The Atlanta Voice E-Edition 060724

Voting apathy grips Metro Atlanta

Kenya’s President is building a bridge between the AUC and Africa

Midterm elections show low voter turnout in Metro Atlanta

BY DONNELL SUGGS

The Biden-Harris Administration recently kicked off a multicity tour for its Black Voters for Biden-Harris voter outreach program. Standing in a parking lot outside of Twain’s Brewpub & Billiards in Decatur on a cool Saturday afternoon in early June, Georgia Congresswoman Nikema Williams, Texas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, and former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms took to a podium to speak to just under two dozen supporters about voting in November.

“This campaign isn’t taking a single Georgian for granted,” said Williams of the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to reach Black voters, a crucial demographic to the campaign’s 2020 victory over then President Donald J. Trump. Williams called the Black Democratic block in Georgia, “the backbone of the Biden-Harris Administration.”

Voting down ballot doesn’t always get the same level of political support that a presidential campaign does. So it is not a surprise that midterm elections do not draw the voter turnout and overall general interest that a presidential election does. That said, the numbers in three of metro Atlanta’s most populated counties by Black people, Clayton, DeKalb, and Fulton counties, were extremely low during last month’s midterm primary elections. The state of Georgia saw more than 514,000 ballots cast during those same midterm elections in May and less than 100,000 of those votes were cast in three of the seven largest counties in the state, according to data provided by the Georgia Secretary of State Office.

In Clayton County, which has nearly 177,000 active registered voters, according to Georgia Secretary of State data, only 13,443 voted in the primary. The Clayton County ballot included the race for county sheriff, which is now headed to a runoff between current Clayton County Sheriff Levon Allen and Jeffrey Turner, the former Clayton County Board of Commissioners chairman.

In DeKalb County, the fourth largest county in the state, 34,214 active registered voters cast ballots during the midterms. DeKalb County has more than half a million active registered voters, according to Secretary of State data.

Fulton County, the largest county in the state of Georgia, boasts more than 751,000 active registered voters but only saw 53,001 make their way to the polling stations in May despite the sheriff’s race, which was won by a large margin by the incumbent, Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat, and democratic race for county district attorney, which was won by incumbent Fani Willis, on the ballot.

Runoff elections for primary and federal

offices in Georgia will take place on Tuesday, June 18. Traditionally runoff elections see even less turnout than the primary election did. A prime example being the November 30, 2021 runoff election between Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and Felicia Moore. Moore had received 41% of the general election vote in comparison to Dickens’ 23% before losing in the runoff, which saw much less voter involvement throughout Fulton County.

Bottoms, who had been out of the national and local political limelight for a while, mentioned being “rusty” but ready to drum up support for the Biden-Harris administration. She spoke of being told that it would be political suicide to endorse Biden for president in 2020, but she felt then and now that he was the right person to lead the country.

“I believe it even more so, because we know the words of Maya Angelou, when someone who they are believe them,” said Bottoms in reference to Trump, who was recently convicted of 34 counts of election fraud in New York City.

The 60th Mayor of Atlanta, Keisha Lance Bottoms (above), spoke at a Black Voters for Biden-Harris event on Saturday, June 1, 2024, in Decatur, Georgia. Photo by Itoro N. Umontuen/The Atlanta Voice

Courtesy of Georgia Secretary of State Election Data Hub

Warnock on The Stitch:

‘This is a transformative project’

State How Fair Fight Action Is Advocating for Fair Elections in Georgia

BY ITORO N. UMONTUEN

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed Senate Bill 189 into law on May 7th. According to the bill, it creates new rules for challenging voter qualifications. It also prohibits the use of QR codes to count ballots after 2026. Also, it removes the Georgia Secretary of State from Georgia’s Board of Elections. It also bans county executives or municipal registrars from providing goods or services to the state. This includes voting equipment or vote tabulation, auditing or processing, as well as scanning ballots.

