The Atlanta Voice E-Edition 032224

'I'm not an ordinary

Mo Ivory, Georgia State University College of Law professor and entertainment lawyer,

challenging incumbent Natalie Hall. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice

Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat wants to remain your sheriff

Mo Ivory is running for District 4 Commission seat

BY LAURA NWOGU

Georgia State University College of Law professor and entertainment lawyer Mo Ivory has announced she is running for the District 4 seat on the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, challenging incumbent Natalie Hall.

Atlanta has been home to Ivory for over 30 years and, in that time, she said she’s seen the growth that the city has experienced, but also the pain it has endured. She’s running on a platform that hopes to highlight issues such as homelessness, affordable housing, taxes, election integrity, public safety, health and human services and criminal justice reform.

“I’m proud of my community. I've always been politically involved, and I feel like it's a great time for me to serve. It's a time for leaders like myself to be there for all of the issues that I think are important,” Ivory said.

“As a parent, as a wife, all of these issues are things that we face all the time and things that I care about,” she said. “I believe as an elected official, to sit on the Fulton County Commission, I could really have an impact there.”

Besides a city council run in 2017 for the District 1 seat, Ivory’s political involvement has been out of the spotlight and more on the ground. She’s worked behind the scenes for various political campaigns and has been a vocal advocate for voting rights in the community. Her first foray into working on political campaigns came when she worked to increase voter turnout during former United States President Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. She raised funds to rent a charter bus for a week called Mo’s Voting Party Bus which took 12,000 students to vote.

“I've learned that both campaigning and serving is hard work. And it's about the work,” Ivory said. “I try to make things happen. I tried to say, ‘Think big,’ and then actually execute on those visions. And I think most people would say that about me … when I have a big idea, I usually can make it happen.”

Since 2008, she’s worked behind the scenes for various political campains, consulting on campaigns for United States President Joseph R. Biden, Senator Jon Ossof (D-Ga.), and two-time Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacet Abrams, but her career hasn’t just stayed in the sphere of politics. Ivory’s experience as a professor and entertainment lawyer has influenced her presence in the Atlanta community from hosting radio shows such as V-103 and WAOK in Atlanta and providing commentary on major TV networks about legal cases to serving on many boards and volunteering. She currently teaches a

class at Georgia State that examines topics such as business and legal issues related to the Olympic experience and made news in January after surprising her students with a trip to Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

In a video announcing her candidacy, Ivory promised she wasn’t an “ordinary” candidate. What makes her extraordinary? Her service in the community outside of politics, she said.

“I’m not an ordinary candidate because of all the experiences that I’ve had in my life,” said Ivory.

“I've had an opportunity to work in many industries and, because of that, I've been able to create great relationships that allowed me also to serve,” Ivory said. “I'm not running for office to gain the spotlight. I don't need to run for that … that's why I think I come to this in a very different way.”

For Ivory, Atlanta is where she made her mark at Spelman College, got married and raised her six children and practiced the bulk of her legal career. Now, she’s hoping voters allow her to carry that journey to the District 4 Fulton County Commission seat.

“I’ve grown with the county. I've grown

with the city. I came to Atlanta as a very young woman, and I've grown into the business and my personal family life right in the same place in Grant Park. … I just hope that I

can earn voter support by my record and by what I know I can bring to the table which I believe is leadership with integrity.”

Ivory (above), a mother and wife, has lived and worked in Atlanta for over 30 years. She has volunteered on a number of political movements, including voter registration drives and get-out-the-vote events. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice

Ivory told The Atlanta Voice that she is running on a platform that hopes to highlight issues such as homelessness, affordable housing, taxes, election integrity, public safety, health and human services and criminal justice reform. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice

Clayton County candidate forum set for Sunday

BY DONNELL SUGGS

There is a countywide candidate forum scheduled to take place in Clayton County on Sunday. The races for Clayton County sheriff and Clayton County commission chair are up for grabsthis election cycle. An opportunity for the public to hear the candidates out and get further educated on who they are will be Sunday, Mar. 24 at Living Faith Tabernacle on Old Dixie Highway in Forest Park.

A meet-and-greet will begin at 5 p.m. with the sheriffs forum, not to be confused with a debate, taking place at 6 p.m. The county commission chair forum is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Admission is free.

Kiplyn Primas, host of The Local Take on WCLK-FM (91.9 FM) will be the moderator for the evening.

The Clayton County sheriff's race has come down to four candidates: current sheriff Levon Allen, Jr., Clarence Cox, Jeffrey Turner and Charlene Watson-Fraser. Allen and Cox were two of the candidates that participated in a run-off election in January 2023, which was won by Allen. Turner is the former Clayton County Chief of Police and current Clayton County Detective Watson-Fraser, who was also a police officer in Baltimore for seven years prior to making the move to the Southside.

The county commission chair’s race is between Dr. Alieka Anderson, the county commissioner for District 1, Terry Baskin, a four-term Clayton County Tax Commissioner, Clayton County District 3 Commissioner Felicia Franklin, and Dr. Geffry Tate, the senior pastor at Greater Purpose Ministries.

A candidate forum for two key political positions, sheriff and county commission chair, will take place in Forest Park on Sunday night. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

Voices

Black women can do anything. We have proven that time and time and time again.

— Tarana Burke

Navy Federal Class Action Lawsuit Brings Calls for Investigations Of Shocking Mortgage Discrimination Claims

BY CHARLENE CROWELL

Amortgage discrimination case that began with two plaintiffs last December was consolidated in late February with seven others to form a class action lawsuit alleging that Navy Federal Credit Union – the nation’s largest with 13.4 million members and $170.8 billion in assets – “systematically and intentionally discriminates against minority borrowers across the United States.”

The lawsuit alleges that Navy Federal, which serves current and former military members from all service sectors, denied loans for 52 percent of Black borrowers and 44 percent of Latino borrowers, while denying only 23 percent of white applicants for home mortgage purchase or refinance loans and Home Equity Lines of Credit.

Affidavits of affected borrowers told stories of the financial and emotional distressed caused by qualified loan applicants having to find alternative – and often more costly – financing after being denied by their member-owned credit union.

The lawsuit, led by nationally-known attorney Ben Crump and his associate Adam Levitt, said the lender’s own data show that Navy Federal approved loans for a higher percentage of white borrowers annually earning less than $62,000 a year than for Black loan applicants earning $140,000 or more.

And when Navy Federal did approve a loan to a Black or Latino applicant, they often were offered worst interest rates and loan terms than those offered to white borrowers with similar financial profiles. These activities are illegal under federal laws, including the Fair Housing Act and Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA).

“The outright discrimination that occurs when Banking While Black continues to reveal itself in the lending practices of many of America’s largest financial

institutions,” said Crump. “It is shameful that Navy Federal, an organization that prides itself in helping the families of men and women who served their country, does not give their Black and Latino customers the same opportunities as white customers.”

