Atlanta Intown, February 2023

Atlanta Intown

A note on our new look

PUBLISHER'S NOTE

Pepper

This month’s issue of Atlanta Intown marks an exciting new beginning for our paper and our company. In early January, we updated our logos (they are called “flags” in the newspaper world) as we rebranded the company under the Rough Draft Atlanta name. We will continue to use Atlanta Intown in print, but Rough Draft Atlanta will be the digital home and umbrella brand for us.

Rough Draft gives us the ability to continue to build in new geographic and vertical markets in and around metro Atlanta, and reflects a forwardlooking brand that has proven to engage digital audiences.

It is said that journalism is the “first draft of history,” and by embracing Rough Draft as a company, we can honor this sentiment. We are committed to giving readers reliable, non-sensational local news, and providing our marketing partners with the best advertising products in the market.

Atlanta Intown

Publication

How we do that, though, is changing. While we are committed to continuing to print monthly papers on the highest quality newsprint we can, in 2022, we transitioned to a digitalfirst newsroom.

Through this transition, the morning Rough Draft newsletter has become our daily touchpoint with our audience, and a flexible way to give advertisers engaging ways that stand out in the marketplace for creativity and effectiveness.

Our newsletter subscribers grew sixfold last year as we introduced vertical spinoffs including Scene, Side Dish, Silver Streak, and Sketchbook. I encourage you to subscribe to these newsletters by visiting RoughDraftAtlanta.com/newsletters or scanning this QR Code.

Macroeconomic trends

The news business continues to be challenged with fears of a recession, changing reader habits, and, dare I say, corporate greed, wreaking havoc on large media companies. At the same time, the brutal economics of digital-only publishing make survival for even the most engaging small players extremely difficult.

National polls report that Americans’ trust in news is near all-time lows, and while my friends and I read and discussed “Newsweek” in high school civics classes, today’s teens are more likely to get their news from TikTok than the daily paper. Elected leaders seem more interested in auditioning for a cable TV show than engaging on the most important issues. Whether it’s low information, disinformation, or no information, media literacy is a real issue we must handle as a society.

Meaningful, not massive

Despite these challenges, Rough Draft Atlanta is uniquely positioned to continue to grow. In 2022, our overall business grew by 17%, with digital revenue more than doubling, and print growing a more modest 11%.

There is a lot of bad news in the world, and that’s part of the reason that people have become frustrated with the media. But, we know how important it is to be engaged in your local community, and that’s why we are focused on the communities where we live.

My goal is summarized on a Post-It Note that’s on my monitor: “Meaningful, Not Massive.” If we continue to give readers the news they need, as well as the news they crave, and deliver it in ways that they want to consume it, we believe we have a very bright future.

How you can help

An engaged audience is our most valuable asset.

If you like what we are doing, please tell your friends. Subscribe to a newsletter, share a story on social media, and support our advertisers.

We have also launched a membership program that allows you to contribute to our work and get special benefits in return. Rough Draft Atlanta looks sharp on tote bags, stickers, and hats, and those are some of the perks of membership. Plus, later this year we will introduce exclusive in-person events.

To learn more about this program, visit RoughDraftAtlanta.com/membership.

Thank you for your support of local journalism.

About this issue

Every month of Atlanta Intown is special, but I’m extra proud of this edition. We’ve partnered with Central Atlanta Progress to highlight their Atlanta Downtown Annual Meeting & Awards on Feb. 14. From art galleries and new breweries to loft apartments and rooftop bars, Downtown has a very bright future.

The paper you’re holding also includes the first issue of Mo Aye-Tee-El, a fledgling, local alternative newspaper from Carlton Hargro, the former editor of Creative Loafing. We are proud to be able to help Carlton and his team launch his paper, as we all benefit from a more robust local media landscape.

Keith

Center for Black Women’s Wellness serves physical, mental, and financial needs

By Clare S. Richie

The Center for Black Women’s Wellness rang in the new year as a Culture Catalyst on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest. Their segment spotlighted how the nonprofit addresses persistent inequities in health outcomes among underserved Atlanta Black women and their families through health care, prenatal services, mental health support, and educational workshops.

“Our biggest push for 2023 is focusing on women’s healthcare for our community,” said CEO Jemea Dorsey. “In light of the closing of the Atlanta Medical Center, we want to get the word out about who we are and what we do. We especially want to serve women who are uninsured or underinsured in need of vital health services, such as pap tests, clinical breast exams, mammograms, and lab services.”

What began in 1988 as a pilot of the Black Women’s Health Imperative to empower women in public housing has

grown into an independent direct-service nonprofit that today serves 4,000 families annually.

“We evolved based on being responsive to community needs and working together to develop solutions,” Dorsey said. “We are still in the Dunbar Neighborhood Center, but our reach has gotten much broader with women coming from all over metro Atlanta for free and low-cost culturally responsive care.”

Located in the Mechanicsville neighborhood of Southwest Atlanta, the recently renovated center sees patients Monday through Thursday for in-person care and Friday for consultations and telehealth appointments.

Through its Atlanta Healthy Start Initiative, the center supports women from pregnancy through postpartum with a team of nurses, family support specialists and a mental health provider.

“Now there is a greater understanding that it’s the health of the woman before, during and after pregnancy that is such a

driving force around prematurity, low birth rates and the like,” Dorsey said.

Six years ago, Whitney Jenkins found the program when her first child was born and stayed with it through the birth of her 3 year old and 3 month old. She’s received essential supplies like diapers, wipes, and a bassinet; attended classes on parenting and breastfeeding; participated in family events like movie night; and found a community there.

“I went to one sister circle, and I was hooked,” Jenkins said. “Formally, it’s group therapy but informally it’s a sister talk. Each month is a different topic. We had one on stress relief. We made homemade scrubs and talked about the benefits of aromatherapy and essential oils.”

“I also have a therapist through the center, and we meet weekly,” Jenkins continued. “I had postpartum depression with my first son and having that support and that sisterhood really helped me.”

Dasia Anderson connected with the maternal and infant health initiative between the birth of her daughter in August 2020 and her son in October 2021. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the center was there to stand by her and her babies.

“You get assistance, and you think that’s just while I’m pregnant and have the baby,” Anderson said. “You don’t realize this is a long-term relationship. Now my daughter is 2, and they are still there. They say ‘it takes a village’ and I’m just grateful to have one.”

Through all of its programming, the center is very intentional about linking individuals to mental health services like therapy sessions, psychiatry/medication management, and psychoeducational workshops.

Shorn Bookman initially came to the center to get her diabetes under control. Once there, she learned about their mental

health offerings.

“They are 100% hands-on,” Bookman said. “My therapist provides me with the tools and resources for what I’m going through. The center also provides me with seminars to engage with other women with regard to things we have in common. I feel so much better and see the growth in me because of the love, compassion, and support that they showed me. To me, they are my family, and I’m so thankful.”

Looking ahead, the center is also excited to offer more financial workshops thanks to funding from PNC Bank and PwC in the new year.

“In 2022, we did two virtual workshops around financial literacy that maxed out,” Dorsey said. “More than 100 people tried to join a Zoom for a financial literacy workshop… so we will be doing more offerings around financial well-being in 2023.”

The center is also focused on rebuilding its pool of volunteer healthcare professionals for evening clinic hours. During the height of the pandemic, many volunteer providers were pulled in other directions.

“We need more RNs, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, doctors, medical assistants,” Dorsey said.

To volunteer, reach out to info@cbww. org, Dorsey urged.

“A lot of people stopped seeking primary care during COVID,” Dorsey said. “If you haven’t had a physical in a couple of years –come back. We are back open. We are here to serve. We are excited and we’re ready.”

Another way to support the center is by sponsoring or attending their signature fundraiser called Wellness & Pearls an evening of fine art, music, conversation and refreshments at ZuCot Gallery on April 20.

Dasia Anderson and her family at The Center for Black Women’s Wellness trick or treat event. (Photo courtesy of Qu West Photography)

The organization’s staff and volunteers during the annual health fair. (Courtesy Qu West Photography)

The Atlanta Police Department investigated 170 homicides in 2022, the most since 1996. It marked an increase from 161 in 2021 and 157 in 2020, according to GBI data.

The Atlanta City Council approved $4.7 million to add six new vehicles to the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department fleet. The money will be used to acquire three fire engines and three ladder trucks.

After fires at the Walmart in Vine City and on Howell Mill Road, rumors have been circulating that the stores would never reopen. City Councilman Byron Amon said there is no indication that the stores will close but are simply under renovation.

Scholarship expert Jessica Johnson was sworn in to fill Jason Esteves’ unexpired seat on the Atlanta Board of Education.

Two highway-capping projects get funding

By Dyana Bagby

The $1.7 trillion federal government spending bill signed into law by President Joe Biden last week includes dollars for separate projects to cap Atlanta highways with parks.

First, the Midtown Connector Project, a plan to cap the Downtown Connector from 10th Street to North Avenue with a 25-acre park, will receive $3.2 million, according to a press release from U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams (D-Atlanta).

Taylor Morison, chief strategy officer

for MCP Foundation, the nonprofit group raising funds for the Midtown Connector Project, could not be reached for comment. Morison told Urbanize Atlanta in August he expected to secure between $750,000 to $5 million in federal funding this year.

The entire project is expected to cost between $800 million and $1.2 billion.

And second, HUB404, a planned multipurpose greenspace to cap state highway Ga. 400 in Buckhead, will receive $750,000. Proponents say the half-milelong park in Buckhead’s urban core would become a regional attraction with access

JONATHAN CASSADY INTOWN OFFICE

to the Buckhead MARTA Station and to PATH400.