Additionally, a post office box or a private mailbox service will not be used to verify a person’s residence. Controversially, unhoused people without a permanent address must re-register to vote at their county’s Board of Elections. These onerous rules aren’t new. This

runway was built over three years ago.

When Senate Bill 202 passed in 2021, it reduced the early voting period and the number of absentee ballot dropboxes. It also requires the last four digits of the Social Security number or voter ID. It further bans the dispersal of water, drinks and snacks to voters in line.

During that time, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp repeatedly said the bill would make voting easier while making it harder to cheat.”

It also created the pathway to depose the Georgia Secretary of State as the head of the State Elections Board. That bill also gives the majority party in the legislature the power to overhaul county election boards if they suspect any illegal or nefarious activity. The Georgia legislature responded to the grievances from former President Donald Trump that claimed the current Secretary of State, Republican Brad Raffensperger, refused to

re-litigate the results of the 2020 Presidential Election.

In July 2023, the Georgia Secretary of State’s office purged 191,473 voters from the state’s voting rolls. According to state law, individuals must respond to notices within 30 days. Voting rights advocates have argued Georgia’s voting laws disproportionately harm Blacks, ethnic minorities, and low-income wage earners.

However, Fair Fight Action is releasing an infographic which illustrates the new rules starting July 1 in Georgia.

Fair Fight believes the foundations of SB 189 and SB 202 are the big lie and their conspiracy theories. To that end, Georgia Republicans are calling for the usage of handmarked paper ballots in future elections. It is a tale as old as time in Georgia, in terms of voting. They believe Republicans aren’t

afraid of backlash. However, Fair Fight says MAGA Republicans wouldn’t be messing with the vote if it wasn’t powerful.

“By signing SB 189 to become law, Brian Kemp delivered a gift to MAGA election deniers. He solidified his legacy as a vote suppressor, building on his signature anti-voter law from 2021 with a new law inspired by conspiracy theorists who continue to dispute the results of the 2020 election,” Fair Fight Action said in a statement. “With a new election on the horizon, Kemp is buttressing his pledge to MAGA, giving them new power to target Black, brown, rural, unhoused, and disabled populations and legislating harassment for already overburdened election workers. But in spite of every barrier formed against them, Georgians continue to show up to vote. And we will not stop fighting to ensure free and fair elections for all.”

“Admitting mistakes is a fundamental skill too few of us learn. In part, this is because we’ve been taught it’s wrong to be wrong.”

Black Businesses Are Under Attack And So Are Financing Opportunities to Help Them

BY DAYVON LOVE

The Fearless Fund is a venture capital fund that targets investments in Black and Brown women-owned businesses. This fund was founded by three Black women who recognized the disparities in access to venture capital for Black women-owned businesses and have been working to address this issue.

A white conservative activist named Edward Blum, through his organization called American Alliance for Equal Rights, has led litigation efforts against the consideration of race in college admissions which resulted in the recent Students for Fair Admissions Supreme Court ruling that significantly reduced the consideration of race in college admissions. His organization sued the Fearless Fund, claiming that its focus on grantmaking for Black women was discriminatory.

Those of us with a radical political worldview would engage initiatives like the Fearless Fund as an example of Black capitalist approaches to problems that do not fundamentally change the existing social and political order. While this effort will help individual Black people get access to resources that might allow them to be in a position to do some social good, these efforts are limited in bringing the revolutionary change needed to truly empower working-class Black

people. But, there are important political issues at stake for those of us interested in building revolutionary alternatives to the status quo as it relates to the case against the Fearless Fund.