“We hope this legal action will stop racial lending discrimination in its tracks and require Navy Federal to right their wrongs,” said Adam Levitt. “Home ownership is recognized as the cornerstone of the American Dream. We will not sit by while that dream is denied to hard-working and deserving Americans based on discriminatory practices and algorithms.”

Navy Federal said in a December 2023 statement that its more than $3.5 billion in mortgages to Black borrowers in 2022 shows its “longstanding commitment to expanding credit and economic opportunity to Black borrowers.”

But the number of people calling to hold Navy Federal accountable is growing, and now includes civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharp -

ton, 10 U.S. Senators, over 20 Members of Congress, consumer advocates and others.

Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee called for federal agencies to begin investigations.

“Credit unions are owned by their members and while this type of discrimination may be par for the course for a profit-driven megabank, a member-driven credit union should know better,” said Waters.

“As a private institution that bears the name of an esteemed branch of the United States military, Navy Federal must explain both to Congress and their members how such practices took place, what immediate steps are being taken to correct the harm done, and who in management will be held responsible,” Waters continued. “These abuses will not be tolerated, and I urge the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, National Credit Union Administration, and other appropriate

agencies to promptly investigate this matter.”

Consumers Union, a nonprofit advocacy group, added its support. “The large racial disparity found between loan approvals for applicants with roughly the same financial profile raises serious concerns that Navy Federal may be unfairly discriminating against Black and Latino applicants,” said Jennifer Chien[, CU’s senior policy counsel for financial fairness.

In a joint letter on January 11,2024, 10 U.S. Senators led by Senate Banking Committee Chair Sherrod Brown urged the CFPB Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Department HUD to investigate the issue.s the regulators with primary responsibility for enforcing ECOA and the Fair Housing Act, we ask that you thoroughly review Navy Federal’s mortgage lending practices and outcomes for compliance with all federal fair housing and fair lending laws and regulations. Navy Federal’s members have made countless sacrifices in their service to our country. We must do all we can to ensure illegal barriers are not placed on their path to homeownership.”

Even more lawmaker support came on February 28 in a joint letter from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the New Democrat Coalition that called upon six federal agencies to investigate and report on their findings.

“[T]he federal financial regulators have a duty to ‘affirmatively further fair housing,’ which means they must take meaningful actions that overcome and do not further entrench patterns of segregation and systemic disinvestment, such as through redlining, based on protected classes under the law,” wrote the lawmakers.

Charlene Crowell is a senior fellow with the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at Charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org.

THE 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 jlware@theatlantavoice.com

PRESIDENT/

GENERAL MANAGER

James A. Washington jaws@theatlantavoice.com

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

Dequarius Jones djones@theatlantavoice.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

Tithe With Attitude

BY JAMES A. WASHINGTON

Well you knew sooner or later, I was going to get to the subject of tithes and offerings. Now before you react, first recognize I am not about to pass the plate, in that my point of reference is not the Old Testament offering to The Almighty a tenth (tithe) of everything Gid gas blesses us with. We all know Mosaic law requires this act of gratitude and allegiance. I am more compelled to refer to Pau the apostle’s letter to Timothy. “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming of age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.” 1 Timothy 6:18-19. You see the more and more I think and pray on this, the more important it appears that tithe and offerings include the kind of life we lead as believers in Christ Jesus. I understand the money issue but I want to also be sure that the behavior, the lifestyle, the attitude reflects the living principle

of what I think Jesus demonstrated and commanded us. In the final analysis, Paul’s charge to Timothy is the best description of what I’m trying to say. It is the offering of which I speak ....”pursuerighouthgneous, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith…” 1 Timothy 6:11-12. Can you imagine what life would be like if you tithed your life’s work? How much time is in a day? I'm not talking about when we’re asleep. What’s that, 14-16 hours of living-breathing-walk-around life? That means during the course of a day, approximately an hour and a half would be spent in the practice of the aforementioned areas.

Can you see yourself deliberately practicing godliness, love, righteousness and the others (in whatever combination you choose) for at least an hour and a half a day? Now faith and belief in Jesus Christ come alive in you as it was intended. Your belief in God becomes a verb and is reflected in but an hour and a half a day trying to live as He intended. I have at times struggled with this and

believe that clearly for me, faith is a verb. Forgiveness is a verb, Mercy is a verb. Love thy neighbor as thyself is a verb. Judge not lest you be judged is a verb. Christ is a verb. Tithes and offerings do not preclude the necessary requirements of rendering unto God what He expects as it relates to how you live your life.

The apostles and the saints have

helped me to understand this. The apostles and the saints I'm talking about are the ones that have passed among us and we remember as kind, loving, never met a stranger, sharing caring kind of folk; mama. Grandmamma and others we all knew and dearly loved. We miss the deeds of these faithful individuals. Paul says live your life so that when you die no one will be able to talk ill of you. Yeah right! But… if during the course of a day, any day people are rendered to God a spirit of faith reflected in an hour and a half f godly activity in the name of Jesus Christ, then maybe we could all see touch and feel what it means to be Christ, then maybe we could all see, touch and feel what it means to be Christ like. I am just thinking out loud here, but an hour and a half a day is not a lot of time. But if I thought more about this kind of tithe and offering to God Almighty, then maybe I would be able to see my fellow man as being made in the image of God. Maybe I could see myself that way too. How about you?

May God bless and keep you always.

Should Metro Atlanta Police have the authority to detain people they suspect of being undocumented in the same fashion as immigration officers?

LASHAWN LAWSON

Smyrna

“I do not think that police agencies should be able to detain suspected illegal aliens just like ICE can because the ICE agents are federal agents who are trained to have an eye for identifying in an educated way who may be an illegal alien, the police officers are not trained for that unless they have special training for that, they should not be, detaining people, because that is so, that is profiling people. And I don’t think that’s right.”

JABARIS SMITH

Atlanta

“I don’t think they should. I believe it’s given them a little bit too, if not way too much power as far as what current ICE agents already have and do. I feel like that’s just more of an excuse and a bypass for an invasion of privacy. It’s just more of a form of harassment, and it just makes more minorities, whether they are Hispanic or Black or any other race, more of a target out there in the world.”

ALEXANDER LEWIS

Atlanta

“I think that police should not do that because you never know what people are coming here for. Some people might come here to visit. Some people might come here to figure out where they want to stay. I mean, it’s what people would like to do in Atlanta. They’re checking out Atlanta to see how it is before they come to stay.” Compiled by Vincent Christie

“The answer is no. I think that in these past 5 to 6 years, the decision-making of certain groups of police has been very questionable. So, until we get that straightened out, I don’t feel confident with a whole lot of decisions that police are making, but that’s just me.”

“YOUR

ALONZO DAVIS Carrollton

Beyoncé’s Cécred haircare line revives the importance of professional care

‘Adversity For Sale’: Jeezy talks about book at Cam Kirk Studios

BY LAURA NWOGU

Atlanta rapper Jeezy once said, “Might not be the best, just know I plan to be.”

