Miyana Sarver always knew Poetry on Peter (POP) would be special. However, the poet and driving force behind POP didn’t predict it would blossom into the community it has become today.
Red and blue lights blend into a purple hue, illuminating a picturesque stage reminiscent of an intimate jazz club or a scene plucked out of the pages of one of the many books adorning the stage of Peter’s Street Station’s Poetry on Peter (POP). The lone mic at center stage is always warm, either by the hands of a lively host or one of the poets who scrounge up the courage to share their words at the free weekly event that has become a safe space for Atlanta’s Black creatives.
“At first, I didn’t even realize what was happening,” Sarver said. “It makes me feel blessed. And it also makes me feel like, ‘huh, I wonder what God saw in me to be given such a task.’”
Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, Sarver got acclimated with Atlanta's arts scene by performing at poetry events around the city. In 2020, she made a pivotal decision to leave the music industry after the realization that it wasn’t serving her and that her true passion lay in poetry and event curating rather than songwriting.
After Sarver came across a post on the Peter’s Street Station Instagram in June 2021 asking for new curated events, she knew it was a sign. A month later, POP was born. Almost three years later, the weekly Monday event hosts a vibrant atmosphere that has garnered a loyal crowd of Black musicians, small-business owners, and, most notably, poets.
“It's turned from a passion to a duty. At first, it was just a place to save myself, but once I got myself on good ground, it became my duty to do what I did for myself to do for others.”
Guests swayed to the live music by the talented in-house band Vibe Ktrl. Bartenders sling drinks as guests crowd the bar to grab a cocktail or write their name down on the 14slot list for the chance to perform on stage. The couches, tables, and chairs that litter the intimate room are never empty or without conversation. Guests can often be found exploring the backroom art gallery plastered
with Black art — that’s the ambiance that POP invokes every Monday.
There are three rules formulated by Sarver when first-time guests or regulars settle in their seats and gather around the stage as showtime starts: give poets good energy, talk to each other, and have a good time.
POP is adamant about creating an inclusive and safe space that serves as an outlet for Black creatives. Whether it’s a poetic piece that draws from elements of spoken word or lends itself more to the cadence of rap, the crowd responds through bobbed heads, shouts of praise or affirmation, and that scrunch of the face that signals that the words have hit home for its audience.
“The crowd is so receptive,” said Demauge
See CULTURE on page 5
From start to finish, the show at Poetry at Peter seamlessly brings people together in a cocoon of live music, poetry, food, drinks, and good vibes.
Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat’s current term ends on New Year’s Eve. Long before the peach drops (not actually, since there isn’t an actual Peach Drop any longer) on a new year, there will be an even more important decision day to observe: election day. The general election for a number of high-ranking positions within Fulton County, the state’s largest and most populated county, will take place on Tuesday, May 21. That includes sheriff, a position Labat ran for and won in 2020.
This time around will be different from the 2020 election when Labat received all of the 427,266 votes. This time there are four other experienced law enforcement officers running against him.
Walking into The Atlanta Voice office on Tuesday morning, Mar. 12, Labat gives off the impression that he’s not worried about having to campaign for office again. Wearing his uniform and flanked by members of his staff and security team, he took a seat at a conference table and answered questions about why he believes he is not only doing a good job but should be re-elected as sheriff.
“We came into office after defeating a three-term incumbent with a spirit of change,” said Labat. “We came in at the height of COVID, 3,700 individuals, 600 of them were sleeping on the floor. So our first goal was to treat people humanely.”
The inmates are no longer sleeping on the floors of the jail due to overcrowding, according to Labat. Having spent ten years of his 35-year law enforcement career as chief of the Atlanta Department of Corrections, Labat understands that in order to effect even more change, including the culture at the jail, there are going to be some rough moments.
“Change is necessary, and people don’t like change,” he said. “In that environment, we focused on how we treat each other, and our goal was to focus on how we provide service for individuals.”
An example Labat gave where change was implemented upon his arrival was the changing of the department’s mission statement from a long paragraph to just one word: service.
“If we cannot provide service for you, we are not doing our jobs,” he says. “So ultimately, we are people first and service first.”
Asked what he offers voters who will be heading to the polls in just a couple of months to decide the next leader of the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, Labat said, “I offer a continued vision people elected me for in the first place. Let’s fight together, and let’s continue to work together.”
Part of the issues that some voters may have with the current regime inside the sheriff’s department has happened inside the jail. Last year, 901 Rice Street became synonymous with death and destruction following the deaths of a number of inmates within the facility. Though inmate deaths due to violence can’t solely be put at the feet of the sheriff, inmate deaths due to neglect and filthy conditions can, in some cases, be something the sheriff would have to address.
Case in point is the death of Lashawn Thompson, whose family was recently awarded a $4M settlement. Thompson was found covered in bed bugs and dead in his cell in September 2022, three months after being booked into the jail. There’s a chance voters remember Thompson's condition and death and thus the association with the jail and Labat than they do the raises, employment improvements, and inmate-focused programs that have taken place during Labat’s first three years as sheriff.