If we are interested in a radical economic redistribution of resources that we can get into the hands of the masses of Black people, it will require targeted investments of public dollars into entities that have the institutional and administrative infrastructure to receive those investments. Additionally, it will require these entities to have governance structures that ensure democratic community control of these resources. The Fearless Fund lawsuit is important in this regard because a ruling against the Fearless Fund could be weaponized against more revolutionary investments in Black people leaving only universalist, class-based policies that do not address the investments needed to build independent Black infrastructure for working-class people to practice self-determination. Investing resources in a community is not as simple as just giving people money. This society is structured on white and European colonial domination of every aspect of human endeavor; Black people need to change our relationship to global finance capital. Currently, when resources are invested into our community, the institutions that decide which Black people and communities get resources are not controlled by

working-class Black people. These institutions are usually controlled by a white-dominated but multiracial class of gatekeepers who are ultimately accountable to institutions outside of our community. The result of the Fearless Fund is that it is developing institutions that can receive and distribute large sums of resources to people in our community who traditionally would not have access to it.

Getting more Black women entrepreneurs access to venture capital can have a positive impact on those Black women who would not have access to those resources otherwise. However, from my perspective, something larger is at stake, and that is, a ruling that would create additional hurdles to advancing policies that target resources specifically to Black people. The people who are believers in the notion that this system of white monopoly capital can be reformed to serve Black people will pay attention to the Fearless Fund proceedings to assess the potential challenges this poses to other similar efforts. For those of us who are looking for more revolutionary economic alternatives, the Fearless Fund lawsuit is important for us to address the ways this gets weaponized against specific investments in the Black masses.

Dayvon Love is director of public policy for the Baltimore-based think tank Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle

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SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING

Know Your Game Plan

BY JAMES A. WASHINGTON The Atlanta Voice

Ihave often found myself wrestling with the concepts and realities of good and evil. It stands to reason that if you believe in God And His goodness, power and the righteousness of Jesus Christ, then you must also believe in the existence of Satan and his earth bound inherent ‘evilness.’ So that I don’t become too esoteric, allow me to explain. It is the height of hypocrisy or wanton ignorance that we as human beings follow a course of action consistent with one belief and act,at the same time, totally contrary to that same belief.We concede to the reality that evil exists. Our laws and subsequent penalties are there to protect us against criminal, abhorrent and even demonic behavior.

The recognition, the counterbalance then should be a professed belief that confirms the existence of God. It’s supposed to be the good stuff.

There are also laws put in place to protect us on that front too.Unfortunately, it seems that evil demands

He who believes in me…will never die.

actions while goodness gets a whole lot of lip service. I believe this is true because we humans, with all of our own flaws and faults (or should I say sinfulness), have gotten used to functioning in a world that Satan does have power in. Thanks to him many of us have become somewhat numb to his brand of life. Fortunately when we come to Christ, we are able to see the contrast between good and evil/ sin in our own lives.That’s when we finally get it. By putting ourselves in relationship with the righteousness of Christ, it becomes clear to us where we fit in this struggle between good and evil. We then recognize, we are the prize in this game. To the victor we go. Again, fortunately for us, we have some say in the clubhouse celebration. Once you accept the concept of good and evil in the con-

“YOUR VOICE”

text of God and the devil, the rules of engagement become clear. In this game the ball has a say in who actually participates in the game. We are that ball in this high stakes game for our very own souls. Imagine that.Wecan stack the deck. But it can’t be by happenstance. It must be deliberate and we must be constant in making sure the ball takes favorable bounces throughout the game. With this in mind, Christ has given all of us the game plan we need to insure our ultimate victory.``He who believes in me…will never die.”

John 11:25-26. That’s it. It’s all about belief. When Jesus says in John 16:89,“When He (the Counselor/Holy Spirit) comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment; in regard to sin because men do not be -

lieve in me…” He is telling us that the biggest threat to our own salvation is disbelief. You see, belief in Christ brings about condemnation of Satan. It must. It has to. Now we are armed and ready for the struggle.We are on guard against the evil that is intended to destroy us.We now have a point of reference for all of our current and future behaviors.We know the difference between good and evil and recognize our weaknesses in relation to evil and our strengths in relation to good. No contest is without its risks and rewards but for now, let’s play and may God forgive your fumbles and bless your recoveries in the name of his son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

May God bless and keep you always.

This column is from “Spiritually Speaking: Reflections for and from a New Christian” by James Washington. You can purchase this enlightening book on Amazon and start your journey towards spiritual enlightenment.