Thirteen studio albums later and tens of millions of records sold, Jeezy has carved his path as an Atlanta legend and pioneer for trap music. Now, Jeezy is selling more than hits; he's selling a book that’s a testament to ambition and hustle. His journey is now encapsulated in his memoir, “Adversity for Sale: Ya Gotta Believe,” published in August 2023.

The memoir marks the rapper's first book and delves deep into Jeezy's personal struggles that helped him beat the odds and achieve the success he knows today. It offers a vulnerable side to “The Snowman” that goes beyond lyrics, inviting the audience to connect to him on a deeper level.

During a fireside chat hosted by Atlanta photographer Cameron Kirkland, also known as Cam Kirk, at his photography studio on Wednesday, Jeezy discussed how the book displayed a level of vulnerability that allowed him to reflect on his experiences and celebrate his resilience and hard work.

“Music culturally is more flamboyant. You only talk about the good times … and it always sounds like you're on top,” Jeezy said. “I think the difference was, for me, writing the book, I actually got to tell people about when they thought that I was on top and I was really at my lowest. I got to go into how I felt and what I was going through.

“A lot of people saw me living the dream, but they had no idea I was living a nightmare.”

He called the journey of writing his first book, “therapeutic.” For him, the biggest mission was giving the world a book that could motivate.

“That was my chance to Jay ‘Jeezy’ Jenkins instead of just Snowman.”

Jeezy and Kirk also highlighted the evolution of Atlanta’s music scene, recalling the influence he and his peers during the time had in pioneering the next generation of trap artists. Capturing those moments of music history with Atlanta’s new generation has been a cornerstone of Kirk’s career.

When Kirk began his career in 2012, Jeezy was one of the first artists he worked with. Since then, Kirk has become a vault for capturing the legacy of Atlanta’s trap scene, documenting the come-ups of artists such as 21 Savage and The Migos, to name a few. Over a decade later, he was given the honor of shooting the cover for Jeezy’s memoir in his studio that he opened in 2017. His focus was on creating a timeless photo that could speak to Jeezy as an icon and capture the emotion of someone who went

through adversity to succeed.

“It's a full circle moment to now reconnect in this setting. In my setting… and for him to see value in me at this level now,” Kirk said.

“It's a little bit deeper than an album cover. An album cover maybe covers a period of time over your life or how you're feeling. This is an autobiography. This will be a part of his legacy forever, so I feel honored to have had that opportunity.”

Jeezy said he hopes that when readers flip to the last page of his memoir, they believe they can achieve anything they want to do.

“Just don't give up. Don't stop. Don't stop swinging. You stop swinging, you get knocked out. Life is a struggle, and that's the beauty of it. You can't fall in love with the destination because who knows where that’s gonna be. It’s the journey.”

Adversity For Sale, Jeezy’s best-selling book, was the topic of discussion Wednesday night during a book signing/fireside chat at Cam Kirk Studios. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice

Jeezy and Cam Kirk Studios founder Cameron Kirk during the book signing and fireside chat on Wednesday, Mar. 20, 2024. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice

“Adversity for Sale: Ya Gotta Believe" was published in August 2023 and is now a New York Times bestseller. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice

Atlanta Metropolitan State College Installs ThompsonSellers As President

BY STAFF REPORT

Atlanta Metropolitan State College (AMSC) installed its fifth and first female president

Dr. Ingrid Thompson-Sellers, Ph.D. during an investiture ceremony on the institution’s campus located on Metropolitan Parkway in Atlanta. Sellers was installed by University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue.

The program marked Thompson-Sellers first year in office. The Board of Regents named her as president on Feb. 1, 2023. The ceremony was attended by a host of educators, elected officials and community partners from around the region. Special presentations came from the City of Atlanta and the Atlanta City Council.

The ceremony also marks the 50th anniversary of the institution which began as the Atlanta Junior College, then Atlanta Metropolitan College to its current status of Atlanta Metropolitan State College.

During her address, Dr. Thompson-Sellers cited her first year accomplishments and announced the launch of the $1,974,000 schol-

•

•

•

•

Fannie

arship campaign: “It Just Means More.”

Dr. Thompson-Sellers comes to her new position at the Atlanta institution with more than 30 years of experience in higher education. Most of her career has been spent in the University System of Georgia.

Thompson-Sellers earned her bachelor’s degree in physics from The University of the West Indies (Mona Campus, Jamaica), a master’s degree in telecommunications from Iona University, and a doctoral degree in instructional technology from Georgia State University. She also holds a graduate certificate in analytics from Johns Hopkins University. Prior to joining the Trailblazer family, Dr. Thompson-Sellers served as president of South Georgia State College (SGSC), where she established new initiatives to increase enrollment, reduce expenditures and enhance the college’s technology infrastructure.

Thompson-Sellers has served in an array of roles at Georgia State University as well as the former Georgia Perimeter College, now part of Georgia State University. She previously taught at her alma mater, Iona Univer-

sity in New Rochelle, New York.

She has received numerous awards and commendations, and is a 2024 recipient of the Paragon Award for New Presidents by Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK). She recently completed her term as a board of trustee with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and currently serves on the board of trustees for Iona University, the ATL Airport Chamber, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, and the Board of Directors for the Metropolitan Regional Educational Service Agency (Metro RESA).

Atlanta Metropolitan State College, an access institution of the University System of Georgia, educates students from diverse backgrounds by providing affordable, career-focused bachelor’s and associate degree programs. The college offers student-centered instruction, civic/community engagement, and quality services that lead to the success of its inter-generational 21st century graduates.

For more information about the Investiture ceremony, visit, www.atlm.edu/investiture.

Credit: Atlanta Metropolitan State College

Economy

Marriage rates are up and divorce rates are down, new data shows

U.S. Chamber of Commerce hosts panel on Advance with Africa

BY ISAIAH SINGLETON

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S. – Africa Business Center hosted a special forum for their Advance With Africa program in partnership with the President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement to foster economic engagement through Diaspora business ties.

Diaspora means the dispersion or spread of a people from their original homeland.

According to the Council on Foreign Relations, by the end of the century, 1 in 3 people in the world will be African, inhabiting a huge consumer market with vast growth potential. According to the United Nations, Africa's population is set to double by 2050, reaching 2.5 billion people. This will create a massive demand for goods and services, presenting businesses with historic opportunities to build profitable, sustainable enterprises.

Advance with Africa aims to advance Africa's commercial profile, increase U.S. exports and investment, showcase tools to support new market entrants, and foster commercial opportunities for businesses in the United States and Africa.

This multi-year campaign is targeting cities across the U.S. with a significant African diaspora and minority business communities, existing business linkages with Africa, and high interest from elected officials.