There was the creation of an inmate advocacy unit that assists inmates with their paperwork and identifying inmates that might get lost in the system and be spending more time in the jail than necessary, on a legal basis. During Labat’s time, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office created a free app that allows inmate welfare checks for families and friends to keep up with inmates. There has also been an employee welfare check. It’s a wellness program that will allow employees to make appointments with a certified psychiatrist in order to unpack some of the things employees within the jail go through on a daily basis. Labat says people don’t understand the impact the facility has on the employees. The employee welfare check is an attempt to combat that stress.
“We have been very successful over the last three and a half years,” says Labat, who added he and his staff are in the “Embryonic stages of creating something that people can be
proud of when they come to work.”
The Fulton County Sheriff has three main responsibilities: protect the courts, run the jail, which has 3,700 inmates, and be the chief law enforcement officer for Fulton County. Labat says potential voters may not have a complete grasp of all of the responsibilities of the job and the “challenges” that he faced when he took office in January 2021. He wants to be as transparent as possible about the job he and his staff are doing heading into his fourth year on the job.
Labat says the Fulton County Jail has “outlived its lifespan” and he is realistic about there not being a new jail built. “Anybody that tells you that we don’t need a new facility is out of their mind,” Labat said.
There is also the issue of the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office being understaffed, something that many law enforcement agencies across the country have experienced. Labat believes there’s a realistic answer to the age-old question of how to find good help these days. “We have to be the employer of choice, and that starts with having a Board of Commissioners who understands that we focus on people first,” Labat said.
Asked what he would say to the Fulton County voters if given the opportunity, Labat said he would ask for more time because what he is doing is working. “What I would ask the voters is, let’s fight together, let’s continue to finish. We’re just getting started.”
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“We are each other’s harvest; we are each other’s business; we are each other’s magnitude and bond.” - Gwendolyn Brooks
BY DR. JOHN E. WARREN
Publisher | The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint Newspaper
“STHE ATLANTA VOICE
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FOUNDER/EDITOR
Ed Clayton Immortalis Memoria
PUBLISHER/EDITOR
J. Lowell Ware Immortalis Memoria The Atlanta Voice honors the life of J. Lowell Ware.
PUBLISHER
top The Hate, Spread The Love” are powerful words that convey the idea that we all should be able to get along. But the reality is that it takes more than just words to bring about the desired change in so much of our national attitudes and consciousness. We know that hate is rooted in the idea that the person or persons or groups hating are “better” than the objects of their hate and that those who are the objects of such hate, must first be dehumanized to justify the less than human feelings and attitudes against them.
Perhaps the answer has always been just in the mirror as we look at ourselves. One of the two golden rules that Jesus taught carries the answer. Simply that “We should love our neighbors as we love ourselves.” Another way of
stating this is that we should treat others as we would have them treat us. How many people do we know who actually hate themselves? We know that some do and that those have been diagnosed with mental problems.
While many people argue against religion even being mentioned outside of calls for a National Day of Prayer when disaster strikes, because of false assumptions about the Separation of Church and State, the reality is that prayer and prayer gatherings where people pray one for another, offset violent responses to acts of hate and harm from others engaged in such conduct. The Civil Rights demonstrations in which we saw peaceful gatherings met with dogs and high pressure water hoses as well as violence, revealed that the failure to meet hatred and violence with hatred and violence, won out in the end. Those being beaten were not loving the people beating them, but they were not giving the desired response to
justify the continuation of the inhumane treatment they were receiving.
We spread the love by doing what Jesus did when he said “Father forgive them, for they know not what they are doing” Sometimes, “forgiving” is harder than fighting. The solution is encouraging the development of personal reflections on the harm and inhumanity that is inflicted on others when we respond in hatred to that which either we do not understand, dislike or have a fear of because of the difference we see in someone else.
Yes, it takes more to “Stop The Hate and Spread The Love” than just saying it. It takes self examination as to how we want others to treat us and realizing we must give that same treatment and respect because the objects of our thoughts are just as human as we are.
It Takes More to “Stop the Hate” Than Saying the Words appeared first on Free Press of Jacksonville.
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BY JAMES A. WASHINGTON
The Atlanta Voice
Iask you just how hard is it to be a card-carrying Christian these days? I mean we’ve got card carrying Democrats and Republicans. You can get a membership card for every organization from the NAACP to the ACLU. The more I study the more I’m moved to realize that being a professed, in the spirit card-carrying man or woman of faith, is tantamount to putting a bullseye on your back and inviting a artillery barrage on your location. Scripture tells us that accepting Jesus Christ as a way of life was no easy task for early practitioners of faith. Being criticized,thrown to the lions for fun and games, beheaded or ostracized were all very real possibilities for those who believed and then lived according to the Word of God. Is today so different? Once you take up the standard of revolutionary thinking, once you commit your life to Christ, once you decide to live humbly in mercy and love and forgiveness isn't it interesting the kind of attention you attract. “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion look-
Continued from page 2
Williams, a poet who has been performing at POP since its inception. “I really think that if you have a piece that connects and really hits home for us, we will champion you.”