Rep. Williams, with support from the Georgia delegation, secured the funding for the project from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, according to the Buckhead Community Improvement District. The BCID is leading the effort to secure public funds for the estimated $270 million project.

“This is a significant step toward building HUB404 which will provide safe walkways, greenspaces and easier access to MARTA for residents and visitors,” said Jim Durrett, executive director of the BCID, in a news release.

HB404 is planned to bridge Lenox Road and Ga. 400, linking PATH400 to the Atlanta Beltline, MARTA, neighboring streets and neighborhood parks. The nineacre park above the highway would also be a place for concerts, festivals, large art displays and other community gatherings.

Durrett said in an email nearly $4.2 million in public funding has been secured for HUB404 over the years from the BCID itself, the Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank and the just announced $750,000 in HUD funding.

The nonprofit HUB404 Conservancy was formed to raise private money to fund the project. It was slowed by the pandemic and recently launched its first fundraiser. Durrett said about $750,000 has been contributed to the conservancy.

Anthony Rodriguez, executive director of the HUB404 Conservancy, said in the news release that federal funding will “provide incredible momentum for our work to create a world-class, communitydriven greenspace showcasing the best of Atlanta.”

HUB404 is set to begin engineering of the bridges over Lenox Road this year, and the engineering of the major section from Lenox Road to Peachtree Road is expected to begin by 2024.

Atlanta has another other highwaycapping project, known as The Stitch, that received nearly $1.2 million in federal funding in October.

The Stitch would create approximately 14 acres of urban greenspace atop a new, 3⁄4-mile platform spanning the Downtown Connector between Ted Turner Drive and Piedmont Avenue.

Rendering of the Midtown Connector project.

A love letter to CVS

During these uncertain times,

HammerSmith is here for you and your family. We provide safe, essential services, architectural designs and home renovations. Start planning today for how to live better in a changed world.

HammerSmith is here for you and your family. We provide exceptional architectural designs and home renovations. Start planning today for how to live better in an ever-changing world.

8MAY I BE EXCUSED

Yes, that WAS me who visited your store at 225 W. Ponce de Leon Avenue in Decatur, GA today! And I’d be happy to complete your survey about my experience. I’ll be honest, I don’t normally participate in these things but I’m trying to be a little more open and engaging with folks in the new year. I’ve had nearly two weeks off from work, the Christmas decorations are put away and I can’t possibly eat another cookie, so why the heck not!

I was super busy right before Christmas – shopping, my wife’s birthday, closing out the year at work and getting the house ready because we decided to have a party on Christmas night. I know what you’re thinking – who goes to a party on Christmas night? You’d be surprised! We had a big crowd, and it was great fun but boy oh boy was it a lot of work. It’s been a long time since we’ve attempted anything like that. Yeesh, what a few years, am I right?

The next day my wife’s sister’s family arrived from New Jersey for a visit. Are we crazy? You tell me! They’re easy houseguests though and they keep my kids entertained so the great unwind had begun. It’s a long break but we enjoy the downtime. We watch movies and do jigsaw puzzles and sit around the fireplace. It’s important to decompress sometimes, don’t you think? You’re all about wellness. You guys get it.

And while I visited your Decatur location yesterday, what I love most about you guys is you’re everywhere! Depending on where the day takes me, I could pop into your Virginia Highland, Cheshire Bridge, Buckhead or Emory locations as well. But on this visit that you were so thoughtful to follow up on, what I needed was stamps and muscle pain relief patches. Again, you probably already know this – I bet your

market research is impeccable!

We cobbled together a ‘Happy New Year’ card which allows us to reply in kind to everyone who sent us a Christmas card. (Shhh! It’s our little trick.) I wasn’t certain that you sold stamps, but your helpful associate told me they were behind the counter. Typically, I use the self-checkout option at CVS because it is relatively straightforward, and your barcoding is top-notch! Anyway, this was an old-school checkout. Vintage. Very cool.

Oh, and the muscle patches? Yeah, I overdid it on my exercise bike. You probably noticed me limping on the security cameras. Usually, I take trainer-guided classes but for this week of relaxation I wanted mindless rides while I watched a show called “Fleishman is in Trouble.” You should check it out! It starts out funny but then tackles weighty issues like divorce and mental illness. The way it addresses one character’s mid-life crisis seemed particularly poignant. Anyway, I guess I got lost in it because when I got off the bike, I realized my calf muscle was extremely tight. It’s feeling better already though – thanks to your patches!

Some people will say I have too much time on my hands, participating in a CVS survey so earnestly. But don’t you hate when people are like that? I mean, they may have a point but clearly, they aren’t as committed to human engagement as I am. After this I’ve got a survey from Dick’s Sporting Goods to get to – do you know those guys?

Just know that you are appreciated. By the way, I love the “No Receipt” option you guys have implemented! Honestly, the receipts were too long. I’d buy shampoo and a stick of deodorant, and you’d hand me back the Dead Sea Scrolls. Just being fully transparent here. Really, you guys are great. Absolutely, I WILL recommend your store to a friend! If you ever want to chat, well, you have my number.

Dear CVS Pharmacy Customer Experience Team,

Happy New Year! Tim Sullivan

Tim Sullivan

LOOK TO NORTHSIDE

A Community of

Care

on a Mission to Heal

At Northside Hospital, you can look forward to new beginnings, look ahead to comeback seasons, and look up for hope and strength. Led by our expertise in maternity, heart, cancer, orthopedics and more, you can move into tomorrow with confidence knowing there is a community of care at Northside that’s guided by one clear direction, a mission to heal.

For a healthier future together, look to Northside Hospital.

Learn more about our services at northside.com

Soul food art with Fahamu Pecou

By Isadora Pennington

Art finds inspiration from so many sources. Cultural experiences including music, television, movies, and mass media inform and influence artistic expression in many ways. Dr. Fahamu Pecou’s artwork demonstrates just how much these cultural experiences can shape an artist’s body of work, and therefore their career.

Pecou is one of the most respected Black artists working in America today. He is an interdisciplinary artist whose work inspires dialogue about the Black experience, often highlighting male youth. Pulling from his own storied life, a wealth of experience working with hip-

hop artists, and an undeniable passion for art, his work has captivated and intrigued viewers since his first solo show in 2005.

“Ever since I could hold a pencil I’ve been drawing and making things,” Pecou said during our meeting in his West Atlanta studio. Large-scale paintings surrounded us, mostly of him in various poses. A wall was plastered with bright and colorful photographs, which he uses for planning and testing, canvases were propped up in one corner, and paint splatter on the wall and floor outlined his workspace.

Though he is one of the most wellknown artists in the city, Pecou is effortlessly convivial, approachable, and kind. His intellect and wit are

immediately apparent, and conversation flows easily from one subject to the next.

Pecou, who earned his Ph.D. at Emory University with the first-ever visual dissertation, has been a working artist in Atlanta for nearly two decades. Born in Brooklyn but raised by adoptive parents in Hartsville, North Carolina, he gleaned inspiration from whatever media he could find. As a child, it was mostly television shows and Saturday morning cartoons that inspired his art. He became known as the artsy kid and from an early age, he made up his mind that he was going to be an artist.

When he was in fourth grade he read a description of Charles Schulz, the creator of Peanuts, which referred to him as an animator. He had never heard the term before but after looking it up in the encyclopedia he decided that one day this would be his path. Throughout his youth, he worked to become the “Black Walt Disney” and spent many hours developing characters and coming up with stories for his comic books. “At night I would write and illustrate, then I’d get to school as early as I could to xerox the pages and then sell them to my friends for 50 cents at lunch.”

After high school in 1993, Pecou got a scholarship to attend the Atlanta College of Art (ACA) where he studied animation. He made friends with other creatives who introduced him to the world of fine art –prior to moving to Atlanta he had never stepped foot inside any art galleries or

museums. It opened his eyes to a whole world of opportunities for him as an artist. One of Pecou’s greatest inspirations in popular culture was J.J. from the hit television show “Good Times.” He had not seen examples of Black men working as artists in popular culture otherwise. Once he was here in Atlanta that all began to change, and Pecou officially switched his major to painting.

In the years following his graduation from ACA, Pecou found his way back to New York City. He needed a job, and he had become interested in the magazines that he found on the racks at Tower Records. He essentially taught himself graphic design through this self-directed study. Combined with a basic knowledge of Photoshop, he got a job working at a boutique creative agency in Manhattan that did a lot of the media and collateral for the who’s who of hip-hop artists in the late 90s.

“Puff Daddy had just opened his restaurant Justin’s, which was on the block just behind our office, so I designed the signage and menu. That ended up being a really dope learning experience, it really was kind of like my master’s program in a lot of ways,” recalled Pecou.

Inspired, he began to consider ways those skills could translate into the world of fine art. “I started thinking about what would happen if someone marketed a visual artist the way you do a hip-hop artist.”

Pecou eventually grew tired of living

Dr. Fahamu Pecou in his studio. (Photos by Isadora Pennington)

in New York City and found himself missing Atlanta. “There’s something special about this city; I knew I wanted to be here and be a part of this art scene,” he said.

When he got settled here again, this time with extensive graphic design and marketing experience under his belt, he decided to try out some of the same techniques he had seen while working at the agency. He began doing guerrilla marketing throughout the city and developed a catchphrase and fake committee called “Committee to Make Fahamu Pecou the Shit” just to see if it might work. And it did. People came to know his name and soon he was getting opportunities to exhibit his work.

He wanted to put Black people on the cover of magazines because at that time it was rare to see any Black people featured in popular culture unless they were hip-hop artists or athletes.

“It was rare to see a Black artist written about within a magazine, and you certainly didn’t see that on the cover. There was also the juxtaposition of the type of character that I was playing or portraying. While it would be these very sterile high-end art magazines, my character would be all about the attitude and swag of hip-hop. No shirt,

gold chains, smoking a cigar. It was creating this tension around race and representation and what is expected. I was really interested in manipulating people’s interpretations around Black men specifically.”

