The Southern Poverty Law Center closes on site of future campus
The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) closed today on a 2.5-acre parcel at 871 Wheeler St. in Atlanta’s Westside English Avenue neighborhood that will be the future home of the SPLC’s Atlanta office.
“We selected the Westside because it’s important that our new Atlanta office is centered in the communities we work alongside,” said Margaret Huang, president and CEO of the SPLC. “As we continue to think about what it means to build community power in Atlanta and throughout the South, along with organizing and innovating in collaboration with our partners, neighbors and other community-based organizations, we believe the Westside campus will provide us the opportunity for significant positive impact in the area while honoring its rich legacy of mobilizing for racial justice.”
The Montgomery, Alabama-based SPLC has had an office in Atlanta since 2006, and construction on the new campus is projected to begin in the second half of 2025. However, the SPLC intends to begin site improvements immediately, including updating access to the Atlanta Westside BeltLine Connector trail and investing in new sidewalks, streetscapes and other accessibility and safety improvements to benefit the community. The SPLC is also planning cultural and artistic collaborations as it continues to build partnerships with the neighborhood, residents and visitors.
— Derek Prall
Atlanta Fire Rescue’s Station 16 holds holiday party in 53-year-old tradition
The 53-year-old tradition of Atlanta Fire Rescue Department (AFRD) Station 16’s holiday party continued Dec. 9 in an event that drew more than 400 neighbors, according to a press release.
The station at 1048 Joseph E. Boone Boulevard serves the historically Black communities of English Avenue, Vine City and Washington Park. The holiday party was founded in 1972 by the station’s first African American firefighters, who also were the first to integrate AFRD. The party now receives support from the Atlanta Fire Rescue Foundation (AFRF), a private nonprofit/
“Today’s annual event is always a favorite, and the fact that it is the legacy of firefighters who integrated the department 60 years ago makes it even more significant,” said Taos Wynn, AFRF’s interim president and CEO, in the press release. The attendance was the largest since the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, according to the release.
The event provided toys, bicycles and a laptop to all families, as well as a partnership with the Empty Stocking Fund to allow families to provide gifts to children. A holiday meal included food from Doug’s North Carolina BBQ and the local K&K Soul Food.
AFRF said it received its “largest corporate donation to date” from Norfolk Southern Corp. The Atlanta-based railroad company was the subject of national safety-standards controversy for a derailment in Ohio earlier this year that released hazardous chemical pollution, leading to lawsuits and settlement payment agreements with fire departments, community residents and others.
Other holiday party supporters included Accenture, Austin Realty & Co., Bankhead Seafood, Compudopt and the Trap Music Museum.
— John Ruch
Atlanta Pride celebrates volunteer efforts
The Atlanta Pride Committee honored its 2023 volunteers with a Volunteer Appreciation Party at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis on Dec. 10, 2023.
“Volunteers are the heartbeat of our organization. The Atlanta Pride Festival has always been a grassroots event, and we continue to be driven by our community volunteers,” said Executive Director Chris McCain. “Each volunteer is critical, and this year, we had the support of more than 150 individuals over the festival weekend. We can’t thank them enough.”
Atlanta Pride hosted the 54th annual Atlanta Pride Festival in October. Under the theme of “Show Up and Show Out,” this year’s event brought more than 300,000 visitors to Piedmont Park and featured Atlanta’s largest parade, with over 300 businesses and organizations participating.
— Derek Prall
‘Okefenokee’ song released to save the swamp from mining
Rena Ann Peck, executive director of the Georgia River Network, and local musician Michelle Malone recently wrote a new song to help people understand the plight of the imperiled wetland, and spur them to action.
“Okefenokee” transports listeners deep inside the Okefenokee Swamp and sends them paddling black water trails, running barefoot on old Trail Ridge, and wondering what will happen to the wild heart of Georgia. Will we stop mining and save the swamp? The response uses the refrain from a Muscogee (Creek) hymn and African American spiritual that sings, “this may be the last time we do not know.”
A preview of “Okefenokee” was shared on WABE’s City Lights with Lois Reitzes in November, and a full version of “Okefenokee” recorded by Michelle Malone will be on Spotify in December.
— Derek Prall
Participants announced for inaugural IGNITE DeKalb teacher residency class
On Monday, the DeKalb County School District (DCSD) announced its selections for the first class to participate in the IGNITE DeKalb Teacher Residency Program.
Standing for inspiring greatness and normalizing innovation in teacher education, the IGNITE teacher residency program addresses critical needs for qualified educators by providing an alternative and highly effective route to teacher certification.
The 50 participants will start the program beginning next month.
For more information, click here.
— Allison Joyner
European Art Deco cars on display at Savoy Automobile Museum
An exhibit of 1930s cars in the Art Deco style is on display at the Savoy Automobile Museum in Cartersville.
“Rolling Sculptures: European Art Deco” features 10 coupes and roadsters from such manufacturers as Bugatti, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Alfa Romeo.
The exhibit runs through March 31. For tickets and more information, see the museum website.
— John Ruch
Inaugural scholars program selects AUC students to join cohort
Clark Atlanta University’s (CAU) Southeast Regional Center for Entrepreneurship has selected the inaugural cohort for its Startup Scholars program, an initiative designed to empower and support student entrepreneurs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) as they grow their business ideas and pursue higher education.
