Category: Securing Atlanta’s Future

By Sooraya Williams, YWCA Greater Atlanta We often talk about preparing people for the future of work as if the challenge is teaching the latest technology. I believe it’s something different. The real challenge is preparing people to keep learning long after today’s technology has changed. Every few years, we’re reminded that the world of […]

By Greg Barrett, Senior Manager of Leadership & Learning, GEEARS Here’s the thing about the first years of a child’s life—all the stakes are high. This is why GEEARS approaches our early childhood advocacy holistically. Babies and young children can’t fully benefit from high-quality early care and learning if they don’t also have nourishing food […]

By Chelsea Street, Education Marketing Manager, Alliance Theatre What if educators could stream critically acclaimed theater productions for students and receive arts integration training and resources for free? Thanks to an exciting new partnership between the Alliance Theatre and Cox Campus, these “what-ifs” are becoming a reality. Cox Campus is an innovative learning platform that […]

By Libby Saylor Wright, President & CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta In my last article, I shared a simple belief that young people need more than safe spaces; they need opportunities, experiences, relationships, and preparation for what comes next. This belief has been the hallmark of the work we do at Boys […]

By GEEARS From the moment a baby is born, their parent or caregiver becomes an advocate. They are their child’s interpreter, their guardrails, their voice.  When that child has a disability or developmental delay, advocacy can escalate into a full-time job, as much a part of parenting as changing diapers, running warm baths, and snuggling […]

By Danita V. Knight, President & CEO, YWCA Greater Atlanta For generations, women have navigated the competing demands of work, caregiving, and economic stability. But for many across Atlanta today, that balance is becoming increasingly unsustainable. Atlanta’s economy depends on the labor, leadership, and contributions women provide every day. Yet across our region, more women […]

Last week at the Metro Atlanta Chamber, dozens of business leaders gathered for a Leadership Forum hosted by GEEARS, the Georgia Chamber Foundation, Metro Atlanta Chamber, and Athens Area Chamber of Commerce. The topic of the day: How to Attract and Retain Top Talent through Family-Friendly Policies and HR Best Practices.  One of the speakers, […]

By Taylor Hall and Mikayla Johnson Atlanta has long been shaped by young people who refused to accept the conditions of their education and instead worked to transform them. In the 1960s, students across the Atlanta University Center formed what became known as the Atlanta Student Movement, organizing against segregation in schools and throughout the […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

To prepare for one of our biggest events of the year—Strolling Thunder at the Georgia State Capitol—we at GEEARS put a lot of energy into defining what this day is all about.  But Strolling Thunder is also a very stimulating adventure for young children and their parents. As GEEARS’ Executive Director, Mindy Binderman, recently noted, […]

By Danita V. Knight, President & CEO, YWCA Greater Atlanta When we talk about infrastructure in Atlanta, we usually think about roads, transit, and utilities — the systems that keep our economy moving. Rarely do we talk about childcare. But the reality is this: childcare is foundational economic infrastructure — and without it, Atlanta’s workforce, […]

Georgia’s 2026 Legislative Session begins today. It’s a 40-day marathon for advocacy organizations like GEEARS—a chance to double down on our “asks” as bills that impact Georgia’s youngest children make their way through committees, debates, Crossover Day, and hopefully, to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.   We’ll approach this session, as we do […]

As we look back on 2025, we celebrate the wins that help advance our mission to ensure that Georgia’s youngest children thrive. At the same time, we acknowledge the challenges that show us there is still much work to be done. We spent this year convening, rallying, and working hand-in-hand with partners in the GEEARS-led […]

By Taylor Hall Metro Atlanta continues to make progress in some education outcomes, yet wide and persistent gaps remain. The 2025 State of Education in Metro Atlanta report outlines the most pressing obstacles facing students today—and elevates the strategies showing real promise in improving learning and opportunity across the region. Learn4Life released its ninth annual […]

Every year, GEEARS publishes the Early Childhood Checkup, an assessment of Georgia’s support for its youngest children and their families. With a quick scan of cute baby faces shaded green, red, or yellow, Georgians can see if certain indicators have shown improvement, declined, or remained static.   While we’re pleased by the green babyface that indicates […]

On October 18, YWCA Greater Atlanta hosted its second Pretty Empowered event, a nationwide initiative powered by the Ulta Beauty Charitable Foundation and YWCA USA. The program brought together more than 100 girls ages 9–14 for a day of learning, leadership, and self-expression — all centered on this year’s theme: “Beauty is Belonging.” The event […]