Day of Resistance/Stop Cop City rally took place near the Atlanta Beltline on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. Belkis Teran, the mother of the late Tortugita Teran, spoke at the rally.
Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice
Emory University School of Law hosts Dr. King lecture on fighting poverty
Stop Cop City rally held along Beltline
BY DONNELL SUGGS
Belkis Teran walked over to the microphone to face nearly 100 people. Then she spoke. On Saturday, Jan. 18, along the stretch of the Atlanta Beltline closest to the Old Fourth Ward skatepark, the mother of the late Esteban “Tortugita” Paez Teran shouted “Viva, viva Tortuguita” and Stop Cop City.”
Teran, currently residing in Panama, flew to Atlanta this weekend to speak at what was being billed as a “Day of Resistance” rally about having faith in the human race and believing that people can do what’s right if they work together. “Each one of you is important to me even if I don’t know your lives,” she said. “We have a shared purpose. We have to get strong, and the way to get strong is to heal.”
Belkis said she has been receiving positive messages from people in Atlanta through her social media accounts and added that she is dedicating the rest of her life to this movement.
"I think we have a lot to teach about his life," Belkis said of her late son's life as a member of the resistance to the building of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, more popularly known as "Cop City."
Belkis said she admired the way her son was committed to the movement before he was killed by Georgia StatePatrol on January 18, 2023.
Other members of the "Cop City" resistance were in attendance and spoke of continuing the work that does not seem to be working. The center has been built for the most part and is scheduled to be open to the public this year.
"This is not a time for us to be dismayed
or afraid," said Mary Hooks of the Movement for Black Lives. Hooks said there are people at home feeling afraid of what is to come after former United States President Donald J. Trump is inaugurated back into office on Monday afternoon. "Fascism has been here, friends. They are literally cutting down the lungs of Atlanta."
"Stop Cop City" rallies fell off of the front page of local newspapers and out of the A-block of local news programs after the presidential election heated up in mid-summer with the Democratic nomination of United States Vice President Kamala Harris. Representatives from the Refaat Alareer Mobile Library, which refers to itself as a traveling volunteer-run liberation library on its Instagram page, were also in attendance loaning people books. A young man who only identified himself as Keith to The Atlanta Voice was also giving away books, but these books were from his personal library. "I've got too much stuff," said Keith, who revealed he plans to move soon.
While hundreds, maybe thousands of people made their way up and down the Beltline during the rally, one spectator stood watching with two of Keith's books now in his possession. Malik Roberts said he was in protest of the upcoming presidential inauguration.
"I'm hers because [expletive] Trump," he said. "The good news is that there are marches like this one going on all over the country."
Similar to many "Stop Cop City" rallies over the past two years, the topics of interest and focus tend to shift depending on who you talk to. Belkis, however, was focused on one thing: her late son's legacy.
"I am here because we need to heal," she said. "Love is action. Love is healing."
Mali Roberts attended the rally in protest of the upcoming Trump presidential inauguration. “F&%k Trump,” he said. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice
Mary Hooks of the Movement for Black Lives (above) also addressed the crowd during the Stop Cop City rally on Saturday. “This is not a time for us to be dismayed or to be afraid,” Hooks said. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice
Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice
Black Girls Code: Committed to Increasing Representation in Tech Fields Education
BY ARIYANA GRIFFIN
Black Girls Code (BGC) is an organization dedicated to breaking down barriers to access to science, technology, engineering and mathematics for Black women and girls ages seven to 25 years old.
The organization’s work is essential due to the low numbers of Black women partaking in fields related to technology. A research report conducted by Accenture showed that “27 percent of computing roles in the U.S. market are held by women,” however alarmingly “just 3 percent and 2 oercent are held by African-American and Hispanic American/Latina women.”
Since 2011, Black Girls Code has been on a mission to change the numbers, remove barriers, and increase representation in tech spaces for Black girls and women. The organization’s work has led to an increase in the number of Black girls and women pursuing careers in STEM fields, contributing to a more diverse and inclusive tech industry.
Tamika Tretu, vice president of programs for girls ages seven to 18, said that the organization is all about the business of helping craft the next generation of leaders.
“[We’re] committed to preparing the next generation of Black girls and expansive youth of color to be developers, builders, designers, innovators,” said Tretu.
This is working towards their goal of allowing Black women and girls to be more than consumers of technology–but the creators, pushing the new wave of technology innovation.
“We have to work in tech to remove the biases that exist and to also be a part of the room and have those critical conversations of what our perspective knows could be missing,” Tretu said. “We want to launch one million Black girls, women, gender expansive youth into tech by 2040 – we want them to be the leaders.”
The organization has three pillars that inspire, educate, and launch, which are divided by age groups to provide students with programming and hands-on experiences. Blending students’ interests, such as coding video games, music, and arts through coding languages, starting with Scratch and advancing to Python and Javascript, allows them to see that they can code and hold space in the sector.
“We are one of the only organizations that take girls from childhood all the way into womanhood, nourishing and fostering their tech journey,” Tretu told the AFRO.
BG has three pillars, inspire, educate and
launch, that are divided in different age groups to help them evolve their skills.
Inspire prepares students ages seven to 10 with the tools and skills to learn Scratch, a coding language, through various workshops, enrichment field trips, camps and more. The training allows the students to help boost their confidence and learn more about coding.
Educate is for students 10 to 13, which progresses the coding language to a more challenging one while providing workshops, after-school coding clubs, online tools with experts, field trips, and more to create more learning experiences.
The next pillar, launch, prepares high school students ages 14 to 17 and students ages 18 to 24 with the tools and prep needed to enter college or the work field. Students are able to partake in apprenticeships, receive help with job and college applications, and hone the skills they have learned throughout the program. At this level, students are also encouraged to volunteer and mentor the programs with younger students, providing opportunities for community within each pillar.
These workshops and opportunities for each pillar take place in over eight cities, including Los Angeles, Washington D.C., New York City, and Oakland; within the next year,
the program plans to expand to over ten cities across the U.S.
However, BGC has created a massive online community within their YouTube channel, Code Along, garnering over 18 million subscribers and over four million views.
Code Along and Code Along Jr., launched in 2023, are comprehensive online resources that include tutorials, vlogs, expert interviews, and more. These resources cover a wide range of topics in the tech industry and are designed to be accessible to students who may not have access to in-person events.
“The United States [has] our top viewers, but so does Brazil, India and Ghana,” said Tretu. “Countries where they have predominantly large populations of Black and brown girls are seeing themselves in our content and clicking in to learn how to code.”
The organization reported that 52.0 percent of viewers had no knowledge of coding prior to viewing its Code Along series.
This year, BGC sponsored 16 Tech Prep Fellows to attend AfroTech, a multi-day conference for tech enthusiasts to engage in community building and panels, as well as participate in an onsite job fair.
Tanesha Fuller, a junior at New York University studying Quantitative Economics and Computer Science, expressed that going to AfroTech with BGC was a great learning and networking experience.
“When I went to AfroTech, out of the 16 girls that went, I was the only one that’s interested in ‘fintech,’ which is where quantitative economics come in,” said Fuller. “I spent a lot of my time during the day going to workshops and seminars about AI and Fintech.”
She shared that her experience with BGC has been inspiring to meet others in the field who look like her as well as the continuous support they have provided her with. Currently taking 18 college credits, she expressed that the guidance, resources and scholarships have provided her with a great opportunity to propel and gain experience in the industry.
“Knowing that there’s people who support you through and through and wanna see you win is important,” said Fuller. “But, having an organization dedicated to saying, ‘I know that there’s a lack of resources and you may not know these resources, so we’re gonna hire people to make sure we get you those resources’ is helpful.”
BGC is dedicated to introducing Black girls and women to the world of coding and technology through their programming. To learn more about the organization, or sign up for an in-person or online workshop, visit wearebgc.org.
