At last year’s inaugural Atlanta Way Day, a crowd of civic leaders asked a major question: Why is Atlanta ranked last in economic mobility, and how can it improve? The data from a 2024 study by Raj Chetty’s research group Opportunity Insights caused worry among local leaders. Atlanta ranked dead last out of the top […]
Tag: Atlanta Way 2.0
Posted inMaria's Metro
Charlotte’s Sherri Chisholm: ‘We were a victim of our own success’
Once again Atlanta can look to Charlotte, N.C. for insights into improving the region’s economic mobility ranking. But the recent decision to sunset Leading on Opportunity, the organization that spearheaded Charlotte’s economic mobility efforts, may come as a surprise. Sherri Chisholm, executive director of Leading on Opportunity since 2020, shared her thoughts in a candid […]
Posted inAtlanta Way 2.0
CHAPTER 1 (The intersection) // A 404 Day Essay
Games of Atlanta’s Legacy (GOAL) is a special journalism project through the Atlanta Way 2.0 Future of Journalism Initiative led by Atlanta journalist Floyd Hall. To deepen public understanding of Downtown Atlanta’s cultural, business, transit, and community infrastructure—past, present, and future—particularly in the context of major global events such as the 1996 Olympics and 2026 World Cup, […]
Posted inDelaney Tarr
Peachtrees are finally returning to Peachtree Street – temporarily
Atlanta has a staggering 71 streets and roads named Peachtree, but few are lined with their namesakes. That’s about to change. On May 8, Atlanta Way 2.0 announced PeachTrees on Peachtree, a three-week “immersive celebration” of the state fruit. 16 trees from Pearson Farms, one of the state’s remaining family-owned peach farms, will be placed […]
Posted inAtlanta Way 2.0
Forging Pathways: What the Room Got Right
By Ché Watkins, Executive Director, Braven Atlanta Atlanta ranks 50th out of 50 major metro areas for upward economic mobility. Mike Carnathan of Neighborhood Nexus put that number on the table early — and it didn’t leave the room. It shouldn’t. That stat, drawn from Harvard’s Opportunity Insights research, is the clearest indictment of the […]
Posted inColumns
Raphael Bostic: ‘The work is not done’
Raphael Bostic moved to Atlanta in 2017 to become president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta – breaking norms as the first Black and first openly gay president of one of the 12 Federal Reserve banks. Bostic, 59, stepped down at the end of February from what he called “the best job” he’s ever […]
Posted inMaria's Metro
ARC’s Anna Roach on economic mobility: ‘It is time for action’
Momentum is building to address metro Atlanta’s dismal ranking of 50th out of 50 cities when it comes to economic mobility. On Jan. 13, the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation invited Harvard Professor Raj Chetty to come to Atlanta’s Mercedes Benz Stadium to talk about his research on economic mobility, with a focus on the […]
Posted inLatest News
Raj Chetty to Atlanta: connect people to opportunity to improve economic mobility
The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation invited Harvard University researcher Raj Chetty, a guru of economic mobility, to Atlanta on Jan. 13 to share his insights on why Atlanta ranked dead last among the major cities in the United States. The Blank Foundation convened an influential group of business and civic leaders, government and nonprofit […]
Posted inColumns
Atlanta Mayor Dickens envisions Downtown as a vibrant transit hub
Imagine Downtown Atlanta as fulfilling its historic legacy as a hub for local, regional and intercity transit. This is not just wishful thinking. In the past month, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens shared his desire for Amtrak to move its Atlanta station from the Brookwood Station to Downtown Atlanta — preferably as part of the Centennial […]
Posted inAtlanta Way 2.0
Shopping small, building big: How the Atlanta Beltline supports economic mobility
On Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, the Atlanta Beltline invites everyone to celebrate Small Business Saturday, founded by American Express, at the Atlanta Beltline Marketplace locations and support an ecosystem of programs designed to advance economic mobility through community collaboration. Small Business Saturday, the national movement encouraging people to “shop small,” takes on special meaning along […]
Posted inAtlanta Way 2.0
It takes a village: Reimagining schools as anchors of hope and opportunity
ICS, a school that serves more than 500 students from families representing over 60 nationalities and 31 languages, is leading a bold transformation. In 2025, ICS became the first elementary school in Metro Atlanta, and possibly in the entire state of Georgia, to fully embrace the Community School Model.
Posted inAtlanta Way 2.0
The Future of Healing: How an AI-Powered Mobile Wellness Clinic Will Transform Access to Care
by CEO, I Will Survive, Inc. Anisa Palmer, MPA Atlanta has always been a city that builds bridges where barriers once stood. At I Will Survive, Inc., we’re building one on wheels. Our new AI-Powered Mobile Wellness Clinic is more than a vehicle—it’s a promise to bring health access, technology, and compassion directly to families […]
Posted inAtlanta Way 2.0
What’s the deal with economic mobility? And why does Atlanta rank last?
By Oli Turner, Atlanta Way 2.0 Journalism Fellow In Atlanta, leaders and concerned citizens are uniting over a troubling statistic. Atlanta ranks 50th out of 50 U.S. metropolitan areas in upward economic mobility, according to a 2024 study by Harvard Economics professor Raj Chetty. If that strikes you as grim, it is—but Atlantans may find […]
Posted inAtlanta Way 2.0
Autonomous cars are rolling through Atlanta, but are they ready for our streets?
Waymo has arrived in Atlanta. What is the experience like for riders and who is left out of consideration when autonomous vehicles are in the mix?
Posted inAtlanta Way 2.0
From campus to community: How a new generation builds belonging
Throughout my college education, I’m learning that college isn’t only about the books. Some places transform people, and college is one of those places. A college campus can serve many purposes — a place for education, a place where relationships form and a place where life-changing events occur. A college campus is also a place […]
Posted inAtlanta Way 2.0
Laughing with, not at: How two Atlanta creatives use comedy to spark civic connection
On Tuesday, June 10, more than 60 people packed into “Dad’s Garage Theatre “for a live taping of the “What’s Good, Atlanta?” podcast, a civic storytelling show that blends comedy, poetry and public interest. Produced by local creatives Mark Kendall and David Perdue (no relation to the former U.S. Senator from Georgia). The show brought […]
Posted inAtlanta Way 2.0
Art in Action festival puts Atlanta’s cultural legacy in the spotlight
The Art in Action documentary festival on June 20 showcased the talent and expression of Black voices in the community. The festival featured four documentaries highlighting black experiences and real-life stories.
Posted inMaria's Metro
Atlanta Rotary seeking to engage people with the spirit of the ‘Atlanta Way’
The Atlanta Way took the spotlight at the June 23 meeting of the Rotary Club of Atlanta. In many ways, it was a coming home. The Atlanta Rotary has been a galvanizing force of bringing the community together for decades. It was on Sept. 20, 2021, when two Rotarians – Egbert Perry and Larry Gellerstedt […]
Posted inAtlanta Way 2.0, Columns
Lessons from the past and present
This summer Atlanta Way 2.0 and SaportaReport are partnering on an initiative to strengthen the civic fabric of greater Atlanta through journalism. We have two amazing interns who will share their journey here in our weekly column. Here Gabriella Hart reflects on her first few weeks as an Atlanta Way 2.0 intern. Upon beginning this project […]
Posted inAtlanta Way 2.0
A bold Idea to help nonprofits
Together, we can help 900+ nonprofits this summer—and the ripple effect could touch countless lives. Let’s build nonprofit capacity, unlock potential, and empower the people doing the hardest, most important work out there.