Through roadshows, webinars, community engagement, and social media, the program seeks to develop momentum for U.S. enterprises to conduct business with African partners and highlight regionally relevant African investment opportunities.

Advancing with Africa as an Export & Investment Destination

The forum was broken into two panels: the first panel, "Advancing with Africa as an Export and Investment Destination", included Senior Advisor of US Chamber of Commerce Dana Banks, Council member for the President's Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement C.D. Glin, Ambassador of Mozambique to the United States Embassy of Mozambique H.E. Alfredo Fabião Nuvunga, and Director of Public Engagement U.S. Trade and Development Agency Brandon Bradford.

This panel discussion highlighted opportunities businesses, particularly diaspora led businesses, can expect as they seek to forge greater business opportunities.

Glin said it’s about the African ingenuity console, whether it’s agriculture or the agricultural food system.

“It’s really a future where companies such as our global company are literally in the hands of Africans and they’re going to do more with that,” he said. “The company can invest in those individuals and really be a bigger company that is poised for future investment in terms of people and the planet.”

Glin also said it’s about investing in the planet, normally thinking about the future of American businesses mutually interwoven.

Additionally, Glin said there are four themes business owners should focus on to help develop and grow skills: Access to capital, connections,

“In the US, FDA, and other regional leaders, entrepreneurs back home create the network and now you have WhatsApp groups, Facebook groups, and Instagram groups of African young actors to create this connection, because again, it’s all about collaboration,” he said.

Ambassador Nuvunga discussed the future of Africa in terms of Africa being a destination as an investment. He also said to business owners in the audience to not be discouraged by distance because there are direct flights from Atlanta.

“I think the first area to break is the distance because especially today, you have this very fast aircraft,” he said.

Making a Dream a Reality – How Diaspora can build business linkages to African Markets

In the second panel, "Making a Dream a Reality - How Diaspora can build business linkages to African Markets", included Senior Vice President, Strategic Alliances & Outreach from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Rick Wade, Founder of Shea Yeleen Rahama Wright, Council member of the President's Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement Almaz Negash, and Chief Regulatory Affairs and Government Relations Officer of Flutterwave Oluwabankole Falade.

This panel focused on how diaspora can help build business linkages between American businesses to African Markets.

Wright also touched on building connections between businesses in the African market.

“The connections aren’t simply business transactions, but it’s about how we build business and sustain them,” she said. “I’m excited and interested to see what’s next. The reasons for this are to give each other immunity and really have changing narratives as we go.”

Negash said in terms of opportunities, it’s about getting people from both sides together and collaborating.

“What I found is when we get people together and collaborate, it will hopefully make building that connection much easier,” she said.

Falade said what’s extremely important is collaboration within the private sector.

“Use 10% to include at the premise of people who want to know about not just being friends and establishing what you find is that usually government, but the private sector comes in and is able to demonstrate the commitment to justice,” he said.

He also said there are many opportunities to get involved in conversations at the African union level on the oppositions around Africa, continental free trade agreements involving conversations around positions surrounding general policy.

For more information, visit https://www. uschamber.com.

The first panel, "Advancing with Africa as an Export and Investment Destination", included Senior Advisor of US Chamber of Commerce Dana Banks, Council member for the President's Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement C.D. Glin, Ambassador of Mozambique to the United States Embassy of Mozambique H.E. Alfredo Fabião Nuvunga, and Director of Public Engagement U.S. Trade and Development Agency Brandon Bradford. Photos by Isaiah Singleton/The Atlanta Voice

The second panel, "Making a Dream a Reality - How Diaspora can build business linkages to African Markets", included Senior Vice President, Strategic Alliances & Outreach from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Rick Wade, Founder of Shea Yeleen Rahama Wright, Council member of the President's Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement Almaz Negash, and Chief Regulatory Affairs and Government Relations Officer of Flutterwave Oluwabankole Falade. Photo by Isaiah Singleton/The Atlanta Voice

Kairos Capital Legal Advisors launches Project Esther to empower Blackled venture capital funds

BY ITORO N. UMONTUEN

In today’s dynamic business landscape, access to legal counsel is crucial for the success and sustainability of any venture capital firm. According to a 2022 study by TechCrunch, 1% of all venture capital funding went to Black-founded companies — an estimated $2.3 billion of a total $215.9 billion. For women founders, the rate was slightly higher, at 1.9%.

However, Founder Dar’shun Kendrick recognizes that not all organizations have equal access to these resources, especially within underrepresented communities. That’s why she launched Project Esther with her firm, Kairos Capital Legal Advisors (KCLA).

Project Esther is a bold move towards leveling the playing field by offering pro bono legal advice to three (3) Black-led venture capital funds for one calendar year. By providing these vital resources, Kairos aims to empower these funds to navigate legal complexities confidently, enabling them to focus more on their core mission of driving innovation and fostering entrepreneurship within their communities. It also includes access to investment networks.

A way Project Esther can bring tangible benefits to their clients would be helping them navigate different legal climates. For

example, the State of California passed a law mandating all VC firms must survey the companies in their portfolio each year. It measures demographics, including race, ethnicity, disability status, and gender identity. That data will then be made public in an online database. This is done in an effort to create an investment base that is more reflective of the population these companies serve.

Kendrick believes Kairos is perfectly positioned to make an impact. She says she is committed to paying it forward and creating opportunities for others, especially those who have historically faced systemic barriers.

“We are meeting the needs of VCs by providing strategic business and legal advice to navigate and prepare for the continued downturn in capital raising activity,” says Kendrick.

Kairos is a securities law firm and registered investment advisory firm providing comprehensive capital raising and investment legal advice and services. “Kairos” is Greek for “at the right time”. Dar’shun Kendrick is a Securities Attorney, Investment Advisor Representative, Business Coach, Public Speaker, and a member of the Georgia House of Representatives.

Photo courtesy of Dar'shun Kendrick

Business

Biden campaign has raised $53M in February

SpeedPro Marietta celebrates over a decade of service

BY ISAIAH SINGLETON

Littie Brown has been the president and co-owner of a printing studio, SpeedPro Marietta, for 11 years.

Brown’s number one goal during that time is to provide customers with exceptional service. Her motto is simple yet powerful: “If you can imagine it, we can print it.”

Brown, who is very active in her community, says she knows what it takes to succeed and outlast the challenges she has faced as a Black woman in business and wants to share her story so she can inspire others, especially young women, to start their own businesses.

From Corporate to Entrepreneur

Brown said she didn’t have any intentions of opening a business 11 years ago. She worked in corporate America for 35 years prior to opening a SpeedPro franchise. She spent 26 years with Xerox Corporation, then a couple of years each with Dunn & Bradstreet, and then with W.W. Grainger, Inc.

When Brown left, she was looking for something new.

“I received a call from a franchise consultant saying I really ought to think about owning my own business. With being in executive management, they thought I would be perfect owning a franchise,” she said.