The organization works to fuel resources, tools, and opportunities to underrepresented girls and women in technology fields. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
“As long as there is racial privilege, racism will never end.”– Wayne Gerard Trotman
Black Survival Is in Jeopardy: Here’s What We Need to Do to Address it
BY ASWAD WALKER
This is America, a nation founded on the worship of the myth of white supremacy. So, Black survival should have never moved off the top of our agenda. But it did. We were seduced by the “illusion of inclusion” and made the same mistakes the Hebrews made while in Egypt (according to the biblical tale). They thought just because they lived in a country, they were viewed as citizens of the country.
But the Hebrews eventually F’d around and found out that the Egyptians viewed them as “the help,” and a threat to Egyptian survival and supremacy. So, they began the process of genocide, slowly ramping up oppressive measures against the Hebrews, and then calling for the murder of all first-born male babies. Quick aside: the Bible is one of the most violent, insane books on Planet Earth.
In this analogy, we Blackfolk are those Hebrews, and the Egyptians were folk who were anti-Black—even though historically, the Hebrews and Egyptians were Black/African.
But right now, a “pharaoh who knew not Joseph” (i.e. national leadership who has no love for us) is coming into office with an already laid out plan for putting us modern-day “Hebrews” in our “place.” In other words, Black survival is once again on Blackfolk’s minds.
That said, here are five things (of many) we need to do quick-fast and in a hurry.
Take Radical Responsibility
There’s no time for playing the blame game and pointing fingers at what our supposed allies either did or didn’t do. The radical responsibility approach demands we identify what we’ve been doing too much of that has put us in this precarious position and what we haven’t been doing enough of to secure a powerful, self-determining reality. We then need to move accordingly.
Give Consequences and Repercussions
If individuals, groups, political parties, voting blocs, powers and principalities can mistreat and abuse us without enduring consequences and repercussions, they will continue mistreating and abusing us. Those who abuse our children, disrespect Black women, over-incarcerate our people and purposely leave our seniors to die must be held to account for their inhumanity. If not, they’ll just keep on keeping on. And no, crying, complaining and protesting are not consequences enough.
Build Institutional Power
The only way to offer real consequences and repercussions to those who mistreat us is to build institutional power. Reverend Albert B. Cleage Jr. argued long ago that power does not reside in money, titles or fame, but rather in the institutions a people, a race own and control. Cleage argued that all institutions are built to
For Black people to experience positive life realities during Trump’s second presidency, there are five things we must do. Photo Credit: iStock.com/Ladanifer
protect the power interests of the people who built and controlled those institutions. He also contended that Blacks made the dire mistake of thinking just because we live in America that American institutions (i.e. judicial system, law enforcement, educational institutions, etc.) were/are “our” institutions.
However, as the Notorious B.I.G. said, “But if you don’t know, now you know…” And with Trump promising to defund and economically punish educational institutions that promote diversity and teach a history that’s not white nationalist-approved, our lack of institutional power will be even more glaring, and the impacts devastating. The good news is, institutions can start in your garage or basement, and grow into their greatness. And we as a people have all the talent, skills, intelligence, etc. necessary to create and build whatever institutions we need (hint: we need’em all). Let’s get busy.
Reject Slave Theology
But building and doing for self requires confronting the “elephant in the room.” There’s a saying, “As you believe, so you do, and as you do, so you believe.” In other words, you can say whatever you want, but what you really believe shows in what you do. Black people have been indoctrinated in a version of Christianity that some theologians define as “Slave Christianity,” a belief system preached by “masters” meant
to convince Black people that our second-class status was ordained by God. And some of those theologians argue that the same basic message continues to be preached today—that we have no power and salvation only comes from some source outside of ourselves, and for us to stand proud for our own people is evil and sinful. Hence, it’s best to be “in this world but not of this world,” so you can receive your reward in heaven after you die, without worrying about the hell on earth you’re living in right now. If that’s what we believe, we won’t be building the institutions we need to give us the power we must have to survive and eventually thrive. The crazy thing is, in Luke 4:18-19, when Jesus lays out his entire mission and purpose, everything he talks about is focused on making life better on this side of the grave—preaching good news to the poor, recovery of sight to the blind and setting the oppressed free. Sounds like Jesus was all about building a kingdom of God/heaven on earth… something that would absolutely require institutional power. Just saying.
Embrace Black Joy
Finally, we must embrace Black joy. This includes self-care, community, relationships, therapy, celebrating each other’s wins, ending debilitating negative self-talk, and engaging in activities that lift your spirit and let your divine passions and purpose shine through.
ATLANTA
FOUNDED May 11, 1966 FOUNDER/EDITOR
Ed Clayton Immortalis Memoria
PUBLISHER/EDITOR
J. Lowell Ware
Immortalis Memoria
The Atlanta Voice honors the life of J. Lowell Ware.
PUBLISHER
Janis Ware
PRESIDENT/
GENERAL MANAGER
James A. Washington 2018-2024
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO PUBLISHER
Chia Suggs csuggs@theatlantavoice.com
EDITOR IN CHIEF Donnell Suggs editor@theatlantavoice.com
GENERAL ASSIGNMENT REPORTERS
Isaiah Singleton isingleton@theatlantavoice.com
Laura Nwogu lnwogu@theatlantavoice.com
EDITOR AT LARGE Stan Washington swashington@theatlantavoice.com
MANAGING EDITOR, DIGITAL Itoro Umontuen iumontuen@theatlantavoice.com
ADVERTISING, SALES & CIRCULATION
ADVERTISING ADMINISTRATOR
Chia Suggs advertising@theatlantavoice.com
CIRCULATION MANAGER
Terry Milliner
SALES
R.D.W. Jackson rdwadman@gmail.com
SUBMISSIONS editor@theatlantavoice.com
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS
Martel Sharpe msharpe@theatlantavoice.com
CONTACT INFORMATION 633 Pryor Street, S.W. Atlanta, GA 30312 Office: 404-524-6426 info@theatlantavoice.com
‘God’s
BY JAMES A. WASHINGTON
The Atlanta Voice
got you, just put one foot in front of the other’
Ihave, at times, talked a little about “faith walk” and it dawned on me that I have also questioned just what that meant. Maybe you can explain it better than me and know that I’m not trying to be funny.
I’m being real and just want to gain and give more perspective on what many have told me, I went through. Some claimed to see a transformation in me as I have come to Christ.
Others have said, “As you go through this walk.”
Obviously, I’ve used the term myself when trying to explain my different views of the world as seen through a new pair of spiritualized eyes. The whole experience has been and continues to be extremely dynamic. I’m just curious about the ‘walk’ reference.
I suppose when you think about it, many in the bible had the truth revealed to them on a walk or, on a journey. God has seen fit to communicate with many a saint while they were going from one place to another, or, even though the spiritual travel of a dream. It’s a simple enough analogy.
What is more meaningful than a walk
I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
or a trip with someone whom you respect, admire, love, or can learn something from? One of my most memorable things to do was to go for a walk with my children when they were toddlers.
There was something about them discovering and exploring the world around them with absolutely no fear because they knew I was there. Today, I can go anywhere with my wife. It really is the journey and not the destination for me.
Have you ever experienced this? Have you ever gone somewhere walking and talking with someone you were totally in sync with? That might be why people refer to discovering God as “walking in faith.” Some people refer to it as being led.
Factually stated, the effort to get closer to God requires movement. I think the walking analogy is merely a human endeavor trying to speak to going in a spiritual direction.
The best example is of course Enoch. “Enoch walked with God; then he was no more because God took him away.” Genesis 5:24. What a blessed way to go. The bible talks of walking humbly, walking in the light, walking with the wise, walking in counsel, walking together, and walking on water. The point seems to be that the Christian life is a journey; one in which we want to share with God, one in which we talk and if we’re truly blessed, He will listen.
The search for salvation is a spiritual journey; one which can best be described as taking the first step towards truth. Once taken, your life changes forever. You change. I know I did. So I guess this faith walk thing is merely a public or in some cases a private acknowledgment that one is letting God order your steps in His world. If you do this, God will lead you right to Him.
“When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, ‘I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’”
(John 8:12)
So when you get up in the morning, think about this and let God order your steps. Make a deliberate effort to listen and hear where God is telling you to go, or not to go. They say faith comes by hearing.