Championing each other and showing support is the theme of Monday nights at POP. Different Black businesses are showcased every week, from product owners to those who own food businesses, emphasizing the community that Sarver and her team have built.
“'I’m very grateful and honored to work with other Black creatives and support each other in that way. It feels freeing. It feels empowering,” said JAHnye Ashanti, a licensed esthetician and owner of Ashanti Skin, a wellness and beauty business that offered massages while poets performed.
From start to finish, the show seamlessly brings people together in a cocoon of live music, poetry, food, drinks, and good vibes, but a lot goes into crafting the event behind the scenes. Sarver revealed that Monday’s show is just 10 percent of the work they do, and after just a day’s rest, her team of 10 people are back to work. It’s a fully operating business and engine that works together through social media, networking, grant applications, and attending other art events while also tending to their own creative crafts.
And Sarver said it wouldn’t work so seamlessly if the team behind the event hadn’t be-
Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” 1 Peter 5:8-9
ing for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” 1 Peter 5:8-9
Looking around the world today, it is ludicrous not to recognize that religious persecution is still the number one cause of war and man’s inhumanity to man. CNN will attest to the fact that people all over the planet are being systematically annihilated. We sometimes take for granted the religious freedom we have in this country and I believe it has lulled us into a sense of being a Christian is somehow easy. Well it's not and it never has been. It’s empowering. It's enlightening. It’s eternal but it is not easy. The
good news is we are not alone and never have been. Living for God is probably the quintessential reality of human existence. Its reward is an inner understanding of the working of the universe that affords us to take physical life for granted in favor of life everlasting. Many of us believe in life after physical death. Christians have some insight into what to expect. Life as we know it is imperfect and cruel. Eternal life as we have come to believe is just the opposite. Rationalizing the difference is where faith resides. Is it any wonder then that belief in a deity that invites humility, demands love and recognizes mercy is cause for ruthless and radical reaction among those who would live otherwise? Is
it any wonder that love for Christ Jesus invites the wrath of Lucifer in all of his forms? That target, that bullseye on your back should indeed be worn like a red badge of courage, because courage is what it's going to take to withstand first the ridicule of the world and next the scorn of those who would tempt you with the weakness of your passions. And lastly, courage is the prerequisite for the certain death that will befall us all. If life after death is a fact that most of us agree upon, then I belive it stands to reason that that badge Christians wear is most certainly a ticket into a kingdom blood bought and faith preserved for believers; the same believers who are shunned and persecuted and murdered today and yesterday in the name of God.
I continue to be moved by the acts of faith in the Bible where a simple profession that Christ is the true Son of God invited certain and immediate death. Let me at least paint that target on my back and tell the world; come on with it. May God bless and keep you always.
Peter's Street has transformed into a hub of creative expression. Once a red-light district, the street now boasts art galleries, restaurants and bars that have revitalized the neighborhood's nightlife. Peter's Street Station is the heart of this cultural renaissance, a culture house and event space founded by Miya Bailey. It serves as a safe space for creative incubation in the local art community, with Poetry on Peter leading the charge as it creates a reputation for itself within the local community.
“I think that we pour a lot of our heart and spirit into it. They just called us and asked us if Poetry on Peter could be a part of the Atlanta marketing run for labels: if you come to Atlanta, you have to step on that stage. Almost like an Apollo,” Sarver said.
“Poetry on Peter is the heartbeat of Peter Street for sure. I don't think anybody in that building would say otherwise. I think we have a hard engine in this cultural renaissance happening in Atlanta, especially with Peter Street.”
come family. Many of the key players of POP are long-time friends or family of Sarver, and you can clearly see the teamwork in the hours before the show starts. Before doors open at 8:30 p.m., you can likely catch Vibe Ktrl serenading the room with an impromptu jam session that speaks to their synergy. Where one goes, the other soon follows, cre-
ating an atmosphere that carries the team as they work diligently to organize what guests see every Monday.
The Mondays at Peters Street Station have become an important part of the art renaissance in the Castleberry Hill neighborhood.
In February, POP held one of its biggest events yet featuring Foggieraw, a Maryland-based rapper from Ghana. As POP’s three-year anniversary in July draws near and Sarver reflects on the continued success of the event, which has been an integral part of keeping Atlanta’s poetry scene alive, Sarver is proud of what the event has become to its neighborhoods and the community.
“It's bigger than us…. It feels good. It makes me feel proud. So often, I'll drop a tear about it.”
remains focused on the tasks at hand
United States President Joseph R. Biden made a campaign stop at Pullman Yards in Atlanta on Saturday to rally voters ahead of Georgia’s presidential primary on Tuesday. In a competing rally about 90 minutes away, former United States President Donald Trump delivered remarks in Rome, Georgia, as the two campaigned for votes in a state that has become an important battleground for elections.
Before Biden took center stage, Sen. Rev. Raphael Warnock and Sen. Jon Ossoff delivered opening remarks as about 500 volunteers and guests, gathered inside the historic property on the eastside of Atlanta, chanted, “Four more years.”
