On 404 Day 2026, Shirley Clarke Franklin Park was alive with the energy of more than 200 volunteers from 12 Atlanta-area colleges and universities, all showing up to give back to the city they love, and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens joined in the fun. The annual 404 Day of Service, held on Atlanta’s April 4 […]
Category: Thought Leadership
Posted inCorporate Community Impact
CVC Board Members: Ambassadors for Corporate Citizenship
By Doll Thomas, CVC Volunteer The Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta (CVC) is proud to announce its 2026 Board of Directors, an inspiring group of leaders dedicated to advancing corporate volunteerism and strengthening communities across metro Atlanta. Representing a diverse range of industries and expertise, this year’s board reflects the passion, innovation, and collaboration that […]
Posted inHigher Education
Panther Book Access Pilot Saves Georgia State Students More Than $560,000
Georgia State University has taken a significant step toward addressing one of the most persistent barriers to student success: the high cost of textbooks. Over two semesters, students saved more than $560,000 in textbook costs through the Panther Book Access pilot, a university-wide effort to address textbook affordability. Launched in fall 2025, Panther Book Access […]
Posted inSecuring Atlanta's Future
Beyond Safe Spaces: Preparing Atlanta’s Youth for Real Opportunity
By Libby Saylor Wright, President & CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta In recent weeks, Atlanta has found itself at the center of a growing conversation around “teen takeovers,” large gatherings of young people that have raised concerns for public safety, community spaces, and youth engagement. It’s easy to focus on behavior. However, […]
Posted inFinancial Inclusion
Operation HOPE Founder, Chairman, and CEO John Hope Bryant Named to Forbes Self-Made 250 List
Operation HOPE is proud to announce that its Founder, Chairman, and CEO, John Hope Bryant, has been named to the Forbes Self-Made 250 — a landmark list honoring the 250 greatest living self-made Americans, published in celebration of the nation’s semiquincentennial. Chairman Bryant joins a distinguished group of honorees that includes President Bill Clinton, Oprah […]
Posted inHigher Education
Footwork: Where We Gather
A new exhibit at Emory’s Michael C. Carlos Museum presents photographs of Atlanta soccer, football and basketball fans in the myriad places they converge, from stadiums to tailgate parties. Despite this, photographer Sheila Pree Bright does not consider herself a fan. “No, I don’t watch sports,” she says. “My family, they’re all cheering and everything, […]
Posted inHigher Education
The Data Informing Atlanta’s Tree Canopy Decisions
As Atlanta marks Earth Month, the role of trees in the city’s future is getting renewed attention. For many, Atlanta’s canopy is more than a defining feature of the skyline. It is part of what makes the city livable, recognizable, and deeply valued by the people who call it home. For nearly two decades, Georgia Tech has been […]
Posted inSmall Business
Georgia Business Council Launches New Digital Platform to Strengthen Business Engagement and Economic Impact
The Georgia Business Council has officially launched a new website, marking a significant step forward in how the organization connects with businesses, policymakers, and stakeholders across the state. The new platform, available at www.georgiacouncil.org, reflects a broader commitment to accessibility, transparency, and engagement in Georgia’s evolving economic landscape. For more than five decades, the Georgia […]
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks
Recreating Community, One Park and One Home at a Time
By John Ahmann, President & CEO, Westside Future Fund, and Michael Halicki, President & CEO, Park Pride Prior to 2015, English Avenue didn’t have a single park. Not one. In a neighborhood nested in the historic Westside community that was once one of the most vital centers of Black intellectual and civic life in America — […]
Posted inCommitment to Community
How Atlanta Small Businesses Can Prepare for the World Cup
By Al McRae, President, and Scott Kelly, Business Banking Market Executive, Bank of America Atlanta There’s a reason why cities compete to host popular festivals, tournaments, and tours: Major live events create a “halo effect” that extends beyond the event itself, boosting local economies and benefiting surrounding businesses. This is why the U.S. made two bids over […]
Posted inSecuring Atlanta's Future
How Will Georgia’s Newest Laws and Budget Items Affect Families with Young Children? The GEEARS Team Weighs In
With Sine Die in the rearview mirror, we at GEEARS are reflecting upon our state legislature’s 2026 session. An ongoing focus on early literacy and the introduction of the Families First Legislative Initiative by House leadership were indicators that the needs of families with young children were high on our elected officials’ priority lists as […]
Posted inSustainable Communities
To Build Stable Communities, We Must Tackle Wealth-Stripping and Wealth-Building Together
Efforts to stabilize communities often focus on what we can build: affordable housing, small businesses, childcare, and access to credit. These investments are essential, but they tell only half the story. Across Atlanta’s historically disinvested neighborhoods, wealth is not only scarce — it is actively being stripped away through predatory lending and high-cost financial products. […]
Posted inPoverty & Equity
Corporate Citizenship in Action: FanDuel and Hope Atlanta Strengthen Community Impact
Atlanta is a city on the rise. Growth, investment, and opportunity are shaping our skyline and our future. But alongside that progress is a reality we cannot ignore: too many of our neighbors are still navigating housing instability, food insecurity, and barriers to long-term stability. Meeting this moment requires more than any one organization can […]
Posted inSmall Business
The Hidden Risk in Your Supply Chain Isn’t Cost. It’s Concentration
For most organizations, supply chain conversations begin and end with cost. What are we paying? Where can we reduce? How do we negotiate better terms? Those questions matter. But they are not the most important ones. The more significant risk, and the one that is often overlooked, is concentration. On paper, supplier consolidation looks smart. […]
Posted inHigher Education
Delta CEO Ed Bastian to deliver Emory’s 2026 Commencement address
Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian will deliver the keynote address at Emory University’s 181st Commencement, scheduled for Monday, May 11. Bastian will receive an honorary doctor of humane letters degree during the ceremony in recognition of his exceptional contributions to business and society. “Our graduates are entering a world that demands resilience, adaptability and […]
Posted inGlobal Health & Development
A Haven from Addiction in Rural Georgia
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 […]
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 […]