What better way to hear than by taking a stroll with the Lord tomorrow. Make a concerted attempt and see where God leads you. He has been known to show up in the oddest places and you will see Him in the strangest faces. Give it a try and know this. If you are seeking Him, He is very easy to find. All it takes is that first baby step.
May God bless and keep you always.
This column is from James Washington’s Spiritually Speaking: Reflections for and from a New Christian. You can purchase this enlightening book on Amazon and start your journey toward spiritual enlightenment.
April Ryan Joins Black Press USA as Washington Bureau Chief
BY NNPA NEWSIRE
“…We are so proud to announce that April Ryan will now be the Washington Bureau Chief and Senior White House Correspondent for Black Press USA (www.BlackPressUSA. com ). A s the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) celebrates in 2025, the 198th Year of the Black Press of America, we acknowledge the transformative contemporary benefit to the amplification of the strategic importance of the Black Press that will be rendered by the courage and professional effectiveness of April Ryan,” emphasized Dr. Benjamin F, Chavis, Jr., President and CEO of the NNPA.
The Black Press is the trusted news and information source for millions of Americans and is bringing on news trailblazer, April Ryan. This is April Ryan’s 6th Presidency, having covered five Presidents as a White House Correspondent and Bureau Chief.
“April Ryan has exemplified the best of outstanding journalism for decades at the White House for news companies across the nation and world. We are so proud to announce that April Ryan will now be the Washington Bureau Chief and Senior White House Correspondent for Black Press USA (http://www.BlackPressUSA.com ). A s the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) celebrates in 2025, the 198th Year of the Black Press of America, we acknowledge the transformative contemporary benefit to the amplification of the strategic importance of the Black Press that will be rendered by the courage and professional effectiveness of April Ryan. April is the long est serving, Black tenured White House Correspondent in the history of the United States,” emphasized Dr. Benjamin F, Chavis, Jr., President and CEO of the NNPA.
“I am going home to make history as the Washington Bureau Chief and Senior White House Correspondent for Black Press USA. This is the home of History Makers who
were
“January
2025,
the first Black White House Correspondents, Harry McAlpin, Ethel Payne, and Alice Dunnigan,” said Ryan.
13,
marked my 28th year as a White House
Correspondent and I am thrilled to continue my journey at honoring the esteemed legacy of these iconic Black journalists.”
Veteran journalist April Ryan will now be the Washington Bureau Chief and Senior White House Correspondent for Black Press USA. Photo by Black Press USA
Food
FDA bans red dye No. 3 from food, drinks and ingested drugs in the US
Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks CEO Derrick Hayes celebrates new flagship location
BY LAURTA NWOGU
After Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks flagship location closed in June 2024 due to irreparable damage from Atlanta’s massive water main break, founder and CEO Derrick Hayes is finally opening the doors of a new location on 300 Marietta St. The Atlanta Voice talked to Hayes about the grand opening set for Saturday, January 20 at 12 p.m. and what the popular spot has meant to the community.
The Atlanta Voice: You announced the new flagship location in July. How does it feel now that the day to open up has finally arrived?
Derrick Hayes: “Six months later, it feels really good. Not too many people can lose their location in six months and build another one in the same area. I know God is watching over me. I know my father is watching over me. I got angels watching over me right now, and it's making this thing happen for me, so I'm not alone in this.”
AV: I love that. You experienced a wave of support after the water main break caused you to close the original location. What did that say to you about what Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks has meant to the community since 2019?
DH: “Honestly, it shows me everything. You know that saying, ‘We come as one,’ and with Big Dave’s, they treat it that way. When I announced that I wasn't reopening the location, a lot of people were hurt by it, and I saw that. I got on the builders every day, like, ‘Come on, let's get this together. People are waiting for me.’ I care about the community. I hire in the community. The community keeps me lifted. They keep my doors open. Without the community, I'm nothing. So, I always try to bring the community in and make them a part of everything when it comes to Big Dave’s. This is a community brand.”
AV: You mentioned that not many people can open up a new location in six months. Can you talk more about how the community and the city have rallied behind you in these past six months and allowed you to open up a new location so fast?
DH: “First of all, I want to give a big thank you to Mayor Andre Dickens for helping me on my roadblocks. Whenever I got stuck in certain parts of the build out and trying to figure out what department is what, he led me to the right people. The other thing was the community keeping me uplifted, keeping my battery charged, and letting me know that they still believe in me, and they’re waiting for the new location to open; they kept me in good faith. All of those things just kept me aligned with happiness. If you don't have the key people in your corner and your community, it kind of puts a downer on you. So, they kept me up the whole time I was building it, and now it's time for me now to show them how much they've been keeping me up. And I'm gonna show them the location they kept me up for.”
AV: With this location, you’re really amping up this feeling of Big Dave’s paying homage to Philly in Atlanta. Can you talk about how you're blending the authenticity of the two cities together with this new flagship?
DH: “With this flagship, I'm bringing the Liberty Bell on this one. I got the Liberty Bell made. I'm gonna have a big cheesesteak hanging from the ceiling. That's the Dave’s way. I got a really big announcement that I'm making on grand opening day that I did a partnership with Philly Pretzel, which is a staple in Philadelphia. That's a big deal. I still can't believe the deal is done. I'm gonna have hot pretzels coming out of Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks straight out the oven —
pretzels that people never tasted before in the South. And then for the people that come from up North, stuff that they miss, I'm gonna have it. From Halal beef to the 18-inch cheesesteak, this location is opening up with a whole bunch of new things and excitement for the community.”
AV: At the opening, I know there will be a lot of people who have eaten at Big Dave’s before, but for those who don't know what the restaurant is about, what makes it special?
DH: “What makes it special is the story. I'm just an inner-city kid from West Philadelphia, no college education. I just wanted to change my life and make something of myself, and I know there’s a lot of kids out there just like me trying to figure their life out, and they can look at exactly what I've done and give them the motivation to do the same thing. I think that's what Big Dave’s represents — more than the food does is hope. I'm selling hope, and I'm selling a good meal. Secondly, when they get that hope, they just want to support me and believe in me so that they can push their own mission.
"And that's what I do it for, honestly, because at a certain point, you get used to making money. Money is good, but it ain't everything. You want this moral support, and you want to really be a trendsetter to people and really want them to change their lives. Because a lot of inner-city kids, they're not bad kids. They just don't have the opportunity. I mean, it's like a box. You grow up in these lower-class, low-income neighborhoods, and you can have a big dream and don't know how to put it in drive. Well, I'm showing you how to put it in drive. You gotta keep working and dream with your eyes open; don't dream with them closed."
AV: For those that are coming out to the grand opening on Saturday, is there anything more you want to touch on that they can expect?
DH: “I want people to come out there happy. Come out there like you're coming to a college basketball game or NFL game; we’re tailgating. We're getting ready for the big game.”
The new location of Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks on Marietta Street, NW. where a grand opening celebration took place earlier this week. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
The former location of Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks on Forsyth Street, NW. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Did You Set Financial Goals for 2025? Here’s How to Stay on Track
SPONSORED BY JPMORGANCHASE
At the end of 2024, you might have mapped out financial goals for the new year—to save more, spend smarter, or stick to a budget. Whether you made New Year’s resolutions, pasted images on a vision board or crunched numbers on a balance sheet, you likely started the year with high hopes and big plans.
As we step into 2025, now is the perfect time to solidify your plans and take steps to help you achieve those goals. Starting strong can set the tone for the entire year.
Laurie Winters, a Community Manager with Chase in Riverdale, offers six dos and don’ts about financial planning and management that can help you achieve a fresh start in 2025 and get closer to reaching your goals.
1. DO create a budget
One common financial mistake is not having a budget at all. Remaining in the dark about your spending can limit your ability to save for important goals like a car, a home or your retirement. If you don’t know what you’re spending, there’s a good chance you may be spending too much.
2. DON’T leave your budget up to chance
Using guesswork when trying to allocate your monthly budget can lead to overestimating or underestimating how much to allot toward
each budgeting category. This may set you up for failure. Taking a month to assess and identify your spending patterns may help to establish a baseline as you’re setting your budget.