Ossoff and Warnock emphasized the pivotal role that Georgia has played in the elections, noting the power of Georgia voters in their reelections, especially voters in DeKalb County, the location of Pullman Yards. President and CEO of the Latino Victory Fund Sindy M. Benavides, AAPI Victory Fund founder Shekar Narasimhan, and The Collective PAC co-founder and senior advisor Stefanie Brown James also made remarks to show support for Biden and his re-election campaign.
“We know that the road to the White House goes through Georgia,” Warnock said in his opening statement. “This is a serious time. The democracy itself is in the battle.”
The president’s visit came just two days after his State of The Union Address, a message and performance that galvanized for-
mer party officer and Gwinnett County resident Adrienne White's excitement.
“I’m out here to reaffirm that I’m still down and riding for Biden,” White said.
She said that while the primaries are important, she encouraged people to also focus on down-ballot voting, a term often used to refer to races for congressional and state legislatures, governor races, judicial elections, and other state and local offices. “Every little piece matters in the election, so making sure that people stay educated, excited, and committed to get out to vote is so important.”
Biden was joined by First Lady Jill Biden
and Clayton State University student Desera Lennon on stage. The presidential election in November will be Lennon’s first time voting, and she said she will be casting her vote for Biden due to his administration's efforts in supporting veterans and commitment to uplifting Black communities with the appointment of Vice President Harris and Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
“I have witnessed historic milestones,” Lennon said. “Seeing women who resemble me achieve such significant positions fills me with so much hope for my own future and generations to come.”
During his remarks, Biden detailed his successes in the past four years, noting the Affordable Care Act, formerly known as Obama Care, and his efforts to unburden student debt for four million Americans and increase employment and border security. He reaffirmed his support for women’s rights and admonished the overturn of Roe v. Wade and Alabama’s Supreme Court ruling in February that decided frozen embryos are people.
“I have a message for you,” Biden said. “I will restore Roe v. Wade.”
Biden's speech was met with vigor and excitement from the crowd. However, the U.S.’s involvement in the Israel-Hama war has drawn criticism, evidenced by a heckler who was escorted out as he demanded that the president “Free Palestine.”
The president's message focused on his strengths as a president but also highlighted the different values between him and his opponent, Trump.
“Trump and I have very different values. Mine is based on the core values that have defined America … decency. We see a future where we’re going to define democracy and defend it, not diminish it. We see a future where we’re defending basic freedoms, not taking them away. We see a future where we reward work, not just wealth. We see a future where we save the planet.”
“Get out to vote,” he told the audience. “From the bottom of my heart, I believe in Americans. … We just have to remember who we are. There is nothing out of our capacity when we work together.”
Dr. James Beverly, the Minority Leader in the Georgia House of Representatives, has announced he’ll step down from his role at the end of 2024 Legislative Session, which ends on March 28. Beverly, a Democrat from Macon, represented the 143rd District since his election in 2013. He has been Minority Leader for the last four years. But, his district entirely shrunk after December 2023’s special session on redistricting.
“50% of my district is new within a new county, Houston County,” explained Beverly during an exclusive conversation with The Atlanta Voice. “Which means that I have to go down to Houston County to shake hands, have town hall meetings in order to be elected in a space where I don’t know anybody down there. Because there’s never been a Democrat to represent that district at all for the last sixty years.”
Beverly led the House Democrats with a pragmatic approach. Being the party in the minority, he felt as though incremental progress is better than an outright aggressive approach. But, as the demographics in Georgia are currently shifting to a more progressive-minded electorate, the Georgia Democrats were able to pick up seats. As a response, Beverly says Georgia Republicans have been co-opting their agenda.
“But every year that I’ve been in leadership, we picked up seats,” explained Beverly. “So that’s number one. This year they co-opted our agenda, right? We talked about maternal mortality. Now they’ve created a commission. We talked about gun safety. They have the gun safety boxes that we have discussed. We talked about Medicaid. Nobody’s talking about Medicaid more than Republicans this year, more than anytime since I’ve been here. Nobody’s talked about it. Last is going to be reproductive freedom and housing. “We just got a housing tax credit. So all the things that we put out there are now moving in a direction where it’s going to be good for Georgians in a value proposition that Democrats have had been placed in a way where I think the public will start to say, ‘wait a minute, what are you doing?’ And I think it’s going to bode well for us over time.”
However, Beverly looked back and explained why he ran for office in the first place.
He wanted to address poverty in his district. The first bill he wanted to pass didn’t go anywhere. But, Beverly experienced a breakthrough with his second bill. Many years later, Beverly says he now has the ability to make a deeper impact in Macon through various business ventures; and thus, is the reason why he describes this moment as a pause.
Beverly described the five things someone doesn’t commonly find in the Black community and won’t find in poor communities: A bank, a grocery store, a doctor’s office, an after school program that you want to see your kid through and reliable transportation. He says he has an opportunity to aggregate resources, put them in these affected communities and monitor the effects in these neighborhoods.
“The second bill that I was involved in was creating something called the Macon-Bibb Community Enhancement Authority whose
sole job is to shrink Category Four poverty areas. Well, that bill passed about eight years ago.”