He took this idea of guerilla marketing to a whole new level when he began adding a performance element to his appearances by enlisting fake bodyguards and fans to attend events with him. His first gallery show took place in 2005 at Ty Stokes Gallery in Castleberry Hill. It was a huge success and served to launch his artistic career.

“While I had this show at Ty Stokes the gallery owner reached out to Conduit Gallery in Dallas, and three weeks later I opened a completely new body of work with the gallery in Dallas. That show sold out, and one of the collectors owned a gallery in San Francisco. I also got picked up by a gallery in New York. By December of 2006, I had my first show at Art Basel.”

Pecou is now working on a collection that will debut at the grand opening of the United Talent Agency (UTA) gallery that is set to open in Midtown this March. This series, called If Heaven Had Heights, is all about sagging and its importance in Black youth culture.

“My ideas around sagging have evolved. In 2014 I did a show at MOCA GA called Gravity, it explored sagging but also the tension surrounding it. I used it as an allegory to talk about the

tension that Black male youth experience as a result of the deficit language that we use to talk about Black masculinity. I equated that deficit language to a sort of diminished possibilities. Rather than being inspiring, telling people that young Black men are going to end up in jail is going to make young Black men feel like there’s no point. So, what happens if we change the language, could Black men defy gravity?”

While his paintings are certainly some of the most well-known of his works, Pecou is still a multidisciplinary artist. He explained that he likes to allow the concept at hand to dictate what medium it requires. Sometimes an idea might better translate into film or a photograph rather than a painting, for example. He’s also acutely aware that when he is making artwork about and for Black male youths that they are often not going to experience those works in a traditional gallery setting. He wants to use his platform and his artistic talents to help people to heal through the confrontation of prejudice and preconceived notions about Blackness, and so he considers where and how the people he wants to reach might find his works.

“I don’t just want to make pretty pictures, I want to make art that heals people, helps people, art that is soul food. That really became the impetus for the type of artist that I consider myself to be. It continues to be an important part of the work that I do; I feel a responsibility as an image maker to create images, produce works, and tell stories that humanize people who look like me.”

To learn more about Pecou and his work visit fahamupecouart.com.

Right “Femme Nu Femme Noir” by Fahamu Pecou Far right, “Round the Way Osun” by Fahamu Pecou Below right, “Heavy” by Fahamu Pecou

Sip and savor with these Black-owned brands

WOMEN + WINE

nothing like fried biscuit dough tossed in cinnamon sugar to satisfy that sweet tooth after a meal. (bombbiscuitatl.com)

Katie Rice & Sarah Pierre

February may be the shortest month of the year, but to us, it’s one of the most important. February is Black History Month, which pays tribute to the achievements and sacrifices of AfricanAmericans. It’s a month of recognition and joyous celebrations.

We wanted to highlight a few of our favorite Black-owned food and beverage brands that have taken Atlanta by storm.

If you opt for takeout or delivery so you can enjoy Bomb Biscuit at home, pair it with a Black-owned wine: 2021 House of Brown Rosé, Lodi, California.

Tassili’s Raw Reality Café

Sarah frequently enjoys the “Dat ish” wrap when she visits Tassili’s. Pair it with a Blackowned wine: 2021 Kumusha Chenin Blanc, Western Cape, South Africa.

Start the day with a cup of Portrait “Toni” Coffee (name inspired by acclaimed author Toni Morrison), then end with a glass of this Black-owned wine: 2021 Ashanta Wines “Embryo II” Syrah, Sonoma Valley, California.

Endulge Cupcake Boutique

Hats off to Erika Council, the Queen B of Biscuits, for her newly opened brickand-mortar location at 688 Highland Ave. in Old Fourth Ward. From the line that queues daily, it’s safe to say that Bomb Biscuits is everything Atlanta needs and more. Council isn’t a new name to the Atlanta food scene, as she’s been hosting pop-ups since 2016. She is not only a chef, but also a writer and food developer, which is apparent after seeing her menu. We asked Andrew Thomas Lee, a wellknown photographer and a longtime fan of Council, his thoughts on Atlanta’s newest, most phenomenally popular breakfast spot that’s attracting hundreds of people daily. “Bomb Biscuits has the best biscuits I’ve ever had – period. They’re buttery soft but they don’t fall apart and can stand up to anything you put on them,” says Lee, adding that his favorite menu item is the “Ultimate Classic” – a sausage egg and cheese on black pepper bacon and cheddar biscuit. “It’s definitely worth the wait in line.” Lee made sure to also mention the Bonuts, an extra special sweet treat to order when you visit Bomb Biscuit. There’s

Calling all vegans! You might have to wait in a bit of line, but your meal will be worth the wait. Especially since you might get a sample or two while you’re watching the production team assemble the plant-based work of art right in front of you. Tassili’s is a fast-casual restaurant established in 2011 at 1059 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd. in West End making raw vegan food as approachable as it gets. While Tassili’s is known for its gigantic wraps and salads, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by their other creative vegan options such as their carrot tuna, or the pad thai noodles. You don’t have to be vegan to catch the Tassili’s bug. Even the steakloving carnivores stand in the Tassili’s line. What we love most about this Black-owned business and staple in the community is that they are using food as medicine healthy, nutritious, and enjoyable raw vegan food. Tassili’s is truly a gift to Atlanta. (tassilisrawreality.com)

Portrait Coffee

This wildly creative, and inspirational coffee brand was established in 2019 with the mission to “change the picture that comes to mind when folks think of specialty coffee.” Hence the name Portrait Coffee. Their team of Atlanta residents is small, yet mighty. You will find Portrait at some of the best coffee shops, gourmet markets, restaurants, and even sold at 3 Parks Wine Shop. We are also eager to mention that the Portrait team is in the process of opening a much-needed coffee shop in West End – right next to Tassili’s! We can’t say enough good things about this coffee company. Be on the lookout for Portrait wherever you go to get your caffeine fix. (portrait. coffee)

Seriously, who doesn’t like a cupcake? And with a name like Endulge, this bakery was destined for success. Located in the heart of Ormewood Park at 749 Moreland Ave., Endulge Cupcakes has been serving irresistible and perfectly sweetened cupcakes for the last decade. They are made fresh daily with all-natural and organic ingredients. You can also pre-order their incredible vegan cupcakes for any event or celebration. For all of you who enjoy an extra dose of convenience in your life, Endulge Cupcakes has a drive-thru. You can get a dozen cupcakes without stepping

out of your car! Insider’s tip: Morelli’s Gourmet Ice Cream is across the street. (endulgecupcakes.com)

The salted caramel cupcake is one of their top sellers. We suggest pairing it with a sweeter style red wine. Endulge with a Black-owned wine brand: 2019 Lai Vines “Rose Marie” Cabernet, Paso Robles, California.

Bomb Biscuit Co.

Bomb Biscuit Co.

Portrait Coffee

Tassili’s Raw Reality Café

Endulge Cupcake Boutique

Non-alcoholic booze on tap at The Zero Co. in Poncey-Highland

By Logan C. Ritchie

The Zero Co. is Atlanta’s first nonalcoholic bottle shop located on a busy strip of Poncey-Highland. Just a block from its parent company Elemental Spirits Co. on North Highland Avenue, the new spot has a similar boutique shopping experience.

The shelves of Zero Co. are dappled with vintage cocktail glasses and colorful decanters, bottles of non-alcoholic spirits, wines, bitters, fizzy drinks, and more. Currently open from Wednesday to Sunday with hours expanding this spring, the shop attracts a wide range of customers.

The shop was bustling on a recent Friday afternoon. One man who was hosting Muslim dinner guests sought a zero-alcohol beverage, while another woman had just popped over from Elemental to see what the buzz was about.

“Our demographic is sober, sober-

curious, people who are pregnant, cutting back on drinking, literally everybody,” said Rori Robinson, general manager.

Robinson has been with Elemental since the beginning, recruited by another employee she met at A Sip of Paradise in East Atlanta, a community project for bartenders that started when bars were closed in 2020. Robinson serves as garden director at A Sip of Paradise and grows fruits and veggies in her home garden.

Although Robinson and Sales Associate Shannon Williams drink alcohol, they have several products from Zero Co. on their shelves at home. Rory enjoys the shop’s non-alcoholic sparkling wines and Shannon favors Amethyst, a spirit distilled and blended with fruits and botanicals. Pathfinder, a fermented and distilled hemp-based spirit, is a favorite of Zero Co. employees.

Shannon Williams, left, and Rori Robinson at Poncey-Highland’s newest bottle shop, The Zero Co. (Photo by Logan C. Ritchie)

Non-alcoholic wines have a reputation of being glorified juice sometimes, said Williams, but choices at Zero Co. range from effervescent sparkling wine to big bold red wine.

“There’s something for everyone,” said Williams, who spends her day advising customers who are vegan, gluten-free or sugar-conscientious.

“People have a lot of questions. Either they have never had alcohol before, or they’re looking to replace an old favorite. Normally they haven’t seen any of the products on the shelves, so there’s a lot of assistance involved to figure out what flavor profiles they like,” said Williams.

Cory Atkinson opened Elemental Spirits in 2020, weeks before the pandemic closed down non-essential businesses. His spouse, Malory Atkinson, is the co-founder of a woman-owned structural engineering firm

and the curator of design and glassware in both shops.

The popularity of low- and zero-alcohol products at Elemental was growing rapidly, which led Cory Atkinson to open Zero Co. in December 2022.

“Poncey-Highland is really tightknit,” said Williams, who lives in the neighborhood and walks to work. “We’re the only thing like this in the community. There was definitely a need for it.”