Her current business partner, Karen Brown (no relation) became best friends after meeting at church when Littie moved to Georgia in 2005.

“I was showing her all the information about the franchise because she’s always wanted to own a business, and I told her, ‘Here’s an opportunity you might want to look at,’” Littie said. “One day, we started talking about what it looks like to own a business.”

Littie said she and Karen have “very opposite skill sets,” where her background is in sales and sales management, and Karen is more operational in architecture and project management.

Karen added that their friendship blends well.

“It’s interesting because you think we would get tired of each other because we see each other a lot,” Karen joked. “We go to the same church, we work together every day, and then we do a whole lot of stuff together because we’re best friends.”

“The Lord just kind of opened up the doors for us, and we decided to step out of faith and take a shot at owning a franchise,” Littie said.

Brown said the reason the Marietta location was a good place to start was because both partners live in the area. After being open for 11 years, Brown said it feels “accomplishing.”

“I was in the era that you worked for a com-

pany, you retired, and then you went away into the sunset, so to step out and particularly at this point in time in my life, where I couldn’t be retired to own a business,” she said.

The most rewarding thing about the entire process, she said, is the ability to be involved in the community.

“We are able to help a lot of customers, support businesses, and the community in their efforts that you wouldn’t be able to do if you didn’t own it,” she said. “To make those decisions and those adjustments, I love the fact that as tight as revenue gets, we’ve been able to survive and sustain.”

Growing up as a military brat (her father was in the United States Air Force), Brown says she’s not from anywhere but claims Texas as her home. Her mom is originally from Belleville, Texas, and now resides in San Antonio, while her dad is from Sealy, Texas.

“I was born in California, but I’m not from anywhere,” Brown said. “I tell people I was born in Texas, and we moved to Japan, Las Vegas, and then we moved to Texas. All my family, for the most part, is in Texas.”

Also, Brown is heavily involved within her community as she has experience as Chair of the Board of the Printing & Imaging Association of Georgia (PIAG), a member of the Cobb County Chamber, and works closely with her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc.

Brown says she loves sports and is a season ticket holder for the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, and the Atlanta Dream, which is her favorite. Brown says her number one hobby is playing golf.

She’s also an author. In 2016, Brown published her first book, “Leadership Lessons from the HART: Keys, Tips, and Insights on Successfully Leading in Business and in Life.” In 2022, she had her second book published, “An Issue of the HART: Learning to Be a Great Giver in Business and in Life.”

For family life, Brown said she loves being around friends and family. Although she doesn’t have kids, Brown said she spoils her nieces and nephews like they are her own. She also has a blended family of five sisters who all go on a sister trip every year since 2010.

2024 and Beyond

Brown said her advice to future business owners is to make sure they’re passionate about who you are and what you can do.

“I think a lot of times people want to step out, but they are afraid,” she said. “You must remove fear and replace it with love, love for yourself, and love for what you're going to do. “We've not been given the spirit of fear but of love, power, and a sound mind.”

Brown also said she believes for small businesses; you must be in a position financially where you’re not looking for paycheck to paycheck. Another piece of advice she wants to give is “You’ve got to work every day”.

She says no one is going to be as committed to your business as you are.

“Your employees work because you pay them. You get good employees, they do a good job, but their motivation is to be able to take what you pay them and be able to take care of their families and their needs/desires.

As far as next steps and goals for SpeedPro Marietta in 2024, Brown said she wants to get the business more financially sound after buying new equipment last year.

“We have to drive up revenue and get more activity going,” she said. “Our goal is to get over a million dollars in revenue, we're almost at eight, we hit seven and we’re almost close to eight.”

All in all, Brown says 2024 is the year to push. SpeedPro Marietta, she said, has been pushing for the last couple of years and survived the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I want to make sure my staff is committed and they’re getting what they need. We’ve got our goal of $1.2 million in revenue, which will allow me to pay some bonuses at the end of the year,” she said.

For more information about Brown and SpeedPro Marietta, visit https://www.speedpro.com/marietta/.

Littie Brown (above) has been the president and co-owner of a printing studio, SpeedPro Marietta, for 11 years. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice

An inside look at SpeedPro Marietta, Mar. 13, 2024. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice

Health

The Legendary Anita Baker To Grace Atlanta With Special Mother’s Day Weekend Performance

My biggest trauma led me to the love of my life

BY NOAH WASHINGTON

Editor's Note: March is Brain Health

Awareness and one of our regular contributors, Noah Washington, wanted to share his personal story of brain surgery and recorvery.

Little did I know that the day I came into this world would also mark the day I teetered on the brink of death. It happened a mere 15 years apart.

In the early morning of September 27th, my 15th birthday, I was rushed to the emergency room in Richmond, Virginia. I remember going in and out of consciousness, not understanding what was happening. First, I recalled lying in a roller bed pushed through Bon Secours, St. Mary’s Hospital in Richmond, VA. Then, I remembered seeing my half-sister's mother, Dr. Pamela Stubbs, a BSN, look at me wonderfully after she recognized me being loaded into an ambulance departing for the Medical Center of Virginia (MCV) emergency medical unit.

My mother, Lynne Washington, 63, recounted her experience. “I heard this noise in the bathroom at night, and it was like something was struggling, like something had fallen. And then something was struggling. So I got out of bed and went to the bathroom,” said Washington. My mother’s nightmare began when she walked into that bathroom, “I saw my child scrambling on the floor on his back, going back and forth, his head moving, and his arms and legs all moving in different directions,” Washington continued. From there, she woke my father, Larry, 73, both were gripped by fear and confusion. Not knowing what to do, they stabilized me while I was pleading with a pounding headache. Acting as quickly as they could, they transported me to the nearest hospital, only to be swiftly redirected to an MCV emergency medical unit, which was better equipped to handle what was happening.

Upon arriving at the hospital and after a CT scan, my parents were told that Bacterial Meningitis was in my brain. Meningitis is an infection that causes inflammation of the three thin layers of tissue, known as meninges, which cover the brain and spinal cord. Meningitis may be caused by a virus or bacteria, which hypothesized that I must have drank tainted water.

In a grim exchange with the attending neurosurgeon, my parents were presented with three options:

1. They could drill into the brain and try to drain the meningitis out.

2. They could scrape the skull of the infection.

3. The third option, the riskiest option,

was that they'd have to take the skull out and they would deep clean the skull. This would require separating it for one year, and I would have had to wear a helmet.

Childrenshospital.org cites that bacterial meningitis may cause permanent damage, including hearing loss, mental retardation, or even death. Approximately 3,000 people in the U.S., or one in 100,000, are diagnosed with bacterial meningitis each year.

