The Atlanta Beltline reached a historic milestone on June 12 with the opening of Southside Trail Segments 2 and 3, creating 16.7 miles of continuous mainline trail, nearly 17 miles, for the first time in the project’s history and connecting 36 neighborhoods across the city. The newly opened 1.9-mile stretch extends from McDaniel Street at […]
Author Archives: Gabi Hart
Hello, my name is Gabriella Hart. I am a contributor to SaportaReport after having spent the summer as an intern with Atlanta Way 2.0 and SaportaReport. I’m currently pursuing my master’s degree in Urban Studies at Georgia State University. Born and raised in Atlanta, I’ve always been curious about the forces shaping our city. I earned my bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Colorado College, and my interests lie in city planning, infrastructure, equitable development, and social justice. I’m especially excited to explore the dynamic between old and new Atlanta, looking at how our city continues to grow and change, and what that means for the communities that call it home. In the future, I would like to work in urban planning or policy, helping cities grow in ways that are inclusive, thoughtful, and just.
Posted inGabi Hart
Haïti Haüs to unite Atlanta’s Haitian community during historic World Cup return
For the first time in more than 50 years, Haiti will compete on soccer’s biggest stage, and a new Atlanta initiative aims to make sure the city’s Haitian community has a central place to celebrate. From June 13 through June 27, Haïti Haüs will serve as Atlanta’s official home for Haitian culture, commerce and community […]
Posted inGabi Hart
The Atlanta Municpal Market welcomes four new local businesses, continuing historic market’s revival ahead of FIFA
The morning of June 5 was filled with applause, handshakes and anticipation as four small businesses officially became part of one of Atlanta’s oldest traditions. Inside The Municipal Market, popularly dubbed the Sweet Auburn Market or Curb Market, city leaders, longtime merchants and first-time entrepreneurs gathered to cut a ceremonial ribbon celebrating the newest additions […]
Posted inGabi Hart
Hustle & Grow Small Business Summit connects entrepreneurs with resources ahead of World Cup
As Atlanta prepares for a wave of global events, including the FIFA World Cup, local entrepreneurs gathered May 29 at the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE) for the Hustle & Grow Small Business Summit, an event designed to connect business owners with funding opportunities, expert guidance and community resources. Hosted in partnership with U.S. […]
Posted inColumns, Gabi Hart
Old Fourth Ward Soccer Kickoff Festival offers World Cup celebration beyond the stadium
As Atlanta prepares to welcome the world for the World Cup, residents won’t need a match ticket to join the excitement. The Old Fourth Ward (O4W) Neighborhood Association will host the O4W Soccer Kickoff Festival June 11-13, transforming Historic Fourth Ward Park and surrounding neighborhood destinations into gathering spaces where residents, visitors and soccer fans […]
Posted inGabi Hart
Hidden in Plain Sight: Atlanta Leaders Warn Human Trafficking Often Goes Unnoticed
Trigger warning: This story discusses sex trafficking and labor trafficking. If you or someone you know needs help, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or the Georgia Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-363-4842. Human trafficking is often imagined as kidnappings by strangers and dramatic rescue operations. Advocates say the reality is often hidden in […]
Posted inGabi Hart
Free World Cup celebration to coming to Pittsburgh Yards
As Atlanta prepares to welcome global visitors for the World Cup, the Atlanta Beltline is planning a two-day festival designed to celebrate the city’s culture, food, music and community spirit along the Southside Trail. Atlanta Beltline Fest will take place June 20-21 at Pittsburgh Yards and will feature live match screenings, musical performances, local vendors […]
Posted inGabi Hart
Atlanta Thrive Summit spotlights youth housing crisis and pathways to stability
Atlanta’s housing affordability crisis is increasingly impacting young adults, a challenge leaders, advocates and young people gathered to address during the Atlanta Thrive Summit hosted by the Annie E. Casey Foundation at Pittsburgh Yards on May 8. The summit focused on how housing instability, food insecurity and gaps in support systems are shaping the lives […]
Posted inGabi Hart
Behind the hammers and hard hats, The Carter Work Project tells a deeper Atlanta housing story
The sound of hammers echoed through Langston Park as volunteers raised walls under the Georgia sun. Future homeowners walked through unfinished frames, imagining kitchens, bedrooms and the possibility of staying rooted in a city where housing feels increasingly out of reach. Held May 3-8 in southwest Atlanta, the 2026 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project […]
Posted inGabi Hart