What are your thoughts or feelings on Donald Trump’s 34 felony convictions, making him the first U.S. President in history to be convicted of a crime?

“I just started watching SUITS (TV show) recently. When it comes to marketing, all publicity is good publicity. And to be honest, I don't know. This could go either way. I've seen people super excited about this, and it's confirmed where he will be at an election. And I've seen people that feel this man needs to be in jail. So I'm not sure. I'm just trying to enjoy the show and ensure I'm taking care of myself and my kids, hoping the world doesn't burn down while we do our thing. So here we go.”

Atlanta

“I genuinely have no words for Donald Trump's convictions or felony, whatever. I haven't been following it. I've checked out the politics. It's a mess. I am very disappointed with Biden's presidency. So, my expectations are meager. And because of that, I don't care at this point. If he wins, if he gets in the office. I also feel like Biden is not moving in the direction the country needs. And so I would like us to pray to God and ask him to help us because that's who I'm putting my faith in now. And that's it.”

“As far as Trump and his convictions. I think I knew he would be convicted, and I guess that's okay. But no, that's not going to stop him from being president. It's not going to stop him from running for president. No, he might be the first one, the first president convicted for a felony. I haven't researched that yet, but you can still be president and a felon, so it doesn't mean you are a bad person. It just means something happened. I guess 12 people found you guilty. And we all know you can't trust the 12 people all the time. So many things could have happened during that time, but I don't think it will stop him from doing what he needs to do. So I think he will be the next president.”

Atlanta Village

“I think it's terrifying. It's scary that someone who is convicted of that many felonies could potentially be a president. I don't think the world's ever going to be the same. From the first time, he was the president to the time he allowed it to happen again. Unpredictable. That's the only way I can think about it. America is a little bit unpredictable at this point. Honestly, I [think he's going to win the presidency], and I think it will be because he won last time. And not much has happened to make people believe he can't get us our 'stems.' That's all they care about. And look at what happens when you give America a bunch of money: billions of dollars in debt, and you're going to jail. He's going to go. He has to.”

TREY DUNN Atlanta

CARTIER WILLIAMS

HERBERT JACOBS Conyers

KRISTIN COLLINS East

Compiled by Vincent Christie.

Standing on 131 years of history: The future of the AFRO

Dancing Daughters: Ballethnic created pipeline to its future

BY DONNELL SUGGS

Ballethnic is a Black-owned and operated ballet company located in East Point, Georgia. Started by Nena Gilreath and Waverly Lucas, co-founding directors and a married couple, Ballethnic has served a uniquely important service to the community for the past 34 years. From training dancers as children to choreographing, directing, and performing shows of its own, Ballethnic is a family-owned Black business that doesn’t look like it is slowing down any time soon.

Ballethnic have roots within the East Point community, which is located less than eight miles southeast of Atlanta. For more than three decades Gilreath and Lucas have been creating what Gilreath called a “pipeline” of “dance daughters.” The couple do not have children of their own to pass the business down to in a traditional path of succession.

One weekday afternoon, Gilreath took some time away from rehearsing and producing an upcoming show, Dance and Music For the Soul at Fort McPherson in Atlanta, alongside Lucas, her husband of 32 years, to talk to The Atlanta Voice about the succession plans that he and she have in place.

“We have done the heavy lifting through the early years and we have the expectation that our business can thrive and prosper,” Gilreath explained. “So it’s so important to have our people understand that legacy. There are so few long standing Black-owned businesses in metro Atlanta, so what it takes for us to stay alive and remain strong is the people.”

During the time the couple have been training dancers, they have also nurtured personal relationships that have gone a long way to creating a succession plan for the business. Karla Tyson and Laila Howard, both former Ballethnic students and current professional dancers and teachers with the company, are two examples of the company’s succession plan, according to Gilreath.

“They have come up through every part of Ballethnic,” Gilreath said of Howard and Tyson. “I believe they are definitely in that line of succession. For us, we’ve had the privilege of teaching younger people that have gone through our academy and understand our core values.”

