Category: Guest Column

Nonprofits, both nationally and locally, are continuously asked to do more with less. However, in 2025, we can expect a sharp rise in that expectation. Here’s why and what you can do about it now to avert a crisis at your nonprofit and a reduction in support for people you serve who are already vulnerable.  […]

As I look back at the progress we’ve made since the establishment of the Town Center Community Improvement District (CID) in 1997, I am filled with a sense of pride in the role we’ve played in shaping the community. While we represent just 1.8 percent of Cobb County’s land area, our district generates an annual […]

Serving my community in the Georgia State House has been the greatest honor of my career. Every day, I work to improve the lives of my neighbors and to support small businesses in our communities. However, advocating for my constituents does not stop at the State House. It includes supporting initiatives that I know will […]

Holiday time is officially here — I ’m so excited about filling my home with the smell of Christmas tree, baking cookies and the sounds of my son singing along to Chipmunks Christmas carols. I am not, however, looking forward to the crescendo of holiday advertising, seducing us to buy stuff we don’t need, as […]

A haven of natural beauty, historical resonance, and urban energy, Sandy Springs is renowned for its harmonious contrasts. Though plenty populous and established in big business itself, the city is situated just far enough from the hustle and bustle of Georgia’s state capital, offering its residents the convenience of city life with the serenity of […]

Earlier this year, while in a crosswalk on North Avenue in Atlanta, my life flashed before my eyes as I was struck by a car, went up on the windshield, and was thrown 38 feet once the driver braked. I sustained critical injuries that led to me breathing my last breath, only to be revived […]

I understand the arguments on both sides of the Beltline rail debate. As a transit-dependent family living without a car in Atlanta, I want our limited transit dollars to provide the most miles of service possible. I also want the transit that we build to be attractive and enjoyable enough so that my young daughter […]

On Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024 — Election Day — I was sitting at the bar at Apres Diem in Midtown Atlanta, nursing an Aperol Spritz after having cast my vote for the general elections and calming my anxieties when Maria Saporta breezed through the door for a meeting in the back dining room.  We greeted […]

Paul Zucca was 1) A gentle soul, 2) A shrewd strategist, 3)  A savvy politician, and  4) A devoted friend to many all across the City of Atlanta.  I, along with innumerable other Atlantans, reaped the benefits of his constant activity, his remarkable ability to connect persons everywhere,  and his extraordinary commitment to Atlanta and […]

I can’t recall a time in my career, or maybe my life, when I’ve seen anything like Hurricane Helene. It was impossible to believe unless you saw it up close, and even then, it is difficult to describe — pictures simply don’t do it justice.  I visited some of the hardest-hit areas in Georgia in […]

A welcoming community embraces neighbors knowing each other by name and waiving as they walk or roll by. It is an environment accessible to everyone, including those using wheelchairs, walkers, or strollers.  Capitol View is a neighborhood in Southwest Atlanta where people care about their neighbors and work to create a welcoming place for all. […]

Recently, you may have heard about the challenges facing the Magistrate Court of Fulton County. For nearly a decade, we’ve focused on internal solutions, but as we approach our 10-year milestone, it’s time to share with the public who we are, what we do, and why our work matters to everyone in the County. Magistrate […]

Wild Cumberland is a grassroots nonprofit organization dedicated to the stewardship of Cumberland Island and its Wilderness. As Georgia’s largest barrier island, it features more than 20,000 acres of federally-designated Wilderness and Potential Wilderness.   A mere 18 miles long, it is home to one of our nation’s largest remaining maritime forests. Its undeveloped shoreline buffers […]

We live in a commuter region. We’ve grown accustomed to spending hours on the road each week traveling to work, appointments, even outings with friends. But for the first time in nearly 60 years Cobb voters will have the opportunity to vote for a real transit system in our county. I’m no stranger to public […]

These days, corporate volunteering is no longer just a check-the-box for social responsibility. At Hands On Atlanta, we’ve been engaging Atlanta’s corporate community in service for over 35 years, mobilizing over 1,000,000 ATLiens, so we know a thing or two about the topic. It’s about what you gain — yes, what you gain — when you […]

Each year, more than 700 young adults age out of Georgia’s foster care system. Most have nowhere to go and wind up homeless, live on the streets or couch surf, and often resort to a life of crime or poverty. I understand their plight because I aged out of foster care. Like them, I, too, […]

Established by the Board of Commissioners in 1995, the Fulton County Citizens Commission on the Environment (FCCCE) advises on development projects and collaborates with community organizations and citizens to promote and encourage environmentally sound practices. since 2003, the commission has awarded “Environmental Awards” every year to recognize exemplary environmental efforts and best practices that serve […]

I recently found myself marveling at a collection of inspiring photos; in fact, they’re still in exhibition for a few more weeks as part of a gallery show at Spalding Nix Fine Art. These intimate images by Charlie McCullers, Atlanta Ballet’s principal photographer for more than two decades, capture vivid and vulnerable moments of Atlanta […]

Since its founding in 1913, the Rotary Club of Atlanta, whose membership is made up of business and civic leaders across our city, has been committed to ‘service above self.’ As the fourth largest Rotary Club in the world, our membership is compelled to lead the way and bring this concept of “service above self” […]

Being able to tell your story of resilience, struggle and strength is not easy, but it is especially difficult for marginalized individuals, including those in Muslim American communities.  Since 9/11, and more recently Oct. 7, our stories have been hijacked, and Muslim Americans have been dehumanized. As non-dominant communities, not having diverse Muslim American stories believed […]