3. DO track your spending
Get to know your spending by creating a monthly budget tracker. You can then review your spending and track it in a monthly budget worksheet. Over time, you can adjust which budgeting categories to cut back spending on. Expenses can fluctuate month to month, so be prepared to shift gears whenever necessary.
4. DON’T put wants and needs in the same category
A common error beginner budgeters can make is mistaking “wants” for “needs.” Needs are essential items like utility bills, rent or mortgage payments, and groceries. These are things you need to live. Wants, on the other hand, are non-essential expenses like dining out or entertainment. It may still be possible to find room in your budget to accommodate a few luxuries, but being honest with yourself about what’s truly necessary may help you avoid this budgeting mishap.
5. DO keep it simple
The idea of listing every single expenditure for a month might seem daunting, but you don’t have to go that far. It can be helpful to create a budget that works for you, which
includes making it manageable enough to take on in the first place. If you’re just starting out, create just a handful of budgeting categories to help keep things simple.
6. DON’T skip the emergency fund
Life is unpredictable and having an emergency fund to pay for unplanned expenses may help you during that time. Without it, you may have to dip into long-term savings or use a credit card if the unexpected arises. Creating an emergency fund doesn’t have to be intimidating. When you’re making your budget, include a monthly line item for emergency fund contributions. This can help build up your reserves over time. Many bank accounts even let
you automate these emergency fund deposits.
The bottom line
Starting the new year with a clear plan can set you up for success, and budgeting is a powerful tool to help you achieve your financial goals. Start tracking your spending now to set up your budget for the year and be aware of common budgeting mistakes. It’s never too early – or too late – to get back on the road to financial freedom. For informational/educational purposes only: Views and strategies described in this article or provided via links may not be appropriate for everyone and are not intended as specific advice/recommendation for any business. Information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but JPMorgan Chase & Co. or its affiliates and/or subsidiaries do not warrant its completeness or accuracy. The material is not intended to provide legal, tax, or financial advice or to indicate the availability or suitability of any JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. product or service. You should carefully consider your needs and objectives before making any decisions and consult the appropriate professional(s). Outlooks and past performance are not guarantees of future results. JPMorgan Chase & Co. and its affiliates are not responsible for, and do not provide or endorse third party products, services, or other content. Deposit products provided by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Opportunity Lender.
© 2025 JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Montasha Neal, Community Manager. Photos submitted
A night of jazz at Thee Manor
The King Historic District: A New Era of Artistic Collaboration
BY NOAH WASHINGTON
Located in Atlanta's King Historic District along Edgewood Avenue, a street typically known for its lively bars and clubs, residents discovered something refreshing on Friday, January 17th.
Heralding in a fresh chapter in Edgewood's cultural journey with the arrival of two new art spaces: One Contemporary Gallery and The Sun ATL. \which is located at 395 and 399 Edgewood Avenue, respectively. These galleries signal the dawn of a transformative chapter for the district, joining nearly a dozen other creative spaces that define Old Fourth Ward.
Faron Manuel, founder and principal curator of One Contemporary Gallery, describes his new venture as “a bridge,” one that brings together people from all walks of life to share in the power of art, “Good art can connect us on a deep level,” Manuel shared. “It brings people together into a community space.” Manuel’s inaugural exhibition, The Start of Something, a perfect ethos for the sentiment and the area.
Featuring younger Atlanta artists, the show highlights those who have found their artistic voice and are making significant impacts in Atlanta’s creative scene, “Atlanta has immense influence and creativity recognized worldwide, yet Georgia ranks lowest in arts funding,” Manuel explained, “This exhibition is about sparking a conversation on that contradiction while celebrating early-career artists,” Manuel continued.
Beyond its mission to uplift emerging talent, the gallery’s name is dedicated to Manuel’s vision, “We’re all existing in one contemporary moment, contributing our perspectives,” Manuel said, adding that the name also nods to the rhythm and pulse of creativity—a tribute to music legend James Brown’s phrase, ‘on the one.’
The gallery’s origin story is rooted in serendipity and determination. Manuel, who took a personal hiatus over the summer to refocus, began consulting as an art researcher, writer, and dealer. His collaboration with the building’s owner led to a proposal and ultimately the establishment of One Contemporary Gallery, “The past six months have built up to this moment,” Manuel reflected.
The Sun ATL: Where Legacy Meets Innovation
Only steps away, The Sun ATL offers its inaugural exhibition, First Light, curated by founder Shawn Vinson. With works by 16 artists, including works from renowned documentary photographer Jim Alexander. The exhibit featured younger Atlanta-based artists such as Savannah College of Art &
Design (SCAD) graduate Raphael Bahindwa.
“When asked about his taste in music, Duke Ellington famously said there are only two kinds: good and bad – and he preferred the good,” said Shawn Vinson, founder of The Sun ATL & a seasoned gallerist with over 30 years of experience, who applies this same philosophy to his diverse art collection. His gallery showcases everything new and old. When asked about the origin
of the gallery’s name Vinson shared the inspiration, “The sun symbolizes illumination, unity, and renewal,” Vinson explained, “That's what we're all about. We really don't fit into any genre,” Vinson continued.
Jim Alexander was the first artist Vinson called when selecting who to showcase, “We wanted to have a mix of some new pieces and some historical pieces, because Shawn wants to represent this place as an gallery, as well as a museum,” Alexander told, “So
being in the King Historic District, I wanted to add some pieces that had some relevance to Atlanta and particularly Black culture,” Alexander continued.
Raphael Bahindwa, SCAD graduate and 2022 Atlanta Art Award recipient showcased his portraits , which included “A City Worth Seeing, 2023” showcases his vision of Atlanta and was showcased in front of Atlanta Mayor, Andre Dickens at his birthday party, “It was just an amazing piece, and it's a piece that actually represents Atlanta. For me, as an outsider who's from the Congo, to have this piece here for the public to see in this city that embraced me- it means everything,” said Bahindwa.
The opening of One Contemporary Gallery and The Sun ATL marks a pivotal moment for Edgewood Avenue. “When we realized we’d be neighbors, we immediately decided on a joint opening,” Manuel shared. “Our goal was to enhance the community by working together and fostering a thriving art district.”
The King Historic District holds deep roots in Atlanta's story, "This is the neighborhood Dr. King grew up in – its culture, history, politics, and economy; they've all been a long part of Edgewood history. The turn-up has been there too, and that's cool, that's needed for our life too. We need some of that,” Manuel told, “But we also need to be cultured and to think about a multitude of things. To be a whole human being”.
Fine artist Raphael Bahindwa with Acclaimed Atlanta-based photographer Jim Alexander. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
Chrissy Brimmage 3D Printed PLA sculpture based on perception where different viewpoints showcase a different image displayed at One Contemporary Gallery. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
Maynard Jackson photographed by Jim Alexander on display. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
Politics
Pro-Stacey Abrams groups fined $300,000 for breaking Georgia campaign finance law
Trump inauguration feels like same old song
BY DONNELL SUGGS
WASHINGTON, D.C. – United States President Donald J. Trump was inaugurated as the 47th Commander in Chief on Monday afternoon. This marked the beginning of Trump’s second term as President of the United States after having been elected as the country’s 45th in 2016.
Trump said his overall message to Americans was to be great again. “America’s decline is over,” he said. “The golden age of America begins right now. From this day forward our country will flourish and once again be respected all over the world,” said Trump. “There’s no nation like our nation.”
The extreme cold temperatures and weather conditions in Washington, D.C. led the TrumpVance Administration to make the decision to move the Presidential Inauguration ceremony and Inaugural Parade inside Capital One Arena, which is located downtown and is the home to the NBA’s Washington Wizards and the NHL’s Washington Capitals. The last time a Presidential Inauguration took place indoors was when the late Ronald Reagan’s second term was made official in 1985. The weather conditions on that day, Jan. 20, 1985, were also dangerously low due to a cold snap making its way through the East Coast.
