Your Haven, an addiction recovery community organization in Buchanan, Georgia, sits on a quiet side street—a small, beige building against a stand of Loblolly pines. But its unassuming façade belies its impact here as a place of deep connections, second chances and new beginnings. Opened in 2020 in response to the opioid crisis in rural […]
Category: Thought Leadership
Posted inHigher Education
Building the Neuroarts Movement: Georgia State at the Crossroads of Art and Neuroscience
Across Atlanta, a vibrant new field of study is taking shape — one that blurs the boundaries between laboratory and rehearsal hall, museum and MRI suite, coding studio and concert stage. Neuroarts, as this field is known, sits at the intersection of two of humanity’s most forceful energies: artistic expression and brain power. As the […]
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks
Georgia Bird Fest Is a Celebration of Spring Migration
By Brooke Michael, Birds Georgia Communications Coordinator It’s been a long, cold winter for birders. Don’t get me wrong: winter birding can be fun. There are weird ducks, sneaky sparrows, and less foliage to contend with when trying to spot birds up in the trees. But nothing compares to spotting your first warbler of spring […]
Posted inCorporate Community Impact
Supporting Nonprofit Resilience is Essential for Metro Atlanta’s Economic Vitality
By Cheryl Kortemeier, Executive Director, CVC of Atlanta The social impact sector in Atlanta is being reshaped by a new reality: nonprofits are under increasing strain. As spring unfolds, many organizations are facing rising demand for services alongside tightening funding, creating a pivotal moment for corporate engagement. This financial strain, coupled with growing demand, is driving a […]
Posted inSmall Business
Building a Technology Enterprise That Evolves with the Times
For nearly three decades, Kanchana Raman has been building and reshaping her technology company in response to constant industry disruption. As founder of the Avion Networks, she has navigated the transition from traditional telecommunications infrastructure to advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence solutions, all while scaling a business that now operates across multiple industries. Raman describes her entrepreneurial path as […]
Posted inSecuring Atlanta's Future
Women Advocating for Women at the Georgia Capitol
By Elle Knott and Madison Potts-McAdoo, YWCA Greater Atlanta Each March, Women’s History Month reminds us that generations of women have advocated for greater opportunity for women, girls, and families across Georgia. Their perseverance has reshaped workplaces, schools, and communities throughout the state. That legacy is not only something to celebrate — it is a […]
Posted inSmall Business
2026 Financial Summit: Strengthening Small Business for a Changing Economy
Small businesses are the backbone of Georgia’s economy. Yet despite their impact, many businesses face financial challenges early on. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 20 percent of businesses fail within their first year and nearly 50 percent do not survive past five years. The 2026 Financial Summit, taking place on April […]
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks
Springtime in the city: See you in a park!
By Hannah E. Jones, Park Pride’s Marketing & Communications Manager Spring is almost here, y’all! Some days it feels like summer, others we’re back to winter. But on March 20th, spring will have officially sprung! The beauty of living in such a forested city means that you don’t have to go far to enjoy the […]
Posted inPoverty & Equity
Place-Based Solutions That Work
Atlanta’s homelessness response is not one program or one property. It is a coordinated ecosystem grounded in housing as the solution. At the center is Hope Atlanta, working alongside Partners for Home and community partners through a Housing First, place-based approach. That work is visible at: WATERWORKS Permanent supportive housing with on-site case management, healthcare […]
Posted inHigher Education
Celebrate STEAM Launches Atlanta Science Festival
To kick off the 13th annual Atlanta Science Festival (ASF), Georgia Tech hosted Celebrate STEAM on March 7, welcoming thousands of visitors to experience hands-on demonstrations and interactive displays showcasing the innovation and excitement at the intersection of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Setting the stage for the festival, which runs through March 21, Celebrate STEAM saw over 4,000 attendees take part […]
Posted inSecuring Atlanta's Future
Georgia’s Legislature Must Invest in Child Care Infrastructure by Championing SB 554