Each of these options to my parents was more dire than the last, “It's tough as a mother to see this and to see your child suffer. There were moments when he couldn’t move parts of his body. If I could have taken his place, I surely would have in a heartbeat,” Washington said. After proceeding with option 2, I was put into recovery. But the situation only got worse during the time of healing. A second surgery would have to be performed after a follow-up brain scan after I suffered from a post-operation seizure. In that scan, it was revealed that they were not able to clear all of the meningitis out of my brain. This was when option three was put into action, “They went back for a second surgery on the brain, which we knew that the danger of operating on him could have killed him,” said Washington.

As hard as it was on my parents, my mom said it was even harder on my twin brother, John. “Having his twin brother there was hard. It made it even worse because his brother had a tough time coping. To see his brother in that kind of pain was emotional-

ly taxing on him. It was taxing on all of us,” Washington continued.

To this day, my brother, John, will periodically text or call me in the early morning or late at night to see that I am okay. “When Noah got sick, it was our first year of high school. A year that should be filled with memories of navigating high school, talking about colleges, and figuring out crushes. But, for me, it was a year of constant anxiety and trying to act calm while in class,” John Washington said.

From there, I stayed in the ICU for a month. I couldn’t go home; I could only go outside accompanied by someone. It was a miserable experience. I remember crying at night, my Dad doing his best to calm me down. As sad as that was, it was during this moment that I found out what my capacity for love was.

My sister, Amanda Washington-Lockett, 37, was attending Columbia University, getting her master's in higher education. Still, upon hearing the news, she immediately traveled from New York to Richmond. “I do remember feeling just kind of like an overwhelming sense of helplessness, not knowing how to help you,” Washington-Lockett said. Darryl Lockett, her boyfriend at the time and now husband, agreed to meet her halfway in Washington D.C (where he was working during that time). “We didn’t want you to think there was anything that you could not do. If there was a challenge or a unique circumstance that you would have to accept as a reality, we wanted to impress

upon you that you were still the coolest 15-year-old there was, even amid your rehabilitation,” said Lockett.

Near the end of my hospital stay, I would enter rehab. During the worst of my illness, I was completely paralyzed on my left side. For a while, I couldn’t move that side entirely. Only within the last five years have I been able to raise my left eyebrow. But while in rehab, I learned the valuable lesson that some people genuinely have it worse than you. I loved the local Chinese restaurant that was around the corner from my home on Mechanicsville Turnpike, but being on a strict diet while in the hospital, I could only get Chinese food while in rehab. It was a joy to eat something that was not hospital food, but I could only eat so much because my stomach wasn’t what it was before.

After leaving the hospital, I was homebound and could not attend school in public. Even when out in public, I had to wear a helmet that looked like a vintage football helmet, in fear of when I was walking that I would be without half of my skull to protect my brain, which could land me back in the hospital, and that was the last place I wanted to be at that point.

During the day, I would complete speech therapy and more extensive physical therapy. My teacher, Pamela Yates, was a godsend. She had the patience of an angel while I stuttered and stammered through her lessons. She would drive to my house every day at 4pm, after her regular day teaching at what would have been my regularly attended school, Atlee High School. For the most part, I was still operational and could receive information. But my skills in math and science had decayed.

As I look back at that time, I am grateful. My parents, who were working full-time, left my care to my grandmother, Margaret. From October to July, it was her and I every day. She would take me back and forth from therapy to home. I even remember listening to Stevie Wonder and Frank Sinatra and watching the AMC hit series Mad Men with her. All of these things would influence my taste as an adult. I remember walking to her room at the back of my suburban house at the end of the day, wishing her a good night and having that be my favorite time of day, as hanging out with her made those miserable days worth it. At the end of that time, after I had my third brain surgery, my skull was placed back in, and I was on the road to recovery; she moved back to Ohio, where she would stay for the following year before passing away on February 2, 2015 after a short battle with cancer. I’m grateful for that time because I had uninterrupted access to the person I loved most in the world.

Noah Washington, now 25, when he was 15 years old and out of surgery for the first time.

Photo provided by Washington family

Accenture and Goodwill host panel to discuss women's advancement and equality Community

BY ISAIAH SINGLETON

Women earn an average of 16% less than men. For every dollar earned by men, women earned 84 cents. The controlled gender pay gap, which considers factors such as job title, experience, education, industry, job level, and hours worked, is currently at 99 cents for every dollar men earn, according to a study by Forbes.

Accenture and Goodwill of North Georgia celebrated International Women’s Day with a “Be Without Limits” panel discussion featuring diverse, hard-working women.

The event included networking and an engaging panel discussion facilitated by Rose Scott, host of the midday news program “Closer Look,” heard on Atlanta’s NPR station 90.1 FM – WABE.

Speakers on the panel included Packaged App Development Analyst at Accenture and Goodwill graduate, Erica Campbell, President and CEO at Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Veronica Maldonado-Torres, Customer Support/Strategy/Consulting and Business Development at Chick-Fil-A, Inc., Nancy Easterling, and Managing Director for Accenture Song, Jayasree Amburkar.

Equality for All

The discussion focused on progress made in advancing gender equality and ways to accelerate equality for all. The event also was a great opportunity to celebrate the partnership in investing in women in non-traditional industries.

Amburkar said it’s going to take everyone’s power to get to a place of equality.

“How are we all going to help this allyship so that we can help women get what they deserve? With everything that we do day-today, whether it’s taking the kids to school or working or anything like that, I believe we should be paid more,” she said.

Another way to achieve equality, Amburkar said, is to call people in instead of calling people out.

“Let’s give everyone a purpose, and that purpose is to advance, and they want that purpose. If we don’t have people who are on the other side, I want to believe in the goodness of humanity,” she said.

Campbell said people must be intentional about what it is they like to see, which is being paid equally to men.

“We have to be intentional about how we present ourselves, but also proving our worth and standing up for ourselves is so important,” she said.

Maldonado-Torres also said she thinks

women are passionate.

“Statistically, there are more women in the United States than guys and we need the values, and the skill sets women bring to the workplace, and we need to continue to advance those avenues,” she said.

Torres said women need to learn more skill sets in the workplace such as negotiation, branding, and networking.

“To advance our women to get equal pay equity, we want our women to be able

to stand on their word, their value, and to speak up. For a lot of us, those are cultural constructs that we're confined to in our community,” she said.

The Value of Mentoring Easterling said when she started her career journey, she didn’t have a formal mentor, but as she reflects, there were a ton of instrumental people in her life, both personal and professional.

“Those individuals supported, encouraged, and pushed me forward and honestly, one of the ones that's coming to my mind right now is my husband,” Easterling said. “He decided early on that my trajectory from a career perspective was going to have so much potential to be better than him as he decided to stay home with our children and encouraged me almost pushed me to go to work.”

Easterling said fast forwarding to today, she has an opportunity to steward the leadership role she’s been given.

Maldonado-Torres said she grew up with a woman-owned business mother, who surrounded her with the example of how to do things with other businesswomen.

“I was able to absorb a lot and really learn. It wasn't until I probably was about 30-ish that I really had my first kind of formal mentor,” she said. “I'll never forget 27, I was asked to join my very first board of directors and the lady said, I just see something in you.”