“This program allows our underrepresented enterprising entrepreneurs from HBCUs in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and the U.S. Virgin Islands to capitalize on the Center’s access and resources to gain increased knowledge of building and scaling businesses while developing a cohesive network of entrepreneurs committed to creating a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem,” said Dr. Nsenga Burton, director of the Southeast Regional Center for Entrepreneurship at CAU.
Nine students — six of whom attend CAU, Morehouse College or Spelman College — were selected from almost 30 HBCUs to receive a $10,000 scholarship, one-on-one business consulting, business management workshops and networking opportunities.
— Allison Joyner
Arts grants awarded to Agnes Scott to fund study to teach kids financial literacy
The Department of Creative Arts at Agnes Scott College is excited to announce that it has been awarded one of 20 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Research Grants in the Arts to study the effects of a musical theater production on the financial literacy of elementary school children.
The study focuses on critical concepts mentioned in the American Public Media’s Marketplace “Million Bazillion,” whose mission is to raise economic intelligence in the U.S. As part of the research, the content from the podcast will be created into a musical production called “Million Bazillion: the Musical.”
“I wanted to develop a show for young audiences that used theater to help them understand important ideas, but I hadn’t considered working on a play about money and the economy until I listened to the podcast,” said Toby Emert, theater professor for Agnes Scott, who wrote and directed the musical.
The musical will play from Feb. 22 to 25 at the Winter Theater on Agnes Scott’s campus.
— Allison Joyner
Metro Atlanta education outcomes are mixed
Learn4Life, a unique nonprofit in metro Atlanta, released its “State of Education in metro Atlanta” 2023 report at the Metro Atlanta Chamber during a morning meeting on Dec. 14.
The results were mixed. Learn4Life tracks education outcomes in the five-county metro area, which includes eight school districts – Fulton, Cobb, Gwinnett, DeKalb, Clayton, Atlanta, Decatur and Marietta. Total enrollment in 2022 was 576,088 students, roughly a third of all the students in Georgia.
The best news was in the area of kindergarten readiness. Of the estimated demand for childcare and early learning for children under 5 years of age, 40 percent were served in a quality-rated child care program in 2022 – compared to only 22 percent in 2017.
The other good news was in the high school graduation rate, which went from 78 percent in 2015 to 84 percent in 2022.
The other four major measures showed marginal improvement or a decrease – likely attributed to the impact COVID on the educational system, according to Ken Zeff, Learn4Life’s executive director.
Third graders proficient in reading went from 40 percent in 2015 to 41 percent in2023. Eighth graders proficiency in math decreased from 41 percent in 2016 to 37 percent in 2023. High school graduates enrolled in a post-secondary institution went from 75 percent in 2015 to 68 percent in 2020. Finally, post-secondary completion went from 31 percent in 2015 to 26 percent in 2022.
Learn4Life is unique because it is a collaborative effort of the major four Atlanta entities that have a regional mandate – the Metro Atlanta Chamber, United Way of Greater Atlanta, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta and the Atlanta Regional Commission.
The meeting highlighted educational initiatives that are working in certain areas. That included a focus on literacy at the Marietta Schools partnering with the Atlanta Speech School’s Rollins Center and the Cox campus as well as post-secondary success stories. An area of warning included the low pay of teachers combined with stress, burnout and a decrease of new talent in the industry..
— Maria Saporta
Five ways to be safe this holiday season
As the temperatures dip and the twinkle lights appear, it’s a sure sign that the holiday season has begun.
The Priority Ambulance family of companies, a leading provider of emergency medical services, encourages all to prioritize safety to help make this year’s holiday season safe and happy.
Here are five ways to keep you and your family safe this holiday season:
- Decorate with care. Use a safe ladder when decorating inside and outside your home and always have a ladder spotter.
- Stay fire-safe. When using candles as part of your decor, make sure they are never left burning unattended and have an adult present when kids are nearby.
- Watch for choking hazards. Small toys and decorations can quickly become an airway obstruction when swallowed by a child or pet.
- Keep your leftovers safe for everyone. Keep raw meat away from fresh produce and use a separate cutting board, plates and utensils for your uncooked and cooked meats. Refrigerate leftovers two hours after serving, making reheating and preventing food poisoning easier.
- Travel safely. When driving to grandma’s house, check road and weather conditions before you leave, get a good night’s sleep before getting on the road, have a first aid kit inside your vehicle and, of course, no drinking or texting while driving.
For more information, click here.
— Allison Joyner
Goodwill of North Georgia launches local green jobs program in partnership with Accenture
In partnership with Accenture, Goodwill of North Georgia is launching a workforce training program for the most in-demand, entry-level, clean energy jobs. Called the Goodwill CleanTech Infrastructure Accelerator, the program will teach employability and technical skills for jobs involving solar and storage, electric vehicle charging, heat pumps and energy efficiency.
“As we launch the Goodwill Clean Tech Infrastructure Accelerator in Georgia, our focus is not only on bridging the talent gap in the clean energy sector but also on transforming lives through meaningful employment,” said Keith Parker, CEO of Goodwill of North Georgia. “This program is a testament to our commitment to empowering individuals with the skills and opportunities needed to thrive in the rapidly evolving clean tech landscape.”
Four training locations will launch next year in Atlanta, Houston, Nashville and Detroit. There are also plans to scale this program to 20 cities in the next seven years, training an estimated 7,000 job seekers.
The first Atlanta-based training cohort will take place between Jan. 29 and Feb. 23, 2024. Two additional cohorts will convene March 4 to March 29 and April 8 to May 3, 2024.
For more information, click here.
— Derek Prall
