportunities to honor his legacy. This year, Hands On Atlanta organized more than 400 service opportunities, engaging 5,000 volunteers to support over 50 nonprofits as part of the MLK Days of Service.
One highlight of the week is the Sunday Supper Series, held the evening before the King holiday. This initiative encourages diverse groups of people to gather for meaningful dialogue about critical social issues. The tradition began in 2012, when Michelle Nunn, then CEO of Points of Light, hosted a conversation at her home in Inman Park. The discussion, which touched on topics like race relations and the Occupy Wall Street movement. From this gathering was born the tradition of the MLK Sunday Supper Series.
TThis year, the 11th Annual Sunday Supper was held at the Atlanta History Center, sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company and presented in partnership with Inclusivv. The event featured a variety of speakers and panelists from Atlanta’s civic community.
“I’m thrilled you could join us tonight for a meaningful conversation about environmental justice,” Hands On Atlanta President and CEO Jay Cranman said, welcoming guests. “Together, through important conversations like this, I believe we can move Atlanta closer to Dr. King’s vision of the Beloved Community.”
Dr. King’s advocacy for economic equality and safe working conditions helped lay the foundation for the environmental justice movement. His leadership during the 1968 Memphis sanitation workers’ strike underscored the link between labor rights and environmental safety as workers protested hazardous conditions.
Today, environmental justice seeks to address systemic inequities that disproportionately expose communities of color to pollution, toxic waste, and other environmental hazards — issues that align closely with King’s broader fight for equality.
By fostering conversations like those at the Sunday Supper Series, Hands On Atlanta continues to build on King’s vision, bridging past and present efforts to achieve justice and equity. This year’s discussions, centered on environmental justice, underscore the importance of collective action in addressing Atlanta’s most pressing challenges while honoring the legacy of one of its greatest leaders.
Below are a few critical issues highlighted by Hands On Atlanta as areas for consideration when addressing environmental justice today:
- Disproportionate Impact on Vulnerable Communities: In Atlanta, historically marginalized communities, often located in predominantly Black and low-income neighborhoods, are more likely to face higher exposure to pollution, landfills, industrial facilities, and poor water quality.
- Economic and Social Equity: Environmental justice is closely tied to economic and social justice. Clean air, water, and soil are essential for community health, which in turn supports educational attainment, economic productivity, and quality of life.
- Urban Heat Islands: Metro Atlanta has areas where dense urban development and lack of green spaces create “heat islands,” leading to higher temperatures in under-resourced neighborhoods. This contributes to public health disparities, especially during extreme heat events.
- Flooding and Climate Resilience: Many neighborhoods in Atlanta, particularly those with poor infrastructure, face significant flooding risks. These areas often lack the resources to recover from severe weather events exacerbated by climate change, creating a cycle of vulnerability.
- Access to Green Spaces: Parks and recreational areas are often unevenly distributed in the Atlanta metro area. Ensuring equitable access to green spaces is vital for physical and mental well-being and for fostering community resilience.
I invite you to reflect on the questions from last night’s gathering and share your thoughts. How can we, as a community, tackle these challenges in our region? What are your experiences, and which organizations do you see making a difference in finding solutions? Let’s continue the conversation and work together toward building a stronger, more equitable community.
Climate change
Monster storms. Polluted air. Poisoned water. Rising tides. Rising temperatures. Out-of-control wildfires. Scientists are telling us there are plenty of reasons to be alarmed. What scares you the most when you think about the environmental crises we’re facing? What are your fears for your loved ones, your family and your community?
Environmental racism
Environmental racism is real. There are hundreds of “sacrifice zones” across the United States — places where communities, mainly of color, live surrounded by landfills, sewage systems and other polluting facilities. This affects access to clean air, water and land, and causes devastating health issues. For instance:
- Native Americans of the Navajo Nation have continuously suffered from water contamination caused by uranium mining in the 1950s.
- Along the Mississippi, in a predominantly Black, low-income community, there is an area called “Cancer Alley” where the risk of cancer is 50 times the national average due to petrochemical plants nearby.
- A 2019 study found that, on average, Hispanic and Black people in the U.S. breathe in much more deadly air pollution than they are responsible for making. Why do you think “sacrifice zones” tend to be located in communities of color? What are some barriers we face in trying to repair these life-or-death inequities?
Healthier environments
Clear skies, clean water, fresh air. These are all resources everyone should be able to enjoy, no matter who you are or where you live. What big changes do we need to make as a society to ensure everyone enjoys access to a healthy environment? And what’s one action you can take to advocate for environmental justice in your community and beyond?
The spirit of the Sunday Suppers is alive with Atlanta Way 2.0 — bringing engaged community members together to focus on the key issues of the day. At Atlanta Way 2.0, our mission is to bring people together to address pressing social issues, including environmental and economic inequities. We strive to raise awareness about these challenges and provide opportunities for community members to get involved.
Our mission is to foster a compassionate and just community by educating, equipping, and engaging individuals across the region. Central to our work is the value we place on open communication and meaningful dialogue around the issues that impact us all.
Want to get involved? We encourage you to explore the opportunities on Hands On Atlanta’s website and to become an Atlanta Way 2.0 Activator.
Together we can make a positive impact in our community.
**Featured image (top) from the HandsOn Atlanta Eventbrite for the 11th Annual Sunday Supper series event.