With spring around the corner, Zero Co. hopes to hold non-alcoholic cocktail classes. For now, customers can sample from the bar cart in the shop.

The Zero Co. is located at 626 N. Highland Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30306. The shop is open Wednesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. Visit thezeroco.co for more information.

Publication

Atlanta Intown A

Leading Downtown’s Rediscovery

Central Atlanta Progress and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District are forging ahead, advancing several major projects and initiatives that are transforming Atlanta’s center city.

Over the course of 80+ years, CAP has worked behind the scenes, integrating ideas, building partnerships, and coordinating efforts to continually grow the economic prosperity, elevate the quality of life and improve the image of Downtown Atlanta for businesses and the broader community.

Initially focused on civic leadership, CAP’s scope of work first expanded to include planning, then cleanliness and safety efforts with the creation of the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District in 1995. In the early 2000s, transportation, capital projects, public space management, economic development and sustainability work were added. Rounding out the list are a reinvigorated commitment to placemaking and unsheltered outreach efforts.

Guided by a comprehensive master plan, CAP and ADID work together under the Atlanta Downtown brand to envision and realize an urban core that meets the needs of residents, students, and visitors alike.

Lunch on the Broad Street Boardwalk

New Challenges, New Solutions

CAP/ADID rolls up its sleeves to tackle new projects

THE RIALTO’S

A CuRATED jOuRNEy THROuGH THE ARTS, mOVES INTO wINTER wITH STELLAR PERFORmANCES

SuN, FEB 5, 2023 // 3pm

mARTHA GRAHAm

DANCE COmPANy DANCE IN THE SPIRIT OF mARTHA GRAHAm

Internationally acclaimed martha Graham Dance Company returns to Atlanta after 84 years, showcasing formative dance masterpieces by the legendary martha Graham and newly commissioned works by contemporary artists in the spirit of martha Graham.

SAT, FEB 11, 2023 // 8pm

mAVIS STAPLES

wITH OPENING ACT

LAmONT LANDERS BAND THE SPIRIT OF GOSPEL, BLuES AND SOuTHERN SOuL

Over the next year, CAP and ADID will keep a pulse on topics that will affect the community and continue to build big ideas like Arts & Entertainment Atlanta and the advancement of The Stitch, while staying committed to the day-to-day details that affect us here and now. Here’s a quick look at a few notable projects and initiatives that are underway.

The Stitch

WHAT IT IS: The Stitch is a transformational civic infrastructure investment that will reconnect Downtown and Midtown Atlanta. Once complete, this “highway cap” will create approximately 14 acres of urban greenspace and transportation enhancements atop a new, 3⁄4-mile platform spanning the Downtown Connector between Ted Turner Drive and Piedmont Avenue. The aim of this monumental project is to advance the equitable revitalization of north Downtown through enhanced access to affordable housing, low-cost transportation, jobs, and community resources.

WHY IT MATTERS: As a catalyst for new development, The Stitch will create public gathering places for the community to come together and thrive, and the project has the potential to provide billions of dollars in value creation and generate over $50 million in new revenue.

WHAT’S NEXT: In late 2022, the project received a $900,000 U.S. DOT RAISE grant in addition to $1.16 million in HUD Community Project funding. This funding is currently being utilized to advance the planning and design phases of the Stitch. To stay informed about project developments,

visit TheStitchAtl.com.

Arts & Entertainment Atlanta

WHAT IT IS: Established in 2017 by Atlanta City Council legislation, Arts & Entertainment Atlanta is a neighborhood activation and economic development project that fuses new media, local art, and performance with advertising to fund cultural and public space programming. The effort self-funds its management and programming through revenue-sharing agreements with media companies within the district, including Orange Barrel Media and BIG Outdoor.

WHY IT MATTERS: Each year, A&E Atlanta gives grants and funds digital exhibitions to support creative work in the Downtown community. To date, the program has given over 100 artists and organizations a total of $840,000 in funding.

WHAT’S NEXT: From public installations and education to performances and films, Downtown’s burgeoning arts community is poised for its most high-profile year yet. Be on the lookout for more signs, more public art, and more arts and cultural programming. Visit aeatlanta.com to learn more.

Downtown Investment

WHAT IT IS: Thanks to unparalleled access to stakeholders and their data, CAP/ ADID monitors and tracks the economic development of Downtown Atlanta with the goal of attracting new businesses, residential projects, and major events.

FREE (VALIDATED) PARKING AT THE 100 PEACHTREE PARKING GARAGE

we are proud to present the legendary, multi-Grammy-winning Gospel, Blues, and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer mavis Staples. Plus—we are presenting an opening act for the headliner—featuring the powerful southern soul of the phenomenal Lamont Landers Band. Let us “…Take you There!”

SAT, mAR 4, 2023 // 8pm

jOHNNy mERCER TRIBuTE FEATuRING jOE GRANSDEN AND SPECIAL GuEST ROBIN LATImORE wITH THE GSu jAZZ BAND CELEBRATING THE SPIRIT OF jOHNNy mERCER Trumpet virtuoso joe Gransden teams up with special guest vocalist Robin Latimore and the GSu jazz Band, to celebrate the spirit of Savannah-born, Oscar-winning Georgia composer of 1,400+ songs, johnny mercer.

SAT, mAR 4, 2023 // 8pm

jAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER

PRESENTS SONGS WE LOVE A jOuRNEy THROuGH THE HISTORy AND SPIRIT OF jAZZ Embark on a journey through the history and spirit of jazz with New york’s rising all-star band discovered by wynton marsalis, with musical direction by Riley mulherkar

WHY IT MATTERS:

Atlanta’s city center is one of the most authentic urban environments in the Southeast. Bustling with activity, it boasts walkable streets, historic structures, unmatched connectivity, and prime access to talent. Plus, with big projects like South Downtown and Centennial Yards gaining major attention in Atlanta and beyond, Downtown is poised for a new era of growth and economic prosperity.

WHAT’S NEXT: The dynamic range of projects in various stages of development is a testament to the city’s role as a cultural and economic engine. Microbusinesses in kiosks around Woodruff Park, two new breweries, and the recent opening of the Atlanta Comedy Theater in Underground Atlanta are just a few of the most recent newcomers to Downtown. Looking ahead, there are plans to add 5,550 housing units to the community in the next five years—a 146% increase from the previous five years.

Stay up to date on Downtown investment activity by visiting AtlantaDowntown.com/Invest.

Placemaking and Public Programming

WHAT IT IS: CAP and ADID activate and enliven public spaces through placemaking

events and programs. Ranging from holiday lights to lunchtime concerts and pop-up performances, CAP supports and develops engaging programming to highlight Downtown’s unique character and to add joy and interest to our public spaces.

WHY IT MATTERS: Many of the placemaking activities focus on the Broad Street Boardwalk and Woodruff Park, but the program is actively expanding. Past examples of placemaking programming include yoga, PRISM and the Woodruff Park game cart.

GSU President Brian Blake and CAP President A.J. Robinson enjoying the Broad Street Boardwalk

Arts & Entertainment Atlanta

WHAT’S NEXT: Experience the brandnew Light + Sound Station in Woodruff Park, an interactive winter light display installed at the gazebo on the south end of the park. Use your voice, stomp your feet, or clap your hands to make the lights dance and flicker!

Join the Rediscovery

As the CAP/ADID team works to move the needle on projects both big and small, they welcome you to follow their progress. Stay up to date on all the projects above— plus many other initiatives—by visiting AtlantaDowntown.com, signing up for their newsletters, and following their social media channels.

Community engagement helps to shape Downtown’s placemaking strategy

Honoring Changemakers

CAP/ADID Annual Meeting & Awards Celebration is Feb.

14

CAP & ADID are hosting their Annual Meeting and Awards Celebration on February 14th at the Georgia Aquarium. Tickets are available at AtlantaDowntown.com/AnnualMeeting2023.

As a recognition of the collaborative nature of their work, CAP/ADID created the Dan & Tally Sweat Award to honor changemakers that have gone above and beyond the scope of their positions in the community. Two more awards were created soon after to spotlight remarkable leadership and economic impact in Downtown Atlanta.

It’s of critical importance to honor those who are doing the work, who undoubtedly love the work, and who exemplify civic pride and enthusiasm. Ultimately, people like the award winners are the key to unlocking Atlanta’s potential.

In the words of ADID/CAP President A.J. Robinson, “I firmly believe that’s what sets Downtown apart. We can be huge in scale, with towering skyscrapers, stadiums, and enormous mixed-use complexes, but at the proverbial end of the day, it’s all about the people.”

Dan & Tally Sweat Award: Designed to honor former CAP President Dan Sweat’s legacy and accomplishments, this award was renamed in 2020 to also acknowledge the accomplishments of Tally Sweat, and is given to those who have become quiet, effective leaders beyond the scope of their positions in the community. Each year, CAP selects an individual who, like the Sweats, demonstrates true leadership and advocates for “doing the right thing” for Downtown.

Arthur Blank is co-founder of The Home Depot, owner of the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United FC, and PGA Tour Superstores, and head of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. Yet Blank’s influence goes beyond these already large, recognizable organizations; through the AMB Family Foundation, Blank has also made his name synonymous with giving and bettering his community. Among these include significant support for the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, establishing the Arthur Blank Family YMCA, and generous donations to the Westside Future Fund and Children’s

Healthcare of Atlanta. Warner Bros. Discovery Community Leadership Award: This award, established in 2003, was designed to recognize those in the community who, as individual private citizens, step forward and do good work on Downtown’s behalf. Recipients of this award are rarely acknowledged in the corporate and organizational leadership world.