Wells Fargo announces $2.8 million investment in Atlanta neighborhoods and small businesses
Atlanta’s push to prepare neighborhoods and small businesses for the economic wave expected from the FIFA World Cup received another major boost, as Wells Fargo announced $2.8 million in new philanthropic investments across metro Atlanta. The investments include a $550,000 grant to support Invest Atlanta’s BizLabs Technical Assistance Program and a $2.25 million grant to […]
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I’M SO ATL Campaign to Turn Atlanta Into ‘Living Art Gallery’ Ahead of Summer 2026
The I’M SO ATL public art campaign is turning Atlanta city parks into canvases this summer. The campaign, launching in May, aims to transform Atlanta into what organizers describe as a “living, breathing art gallery,” with installations across city parks and neighborhoods leading up to the ARTlanta Festival of Culture in Piedmont Park on Aug. […]
Posted inGabi Hart
Down Town ATL Inc. town hall highlights FIFA planning, pop-up retail and public safety efforts
With less than two months until the FIFA World Cup arrives (June 15), civic and business leaders, and Atlanta residents gathered April 15 at the Downtown ATL Inc. Town Hall meeting at the Rialto Center for the Arts to outline how Downtown Atlanta is preparing for what officials say will be the largest global sporting […]
Posted inColumns, Gabi Hart
Nonprofit Culture Fest debuts in metro Atlanta, tackling burnout and workplace dynamics often left unaddressed
In a sector defined by mission-driven work, conversations about internal culture are often sidelined. The inaugural Nonprofit Culture Fest, held April 10 at Gwinnett Technical College, set out to change that. Organized by Kate Viana, founder of Nontoxic Nonprofits, the one-day conference brought together nonprofit leaders, consultants and staff from Atlanta Community Food Bank, Partnership […]
Posted inGabi Hart
Atlanta gallery showcases Gordon Parks’ ‘The South in Color’ as a reminder of past and present racial realities
A new exhibition at Jackson Fine Art is bringing the Jim Crow South into sharp and vivid focus, using color photography to challenge how audiences understand both history and the present moment. “Gordon Parks: The South in Color,” on view from April 2 through June 13, presents more than 30 photographs from Parks’ 1956 Life […]
Posted inGabi Hart
Healing in community: Atlanta gathering centers art, connection during difficult times
A group of artists, organizers and community members gathered in Old 4th Ward on March 19 not just to talk, but to process. Hosted by Mark Kendall, founder of CoolCoolCool Productions, in partnership with the Radical Optimist Collective, the event, titled ATL Arts & Wellbeing Series: Radical Optimist Collective + CoolCoolCool, invited participants into a […]
Posted inLatest News
From rail line to green lifeline: Beltline arboretum grows across Atlanta
A two-decade partnership between Atlanta Beltline and Trees Atlanta marks a major milestone, as leaders, residents and volunteers gathered March 12 along the city’s Southwest Trail to recognize the continued growth of the Atlanta Beltline Arboretum. The press conference, held at Trees Atlanta’s headquarters along the Beltline corridor, brought together Clyde Higgs, president and CEO […]
Posted inGabi Hart
More than shelter: Why solving Atlanta’s housing crisis is so complex
On March 4 , housing leaders, developers, researchers and community advocates gathered at the Atlanta Regional Housing Forum to take stock of where the Atlanta region stands on affordability and,more importantly, what it will take to move forward. The conversation made one thing clear early on: Atlanta’s housing crisis is not driven by a single […]
Posted inGabi Hart
Russell Center forum connects Atlanta entrepreneurs to World Cup opportunities
Local entrepreneurs gathered Feb. 4 at the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE), a nonprofit hub that supports and connects small businesses and startups, to discuss how businesses can prepare for opportunities tied to the 2026 FIFA World Cup and other major events coming to the city. The forum, titled “What’s the Play? A 2026 […]
Posted inGabi Hart
New Tulsa Welding School campus launches in Atlanta as demand for skilled trades grows
Tulsa Welding School (TWS) celebrated the grand opening of its newest campus in the greater Atlanta area on Friday, March 13, marking the school’s official expansion into Georgia and highlighting the growing demand for skilled trades workers across the region. The event brought together community leaders, employer partners, students and media to commemorate the launch […]
Posted inGabi Hart
Providing Shelter When Disaster Strikes: Airbnb.org’s Mission
When disasters force people from their homes, one of the most urgent needs is often the least visible: a safe place to stay. Long after alerts fade, families are still searching for shelter near work, school and community. That gap is where Airbnb.org operates. “Airbnb.org is here to help on your worst day,” said Christine […]