While GEEARS has often emphasized the importance of highly engaged and well-trained teachers in an early childhood classroom, we also know that learning environments impact the quality of early childhood education. Children thrive when learning takes place in high-quality facilities with literacy-rich classrooms, safe playgrounds, kitchens that can churn out multiple meals each day, and […]
Posted inSmall Business
From Participation to Prosperity: Why Women-Owned Businesses Matter to Georgia’s Long-Term Economic Stability
Women’s History Month provides an opportunity to move beyond celebration and toward analysis. Georgia’s economy is strong and diversified. Long-term economic stability, however, depends on how broadly opportunity is translated into scalable business growth. Women-owned businesses play a central role in that equation. Nationally, women-owned firms generate approximately $2.1 trillion in annual receipts and employ […]
Posted inHigher Education
Emory Pre-College returns this summer with new pre-health option for high school students
Emory Pre-College returns this summer with its typical range of courses, from astrophysics to creative writing and, for the first time, the Pre-Med Institute, a separate pre-health program for those interested in medical careers. The academic summer program from Emory College of Arts and Sciences provides hundreds of highly motivated rising high school juniors and seniors from around the […]
Posted inSmall Business
Women Driving Georgia’s Economic Growth: The Business Case for Expanding Opportunity
March is Women’s History Month, a time to reflect not only on progress made, but on the economic opportunities that still require attention. In Georgia, women-owned businesses are a major force in the state’s economic landscape. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Business Survey, Georgia is home to more than 44,000 women-owned employer firms, […]
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks
From vacant to vibrant: Using greenspace to drive community prosperity
By Vanessa Miot, Park Pride’s Friends of the Park Senior Manager “I don’t think we should hold neighborhoods hostage because of the fear of gentrification,” said Anika Goss, CEO of Detroit Future City (DFC). Anika is a 30-year veteran in community and economic development, spending her career working in the most vulnerable neighborhoods with families […]
Posted inHistoric Westside
Restoration Without Displacement: The Westside’s Unfinished Promise
Last month, on a cold January morning on the historic Westside, neighbors, partners and city leaders gathered to celebrate 57 new, deeply affordable homes on blocks that had sat vacant for decades. For longtime residents of English Avenue and Vine City, the opening of 646 Echo Street and 839 Boone Boulevard was less a ribbon-cutting […]
Posted inPoverty & Equity
A City Ready for the World — Rooted at Home
By Julio Carrillo, CEO of Hope Atlanta There are moments in a city’s life when the world is watching. In 2026, the world will indeed turn its eyes toward Atlanta. Stadiums will fill. Cameras will roll. Visitors will arrive from every continent. But long before the first whistle blows, a deeper question stands before us: […]
Posted inSmall Business
Beyond Credentials: Building Capacity That Competes
Credentials can open doors. Capacity secures opportunity. In today’s supplier ecosystem, many small and diverse-owned businesses pursue nationally recognized credentials to enhance visibility and credibility in corporate procurement environments. These credentials often serve as an entry point into broader conversations. But credentials alone do not close contracts. Corporations are managing increasingly complex supply chains. They […]
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks
The Georgia Conservation Tax Credit
With the vast majority of the state’s acres under private ownership, the conservation and restoration of private lands in Georgia are especially important. In Georgia, a significant funding mechanism that supports private land conservation is the Georgia Conservation Tax Credit (GCTC). During the 2026 Georgia Legislative Session, House Bill 1148, sponsored by Representative Chas Cannon […]
Posted inSecuring Atlanta's Future
Making Math Matter: How Hands-On Learning and Teacher Joy Are Driving Real Gains in Metro Atlanta
By Marsha Francis PhD, Executive Director, STE(A)M Truck Something encouraging is happening in metro Atlanta’s classrooms. After years of pandemic-related setbacks, our students are bouncing back—especially in mathematics. The 2024–25 Georgia Milestones showed math proficiency improved across most grade levels statewide, with students in grades four and eight exceeding pre-pandemic levels. Atlanta Public Schools saw […]