That bill paved the way for the vast construction projects that are taking place along Interstates 16 and 75 in Bibb County. There were stipulations that called for a minimum wage of $15 an hour. It also created pathways for individuals to learn how to build houses and attend technical school. But, Beverly owns a small shipping company and it could be involved in the process of building homes.
“I can build a 1,500 square foot house in 15 days or less,” explains Beverly. “So the speed of the market and all the things that go with building in a very efficient way with some really high quality materials. It’s just as fascinating to me as a human being, but more importantly, I can create a workforce within that space to move forward.”
As this chapter comes to a close, Beverly isn’t characterizing this move as a retirement. He has not ruled out re-entering politics, say, in 2026 as an advisor or running for statewide office. However, he says he is at peace with his decision. Beverly never thought when he ran for office that he’d be the Leader. That was not part of his plan. But, gaining intimate knowledge of how the levers of government works he believes will serve him well in his next chapter.
“So with that, though, I’ve aggregated enough knowledge and I know enough things about how this place moves,” explained Beverly. Two years from now we’ll see. We’ll see. But at least I have the time if I do decide to run for something statewide, or to help someone win statewide. It will be sober minded, without the same pressures that I have to deal with today.”
Halle Bailey reveals why she kept her pregnancy private
The canvas of street art splashed on Krog Street Tunnel’s walls, floors, and columns has become an artistic hub that attracts spectators of all kinds. But on Thursday, bicyclists and pedestrians walking through the underground tunnel stopped for a different reason: the reverberating voices of the Spelman College Glee Club.
Against the backdrop of the ever-evolving art gallery that is the Krog Street Tunnel, the HBCU glee club members stood underneath the tunnel’s pillars in long black dresses, pearl necklaces, and a touch of red lipstick. They were led by Kevin Johnson, the director of the glee club, in a setlist of hymns sung acapella that kicked off the choir’s spring tour celebrating its 100th anniversary.
The concert, titled "Resurgens Requiem: History, Heritage, Harmony,” was also part of South Art’s Foundations Creative Placemaking Summit to take place in Atlanta from March 5-8. In partnership with South Arts, Creative Placemaking Communities, Atlanta BeltLine Inc., Cabbagetown Neighborhood Improvement Association, Georgia State University’s EPIC Pop Culture Program and the Spelman Glee Club, it was a love letter to Atlanta’s diverse art community and former Atlanta Symphony Orchestra conductor Robert Shaw.
“This was just an excellent opportunity to celebrate local artists who've been part of the choral music legacy for decades — a century now with it being 100 years. It was great timing. Perfect group. Perfect time of year to do it. In the perfect space,” said Tyrone Webb, a representative for the Georgia Council for the Arts. “The acoustics of the tunnel, the reverberation, that’s part of the concept of why the project was put together.”
The immersive experience was the result of a collaborative effort between the summit organizers and the Inman Park and Cabbagetown neighborhoods. Davis Butner, the creative consultant for the summit, revealed that the discussions to celebrate the neighborhood's history began in the summer of 2023, with organizers actively seeking ideas from the community.
So much of what Krog Street Tunnel is lies in community and free expression and the goal was to meld those values and celebrate the tunnel as not only a creative, visual escape but an oral one as well. Lynette Reid, Atlanta Beltine’s vice president of planning, engagement and arts and culture, also noted that it was a way to recognize and encourage art from communities that have been histor-
ically excluded.
“Celebrating culture and the power of voice and seeing them here in the Krog Street Tunnel is just pretty powerful. It just shows
what public spaces can do and what opportunities it can give voice to,” Reid said. “We believe in creative expression and in creating spaces around the Beltline for artists.
So, this was just a celebration to underscore what we believe in. Then, tie it to the Krog Street Tunnel, which is so iconic, and then the renowned Spelman Glee Club, which was something that you couldn’t create. It was kismet today.”
Simone Moales, the vice president of the Spelman College Glee Club, said the unique concert was special in that it allowed them to kick off their celebratory tour in Atlanta and gave them the opportunity to remove any barriers between them and the community.
“We took in all the art. We took in what it meant to be down there. We took in the aspects of unhoused individuals who are usually down here. We took in the elements of non-traditional art that sometimes we're not showcasing at Spelman,” Moales said.
“Now our artistry, our creativity, is going to forever be steeped into these walls; the echoes will be able to surround the sound of those who walk in and out. And so, just reflecting on the history, and even bringing it to now, knowing that we are a part of something much bigger than ourselves and our home, is the best part for us to just continue on.”
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Crafting your own signature 1.7oz eau de parfum. Happening weekly in Downtown Atlanta, this in-person event is led by expert perfumers who walk you through the basics of perfume making. With their guidance, you'll create a unique fragrance using top-notch ingredients. Pricing starts at $65 for a public session. To book, visit
Read the full interview with founder of ByLeCreme, Sakari Sanders, about her business, business plans, and advice for other entrepreneurs online at www.theatlantavoice.com
While the current position of Congress in relationship to the President’s proposed budget cuts and dismantling of the Office of Economic Opportunity are by and large on the side of the Black and the poor, some inherent illusions need to be disspelled.