Sally Flocks founded the volunteerrun nonprofit Pedestrians Educating Drivers on Safety (PEDS) in 1996. The scope of PEDS quickly expanded from simply educating drivers to going to the source of many of the issues: the way the roads are built. It was not only drivers needing education but also city planners and engineers. Flocks became what she calls “a self-trained engineer or planner,” organizing training workshops for transportation professionals through PEDS.

Marcus Downtown Economic Impact Award: Created in 2008 and renamed

in 2016 to honor Bernie Marcus for his contributions to Downtown, the Marcus Downtown Economic Impact Award recognizes an individual, company, or project that has stimulated revitalization efforts that strengthen and advance Downtown at large.

The Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs is a business generator organization, focusing on providing Black-owned businesses with the support to succeed and grow. In their new facility, RICE offers meeting, office, and innovation spaces, as well as opportunities for education, networking, and mentoring. Their goal is to develop Black entrepreneurs and create a strong, supportive business community anchored in Downtown.

Arthur Blank

Sally Flocks

Grady’s Correll Pavilion will soon be open for business - expanding access to healthcare for all who need it and making our roots in the community stronger than ever.

The Correll Pavilion will not only enhance our ability to provide exceptional care for our patients, but it will also stand as a symbol of what can be achieved when we work together to advance healthcare for the entire community, city, and state.

The new state-of-the-art building will house numerous outpatient centers, including cancer, orthopedics, and ophthalmology, as well as outpatient surgery and rehabilitation services. More operating rooms mean more surgeries, so you’ll never have to wait for life-changing procedures that could drastically improve your health.

Since 1892, Grady has served Atlanta. And we’re not going anywhere. In fact, we are getting bigger and better.

A SLO*MO MEDIA PRODUCTION

Editor’s Note

It’s been a hot minute since Atlanta had a great alternative weekly newspaper.

You know: those free publications that report on local news, food, culture and more — from a fun, frank and raw perspective. Over the years, Atlanta has been home to several alt-weeklies like that.

Hell, I even used to work for one. I served as the first Black editor-in-chief of Creative Loafing both here in Atlanta and in Charlotte, N.C. Working for the Loaf was a dream come true, but the glory days of alt-weeklies in the ATL are pretty much over … until now, that is, with the publication of the paper you’re currently reading: Mo AYE-TEE-EL

A production of locally based Slo*Mo Media, Mo AYE-TEE-EL is designed to — for one special issue — capture the voice, flavor and energy of our favorite alt-weeklies from back in the day, while breaking new ground by providing robust representation of the Black and Brown people that fuel Atlanta. To that end, we assembled some of the city’s best-known editors, writers, photographers, graphic designers and more, along with newer editorial voices, to craft some super-dope content. And, thanks to Keith Pepper and the good folks at Atlanta Intown who graciously let us appear in their pages, we’re able to give readers all over the metro area a small taste of what we can do with this format.

All that said, keep in mind this is just a one-time publication … sort of a preview/pilot issue. But if you dig Mo AYE-TEE-EL, share your thoughts on our IG page (@slomomedia).

Oh, and a big thank you to the folks who’ve generously donated to this project’s crowdfunding campaign. If you’d like help us raise funds to publish more issues, donate to our GoFundMe page: www.gofundme.com/f/the-new-atlanta-altweekly-project.

OK, that’s enough from me. Here’s hoping you enjoy what we’ve cooked up. Thanks for reading, and thanks for your support!

— Carlton Hargro Co-Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

Contributors

Terra Coles is a multifaceted creator who’s first love is being behind the lens.

Author of the newsletter Holy Sip, Shannon S. Evans covers the intersection of food, beverage and well-being.

Chad Radford is an Atlanta-based music journalist with 20 years of experience in writing, editing, and podcasting.

Juliana Ramirez is a parent, political scientist, interpreter, and nature-loving Latinx feminist living in the diaspora and navigating its joys and challenges one day at a time.

Born in China and raised in the American South, Feifei Sun is a writer and editor now based in Atlanta.

Paula M. White is an Atlanta-based writer whose work has appeared in Essence, Black Enterprise and Atlanta Magazine

Mo AYE-TEE-EL is a publication of Slo*Mo Media. And the folks behind Slo*Mo Media include: Carlton Hargro, Editor-in-Chief and Co-Publisher Larmarrous Shirley, Creative Director and Co-Publisher Chante LaGon, Content Director

Cover photo by Terra Coles

Follow us online at: www.slomoatl.com facebook.com/slomomedia www.instagram.com/slomomedia

Places, Things and ATLiens to Watch in 2023

For the debut edition of Mo AYE-TEE-EL, we decided to devote the entire issue to highlighting notables that (we predict) will make an impact on Atlanta this year. To that end, we hit up a bunch of our favorite writers and thought leaders, and they offered up their picks for some of the city’s most significant artists, organizations, events, trends and more. So, flip through, and dive in to see who and what you need to keep your eyes, ears and other senses peeled for in 2023.

Oronike Odeleye

By Paula M. White

The making of an art revival is underway — and it’s going to be a big one if Oronike Odeleye has anything to say about it. (Spoiler alert: She does.) As the newly appointed artistic director of the National Black Arts Festival, Odeleye’s vision is to return the festival to its heyday; she’s boldly frank about what it’s going to take to make that happen.

NABF entered Atlanta’s cultural landscape in July 1988 and will be celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. It was conceived as a biennial summertime event to celebrate the best and brightest Black artists in visual art, literature, theater, dance, music and beyond. In its early years, it hosted esteemed talent like Maya Angelou, Harry Belafonte and Wynton Marsalis, among many others. For more than a decade, hundreds of artists and attendees from across the globe converged on Atlanta for this nine-day celebration of Black excellence that took place in venues all over the city.

When it started out, the event was largely funded by local and state government, as well as foundations and corporate donors. The organization’s budget was not as reliant upon community/individual donors. Then, economic turbulence hit. Funding shifted and/ or disappeared, and NABF organizers had to get creative. The bigger, broader nine-day festival was shortened to just a few days. Ultimately, it was transitioned to its current schedule of programming spread through the year, a model that Odeleye plans to modify to bring more visibility and impact as she and the NBAF team work to build out the funding.

“NBAF has gotten a lot of flak over the years for not doing the festival, but my response to people who always bring that up is: ‘When was the last time you donated to do a festival?’” says Odeleye, the former festival director for ONE Musicfest who has more

than 20 years of experience as an arts and entertainment administrator. “They didn’t stop doing the festival because they wanted to stop doing it. It’s just a huge undertaking. We really have to build toward having a funding base that supports it, an audience base that supports it, a city and a state that support it in order to get it back up. … I’m very excited about the challenge of it.”

Creatively, one of her top priorities will be stabilizing NBAF’s programming schedule. “Right now, we do a lot of programming to speak to a lot of the different artistic disciplines, but all of the programs are one-off, happening randomly throughout the year,” she notes. “It makes it hard for our audience to know what to look to NBAF for. They don’t know exactly what it is that we’re doing, when we’re doing it and things like that.”

Odeleye and her team have selected Black History Month and Black Music Month as starting points for an annual cadence of programming with hopes to gain traction toward a bigger festival; these will be immersive, interactive and interdisciplinary oneday events that Odeleye will build upon as NBAF works to grow its loyalty and capacity back. But she’s candid about the fact that her initiatives need support. “I tell everyone that I feel really blessed to be in this position, and I’m excited about this job,” she says, “But, I didn’t just get a new job, we all just got a new job. It’s going to take all of us as a community to help with this task.

“And, we’re accepting all resources, help, money, funding — all the things — so that we can build this back. It’s a big lift, and we need to absolutely know our community is behind us.”

PHOTO BY TERRA COLES

Atlanta’s diverse indie art scene |

On an unseasonably warm Sunday in December, at the exhibition opening of Being Ourselves held at The 3120, I watched six Asian-American artists sharing the same stage as they talked about identity and their work: how the two things are intertwined … and how they’re not.

It was an astonishing sight for me — a Chinese-American woman, part of the 1.5 generation — not least because of how rare it is to see this kind of representation in metro Atlanta or elsewhere. And I wasn’t alone. “It was special to be on stage with so many Asian-American artists, and to see so many people from the community come out,” says Aineki Traverso, whose work explores memory, movement and materiality (“the act of painting itself,” as she describes it). “It’s not an everyday experience, and it’s a community I haven’t had a lot of access to in the past.”

That these artists were in a conversation moderated by Crystal Jin Kim — an Atlantaborn, Korean-American artist, filmmaker, and curator who helped make Being Ourselves (which was sponsored by the Asian Cultural Empowerment organization) a reality — made it an even rarer happening. A few miles up I-85 at Gallery the J, Kim’s own two-part group show, Traversing Home, was also on display. The exhibition examines the many ways Asian-Americans traverse: across cultures, identities, physical locations.

It also reflects her own experience and that of the many Asian-American artists she’s met since returning to Atlanta after attending college in Chicago. “The community felt disjointed at first, but as I started meeting more and more artists with experiences like mine who were making amazing work, I simply felt more people should get to see it,” Kim says.

The gathering that Sunday was just one scene in the larger portrait of the city’s diverse independent art community, which is having a moment. And momentum.

In the past year, the city saw Guardian Studios open as an artist community in an old factory building and the exhibition space Echo Contemporary Art open within it. Elsewhere, Jess Bernhart and Tareq Al Salaita launched Volatile House two hours south of the city as a creative retreat, with ongoing programming and rooms for artist residencies. Traverso participated in a residency in December.