There have been cold temperature inaugurations, including when two-term President of the United States Barack Obama and then Vice President Joe Biden had theirs in 2009. Photos of the large crowds on the National Mall that day have been making their way across social media this week in lue of Trump and Vance’s decision to bring the inauguration indoors.
Monday marked the end of several days of celebrations for Trump-Vance administration supporters and staffers. On Sunday, Jan. 19, a “Make America Great Again” rally took place inside Capital One Arena. On Monday morning some of those same partygoers and Trump supporters came back to Capital One Arena to witness the inauguration from afar. The big screen above the floor at Capital One Arena displayed a live feed from the actual Capital where Trump and his Vice President-to-be Senator J.D. Vance was going to be inaugurated.
The inauguration, as to be expected, made traveling by public transportation and by car more difficult than it usually is in gridlock-choked Washington, D.C. Mt. Vernon Square metro station, the equivalent of Atlanta’s Five Points station, was closed so visitors to the city that wanted to attend the virtual inauguration, that’s if they even had a ticket, had an interesting time getting to the arena. On the streets outside the arena vendors, both with and without permits, sold commemorative inauguration scarves, hats, programs, and Trump fake gold chains. “Get your Trump chains here” and “Five dollar Trump hats here” could be heard up and down Massachu-
First Lady Laura Bush did receive an ovation when they appeared on screen. Former President Bill Clinton and First Lady and former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton did not.
At the time of the start of the inauguration the temperature in Washington, D.C. was 27 degrees. In 1961 and in 2009 when Obama was inaugurated for the first of his two terms as President, the temperature was 22 and 28 degrees, respectively.
Prior to the singing of “Glory, Glory Hallelujah”, United States Supreme Court Justice John Roberts, a long- time Trump ally, administered the Presidential Oath of Office. During Trump’s post-inauguration speech shouts of “USA, USA, USA” made its way around the arena.
During his speech he touched on a similar talking point: illegal immigration. Trump said all illegal entry into this country will be halted, calling it his “Remain in Mexico” policy.
“All of this will change starting today,” he said.
Trump said he will give Americans back their freedom. He added that he had been tested more than any president in the history of this country, re-telling the story of being shot in the ear in Butler, Pennsylvania. He called Monday, January 20, “Liberation Day.”
The 45th and 47th President of the United States also thanked this country’s Black voters for helping him secure the election. On Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Today, Trump said “we will make his dream come true.”
The oft-used phrase of “Drill baby, drill” also made an appearance during his speech as well as a promise to “bring prices down.” Trump neglected to explain how his administration is planning to do that, but it didn’t matter to the crowd inside the arena. They clapped as loud as they had at any point of the speech.
When he said he would bring back free speech to America, that too elicited large rounds of applause from the crowd in the arena and a standing ovation from within the Rotunda.
The speech sounded similar to the ones he gave during his campaign for the presidency. Promises were being made during the speech in a way that sounded less like he won the election and was being inaugurated on this day.
setts Avenue and blocks north and south of the arena. Equidistant from the vendors were people handing out fake Presidential Inauguration programs masked as Biblical chapters from the Books of John and the Romans. This inauguration would be like no other before it.
When a video of former United States President Barack Obama came on screen booing
began.
When a video of current Georgia Congresswoman Majorie Taylor Greene (GA-14) came on screen there was the opposite reaction. This was a pro-Republican crowd similar to what would be seen at a Trump-Vance rally or what took place during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in summer 2024.
Former President George W. Bush and former
He closed by saying with the help of all Americans his administration can restore this country. “We are going to win like never before,” said Trump. “America will be respected again, and admired again. We will be strong and we will win like never before.”
‘“The future is ours and our golden age has just begun.”
Following the President’s speech chants of “Free Palestine” began in the upper rafters but were shouted down by people yelling “USA, USA, USA” and “Kick her out.”
Welcome to Trump era 2.0.
The Presidential Inauguration took place inside the Rotunda of the Capital on Monday, Jan. 20. Thousands of spectators filled Capital One Arena in downtown Washington, D.C. to watch the ceremony. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
A Trump supporter showed off his Trump-Vance championship belt hours before the inauguration ceremony began being broadcast inside Capital One Arena on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025.
Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
100 high school students chosen for Disney Dreamers Academy
Love and Understanding: Doug Jones’ debut novel is not just a love story
BY ISAIAH SINGLETON
Atlanta resident Doug Jones will be releasing his debut novel, “The Fantasies of Future Things,” in the spring.
“The Fantasies of Future Things” is a powerful debut reminiscent of Barry Jenkins’ “Moonlight,” where two Black men, Daniel and Jacob, in Atlanta reconcile their human divinity against the price of their professional ambitions working for a real estate development company displacing Black residents in preparation for the 1996 Olympics.
Jones says he hopes his target audience, which he describes as “Black, same gender loving Gay/Queer men,” enjoy the book.
“I hope my target audience loves it as much as I do, and I hope the people who love us, love it,” he said. “I hope people who want to understand who we are and what some of our challenges are and how we’re living our lives, love the book as well.”
Also, he said the book is not just a love story to and about the Black LGBTQ+ community, but a love story to the present-day times people are living in striving for a better way of life.
Inspiration
Originally from Brooklyn, New York, Jones grew up in Bedford-Stuyvesant, or more popularly known as “Bed-Stuy.” He says as BedStuy has been changing, he believes this is happening to other “inner city” neighborhoods, or “formally undesirable neighborhoods” across America.
“I was interested in the people who didn’t have the capacity to own the places they’re living in, and where they’re going,” he said. “What are they doing? That’s kind of Daniel’s [one of the main protagonists] story and the overarching story. That’s how these people come together because the Olympics is coming and it’s moving everything.”
He recalls questioning “where are these people going,” and “what motivates Jacob to get involved with the kind of work he does?” and the layers of lives under it. Due to working in real estate and economic development, Jones said he saw firsthand what kind of effect gentrification can have on people.
“I was interested in the story of who these people are, how their lives are impacted, and how they move on/beyond, or live within the movement of all this that’s happening,” he said.
The novel, Jones said, has been in the making since 1998 from starting and stopping, and has taken many different forms since starting it almost 30 years ago.
While authoring the novel, Jones said turning a few pages, to a few chapters, into an entire novel was surprising. Jones says
when he first started out, an entire novel of the depth he has now wasn’t something he envisioned.
“I discovered I could sustain that story, sustain that momentum, and interest,” he said. “It was good to fall in love with written words all over again, because I never started out in life wanting to be a writer, writing is something I stumbled into during graduate school.”
Throughout the novel, the protagonists cope with accepting their sexuality, navigating through Atlanta with their own ambitions, dealing with grief, father/son relationships, black manhood, brotherhood, and how black men take care of each other.
Jones says the importance of having these ongoing themes and discussions is because as Black queer men and same gender loving men, they’re unknown.
“We’re unknown. Black queer men and however else someone defines themselves, know each other, however, do our families know us? Do the communities in which we live know us? Does America at large know us? I don’t think so,” he said.
Jones quotes American Novelist and Editor, Toni Morrison who says, “If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.” He says it’s important to have images and media like
his novel and Moonlight because it’s a form of representation through the eyes of someone in the community.
“I wrote this book because I wanted to go on a shelf and wanted to see a story about Black men,” he said. “Now, are they two black men who fall in love with each other? That’s the question. Do they fall in love with other people? That's another question, but I wanted to read a book centered around us, our lives, who we are, and where we’re going.”
A father and his son, advice, & more
Jones dedicates his debut book to his late father who was a southerner, very conservative, and did not agree with his sexuality, but was down for his son. They went through a period of not speaking when Jones first came out to being best friends.
“It wasn’t easy, but we traveled that course,” he said. “One of the things he made me understand was he raised his sons to be who he thought he knew black men had to be in America as a southern black man that grew up in the Jim Crow South, he didn’t raise them to fall in love with other men.”
After not speaking for a while, Jones and his father had a two-hour conversation one Sunday night after his dad picked him up from the airport while he was coming home for the holidays. In this conversation, Jones
“The Fantasies of Future Things” is a debut novel where two Black men, Daniel and Jacob, in Atlanta reconcile their human divinity against the price of their professional ambitions working for a real estate development company displacing Black residents in preparation for the 1996 Olympics.
was told he had other gay relatives.