Fast-forwarding to now, Maldonado-Torres said it was a blessing her mentor and her mom gave her opportunities and shared nuggets Torres didn’t see herself. Additionally, she said she is reflecting on her own legacy as she has a seven-year-old daughter.

“I need to make sure I'm doing my part to support this next generation and having those whispers, those moments, and someone reaching out and saying, ‘hey, you know what, I see something really, really amazing in you and you should join this leadership program,” she said.

The Clean Tech Infrastructure Academy at Goodwill

Additionally, Goodwill (in partnership with Accenture) recently began a four-week training program called “The Clean Tech Infrastructure Academy at Goodwill”.

Students who enroll in this program attend 40 hours per week and get paid $15 an hour to learn how to use maintenance techs for electric vehicle supply equipment, which is basically the charging stations for electric vehicles.

Atlanta is one of four accelerator locations nationwide. Training includes skills involved in solar and storage, electric vehicle charging, heat pumps, and energy efficiency.

To think that a year ago, it was a bit of a crazy idea I had during a phone call with a colleague at Goodwill of North Georgia and it turned into real opportunities for the people who are in this room,” Robin Boggs with Accenture said.

For more information about the accelerator program, visit https://goodwillng.org.

Accenture and Goodwill of North Georgia celebrated International Women’s Day with a “Be Without Limits” panel discussion featuring diverse, hard-working women. Photos by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice

Entertainment

Atlanta took center stage at SXSW 2024

BY JULIA BEVERLY

Two back-to-back premieres this week during Texas’ popular music and film festival SXSW shine the spotlight on popular black culture in the 1990s in Atlanta.

The first installment of a three-part docuseries, Magic City: An American Fantasy, drew Atlanta royalty like T.I. and 2 Chainz to the screening. Recent Grammy Award winner Killer Mike, who professes to have partied with politicians and preachers alike at the popular Atlanta strip club Magic City, wonders aloud if this “saints and sinners” dynamic brings necessary balance to the city. Executive producers Drake and Jermaine Dupri are also among the celebrities featured in the series. Drake issues a challenge to boxer Floyd Mayweather, while Shaquille O’Neal recalls signing his groundbreaking 1996 NBA contract for $120 million at Magic City because the party was so live he could not be persuaded to leave the venue.

In a Q&A after the screening, filmmakers Cole Brown and director Charles Todd said they intend the series to be a celebration –of the athleticism of the dancers, of the entrepreneurial prowess of Magic City’s charismatic founder, Michael “Magic” Barney – rather than a stereotypical sex work documentary.

The result, at least in the first installment, is an almost unnervingly cheery look at the strip club underworld. While there is nudity, the framing is not overly sexual or explicit. Former dancer and Magic City legend Gigi Maguire said after the premiere that she had agreed to participate in a tasteful topless scene because she believed in the filmmakers’ artistic vision.

Still, absent is any real introspection or insight into the decisions that have led these women into this line of work, and the piece seems to gloss over any hint at a dark side of the sex trade. The tale of two strippers found dead in a vehicle, for example, is presented briefly with little context or explanation and doesn’t seem to phase their colleagues.

Magic City: An American Fantasy is still on the hunt for a distributor, and while it will surely find one – sex always sells, especially with Drake’s name attached – it could benefit from a bit more balance in subsequent installments.

The upcoming Freaknik documentary, which airs on Hulu on March 21, is a bit more honest in its documentation of both the highs and lows of the raucous street party.

Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told was organized in part by executive producer Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell, who can credibly lay claim to bringing the “Freak” to

Freaknik. The engaging documentary traces Freaknik’s journey from a cultural entry point for black college students to the chaos and debauchery of the mid-90s, which led to a city planning commission recommending it be eliminated entirely. Killer Mike and author Marc Lamont Hill, among others, offer academic and sociopolitical insights throughout the film.

Luke’s selection of Atlanta-based rapper 21 Savage as a co-executive producer might seem puzzling since the rapper was an infant

living in the United Kingdom during Freaknik’s heyday. But in recent years, 21 Savage has resurrected the “Freaknik” theme for his Atlanta birthday festivities. By opening the film to a 21 Savage voiceover while a grainy 1990s video plays on a camcorder, the filmmakers successfully draw a thread between Freaknik’s history and Atlanta’s present-day music and culture.

Since the initial announcement of a Freaknik documentary, jokes have circulated on social media about that scandalous

footage of your mother dancing on top of a car. While the filmmakers do make liberal use of archival footage, the majority of it just features college students having clean fun. Some are genuinely historic, like a clip of the late Notorious B.I.G. performing at Freaknik.

The Freaknik documentary and the Magic City series utilize footage of Atlanta being awarded the 1996 Olympic Games as an important turning point. The Olympics were seen as a $2 billion dollar windfall for the city. In the case of Freaknik, for example, the economic power of business interests forced the city to address the increasingly lawless annual festival that Freaknik had become.

While Freaknik and Magic City both have earned their reputation for Atlanta Vice, these films dive beyond the simply salacious to achieve genuine insights about the cultural draw of the city as a Black mecca.

Photos by Julia Beverly/The Atlanta Voice

Photos by Julia Beverly/The Atlanta Voice

Photos by Julia Beverly/The Atlanta Voice

Arts

PawKids: Empowering Atlanta’s youth through holistic resources

Local fashion designer Kierra Nichole is making big moves

BY NOAH WASHINGTON

Kierra Nichole, 26, shows off her New York Fashion Week showpieces. Nichole knew she had wanted to be a fashion designer since she was a little girl, and that desire can be traced back to her childhood. Born in Stone Mountain, Nichole experienced a moment that chartered her life’s journey from that point forward. At the age of nine, while riding the bus to E. L. Bouie Elementary School, Nichole observed a classmate sketching T-shirts on a notepad. Intrigued by the notion that someone could create clothing from their imagination, Nichole's curiosity was piqued, and she was excited at the notion that what people wore was pulled out of someone's imagination. From that point on, she said she knew what she wanted to do for the rest of her life.

Nichole says her parents, Karteua 50, and Rick, 53, were immediately supportive of their only daughter’s vision. "My parents provided me with everything I needed to pursue my passion for fashion from a young age,” Nichole said.

As she progressed through her formative years, her passion for fashion only increased. In 2016, Nichole entered the Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD), pursuing a degree in fashion design. During her time at SCAD, Nichole faced both challenges and opportunities that would later shape her career as a fashion designer. Immersed in the intense curriculum, Nichole found herself challenged to expand her boundaries and explore new techniques and mediums within the competitive atmosphere. "I think SCAD was an experience that I've never had,” she remembers. “I didn't feel as though I shined, which is fine. Because I also feel as though that was a training ground or a sandbox, where I'm kind of figuring things out.”