Volatile House is an expansion of Bernhart’s project, Volatile Parts, an artist residency and publishing project she ran out of her Capitol View home from 2019-2020. “Both are experiments in hospitality and the overlaying of public and private. And both, most notably, have taken place in my own home,” Bernhart says. “I think we’re in a moment

Upchuck

Upchuck came out of the gate strong in 2018, bringing chaos to the stage with whiplash punk, hip-hop, hardcore, and psychedelic indie rock fury. The hard-charging energy the group delivers is amplified by Atlanta’s young and rambunctious crowds, desperately in need of an outlet to transform their modern-world anxieties into an ecstatic, communal celebration. Singer Kaila “KT” Thompson, guitarists Mikey “Spuzz Dangus” and Hoffdog, drummer Chris Salado, and bass player Armando Arrieta deliver a full-throttle blow out at every show. With the arrival of 2022’s debut album, Sense Yourself (Famous Class Records), Upchuck is primed to spread its Southern punk riffs and riotous shows to the world.

— Chad Radford

By Feifei Sun

when we have to reimagine what an ‘art space’ is or can be. As artists and organizations get priced out of more traditional venues, the scrappy, homemade, DIY scene is essential. For us, that means turning our actual home into an artist residency.”

Watching the local art movement thrive in this way is always meaningful. But it feels especially poignant that it’s happening at a time when this kind of success feels increasingly out of reach.

To Bernhart’s point, not a single county of the 13 that comprise metro Atlanta qualified as an affordable housing market in 2021, according to the Federal Reserve. Beloved neighborhood small businesses continue to close, including Highland Row Antiques, which shuttered in December after nearly two decades in business as owners faced a 450 percent rent increase. All the while, high-rises continue to populate the skyline and big-box brands continue to anchor mixed-use developments.

All of this underscores the importance of Kim’s work and those like her. “None of the work is something I’m being compensated for,” she says. “I do it for the work to be seen — and for others to connect.”

Ruwa Romman

Ruwa Romman still remembers her classmates laughing at her and calling her home a “bomb lab” when she was 8. Today, she may very well represent some of those classmates as state representative for District 97, which includes residents in Berkeley Lake, Duluth, Norcross, and Peachtree Corners. Romman, along with State Senator Nabilah Islam, make history this year as the first Muslim women to represent their respective chambers in Georgia. Romman is also the first Palestinian-American to hold public office in the state. Ever. Representation—a term so frequently tossed around of late that it has practically been rendered useless—can feel hard to celebrate when the victories feel overdue for 2003, much less 2023. Romman and Islam remind us of why we should anyway.

— Feifei Sun

The Abolitionist Teaching Network

One does not need to be an educator or an expert in the field of education to notice some of the vicious practices of racism that continue to infiltrate schools in Atlanta and across the South. The harmful disciplinary approaches to keep Black and Brown students “on track”, the decline of funding in redlined districts, and the imposing of ineffective sanctions to underperforming schools cannot and should not be dismissed or overlooked. The Abolitionist Teaching Network was born with this reality in mind and with the goal of “developing and supporting those in the struggle for educational liberation.” The work they do — centered around healing, advocacy and affirmation of children and communities of color — is powerful, radical and necessary. — Juliana Ramírez

Artist Crystal Jin Kim

PHOTO BY MARLON GARCIA

PHOTO BY THIEN VUONG

The bar at OK Yaki |

By Shannon S. Evans

It took me awhile to make it over to OK Yaki. I was familiar with the restaurant concept from their pop-up that started in 2016, but I hadn’t heard much about the cocktails.

Then, one by one, I kept hearing about different women who I knew in the industry flocking to OK Yaki’s bar team. These are women that I respect and believe will be the next generation of great bartenders in Atlanta.

Over the summer of 2022, I made the trek over to East Atlanta to check out the restaurant. I went with a couple of friends, and we took up three of the eight bar seats tucked in the back. While intrinsically linked to the rest of the space, it felt like we were in a different world. I’ve always heard that stepping into OK Yaki is like discovering an authentic corner in Japan. And it is. Additionally, stepping to the back bar feels like you’ve stumbled onto Shinjuku, Tokyo’s famed street with alley bars. It’s energetic, laid-back and playful with technical cocktail making. Pure magic.

Bartender Yesenia De La Paz, one of the women that I mentioned earlier, greeted us when we sat down, and she said: “Everything on the menu is great. Tanner [Pierce, the bar manager and cocktail wizard at OK Yaki] is a genius.” I was excited by her excitement.

The first cocktail that I ordered was the Colada. After the first sip, I was struck by its elegance and simplicity. This was a great cocktail. It was rich, but delicate. Every flavor came through with each sip. No ingredient overpowered the other.

By the time I stumbled out, we’d tried every cocktail on the menu. This probably wasn’t the wisest of decisions, but it allowed me to have a very holistic view of their offerings. The only comparison that seems apt is that it felt like listening to a really great album: Each track built on the next, and when it was finished, it told a beautiful story — a complete story. In the cocktail world, we always talk about the mark of a good cocktail being one that is balanced. These went beyond that. They were complex but effortlessly controlled.

On subsequent visits, I’m always surprised at which industry veteran will walk in while I’m at the bar. When talking to my friends, everyone agrees that the team at OK Yaki is currently making some of the best cocktails in the city. But, while industry folks

Ladrones

Since 2017, singer Valeria Sanchez and guitarist José Rivera have called Georgia home, after Hurricane Maria left their hometown of San Juan, Puerto Rico in a state of disaster. Over the years, the two — as the band Ladrones — have continuously fleshed out a body of wailing and high-energy garage punk and rock ‘n’ roll, tearing up stages from The Star Bar to The Earl and Boggs Social & Supply. Backed by a current lineup featuring guitarist Warren Bailey, bass player Paul Hernandez, and drummer Sam Adams, the group is heading into the new year with plans to unleash a brand-new 7-inch via longstanding Atlanta garage-punk dealer Die Slaughterhaus Records. — Chad Radford

Latino LinQ

agree that the cocktails are top notch, it doesn’t seem like the rest of the city knows enough about it.

What it leads to nationally is Atlanta being disregarded when great cocktail cities are discussed. And that’s a pity because some of the best cocktails I’ve ever had and my favorite bar seats are in this city.

Tanner helms from Kimball House, another one of our great cocktail establishments. If this were any other city, people would be flocking to OK Yaki for this fact alone. In 2023, I believe this will change. In addition to this being the year that they shine, I hope that this is the year that all of our great Atlanta bar programs shine — especially those programs that are able to mentor women and people of color and make them feel welcome and excited.

The frustration of seeing and experiencing a lack of legal, educational, and health services for Latinx LGBTQ folks prompted a group of Latinx activists to found the nonprofit Latino LinQ in 2015. Since then, the organization has provided hundreds of events, including HIV testing, participation in health fairs and radio shows, know-your-rights trainings, mental health discussions, and workshops and conferences on sexual and reproductive rights and justice. Despite the challenges that the organization has faced throughout the years, including a reduction of funding and services during the pandemic, Latino LinQ remains strong. And with the steady support of the community, the organization will be able to continue developing trainings, workshops and testing; and consolidating key partnerships with other social justice organizations this year and beyond. — Juliana Ramirez (Full disclosure: Juliana has been affiliated with Latino LinQ as a member of the board of directors since 2018.)

Live soul music

The year 2023 is set to be a packed one for fans of soul music. A butt-load of notable local and national acts will take the stage in Atlanta in the coming months, including: Avery*Sunshine (February 9 at City Winery), ATL Collective Presents Sade’s Love Deluxe (February 13 at City Winery), Anita Baker (February 14 at State Farm Arena), Zo! and Tall Black Guy (February 18 at City Winery), Lalah Hathaway (February 21-23 at City Winery), Teedra Moses (March 3 at City Winery), Durrand Bernarr (March 7 at Center Stage), Masego (April 12 at The Tabernacle), Snarky Puppy (April 28 at The Eastern) and Jill Scott (May 6 at Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park), among many others. On top of all that, Atlanta soul icon Anthony David will be on hand to get christened with his very own eponymous holiday on May 26 in Fulton County. Our advice: If you like good music, start saving your coins, homies. — Carlton Hargro

Soul vocalist/musician Anthony David

PHOTO BY DAVID PARHAM

PHOTO BY ATTA JUNIOR

Newport adds four more buildings to Downtown portfolio

By Dyana Bagby

Newport RE continues to grow its vision to revitalize roughly 10 blocks of Atlanta’s historic South Downtown with the recent purchase of four historic buildings and a parking lot along Broad and Mitchell streets.

The new purchases put Newport in control of 53 buildings and six acres of parking lots, a portfolio that has steadily grown since 2016. The buildings and properties are part or Newport’s estimated $500 million “South Dwntn” project to create a thriving neighborhood with retail, restaurants, office, hotels, and residential spaces.

Newport’s newest purchases are the early 1900s, eight-story office building at 185 Mitchell St. and the neighboring office buildings at 111 Broad St. and 115 Broad St. The company

also bought a retail building at 191 Mitchell St. and a small parking lot at 187 Mitchell St.

Newport paid close to $3.9 million for the properties, according to Dave Aynes of Atlanta Leasing & Investment, who represented the seller in the deal. Fulton property records show the seller is attorney Louis Levenson.

Newport did not reveal what it plans for

the buildings, but the company focuses on

A turn-of-the-century office building at 185 Mitchell Street is now in Newport’s portfolio. (Images from Google Maps)

115 and 111 Broad Street in South Downtown are now owned by Newport.

adaptive reuse of existing buildings rather than tearing them down to build new ones.

“Newport is proud to continue acquiring strategic and complementary assets in support of our vision for the South Downtown neighborhood,” said Kevin Murphy, Executive Vice President at Newport RE, in a news release.

“These historic buildings will undoubtedly add to the vibrancy of the area — and we are happy whenever we can work creatively with long-time building owners to unlock value for themselves and their families,” he said.