“My father told me he thought from a very young age, I was going to be gay, and my question to him was, ‘why didn’t you help me’, and he said, ‘help you not be gay’, and I said, ‘no, help me better deal with myself’,” Jones said. “It was in that moment only for a split second, I saw my father’s face riddled with utter helplessness that somehow he didn’t do something as a parent.”
However, he said his dad always read a lot and encouraged his sons to read and be adventurous without education. “My father may not have been a proponent of what I was writing about, but he wanted me to write and tell my stories,” he said. “He read incredibly early drafts of a novel I was working on in other formats.”
Jones said although his dad told him he didn’t understand certain things, he challenged him as an early writer to hone his craft. During a time in graduate school, Jones was questioning where the modern-day Black men authors were and his father told him, “He’s at the tip of your pen.”
“He always encouraged me to write and my dedication to him is in respect and out of love for the spirit of him pushing me along,” he said. “My father’s illness was a large part
See JONES on page 11
Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice
JONES
Continued from page 10
of rewriting my novel and some days were difficult because I didn’t have that touchstone to talk to, but I know he’s proud of me.”
Additionally, Jones spoke about the importance of trying to mend a broken relationship with a parent, in particular a father and a son, even though sometimes, it may not be possible.
“Find that bridge in terms of repairing the bonds of parent and child. Sometimes it’s hard and sometimes it’s irredeemable,” he said. “However, if the relationship is important to you and you feel as though it can be healing, because sometimes it may not be, you have to ride through that pain.”
He says to stake a claim to the love you have for your parents and parents must stake a claim to the love they have for their children.
“We have to find different iterations of what it means to be parent and child,” he said.
For the next four years, certain communities in America are facing uncertainty and as advice to other Black queer men, Jones says to find community and figure out how to support one another.
“Take stock in your friendships and one another,” he said. “God falls in love with himself, but also if you can build a relationship and/or a family unit, however that may look, build community within our generations.”
He also says, “people aren’t interested in Black folks it seems” and the lower someone gets away from being “what’s normal,” challenges become increasingly difficult.
“The heterosexual family model is seen as the ideal, so the closer you are to being that the better your life seems to be,” he said. “The further away, the more difficult your challenges are, so we must figure out how to support one another within the various identities we have that deviate away from what’s considered ‘normal’.”
As far as advice to aspiring authors in the making, Jones says to stick with it and not give up.
“It took me 30 years to become an overnight success, you can never give up,” he said. “If you have something to say you have to dig in and be committed. I’d tell any aspiring author to pay attention to your craft, get better, and find a mentor, someone you love and whose work you love and respect.”
Additionally, Jones says after reading the novel, he wants readers to leave with “the love that we need to have for one another.”
Furthermore, Jones encourages people to join him alongside the Counter Narrative Project for a book signing event on April 23 at the Auburn Avenue Research Library at 6:30 p.m.
“The Fantasies of Future Things,” which is published by Simon & Schuster, will be available for purchase April 22, 2025. To pre-order a copy, visit https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Fantasies-of-FutureThings/Doug-Jones/9781668016282.
Atlanta resident Doug Jones will be releasing his debut novel, “The Fantasies of Future Things,” (above) in April 2025. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice
“I wrote this book because I wanted to go on a shelf and wanted to see a story about Black men,” author Doug Jones (above) said about his debut novel. Photo by Kerri Phox/ The Atlanta Voice
Three takeaways from Gov. Kemp’s State of the State Address
A place to play and dream
BY DONNELL SUGGS
ESPN and several local and national organizations, including love. futbol, a Washington, D.C.-based organization, and the College Football Playoff Foundation, cut the ribbon on a new flag football field at the John Hope EnVision Center on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. The field will also double as a soccer pitch following further renovations, according to organizers of the event. The John Hope EnVision Center serves local kids, and having the fields on site will offer more opportunities for them to learn and play the sports.
But there’s much more to the field than sports, said one of the organization heads involved in the project. “We believe sport is fundamental for a positive and productive life,” said love.futbol co-founder and CEO Drew Chafetz. “This is a space that’s not just a place to play, but to dream.”
Atlanta-based Soccer in the Streets notified love.futbol about the space and the possibilities were endless once Chafetz and love. futbol, who has been working with ESPN for over a decade teamed up on the project. The College Football Playoff Foundation, with the championship game between The Ohio State University and Notre Dame University taking place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Monday, Jan. 20, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Day. topped the project off.
Folding chairs were set up in front of a stage near the edge of the field with two dozen school-aged children sitting in them when William Oliver, Executive Director of the John Hope EnVision Center, stepped on stage. Oliver, who took over as executive director in January 2021, took a few moments to thank ESPN reps and love.futbol staffers, but also thanked the community for making the EnVision Center home for so many years.
“When you say a true community project, that’s the thing that really made this happen,” Oliver said. “It’s truly a group project.”
ESPN television personality LaChina Robinson hosted the event and kids were allowed to play flag football on the field afterwards.
Following the ceremony, College Football Playoff Foundation Executive Director Britton Banowsky handed Oliver a game ball from Monday’s college football championship game. Banowsky told Oliver he admired what he was doing for the community.
“I’m so proud to help give back to the Atlanta community,” said Angela Woods, Senior Director, Corporate Citizenship with ESPN. Kevin Martinez, Vice President, Corporate Citizenship ESPN echoed Woods’s state-
ments. “It’s important that this field is here because if you look where we are, it’s in the center of where it needs to be,” Martinez said.
A native of Hawaii, Martinez said sports helped him evolve as a child. Tennis was his game. “We just don’t build it, we program it, and we fund it,” he said of the flag football field.
“This is just the beginning of this community space,” said Martinez, who explained that he lived in Atlanta’s Cabbagetown for four years and understands the city’s connection to sports. “What I learned about Atlanta is that you have to listen to the community about what they need, and not what you want them to have.”
During the ceremony, Woods handed a pair of $1,000 checks to the head coaches of Booker T. Washington High School football and flag football teams. Booker T. Washington High School is the alma mater of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Both coaches were also awarded tickets to Monday’s game and an opportunity to step onto the field during the first TV timeout.
The connection between this flag football field and the city of Atlanta is much bigger than sports. The field sits on the original site of the former John Hope Homes housing projects.
“We always wanted to have safe spaces where kids can play,” Oliver said.
Numbers Never Lie: Biden Administration had positive effect on the state of Georgia
BY DONNELL SUGGS
United States President Joseph R. Biden is scheduled to give his farewell address tonight and will be saying goodbye to the country as its 46th Commander-in-Chief. The Scranton, Pennsylvania native and former Senator will be leaving Georgia better off than it was when he took office four years ago this month.
Biden and United States Vice President Kamala Harris, who campaigned numerous times throughout Georgia during her run for the White House, helped improve the lives of Georgians during their four years in the White House.
“In Georgia, nearly 500,000 new jobs have been created, enrollment in the Affordable Care Act has more than tripled, and billions of dollars have been invested into the state in four years of the Biden-Harris Administration,” Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison said in a statement. “As President Biden leaves office, Georgia is
stronger than ever with low unemployment, new caps on prescription drug costs, and billions of dollars canceled in student loan debt for Georgians.”
A look at some crucial numbers involving employment, health care, education, energy, and manufacturing, leave little doubt that the Biden-Harris Administration left the state of Georgia better than they found it.
Georgia’s unemployment rate fell to just un-
der 4% in November 2024 compared to being near 5% four years ago, according to data provided by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones spent time praising how good Georgia is to work and do business during the annual Eggs & Issues breakfast at the Georgia World Congress center on Tuesday, Jan. 14.
During Biden’s four years as President, Georgia has seen 491,200 jobs added, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The President’s American Rescue Plan, which was put forth in 2021 as a Covid-19 stimulus package, extended Medicaid postpartum coverage by 10 months, which could be seen as a way to help improve patient’s mental health.