To many of the legislators, it is not a question of anti-poverty vs poverty, but rather Congress vs the President,Democrat vs Republican, conservative vs liberal or other such battles. And while it may be helpful to unite those who can be coalesced into affirmative forces on a particular issue, it is important for Blacks–one of the major groups involved in the battle– to keep our directions and interest clear. Everyone else surely do so for theirs.
The question here is one of identity–focusing on the problem, isolating the objective and clearly defining our goal. In some respects, each of the conflicts above represents a real divergenceof interest, yet in others, they are nearly the same. The pivotal point becomes one centered at what we view as our primary problem, the President, the Republicans, the liberals or something larger.
Failure to see clearly the path ahead will lead only to confusion later on–a man ignorant of his destination knows not when the journey has ended. All Blacks who feel compelled to do so should address the problem of the Nixon Administration’s new offensive by whatever actions their beliefs deem appropriate. Yet we should keep in mind that one of the ultimate facts of our life is that of being Black, and when many other issues– - the Congress, the President, pverty, etc.-- are resolved, that reality will still exist.
We dont want to be the rope in a fruitless tug o’ war.
From
The Black Press was established in 1827 to improve the living conditions of freed slaves in the North through advocacy journalism and progressive ideas. Even today, our mission is to give a voice to African Americans in the political, social, educational, or entrepreneurial marketplace. In 1966, Ed Clayton and J. Lowell Ware founded The Atlanta Voice to provide essential coverage of the civil rights movement to the city’s Black residents. The newspaper was born out of the Civil Rights Movement and has since chronicled one of the most significant, volatile, and important eras of American history. Our motto is “A People Without a Voice Cannot Be Heard.” The Atlanta Voice provides the means for African Americans to have their say.
The article, written by J. Lowell Ware in March of 1973, demonstrates the newspaper’s dedication to its mission. Through its coverage, The Atlanta Voice has become an essential source of information for the African American community, providing them with the means to express themselves and be heard.
The Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (R.I.C.E.) moved one step closer to completing its ambitious $44 million building expansion campaign with a recent generous $2 million donation from the Truist Foundation.
The presentation of the check was presented at the RICE Atlanta headquarters, followed by a Truist panel discussion on access to capital for entrepreneurs.
“RICE is honored to receive this investment from Truist Foundation and the Truist Trusteed Foundations, which will significantly bolster our mission to support Black entrepreneurs in unprecedented ways,” said Jay Bailey, president, and CEO of RICE. “Through this collaboration, we are poised to drive economic impact and growth.”
The partnership with Truist is one of several partnerships with large financial institutions that will help expand RICE programs beyond metro Atlanta to entrepreneurs of color nationwide. RICE is currently the only entrepreneur center of its type in the country that assists entrepreneurs from ideas to reality.
Its mission is to continue the legacy of Herman J. Russell, who started the largest black construction company in the U.S., RICE, which is located in the old headquarters of the company in the Castleberry District. The company is currently operated by Russell's children, who served on the board of RICE.
“We are honored to celebrate the success of RICE and invest in a more inclusive business ecosystem in Atlanta,” said Lynette Bell, president of Truist Foundation. “RICE is known for driving entrepreneurs and small business owners to innovate, grow, create jobs, and build wealth, making them an integral partner to achieving Truist Foundation’s goal of increasing economic mobility for all.”
The funds from the capital campaign will enable RICE to add an additional 17,000 square feet to its facility. That expansion will include adding a 100-seat amphitheater and outdoor learning lab, sky pavilion and conference room, more offices, more classrooms, more conference rooms, a community marketplace, and a new coffee shop run by Hot Coffee, a local coffee company that opened in recent weeks.
The marketplace will feature products from its member businesses, known as stakeholders.
When it comes to its slogan of “Building Black Business”, Bailey stresses that RICE puts its money to back up its slogan. Ninety-nine percent of the services and products they use are done with stakeholders or black-owned businesses - from the construction of the expansion to the daily cleaning of the offices to the bottled water.
Anew poll recently released shows 62 percent of Black voters are in favor of the Food Drug Administration (FDA) ruling prohibiting the sale of menthol cigarettes. The Mellman Group, a leading political research firm, oversaw the poll for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. These results mean the disapproval of the tobacco industry myth of this matter being a political liability in the 2024 presidential election.
“This new data proves what we already know to be true – Black voters want to see a menthol ban,” said Derrick Johnson, President and CEO of the NAACP.
“Now, it’s time for the Biden Administration to put people over profits and swiftly enact a rule that will save countless Black lives. We’re done waiting. The NAACP will do everything possible to hold this Administration accountable for its promises to our
community. Enough is enough. Our lives are at stake,” said Johnson.
The banning of selling menthol cigarettes has been a battle going on for over a decade. FDA ruling to prohibit the selling was supposed to go into effect in August 2023, but it was delayed until December 2023. Organizations like the NAACP, The Congressional Black Caucus, and more have expressed disappointment with the White House administration’s delay. Everyone has concerns with that last delay because it came two days after the tobacco industry and its lobbyists met with officials from the white house. With the election eight months away, tobacco companies were sharing information about the menthol rule that would have an electoral impact.