Newport is in the midst of transforming the eight-story building at 222 Mitchell St., once the executive offices for Nations Bank, into more than 300,000 square feet of office and retail space. Slater Hospitality plans to open a modern diner and a nightlife lounge on

the building’s rooftops with dynamic views of the city later this year. Pins Mechanical Company, with duckpin bowling and classic arcade games, expects to open in the building this year as well.

The developer’s renovation of historic Hotel Row, across the street from 222 Mitchell St., into a retail district is nearing completion. Several businesses are slated to open this year, including Slater Hospitality’s Pizza Clementine and Thirteenth Floor cocktail lounge.

Last year, Newport announced plans to build two apartment towers on Broad Street, adding 650 residential units to Downtown Atlanta. Plans are for construction to begin this year and be completed by 2025.

The developer last year also purchased the historic office building at 175 Trinity Ave. and a one-acre parking lot from the Georgia Municipal Association.

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The timeless beauty of Roosevelt Hall

PERSPECTIVES IN ARCHITECTURE

Melody Harclerode

Roosevelt Hall is regaining its glory and timeless beauty. The historic building at the Atlanta University Center was completed in 1937 as the Administrative Building for University Homes, the first federal public housing project for African-American families. The Administrative Building was renamed Roosevelt Hall in honor of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in the 1940s.

Designed by Atlanta-based architectural firm Edwards & Sayward in the International Style of architecture, Roosevelt Hall opened with eight storefront spaces for a five-and-dime store, dairy, barber, hair salon, three grocers, and a Yates and Milton Drugstore, a branch of a wellknown African-American-owned pharmacy chain. The second floor held community spaces for concerts, dance recitals, recreation youth programs, and organized group gatherings. Destruction of University Homes buildings in 2008, including

800 housing units, due the deteriorating neighborhood conditions left Roosevelt Hall as the last remaining structure at the historic site.

Ten years after Roosevelt Hall was abandoned, construction of new housing nearby has renewed interest in this landmark. In 2019, the Atlanta Housing Authority selected architectural firm Moody-Nolan for the adaptive re-use of the 23,650 square foot building, designated to earn LEED Gold Certification. MoodyNolan Director of Atlanta Operations Linda Nunnelly describes the renovation to be completed in spring 2023 as “a full-circle revitalization of a historic building.”

The largest African-American-owned firm in the country, Moody-Nolan has meticulously updated the stately exterior with new windows and doors, and restored accent panels. Emulating the historic

building uses, the community, education, and retail spaces on the reconfigured first floor will serve the diverse needs of the neighborhood. Striking photo displays on the walls of the first-floor lobby and secondfloor corridor, curated by Morehouse College professor Dr. Karcheik SimsAlvarado, inspire visitors about the building and community.

A central corridor on the first floor links to a community room, kitchen, library, community lab, and a stylish original stairwell to the second floor. Storefront space has been reserved for the future location for a local eatery. Atlanta University Center Consortium sits in the former location of a stage where community events took place. Office spaces for Atlanta Housing Authority/Choice Homes will utilize the remaining second-story office space.

At the rear of the original building, a new, glassed stairwell tower accesses two outdoor spaces designed by HDR Architecture: a dazzling courtyard and a rooftop deck with panoramic views of the Atlanta University Center community. From the photo galleries to the outdoor views, visitors are engaged with the community inside and outside. For a building designed to “provide us with many opportunities for good, wholesome recreation, for self-education, and for the growth of fellowship,” Roosevelt Hall has been reinvigorated to benefit the community again.

For more information about Roosevelt Hall, tune into the new Uplifting Places podcast hosted by Melody Harclerode with guest Linda Nunnelly at: anchor.fm/ melody-harclerode.

A rendering of the renovated Roosevelt Hall.

The 1937 dedication ceremony for University Homes. Storefronts at Roosevelt Hall.

The Roosevelt Hall Library.

A rendering of the back plaza at Roosevelt Hall.

New plan for mixed-use project next to historic Midtown apartments

By Collin Kelley

The project raised the hackles of local preservationists due to its proximity to a historic apartment building, which is undergoing renovation into micro and studio apartments.

10th Street Ventures and Ryan Companies along with Blur Studios provided updated designs on their new mixed-use development, which are dramatically different than those submitted last fall.

The L-shaped building that would partially surround the historic Winnwood Apartments has been reduced from 20 to 17 floors and plans to incorporate the empty Mastermind office building have been withdrawn. The Mastermind building would be demolished in the new design plan.

Inside the new tower would be 139 residential units, 149 short-stay lease/hotel rooms, 6,600 square feet of co-working office space, and 5,400 square feet of commercial space including a storefront café and rooftop bar.

Fronting West Peachtree St. is the storefront café with outdoor dining area and residential lobby. Parking along with screened trash and loading services are each handled via 19th St. The parking podium is partially buried with 348 spaces extending up to level six.

The DRC gave a list of recommendations for improvement, including making the parking deck smaller and making the entryway to the building more inviting at street level.

Local preservationists had pushed back against the original design of the building, stating it encroached too closely on the 90-year-old Winnwood Apartments.

Atlanta Preservation Center Executive Director David Yoakley Mitchell said he was glad to see the revised plans.

“The revised plans of the building being proposed next to the Winnwood have improved,” he said. “Yet – there is still more to do, and we look forward to attending the coming meetings about this. Historic Preservation is not the obstacle to growth, it is arguably the way to ensure a more thoughtful inclusion of sustainability.”

The Midtown Development Review Committee made more recommendations at its January meeting for 10th Street Ventures’ controversial mixed-use proposal along West Peachtree at 19th Street.

New rendering of the proposed mixed-use development surrounding historic Winnwood Apartments. (Courtesy 10th Street Partners)

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Chandra Farley aims to rebuild and grow Atlanta’s

resilience

When Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens took office a year ago, I wrote a column about the urgency of rebuilding the city’s once-robust and nationally recognized climate resilience program. Resilient cities are those that develop the capacity to absorb shocks and stresses while maintaining functions and systems.

A year later, there’s good news to report, but also a long list of work to be accomplished. In addition, it’s not yet clear to what degree the mayor and Atlanta City Council will expedite and fund necessary programs to safeguard the city from more intense storms, flooding, extreme droughts, and worsening heat waves.

From Success to Disappointment

In 2009, then-mayor Shirley Franklin appointed Atlanta’s first chief sustainability officer. The initiative was dedicated to

finding solutions to mitigate the impacts of the growing climate crisis on infrastructure and people, especially the disadvantaged. Vulnerable populations face the greatest risks from global heating to their physical and mental health, air, water, food, and

shelter – and also higher energy costs as a percentage of their income.

Franklin’s successor, Kasim Reed, impressively grew the city’s Office of Sustainability and Resilience in size and scope, taking advantage of the federal Better Buildings Challenge. The groundbreaking Atlanta BBC, a public-private initiative, reached its goal of reducing energy and water consumption in the city by 20 percent using sophisticated benchmarking technology. The program delivered: millions of metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions were avoided, a billion gallons of water saved, city and business operating costs reduced, hundreds of jobs created, and public health improved, according to the final ABBC report.

A Climate Action Plan with benchmarks to track progress was adopted in 2015 by the city council – targeting energy and water use in buildings, transportation, parks, food security, and more. In 2019, the council approved Clean Energy Atlanta, a plan to achieve 100 percent clean energy sources for municipal and community needs by 2035. The stage was set for Atlanta to continue its role as a national leader in climate resilience, but Reed’s successor, Keisha Lance-Bottoms, had other priorities. During the Bottoms administration sustainability programs were buried within another office where they languished for years under changing leadership, a smaller budget, and a much smaller staff. The sustainability chief was no longer part of the mayor’s cabinet.

Energy Advocate Appointed

Although it took Mayor Dickens nine months to appoint a new chief sustainability officer, he hit a home run, by all accounts, when he tapped Chandra Farley for the job. I spoke to her recently to learn about her first one hundred days and priorities.

From the moment I met her, virtually, Farley’s people skills were evident. She views herself as a “people partner,” an approach that has helped her move government agencies and communities toward a new clean energy, climate-resilient economy. She notes that the only way to achieve this new economy is to work through a lens of environmental justice—to achieve 100 percent clean energy for 100 percent of the people.

Farley’s warmth, calm demeanor, and openness are welcome assets. Her passion

for her work is obvious, as is her expertise in the sustainability realm. After speaking with her, I feel more confident about the direction Atlanta is headed. Of course, her ability to help the city achieve its climate resilience goals depends on whether city officials also share her priorities.

Farley calls the Dickens administration a “new day” for climate action, saying he's a mayor “who is supportive and understands.” She is excited that she will serve on his cabinet and that the Office of Sustainability and Resilience has been re-established as an executive office. Farley suggests that positive pressure from outside government in other words, from you and me will help hold the city accountable for measurable, not simply incremental, progress in the coming years.

Given the loss of momentum during the Bottoms administration, Farley has purposefully embarked on a “listening tour” to determine the current status of sustainability programs and to identify gaps, opportunities, and ideas to ensure that affordable energy initiatives mesh with affordable housing. She’s also met with the city’s new head of planning to share climate strategies, including the importance of a stronger tree protection program to mitigate the impacts of extreme heat.

Utility Accountability

Last year, Atlanta and other cities with clean energy goals intervened in Georgia Power’s mandated triennial energy planning update at the Georgia Public Service Commission. Farley calls this intervention an “historic first” that represents a beginning in collaborative efforts by municipalities to hold the utility accountable to its customers.

If cities are going to reach their goals, the large electricity monopoly must offer more renewable options, including an expansion of the popular 5,000-customer rooftop solar program and greater incentives to invest in solar. Georgia Power has resisted any expansion, supported by a seemingly complicit PSC; perhaps the state legislature will step up and order the commission to act.