But at the near the end of college, she would drastically change. In 2020, Nichole found herself finishing her academic career during the COVID-19 pandemic. After graduating in May of 2020, the fashion industry was on hold, and faced the uncertainty of an industry that was stagnant. Nichole turned to e-commerce, posting her designs all over the internet for an entire year. Nichole would have her first milestone moment when SHEIN, the online retail marketplace based out of China, discovered her work after tirelessly promoting her designs across various social media platforms. The significance of this moment wasn't lost on Nichole, who saw it as a validation of her talent and hard work. "They found me. They reached out to me directly, and to this day, I don't exactly know what piece they saw," said Nichole.

In the world of fashion design, when opportunities present themselves, the designer makes what is known as a “tech pack,” also known as a specification sheet, which is a set of documents created by designers to explain their design to a manufacturer so that they can turn this information into a finished garment.

Reflecting on her experience with SHEIN, Nichole recalled that each piece would take approximately two weeks to complete on her own. After submitting six designs, she witnessed them come to life on the marketplace, with a total of 90 pieces being produced for sale.

Following this moment in her career, Nichole launched her company, "RosaByrd, " which was named after people on the paternal and maternal side of her family. Rosa is the name of her grandmother's grandmother on her mom's side. Byrd is the surname of her grandmother's grandmother on her father’s side.

Then, in August of 2022, fate intervened, presenting Nichole with an advertisement on Instagram that seemed tailor-made for her. She was looking for a call for fashion

designers for New York Fashion Week. Nichole subsequently submitted her pieces to 5 different shows. This process involved crafting compelling pitches and presenting her unique vision to capture the attention of these industry professionals. Then, in October of 2022, she got her answer.

She was accepted into the Ryse and Flying Solo showrooms in New York City, and would have a little more than a year to prepare.

On February 8, Nichole participated in the dress rehearsal for her showcased designs at the Ryse showroom during New York Fashion Week. The following day, her creations took center stage, garnering a positive response from industry insiders and fashion enthusiasts alike. Then Nichole geared up for the Flying Solo show scheduled for February 11.

After leaving New York, Nichole’s Panelist collection would be featured in "Elle" Magazine in Slovenija, which she had done press with during her Flying Solo New York Runway show, “It was the first professional, videotaped interview that I had ever done,” said Nichole.

Now back in Atlanta, Nichole has plans to expand her business, which includes collaborating with stylists and having her designs featured in editorial shoots, celebrity appearances, and magazine spreads to increase visibility and attract clientele. "I've been working on my next collection and am excited to do it all over again next season, ” she said.

Kierra Nichole experienced a moment that chartered her life’s journey when at the age of nine, while riding the school bus she observed a classmate sketching T-shirts on a notepad. Photos by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice

SENIORS

SENIOR (62+)

Spacious 1-Bedroom Affordable!

Rent Based on Annual Income Amenities, Great Location, and Convenient to Marta Please call for detailed information (404) 586-9098

DIGITAL PRODUCT OWNER

Cooper Lighting LLC seeks a Digital Product Owner (Atlanta, GA) to bld & execute various experiences w/in our dgtl ecsystm. Srv as catalyst for prdctvty on the Agile team & drct team throughout dvlpmnt & dplymnt process. Reqs Bach deg in Bus Admin, Comp Sci, or rltd & 3 yrs as Prdct Owner or Scrum Mstr. Must be SAFe 5.0 certified. Exp must incld: new dgtl prdct dvlpmnt & launch of eCommerce site; wrking with JIRA; trnslting prdct needs to tchnlgy; dvlping cstmr-facing prdcts, tchnlgies, and pltfrms; participation in tchncl discussions & hlpng make tchncl trade-offs; & collaborating, blding consensus, dlvring, & drving tchncl decisions w/ various-sized cstmr stkhldr grps.

Telecommuting permitted up to 2 days per week. Email resume to: taamericas@signify.com, ref job title & job code 29-GA.

FULTON COUNTY ADVERTISEMENT FOR BID

Sealed bids for 24ITBC1298468A-KM - Fire Hydrants and Parts for the Fulton County Public Works Department, will be accepted by the Fulton County Department of Purchasing & Contract Compliance electronically through BidNet Direct at https://www.bidnetdirect.com/ georgia/fultoncounty, on Monday, April 15, 2024. All bids submitted must be received no later than 11:00 a.m. local (Eastern) time on the stated date. Bids will be publicly opened and read at 11:05 a.m. on the stated due date via zoom. Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom. us/j/94602707468?pwd=UjhWdllMUkhSL0RGZjFmbjhHVVgwUT09 Meeting ID: 946 0270 7468 Passcode: 663743 One tap mobile +14702509358,94602707468#,*663743# US (Atlanta) +1 4703812552,94602707468#,*663743# US (Atlanta) Bid Bond: N/A Scope of Work: Fulton County, Georgia (“County”) The purpose of this invitation to Bid- Commodity (“ITBC”) is to

TECHNOLOGY

ServiceNow Inc is accepting resumes for the following positions in Atlanta, GA: Sr Software Engineer (5143-4135252): Build high-quality, clean, scalable and reusable code by enforcing best practices around software engineering architecture and processes. Telecommuting permitted. Annual Salary: $152,250$182,250. Email resume to servicenowresumesUS@servicenow.com. Or mail resume to ServiceNow Inc, Attn: Global Mobility, 2225 Lawson Lane, Santa Clara, CA 95054. Resume must include job title, job ref. #(5143-4135252), full name, email & mailing address. No phone calls. Must be legally authorized to work in U.S. without sponsorship. EOE.

establish an indefinite quantity, firm fixed price contract to be used as the primary source for the commodities/goods listed in the attached specifications. Commodities will be ordered from time to time in such quantity as may be needed to fill any requirements of the County. As it is impossible to determine the precise quantities that may be needed during the contract period, the Vendor is obligated to deliver in minimum/maximum quantities contracted for in accordance with the specific conditions of this bid. In order to obtain complete information about this solicitation, please click the link below where this document and supporting documents can be downloaded, https://www.bidnetdirect.com/georgia/fultoncounty. Fee: N/A

Term of Contract: One (1) year with two (2) renewal options. Pre-Bid Conference: N/A If you have any questions regarding this project please contact Keisha Massey, Assistant Purchasing Agent, at Email: keisha.massey@fultoncountyga.gov or 404-612-1010. Fulton County reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids and to waive technicalities.

HD Supply, Inc. seeks Data Engineer for Atlanta, GA office. Must have Bachelor’s or equiv in Computer Sci or closely rel field + 4 yrs wrk exp in offered or similar position. In lieu of Bachelor’s will accept Master’s degree or equiv in Computer Sci or closely rel field + 2 yr wrk exp in offered or similar position. Duties incl design & implementation of data solutions. Up to 10% domestic trvl req. For complete reqs/duties & to apply visit Job ID # R24001324 at http:// hdsupply.jobs/.