For a state that ranks last in the country on maternal mortality rates of Black women, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights, that Medicaid extension could have possibly saved lives. Black women in Georgia remain three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women, so making things easier after getting through preg-
nancy in the state of Georgia was substantial.
Seniors also saw insulin prices capped at $35 per month and locked into a $2,000 yearly cap during the Biden-Harris Administration. More than 1 million Georgia seniors have benefitted from those price caps, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
The student debt relief during the Biden-Harris Administration was often mentioned during speeches and campaign rallies. More than 200,000 Georgians, many of whom are students and graduates of the state’s many Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), such as Albany State University, Clark Atlanta University, Morris Brown College, Morehouse College, Savannah State University, and Spelman College, had $8.5 billion in student debt cancelled.
The investment in private companies working in the clean energy and manufacturing industries reached $42 billion during the past four years. That includes $600 million in the semiconductors and electronics industries, and $25 billion in EV and batteries businesses.
ESPN and several local organizations, including love.futbol, cut the ribbon on a new flag football field at the John Hope Envision Center on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. Photo by Kerri Phox/ The Atlanta Voice
President Joseph R. Biden, above during a campaign rally in Atlanta 2024, will address the country for the final time on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice
Sponsored Content
The Blackest Confirmation Hearing
BY KEITH BOYKIN Word in Black
I’ve watched several of the confirmation hearings for Trump’s cabinet nominees, but the hearing for “the Black job” was the Blackest yet — and perhaps also the most revealing about the next four years.
Scott Turner, the only Black person Trump has nominated for his cabinet, is almost certain to be confirmed for “the Black job.”
You know the job.
It’s the same job that Ben Carson, Alphonso Jackson, and Samuel Pierce had. It’s the one job that Republicans love to give to a Black person: Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
Turner’s hearing on Thursday was polite and non-confrontational, especially compared to the hostility from Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi and the incompetence of Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth. Based solely on his decorum at the hearing, Turner actually seems to be a nice guy, and just like Herschel Walker, Trump’s pick for the non-cabinet position to be ambassador to the Bahamas, Turner is a former professional football player.
But it’s clear to me that Turner is in over
his head — not so much in terms of ability but in his lack of resilience to withstand the pressure from his Republican colleagues, his reluctance to advocate for fair and affordable housing, and his powerlessness to stand up to his bosses in the Trump administration.
The Senate Banking Committee that will vote on his confirmation includes four Black members: the Republican chair, Tim Scott, who famously professed his love for Trump and obsequiously rubber stamps his agenda with a toothy smile, and three Democrats who tried repeatedly and failed to get Turner to commit to fighting for housing needs.
Delaware Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester asked Turner if he supports mandatory work requirements that would kick many vulnerable people off of Section 8. It took three times before he finally admitted that he supports these restrictions.
Maryland Senator Angela Alsobrooks asked if he would oppose cuts to HUD programs for affordable housing for low-income households. “What I will commit to looking at these programs and to maximize the budget,” Turner responded. That didn’t answer the question, so Alsobrooks asked again, and Turner only pledged that he “will work with the president” and Congress within “the
budget that we do have.”
Alsobrooks then asked about Elon Musk’s proposal to lay off 75% of HUD workers, and Turner meekly responded: “What I do support is encouraging people to do the job that they’ve been called to do.” But what exactly does that mean? That doesn’t answer the question.
Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock asked about Trump’s proposed cuts to HUD’s budget, and Turner would only repeat his rehearsed talking points that he would “maximize that budget.”
And when asked if he would crack down on racial discrimination in home appraisal bias, which Kamala Harris proposed to tackle during her presidential campaign, Turner replied, “We will continue to look into that, and I look forward to working with you on that and become more well-studied.”
You’re the nominee for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and you need to “become more well-studied” on racial discrimination in home appraisals? That’s not a good sign.
We’ve seen this movie before, folks. Part of the reason we have a housing crisis today is because of decisions made decades ago when Ronald Reagan appointed a nice, quiet Black
Republican HUD Secretary as the public face to preside over massive cuts in funding that would disproportionately hurt Black people.
When Congress passed the Housing Act of 1968, it committed the nation to the goal of producing 2.6 million units of housing a year, including 600,000 annually for low-income families. But when Reagan came into office, he slashed funding for housing programs and cut the proposed number of units for new construction to only 10,000. Reagan’s policies created a spiraling crisis of homelessness and affordable housing that still persists four decades later.
Most of the media attention in the coming days will focus on Trump’s crew of controversial, combative, and clearly unqualified white cabinet nominees, but we should also pay attention to what Trump might call “the Black job.”
Scott Turner’s confirmation hearing proves that Trump will not only follow but also expand on the Republican playbook of using a Black face to implement a decidedly anti-Black agenda.
“Black Vote, Black Power,” a collaboration between Keith Boykin and Word In Black, examines the issues and what’s at stake for Black America.
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development nominee Scott Turner testifies during his confirmation hearing in the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee on Thursday, January 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
Why Georgia’s Medicaid Changes Threaten Black Pregnant Women
Neurofit360 ATL pushes boundaries on traditional rehabilitation
BY ISAIAH SINGLETON
It’s been a decade since Laquan Taylor, owner of Neurofit360 ATL, sustained 15 gunshot wounds and was told he’d never walk again. 10 years later, Laquan and his wife Camille, are owners of a local neurological rehabilitation center.
Neurofit ATL is pushing the boundaries of traditional rehabilitation and injury recovery settings by implementing the principles of Neuroplasticity, including intensity and repetition in everyday practice.
The staff includes a Doctor of Physical Therapy who specialize in working with the neurologic population across the continuum of care. At the company, the Taylor’s said their physical therapists believe anything is possible through vigorous work and perseverance.
Neurofit360/Neurofit ATL Origin
Neurofit360 was founded in 2009 in Florida by Dr. Guy Romain, PT, whose primary goal is to bridge the gap in services for those with neurological injuries or disorders and to help them achieve the highest level of function possible.
Neurofit360 ATL is now the second location of NeuroFit360 sharing the same mission.
Laquan served eight years in the military and after his final tour of duty, he came home, and his life changed forever resulting in a spinal cord injury.
“Someone robbed me from my car and shot me 15 times and after I was shot, I ended up going to multiple physical therapies and experiencing multiple unusual types of physical therapy,” he said. “Once I came back to Atlanta, I decided I wanted to open up physical therapy like I received before.”
He said he was introduced to Neurofit360, and it sparked an idea for both him and his wife.
“I decided, with my wife, people in Atlanta need access to that type of intensity and with that idea, Neurofit ATL was born,” he said.
His desire, he says, is to bring the intensity Neurofit 360 gives to patients in the Atlanta area.
When Laquan was told he’d never walk again, he said he was in complete disbelief.
“I didn't understand or believe what was going on, so I didn't believe it and that's also part of the recovery process, when someone tells you, ‘hey, you're not going to walk again’, and if you start to believe it, it can be something that sticks with you,” he said.
Camille didn’t meet Laquan until after he was still fresh into recovery, however when she learned doctors told him he wouldn’t be able to walk again, it wasn’t something she believed.
She said she had a front-row seat to see the transformation of her husband from being in a wheelchair 24/7 to walking with crutches with the help of the treatment plan Neurofit360 implements for their clients.
“It wasn't something that I believed because
I believe in a God that can do anything, and so therefore, at the end of the day, whatever needs to be done, shall be done,” she said. “I’m proud to say I’ve been by his side for the last 10 years and I’ve seen tremendous growth.”
Laquan says the recovery journey was “exceedingly difficult” as humans or people who walk.
“People tend to never really think about having to scratch their noses, move your body, your legs, etc., but when we go a long period of time without doing something as simple as walking, the body and brain has to readjust,” he said. “You have to think about everything intentionally now, and it wasn’t an easy road.”
Through the healing journey and being married for seven years, Camille says she is still helping him and still learning how to help and be there for her husband.
“At the end of the day, when someone goes through something this traumatic, they change daily,” she said. “So, you have to adjust with them changing and be patient; They need grace and understanding.”