In February, Farley will re-launch the city’s Clean Energy Advisory Board, a group she co-chaired when it was created several years ago; the board’s job will be to make sure the words and goals of the climate and energy plans translate into outcomes that benefit all Atlantans. The federal Inflation Reduction Act passed last year will accelerate a clean energy transition across the country and Farley is strategizing on ways that the city can best take advantage of this transformative opportunity. With her eyes firmly set on a prosperous, resilient Atlanta for all, Chandra Farley is hard at work.

Sally Bethea

Chandra Farley

Archie Bolden co-founder Tara Dennis looks to make a mark in Atlanta design

because we also need to be understanding that we’re predicting the future in a project like that. They won’t start construction for at least another year to 18 months, and then it could be another 18 months to two years before they even finish and then it might be another six months after that before people are moving in. So the design decisions we make now have to be based on the fact that they’re going to be relevant in four to five years. So it’s really important that we understand what the market is experiencing right now and therefore where it’s going to be going.

How would you describe the design that you see in Atlanta?

By Dyana Bagby

Tara Dennis, co-founder and director of design firm Archie Bolden, has been on a quest to discover the artist of the Outkastinspired mural located in the basement of a building on historic Hotel Row in Downtown Atlanta.

The search has been unsuccessful but the mural on the brick wall at 219 Mitchell St. was likely painted sometime around the release of the Atlanta hip-hop duo’s “Atliens” album in 1996. Dennis and her firm are incorporating the mural into the design for Slater Hospitality’s Thirteenth Floor, a cocktail lounge. Above the basement cocktail lounge will be Slater Hospitality’s Pizza Clementine, a carryout pizza shop, also being designed by Dennis’ firm. Both are expected to open later this year as part of Newport RE’s revitalization of South Downtown.

“Right from the beginning, Newport said that we weren’t allowed to touch the mural. It was part of the leasing documents,” Dennis said. “They considered it essential, not so much heritage, but it’s like very much inherent to that space.”

The space-age design, the colors, and research of Atlanta’s style in the 1990s are expected to influence the final design for the “speakeasy” lounge, Dennis said.

Dennis is originally from Australia where Archie Bolden made a name for itself as an interior designer known for sleek, contemporary designs, although hip-hop murals were not part of those jobs. She recently opened a second Archie Bolden studio in Atlanta where she sees an

opportunity for the firm’s fresh take on design to make its mark.

“We obviously want to understand the history of a site or just what it’s all about and not just walk into a space and guess or come up with a design that’s not anchored in any kind of meaning,” she said.

Besides Slater Hospitality, some of Archie Bolden’s clients include Rooftop L.O.A. on the roof of the Interlock building, the planned apartment tower by LV Collective in Midtown, Delbar Atlanta, BRASH Coffee Roasters and Bibi, the recently opened Persian restaurant at Ponce City Market.

Dennis’ mom is from Atlanta and her dad is from Australia. They met at Georgia Southern University where her father got a scholarship to play baseball. After they graduated, they got engaged and moved to Australia. The family divided its time between Australia and Atlanta and Dennis received dual citizenship. She moved to the U.S. about four years ago and eventually settled in Atlanta where she opened an Archie Bolden studio in Little Five Points. Her business partner, Hayley Richards, oversees the company’s Australian studio.

Dennis talked about interior design, what she hopes to bring to Atlanta’s design scene, and the question she gets a lot:

Who is Archie Bolden?

When Hayley and I came together as business partners we wanted to have a name that we both felt comfortable working under. I didn’t want her working under my name … so Archie Bolden is our alter ego. He is

a cheeky interior architect that has a very bold personality and a lot of fun. So, we just made it up and we pretend he’s a real human. We give him a big personality and we play around with it as a human because we believe in designing spaces that are about people rather than just designing spaces for the sake of it looking good. We think that essentially we’re providing a service as humans to other humans and it just so happens to be interiors. So it was really important that we as a business had a human persona. What is the process you all use when designing a concept for your clients?

Every project is approached the same. We’ve got three or four pillars of service being interior architecture, interior design, interior, decoration, and then creative direction and consulting. And no matter what size of project it is, or what it’s about or where it is or what brief we’ve been given, everyone obviously gets a design concept. And that’s a document that can be 10 pages long to 50 pages long. It is really helpful to know like what that site means to the city of Atlanta as a whole because we feel like if we’re going to be adding to the fabric of the city, we’ve got to understand what we’re kind of weaving into. We go really hard on concept and design development … and we do that for every project. We come up with a theme or a concept and we give it a name. For example, this one with LV Collective, there’ll be a really intense research document,

I can see what Atlanta was and what it’s trying to be and where I think it should go. So what Atlanta and the South have always been is quite traditional, quite conservative design, overly decorative, very generally pleasing and not a lot of friction. Where I think Atlanta is right now is a very big transitory kind of status in that it really wants to push into something more, really wants to be taken seriously and on par with all the other bigger cosmopolitan cities. However, we’re still kind of in that process of moving away from traditional and I think there aren’t a lot of designers or architects in Atlanta that do more contemporary design. The simple answer is I don’t know if Atlanta knows what it is right now, because I think it knows what it was like to be and it can see what it has been. But right now we’re in that in between. I think in the next five or six years is where that huge shift is going to happen. I think after a lot of the spaces are built out over this next five or six years, all of a sudden everyone’s gonna look around and go holy smokes, we’re very, very contemporary now. I’m excited for us to kind of be at the forefront of that of that change in the city. I think it’s really stepping it up and putting us on more of the world map.

How do you think Archie Bolden can make its mark on Atlanta?

The new developments, the new spaces, they’re very much 40 and under, and a lot of those people are coming from out of town where things might be a little bit more contemporary and design forward. So for us, we see that as the opportunity because we’re not trying to design differently to a way we’ve always designed. We’re not like a local design firm that’s always been quite traditional and decorative who have clients that say we want to be contemporary. And these firms are like, ‘We don’t know how to do that.’ For us, it’s inherent to our designs. We look at design all around the world when we’re pulling together a concept for Atlanta, so we’re not just looking at what’s going on in Atlanta. We do have a world view. And so there’s a huge opportunity for us, which was a big reason why I decided to move to Atlanta and take a stab at it because I don’t see anyone doing the work that we’re doing here.

Tara Dennis is co-founder and director of design firm Archie Bolden. (Photo by Erin Dickman)

Archie Bolden created the design for Bibi, a new Persian restaurant at Ponce City Market. (Photo by Katie Bricker Photography)

Dennis is searching for the artist of the ATLiens mural, which will become part of the design for Thirteenth Floor cocktail lounge at 219 Mitchell Street in South Downtown.

City to create department of labor and employment JTEC Energy to establish headquarters in West End

By Collin Kelley

The City of Atlanta is in the process of establishing a dedicated Department of Labor and Employment Services this year.

Mayor Andre Dickens said during a pre-holiday visit to Georgia Building Trades Academy’s YouthBuild program that the department will be dedicated to expanding resources for employment, customized training, and fair labor practices.

“The strength of Atlanta is the strength of our people,” Dickens said. “Atlanta is a city on the move, and we want to ensure that all – particularly Atlanta’s young people – share in our growing prosperity. By delivering on our commitment to establish the Atlanta Department of Labor and Employment Services, we are sending a clear message that the City stands with and for workers and that we will continue to be the city of choice to start and grow businesses.”

The new department is expected to be operational by July.

The department will ultimately oversee the city’s labor and innovation work, WorkSource Atlanta, youth employment services – including the Mayor’s Summer Youth Employment Program and the Mayor’s Youth Leadership Institute – and help coordinate work with the labor unions representing city employees.

The city is searching for an executive director of the department, and Dickens also announced that Humeta Embry is assuming the role of Labor Liaison Officer for the City of Atlanta. Embry previously served as executive director for AFSCME Local 1644.

The new department will be funded through federal funding allocated to WorkSource, American Rescue Plan Act dollars, and workforce development dollars set aside by the Gulch redevelopment deal.

By Collin Kelley

JTEC Energy Inc., a renewable energy company, has announced that it will be setting up its headquarters in Atlanta’s West End.

The company says that it has chosen the mixed-use development Lee + White as the new location for its base of operations.

Established in 2020 by company founder Lonnie Johnson, JTEC Energy specializes in the production of the JTEC cleantech energy device, which is used to create thermoelectrochemical energy by turning heat into energy.

JTEC Energy CEO Mike McQuary says that the energy company is excited for the move to the West End neighborhood.

“We look forward to joining the vibrant West End community,” said McQuary. “We will create a world-class lab and an open, collaborative office space that will support JTEC’s growth. Our employees are enthusiastic about moving to the BeltLine and enjoying all the amenities of the Lee + White development.”

The Lee + White development — which used to be the West End’s Warehouse Row — was acquired back in 2019 by real estate companies Ackerman & Co. and MDH Partners.

Since that time, the mixed-use development has added breweries, restaurants and retailers, among others.

Jeff Small, the CEO of MDH Partners, says that JTEC Energy and its new home base will make for a good fit.

“Atlanta’s West End is an incubator for innovation filled with large-scale tech users and bright young talent from neighboring universities like Georgia Tech, Morehouse, Spelman and Clark Atlanta,” said Small. “A natural fit for JTEC, Lee + White is sustainably built, conveniently located and offers amenities unmatched by competitors. We look forward to JTEC joining the development as they bring even more job opportunities and cutting-edge technology to the West End.”

To learn more about JTEC Energy, visit jtecenergy.com.

JTEC CEO, Mike McQuary (left) and founder, Dr. Lonnie Johnson (right).

Building 1050, where JTEC will occupy space in the same building as Carbice, the nanotechnology company that established its global headquarters earlier this year.

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