“These poll results demonstrate that voters, especially Black voters, strongly support eliminating menthol cigarettes, and they debunk the tobacco industry myth that moving forward will be a political liability,” said Yolanda C. Richardson, President and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
“The Biden Administration must issue a final rule without further delay. There is no other single action the Administration can take that would do more to advance health equity and help achieve the goals of the President’s Cancer Moonshot,” said Richardson.
According to the report from Mellman, Tobacco conglomerate Altria Group Incorporated revealed the red flags the menthol rule’s effect would have on “Biden core voters,” based on poll data. Altria Group Inc. is the parent company of Black and Mild’s, Marlboro cigarettes, and other brands. Biden core voters considered by Altria Group are non-White voters and non-conservative White voters under 45. The Mellman poll uncovered this notion as false and conducted a separate survey to back it up.
Mellman’s poll first asked participants an initial presidential horse race question between President Joe Biden and Donald Trump. The results show President Biden had a two-point lead over Trump, 44 percent to 42 percent. The organization introduced
the proposed FDA menthol rule to participants. Mellman asked the presidential horse race question again, prefacing the vote question with, “If the Biden Administration ended the sale of menthol-flavored cigarettes in the United States…” Assuming the Administration ended menthol cigarette sales produced no change in the margin, with Biden maintaining a 2-point lead.
Tobacco companies are doing all that they can to interfere with this ruling. Menthol cigarettes have been scientifically proven to be more addictive, more accessible for kids to start smoking, and more challenging for smokers to quit. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids shares how the tobacco industry has marketed these products to Black communities. The organization has research that reveals prohibiting menthol cigarettes will save up to 654,000 lives within 40 years, including the lives of 255,000 Black Americans.
The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids will continue to monitor The Biden Administration for updates regarding the ruling.
What started as a social media page to express her love for books has turned into a literacy hub for people of diverse backgrounds to share theirs. Thickerplots book club organized their very first event, a book exchange highlighting literacy awareness, community, and the love of a good book.
Nahtyka Jolly, originally from Columbus, Georgia, was raised around books. Some of her earliest memories of Christmas and birthday gifts were always books. Along with her mother, Nina Jolly, and older sister Kurstyn Jolly, they spent many weekends and time after school in the library. Reading was such a big pillar in their household that they’d organize family book clubs to talk about the books they liked and didn’t like.
Jolly’s mother stressed the importance of literacy in their family and instilled in her daughters at a young age that knowledge and education can carry you far in life.
“Education is something they can’t take away from you,” says Nina Jolly. “It’ll open doors for you that you wouldn't expect.”
Jolly would go on to graduate from Clayton State University in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in English and communications. After college, she began working in the publishing industry and enjoyed the work she was doing as a marketing manager and managing editor for Young Authors Publishing.
“I just really loved the way storytelling brought people together,” says Jolly.
Although it wasn’t a career path she had much knowledge of at first, Jolly enjoyed how the company published diverse stories and authors, especially within children’s books. She described her experience as ‘beautiful’ and ‘wonderful’, as it was one of her first times sitting with and looking over books that looked like her and could relate to her experiences as a priority.
During the time of the pandemic and citywide shutdowns, Jolly started Thickerplots as an online book community on Instagram to share inspiration and build community at a time when everyone was stuck at home. Jolly took a break from managing the profile until June of 2023, when she started leaning into and hosting the book club portion of the community.
“It’s always been in my mind to create some kind of literary space to bring the community together,” says Jolly.
Since then, Thickerplots has hosted routine meetings at the last Sunday of every month to discuss a new book. Each book that
is chosen is by a diverse author and connects to a modern social topic in some way.
There is a strict “no self-help book” rule as many of the books that are chosen have a strong message, if you read close enough hence, the name and intent behind Thickerplots.
“Our name stems from the plot being thicker than just what’s on the page,” says Jolly. “Like when you’re reading the book, the book is reading you back.”
The monthly meetings are just a step into what Jolly has in store for Thickerplots. Their first non-meeting event, a book exchange, took place on March 2nd at Olive & Pine in Avondale Estates.
This interactive event was a small, intimate gathering where participants indulged in snacks, bookmarks and ice-breaker conversations. The idea of the book exchange
was for participants to bring a book they’ve really enjoyed and would like to share with others. Books were chosen at random and discussed by those who shared similar interests. Some titles included “The Alchemist”, “All About Love”, “Hood Feminism”, “White Tiger” and so many others. Books that weren’t chosen would be donated to a library of Jolly’s choice.
Participants learned about the event on Instagram and expressed their appreciation for the book club and the event, as it’s given them a space to enjoy like-mindedness and a fun hobby.
“I like being around other people in a non-party kind of vibe,” says Tyreen Scott, a first-time attendee. “Plus it’s helping me get back into reading.”
“It feels a lot more genuine,” says Victoria Dunkley, a book club member. “Everyone
was very honest about their recommendations and gave books that they like.”