As COO, Camille said her vision for Neurofit ATL is to ensure they make an impact on not just the community around them, but the community they affect and the community that has affected based on the disability they cater to.
“We are a facility that helps those that have certain disabilities, but at the same time, we want to make sure they understand we’re not just here to take money, but also to hear, understand, and have compassion towards what it is they’re going through,” she said.
She also says many times, when people go to different physical therapy places, they only do what they need to do to get the client to simply stay alive one day at a time. Versus at Neurofit ATL, their goal, she said, is to go beyond that and give people with a disability the chance to learn how to regain life on their own independently.
The Taylors’ said their business goals for 2025 are to generate more clientele, get their name out there, and add more services to their pipeline.
“We want people to experience what we do here, and I believe we are different, and a lot of people may say that about their businesses, but we go above and beyond, and everything is customized to that one particular client,” she said. “Nothing is the same with the same client.”
Furthermore, Laquan tells readers to always be resilient and persevere no matter what’s going on or what’s happening in business/life.
“If you have a vision, stick to the vision, and continue pushing forward no matter what obstacles are in your way, because it's not easy, but it's rewarding,” he said.
Additionally, Camille tells other aspiring business owners to never give up, and although it sounds cliché, she says her and Laquan have had conversations about whether entrepreneurial ventures were for them and “what have we gotten ourselves into”?
She said the truth is entrepreneurship is extremely hard, but at the end of the day, just like it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to build a business.
“You have to have strong partnerships, and I will say Quan has been a great partner in this, but the employees we accumulated with an understanding this is a brand-new situation, a brand-new business, and it’s going to take time,” she said.
Camille also said for anyone out there reading or stumbling upon this interview, the Bible says, “we really endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning, so you find yourself weeping in the night when everything is said and done, Noah will be able to see you.”
“Continue to keep pushing, striving, tackling, and you will get there,” she said.
The Taylors’ said in five to 10 years, they see Neurofit ATL expanding and growing in other markets in the United States and internationally.
For more information, visit https://neurofit360atl.com.
NeuroFit360 ATL’s staff includes a Doctor of Physical Therapy, who specializes in working with the neurologic population across the continuum of care. Photo courtesy of Neurofit360 ATL
Laquan and Camille Taylor own Neurofit360 ATL, a local neurological rehabilitation center. Photos courtesy of Neurofit360 ATL
Sports
Job growth skyrocketed in December, one of the strongest labor markets in US history
Trust and Time are top of mind for 2025 Atlanta United squad
BY DONNELL SUGGS
Atlanta United veteran goalkeeper Brad Guzan, back for another season in red and black, stood on the 30-yard line and barked orders from the back. “Squeeze up”, Turn,” “React, react,” and “Up we go.”
First-year manager Ronny Deila, fresh to the club from managing in Norway, stood in the middle of the field, whistle in hand, “Let’s talk,” he said. Deila frequently stopped practice to give pointers, talk strategy. He is still getting familiar with the players and vice versa. The Five Stripes were training inside the Atlanta Falcons indoor training facility on Tuesday. Hours before the start of a second snow storm in less than two weeks, the club thought it made sense to work out indoors. Smart choice.
Deila, who won an MLS title with NYCFC, and Guzan, the oldest and most experienced player on the club, each have high expectations for the 2025 season. Top that off with the fact that this might be Guzan’s last season in Atlanta and the team having come off of what could be seen as a successful postseason run, the time is now for Atlanta.
Asked what his expectations are for the coming season, Deila showed a slight annoyance with the question before saying, “Of course we want to win. That’s number one”.
He added that at the same time he, his staff, and the fan base have to be “realistic” about what Atlanta United is and was at the end of last season prior to making a postseason run that includes a series victory over Supporters Shield winners Inter Miami.
“It’s so even in this league that things can happen quickly if you develop the team in
Atlanta United attacking midfielder Ajani Fortune (above), pictured after training at the Atlanta Falcons practice facility on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. Fortune said he’s looking forward to the preseason beginning when the Five Stripes open the preseason on Saturday, Jan. 25, in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
the right direction,” Deila said. “I want to see that the team is shaping the way I have in my head. I want to see that the team has energy, that they have legs, that we see improvement in what they are doing.”
Deila said they all want to achieve something special this season. “And to win is special and that’s something you will be remembered for the rest of your life,” he added.
“Nothing better than to do it the first year,” Deila, 49, said.
Atlanta United defender Ronald Hernandez (above after training at the Falcons training facility on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025) said the preseason opener in Chattanooga on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. Photo by Donnell Suggs/ The Atlanta Voice
The team’s preseason schedule begins on Saturday with a match at Chattanooga FC on Jan. 25 at 3 p.m.
They will also play matches in Birmingham, Alabama as part of a six-game preseason schedule. That schedule includes a pair of matches against the New England Revolution and FC Cincinnati scheduled to take place in Bradenton, Florida on Feb. 8 and 12 that will be closed to the public.
The match against FC Dallas in Marietta, which is scheduled to take place on Feb. 15, is also closed to the public. The match, which will take place at the team’s training facility,
will be streamed live at www.atlutd.com/live , according to a release from the team.
Veteran fullback Ronald Hernandez said the preseason is a chance to get Deila’s attention outside of training. Playing against teammates in training is one thing, but playing against another club, even if it isn’t a Major League Soccer club is another, he said. Asked if the match in Chattanooga is a way to build trust with Deila as he decides on the lineups going forward, Hernandez said, “100 percent.”
“Every friendly game is a test for ourselves to see where we are and to see things that we have been working on,” said Hernande, who added that then the coaches and players can watch film and go on from there.
Ajani Fortune, one of a very crowded midfielders roster on the squad, also said he’s looking forward to getting out on the pitch against someone else.
“Just seeing the signs of what we have been working on in training, that’s the biggest thing,” Fortune said. “Against a team that has their own ideas, to see how it matches up. To go out there and treat Chattanooga with the utmost respect, to play them as if the season has kind of started, to go out there and work on what we have been working on in training is really important.”
With starting midfielder Brooks Lennon set to miss the preseason, there’s an opportunity for Fortune to turn Deila’s head from the game film from last season to what the manager has available right now. Fortune said getting fitness in during the match at Chattanooga is also on his list of goals for the preseason opener. For the upcoming season, he added scoring more goals would be nice too. He did not give the media a specific
Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
FULTON COUNTY ADVERTISEMENT FOR PROPOSAL
Request for Proposals for 25RFP1347583B-EC, Housing Rehabilitation Program, on behalf of the Fulton County Department of Community Development will be accepted by the Department of Purchasing and Contract Compliance electronically through BidNet Direct at https://www.bidnetdirect.com/georgia/fultoncounty on Thursday, February 16, 2025. All proposals submitted must be received no later than 11:00 a.m. local (Eastern) time on the stated date.
Proposal(s) shall be publicly viewed via BidNet Direct web, only the names of the Proposers shall be disclosed at the opening.
Scope of Work:
Fulton County, Georgia (“County”) is seeking qualified public or private non-profit agencies or organizations including eligible faith-based organizations, units of local government, and designated Community-Based Development Organizations with expertise and experience in the areas of home rehabilitation, building and safety codes, and project management.
In order to obtain complete information about this solicitation, please go to the link below where this document and supporting documents can be downloaded, https://www.bidnetdirect.com/georgia/fultoncounty Fee: There are no fees associated with this proposal.
Proposal Bond: No Proposal Bond is required with this proposal.
Term of Contract: The initial term of this contract will be for 1 year with 2 one-year renewal options.
A Pre-Proposal Conference will be held on Thursday, January 30, 2025, at 10:00 A.M., at the following link to provide proponents with information regarding the project and to address any questions.
Zoom Meeting Link: https://zoom.us/s/97549032895
Phone one-tap:
+14703812552,,97549032895# US (Atlanta)
+14702509358,,97549032895# US (Atlanta)
If you have any questions regarding this project please contact Elsa D. Castro, Chief Assistant Purchasing Agent, Elsa.Castro@FultonCountyGa.gov or phone 404-612-4216
Fulton County reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids and to waive technicalities.
