On tough days, Kelly Pinzon is reminded of what her boss once explained to her. “This is the worst day of a person’s life, and we’re reading their story, and we’re honoring what happened with them.” As a data abstractor in the New Jersey Department of Health, it is Pinzon’s job to log data from […]
Category: Thought Leadership
Posted inSecuring Atlanta's Future
Here’s a Way to Support Georgia’s Youngest Children—Attend GEEARS’ Annual Luncheon
GEEARS leads a movement—fueled by research and advocacy—to make our state the best place to raise a very young child. Yet in 2025, federal policy changes are weakening some supports for Georgia’s families, just when their needs are greater than ever. That means it’s time for all of us to join this movement. One way […]
Posted inFinancial Inclusion
20 Years After Hurricane Katrina: A Legacy of HOPE
August 29, 2005, is a date I will never forget. Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast with unimaginable force, leaving behind destruction, heartbreak, and indifference. It was one of the greatest tragedies of our time, and it exposed deep wounds in our nation. But it also called for action. Within days, Operation HOPE stepped in. […]
Posted inCorporate Community Impact
Leading with Purpose
By Susannah Darrow, Founding Partner – Purpose Possible When my partner, Laura Moody, and I first started Purpose Possible, our vision was clear: to power mission-driven organizations of all shapes and sizes to transform their communities. We’ve always believed that to truly serve others, you have to bake that ethos into every part of your […]
Posted inHigher Education
Ideas Festival Emory returns Oct. 18 with Rosanne Cash keynote
Ideas Festival Emory, the flagship event of Emory University’s Center for Public Scholarship and Engagement (CPSE), returns for a second year on Saturday, Oct. 18, with a keynote conversation with Rosanne Cash. Building on the success of the inaugural Ideas Festival Emory in September 2024, this year’s edition will share the wisdom of more than 30 scientists, scholars, musicians, […]
Posted inPhilanthropy
More Than a Job: My Calling with Atlanta Habitat
By Tia McCoy, Atlanta Habitat Director of Neighborhood Engagement For seven years, I’ve served as the Director of Neighborhood Engagement for Atlanta Habitat, building bridges between families, neighbors, and civic leaders in the communities where we build and preserve homes. On paper, it might sound like community liaison work. But in my heart, I know […]
Posted inGlobal Health & Development
Women’s Health Is Everyone’s Responsibility
In communities across Atlanta, women are the backbone of families, neighborhoods, and workplaces. They lead, nurture, and advocate often without pause. But when it comes to their own health, too many women are forced to choose between caring for others and caring for themselves. That tradeoff is costing lives. Cardiovascular disease affects nearly half of […]
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks
Birds Georgia Announces 2025 Fall Flyway Festival: A Celebration of Birds, Native Plants, and Community
Each September, millions of migratory birds pass through Georgia on their journey south, relying on our state’s native plants for food, shelter, and rest. To highlight this important connection, Birds Georgia will host its annual Fall Flyway Festival, a month-long series of events designed to celebrate birds, native plants, and community. From guided nature walks […]
Posted inCorporate Community Impact
Small Business Leaders to Convene at 2025 Financial Summit in Atlanta
The Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council (GMSDC), in partnership with the Small Business Alliance, will host the 2025 Financial Summit on Monday, September 15, at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. “The Financial Summit is an important gathering for small business leaders in Georgia,” said Stacey Key, Chief Executive Officer and President of the GMSDC. […]
Posted inSecuring Atlanta's Future
The Surprising Power of the Arts to Boost Literacy
By ArtsNOW Literacy is a challenge across metro Atlanta, but progress is possible. Newly released Georgia Milestones data from the 2024-2025 school year shows that only 38 percent of third-grade students in the region are reading proficiently, a 3-point decrease from last year. While this reality underscores the urgency of the work ahead, it also […]
Posted inHistoric Westside
Letters from Leadership: Keeping the Promise of the Westside — Why the Westside TAD Matters
Early in July, the Fulton County Commission considered withdrawing from the Westside Tax Allocation District (TAD) — a move that would disrupt deeply affordable housing developments already underway in neighborhoods that played defining roles in the Civil Rights Movement. As I shared with the Commission, I live in Vine City. Every day, I see what […]
Posted inHigher Education
Georgia State Physicist Helps Lead Major International Experiment Studying Moments After Big Bang
Megan Connors, an associate professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Georgia State University, has been elected co-spokesperson of a major international physics experiment designed to uncover new clues about how the universe began. Connors is helping to lead sPHENIX, a large scientific collaboration based at Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island, N.Y. She shares the […]
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks
“We’re blessed to have a park, and we want to use it”: The Friends of Harper Park’s mission to make the greenspace a community cornerstone
By Hannah E. Jones, Park Pride’s Marketing & Communications Manager “A lot of people don’t have parks. We’re blessed to have a park, and we want to use it,” said Joyce Smith, a community advocate and longtime resident of the Poole Creek neighborhood. Harper Park is a 13-acre park situated in the Poole Creek neighborhood […]
Posted inHigher Education
Emory hosts global university network meeting, showcasing leadership in artificial intelligence
Emory University recently welcomed senior leaders from four international institutions for the annual Global Universities for Societal Impact (GUSI) board meeting, hosted by Emory Global Engagement and the Halle Institute for Global Research and Learning in late June. The hybrid event brought together representatives from the University of Bonn, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, University of St Andrews […]
Posted inHigher Education
Atlanta is Home to One of Higher Education’s Best Investments
Ensuring the value of a degree is a key component in restoring public trust in the higher education system, following a period of fluctuation — 42% of Americans express confidence in the system today compared to nearly 60% a decade ago. The value of a Georgia Tech degree continues to be demonstrated through a strong […]
Posted inPeople, Places & Parks
Building Community Through Movement: Atlanta Beltline Race Series Gives Coveted Series Medal in 2025
One of the most popular ways that Atlantans experience the Atlanta Beltline is through running and walking. Our fitness programs are designed to encourage physical activity and support residents and visitors in pursuing healthier, more active lifestyles. One way we celebrate that is through our three-event race series, in partnership with the Atlanta Track Club: […]
Posted inSecuring Atlanta's Future
The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” Will Change Health and Nutrition Supports: How to Help Families Prepare
The passage of the reconciliation package known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” means that many Georgians—particularly those who rely on social safety nets like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid—could face hardship in the coming years. To prepare for these challenges, an understanding of the contents of the bill is essential. […]
Posted inGlobal Health & Development
Delivering Care in Pine Ridge, South Dakota
The Oglala Lakota Sioux reservation of Pine Ridge in South Dakota is one of the largest in the country and is home to approximately 18,000 people, many of whom live in remote areas across nearly 2 million acres of land. For the past year, obstetrician-gynecologist (OB/GYN) Ryan Duggal, MD, has been serving as a staff […]
Posted inPoverty & Equity
When Housing Is Uncertain, Learning Suffers: Why Back to School Starts with Stability
According to the National Center for Homeless Education, children experiencing homelessness are 87% more likely to drop out of school than their housed peers. And for the students who do stay in school, the impacts are still profound: research shows that they are more likely to struggle with attendance, concentration, behavioral health, and academic performance. […]
Posted inHistoric Westside
Finding Home on the Westside: The Story of Fernando Esquivel-Suarez
Fernando Esquivel-Suarez arrived in Atlanta from Colombia two decades ago, never expecting the city to become his “forever home.” Today, he’s a dedicated Professor of English and Ethnic Studies at Spelman College, a role he’s held for 13 years. His journey to Atlanta began with his pursuit of Master’s and Ph.D. degrees at Emory University, […]
