Category: Guest Column

While no hurricanes made landfall along the Georgia coastline in 2001, contentious issues whirled furiously across the state that year. A new state flag supported by Governor Roy Barnes met with stiff opposition. Teachers resisted the education reform proposal to end tenure for newly hired teachers. Community groups, budget hawks, and environmentalists coalesced to fight […]

It only takes 60 seconds of doomscrolling to feel helpless and hopeless — about the fate of democracy and the future of the planet. Why doesn’t somebody do something? The unconscious passivity in that question explains a lot about how “We the People” got to this moment.  Waiting for someone else to fix the problems […]

On Aug. 9, 1995, local grassroots group Georgians Against Nuclear Energy, now known as Nuclear Watch South, hosted a gathering called “Seeds of Peace” to commemorate the atomic bombing of Nagasaki 50 years before. Held in the Rose Garden at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum, this free-form annual gathering of Atlanta peacemakers has […]

The Landmark Designation Ceremony for the Old Stone Church, the historic church home of the Antioch East Baptist Church and the Candler Park home of the First Existentialist Congregation (First E), took place on Saturday, June 22.  A hot, blistering day was soothed by the joyful singing and merry hearts that joined in honoring the […]

We have a regular Author Talk series at the History Center, and one of our recent events has continued to resonate with me during our current moment in history. We had the privilege of hosting Ted Blum, author of “Calculated Risks,” a work of creative historical non-fiction, and Bob Ratonyi, author of “From Darkness to […]

Recent news headlines documenting the record number of cost-burdened households, people experiencing homelessness, and widespread housing unaffordability are distressing. In Georgia, over one million households are extremely housing cost-burdened, spending almost 50 percent of their income on housing. This high-cost burden, combined with any emergency, such as an illness, accident, loss of employment, etc., all […]

Atlanta’s sustained transformation into a vibrant, interconnected metropolis hinges on pivotal transit decisions. Among these, the introduction of light rail along the Atlanta BeltLine stands as a beacon of progress and promise for our communities since the Beltline’s inception. As Atlanta continues to grow, the implementation of a comprehensive transit system becomes not just a […]

TurningPoint Breast Cancer Rehabilitation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, is marking 20 years of providing essential survivorship services designed to enhance the quality of life for breast cancer patients of all backgrounds, including men, facing a myriad of challenges in their respective journeys to a full recovery.  As the only nonprofit organization of its kind in […]

The war in Ukraine has captured the attention of the world for more than two years now. Several months into the conflict, Atlanta businessman, Emory Morsberger, was tired of writing checks to lend his support and demanded he do more.  In June of 2022, Morsberger left for a trip to Ukraine to hand-deliver tens of […]

Four decades ago, a unique event set in motion a remarkable series of achievements benefitting people around the globe, which continue today and are shaping the next 40 years. Atlanta-based global health organizations are playing a key role in this progress. In 1980, the world was declared free of smallpox — the only human disease […]

Mayor Dickens rightly asked MARTA to pause its planned renovation and 4-year closure of Five Points MARTA Station. CAP/ADID applaud the mayor’s call to take a step back from the current project and existing plans for the Five Points Station “transformation”, which MARTA has spent millions producing, plans that are deeply flawed. Unfortunately, despite this […]

Since 1965, SkillsUSA has worked to fill the skills gap in the American economy — that widening divide between the jobs available and the skilled workers ready to fill them. We’re proud to bring our SkillsUSA National Leadership & Skills Conference (NLSC) back to Atlanta this year, and we plan to be here until 2033. […]

As the Founder and President of the National Black Empowerment Council, I have made it my mission to advocate for policies that support the Black community’s growth and potential. Borrowing on credit is a crucial pathway for families to accumulate wealth and enable significant investments such as homeownership and higher education. However, access to credit […]

Jewish HomeLife recently renamed one of our HUD-subsidized independent living communities at a ceremony on Sunday, May 19. Formerly known as The Jewish Tower, the 200 apartment high rise in Buckhead was renamed The Meyer and Roslyn Balser Tower, in honor of one of its founding families and true pillars of Atlanta’s Jewish community.  The […]

Some might wonder what would an arts organization and an organization working for criminal legal reform have in common. Ariel Fristoe, founder and Artistic Director of Out of Hand Theater, and Doug Ammar, Executive Director of Georgia Justice Project (GJP), discuss the unique collaboration between the Atlanta-based nonprofits they represent.  Can you introduce yourselves?  AF: […]

Jazz is America’s only original art form. It grew first in New Orleans, then rode the rails north as African-Americans fled Jim Crow. Kansas City was a hub, followed by Chicago, New York, and the whole country. The music spread globally, and today, there are incredible musicians and clubs everywhere, from London to Copenhagen, Tokyo […]

This article has two goals: First, to reflect on what makes a great neighborhood. My current neighbors seem divided on the issue.  Nothing like a good old fashioned rezoning process to bring neighbors together, or tear them apart.   Second, I want to let people know that I am decidedly for redevelopment at Amsterdam Walk. And […]

After 15 years of construction, on April 30, 2024, Georgia Power completed construction of two new nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle, near Waynesboro, Georgia. As a result, Georgia Power will increase residential rates 23.7 percent to pay for its construction, on top of the $1,000 Georgia Power has already collected from customers from an on-bill […]

Atlanta Public Schools Needs A Superintendent Who Can Grow and Retain a Stronger Education Workforce Metro Atlanta is a magnet for new jobs. Since early 2020, Atlanta has had one of the five largest percentage increases in the U.S. for new jobs.  On the face of it, this is great news. However, the growth in population and […]

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month, recognizing those living with mental or behavioral health issues and aiming to reduce stigmas surrounding these common experiences. Part of that process is educating metro Atlanta communities on mental health crises and providing them with ways to help. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), one […]