The book exchange event represented the perfect blend of community and literacy awareness. In a time where the digital realm is more of a preference, literacy and comprehension rates are dropping at an alarming rate, especially within minority and underserved communities. Bright and engaging, this is just the first of many community-oriented events at Thickerplots.
It took the head coach a number of years and a number of moves to get to this point in his career. As the buzzer sounded, the Clark Atlanta University Panthers supporters inside Enmarket Arena screamed, and the players on the court started hugging and high-fiving each other; the coach just sat under the basket.
Clark Atlanta Panthers head men's basketball coach Alfred Jordan had tears in his eyes when he sat under that basket. He just sat there and took in the scene. In only his second season as a head coach, both as the leader of the basketball program at his alma mater, Jordan led the Panthers back to SIAC glory. The Panthers defeated defending SIAC tournament champion Miles College 65-55 on Sunday afternoon.
The Panthers were headed back to the NCAA Division II tournament for the first time since Jordan was an assistant coach under former Panthers head coach and current University of Arkansas-Little Rock head coach Darrell Walker in 2018.
"This is something I prayed for and what God has for you no man can ever take it away," Jordan, who was named conference coach of the year, said after the team was awarded the conference tournament trophy and cut down the nets. "CAU basketball is back."
Ahead by eight points at halftime, the Panthers' lead would balloon to as much as 17 points with 11 minutes remaining in the second half following a pair of free throws and a midrange jumper from graduate student point guard Jalen Nesmith (15 points and six rebounds). Miles College would fight back to trim their deficit to as little as four points with two minutes on the clock behind the stellar play of senior guard Alvin Miles. The 5-foot-11 Memphis native would drive the ball to the basket time after time in order to keep his team in the game. Miles was named to the SIAC All-Tournament team along with teammate sophomore
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forward Corey Trotter.Conference player of the year Chris Martin, a fellow graduate student transfer and team leader for the Panthers, played the same role for his team that Miles played for him. Both took charge late in the game, with Martin (5-17 FG, 13 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two steals) scoring five of the Panther's last 10 points.
The tournament's most valuable player was not a senior or graduate transfer. It was a sophomore Division I transfer that saved his best game of the season for the biggest game of the season. Panthers forward Shemani Fuller scored a team-high 20 points to go along with eight rebounds, two assists, and a pair of blocks. One of those blocks came on a drive by Alvin Miles with the score 58-52 and Clark Atlanta in a scoring slump. Fuller ended the scoring for Clark Atlanta with a windmill dunk
"When you have veterans it makes the game that much easier," said Jordan of the multiple graduate-student players on the Panthers roster, including twin guards Andrew and Elijah Stewart.
Earlier this season Jordan called his team "a work in progress" after a 6-2 start that included losing consecutive conference road games following an undefeated start. The goal then was to win the national championship, Jordan proclaimed. Sitting under the basket while his players jumped up and
down, Jordan shook his head. "Sometimes experience can overshadow talent, but having both is a blessing," he said.
For now, they will have to settle for being the SIAC men's champions. CAU basketball is indeed back.
What's Next: Clark Atlanta will travel to Fort Lauderdale, Florida to play Florida Southern University in the first round of the NCAA Division II men’s basketball tournament on Saturday at noon.
And
4-0 but demonstrated that its back line will be a source of frustration for opponents this season. In two matches this season, Atlanta has allowed just one goal.
The victory was also the Mercedes-Benz Stadium debut for a number of Five Stripes players, including defenders Derrick Williams and Stian Gregersen.
"I would say it is improving big time, but I'm so upset about that goal. I want clean sheets," Atlanta United manager Gonzalo Pineda said of the late goal New England scored. "We need clean sheets, it could have been a great reward for our back line and midfielders that did a great job."
Goals from Thiago Almada and Giorgos Giakoumakis set the offensive tone for the match. However early in the match, both
teams earned shots on goal that brought the crowd to its feet. Atlanta nearly went ahead in the second minute of play on a
shot by forward Saba Lobjanidze. Both shots on goal for New England were quality, including a header that hit the crossbar
in the 13th minute and another in the 26th minute.
Atlanta United managed to take five solid shots on goal within the first 20 minutes of the match. One of which was a laser beam from Thiago Almada that was stopped. Almada would score his first goal of the season on a penalty kick just before halftime to put Atlanta ahead 1-0.
Atlanta dominated possession during the first half while also doubling up New England in shots on goal during, 9-4.
During the second half, Atlanta expanded its lead to three goals following another penalty kick and a header, both from Giakoumakis, in the 55th and 60th minutes of the match. The later goal was assisted by defender Brooks Lennon. Giakoumakis would net his first career hat trick as a Major League Soccer player and put Atlanta ahead 4-0 following a goal in the 74th minute. Giakoumakis scored a team-high 19 goals in 30 matches last season.
Atlanta United will host Orlando City on Sunday, Mar. 17, at 7:30 p.m. before traveling north of the border to face Toronto FC on Saturday, Mar. 23. The Five Stripes will close out the month of March with a home match against the Chicago Fire on Sunday, Mar. 31 at 3:30 p.m.