Deloitte Tax Private Wealth Tex Partner Micaela Saviano agreed that Gilreath and Lucas had to take an honest assessment of their pool of candidates within the company while preparing a trust.

“In this case it’s a pretty specific company that they’re addressing in a ballet company started by a husband and wife team,” Saviano explained. “There’s a grooming process and that happens over a long period of time

where the individual is in the business part of the business and starts to have a larger and larger voice.”

The couple began their succession planning long before they started the business, according to Gilreath, who said from a young age she had an eye on her future.

“From the time I was very young I was always looking for other leaders with unique leadership qualities,” she explained. “As we have moved along we have always taught our dancers all aspects of the business.”

Ballethnic has a trust in place for the future of the business. A trust is a fiduciary arrangement between multiple parties to hold or manage assets on behalf of a beneficiary. Asked how the idea of putting a trust in place started, Gilreath said it began with a conversation about what was next for the business and taking that conversation and putting it into action.

“We want to protect our mission and our vision,” she said. “You have to make the move when you have the energy and ability. And you have to do it sooner than you think.”

Managing Director, Risk & Financial Advisory for Deloitte & Touche LLP Jake Wise says finding someone that’s “interested in being the successor” has been a challenge

for smaller businesses.

Earlier this spring Gilreath and Lucas were in Toronto working with another ballet company on an upcoming performance. Having to leave the country, Balletethnic’s leadership wasn’t worried about how the business was going to run because of the leadership that had been put in place, Gilreath said.

“You can’t do it yourself and it’s been great to see the younger people come up and take more and more responsibility,” she said. “Just like we wanted to do this thing, surely there would be someone else that would want to do it too.”

Gilreath said the impact of having good people like Howard and Tyson in the pipeline has made all the difference in planning what’s next for a legacy Black business like Ballethnic.

“The freedom to tell Black stories, stories where we are featured and not in the background, that’s what we are protecting,” Gilreath said.

This article, inspired by Deloitte Private research, is part of a series in which five Black-owned publications around the United States explore the challenges of succession planning for Black-owned family businesses.

From training dancers as children to choreographing, directing, and performing shows, Ballethnic is a family-owned Black business that doesn’t look like it is slowing down any time soon. Photos submitted by Ballethnic

Ballethnic is a Black-owned and operated ballet company located in East Point, Georgia. It was started by Nena Gilreath (right) and Waverly Lucas, the company’s co-founding directors and a married couple. Photo submitted by Ballethnic

Don’t Be Fooled By Trump’s Ops in the Bronx

BY KEITH BOYKIN

Here we go again.

On break from his New York hush money criminal trial, Donald Trump held a campaign rally on Thursday in the South Bronx. But just like his Chick-fil-A photo op in Atlanta and his staged visit to a bodega on the outskirts of Harlem, Trump is trolling us once again.

Trump’s latest rally was littered with his greatest hits of mistruths and conspiracy theories. He repeated the lie that he won twice, praised dictators for being “at the top of their game,” accused immigrants of building an army against the U.S., promised to “indemnify all police officers” even when they kill Black people, and even bizarrely claimed that curious business leaders are asking him how he puts his pants on every day.

In a raucous event that featured multiple fights and protests, the twice-impeached former president brought on stage two local rappers that no one in the audience had probably heard of, and a homophobic former New York City council member, Ruben Diaz Sr., who lost his race for Congress four years ago to a Black gay man.

Unlike President Biden, who delivered $16 billion in funding when he spoke at Morehouse College last week, Trump brought nothing new and substantive to offer the people of the Bronx.

That’s because the South Bronx is overwhelmingly Hispanic and Black (64% and 31%, respectively), but you would never know that from the mostly white crowd that showed up for the circus at Crotona Park on Thursday.

Located north and east of Harlem, the Bronx is one of the five boroughs of New York City. It’s the birthplace of hip hop, the location of Yankee Stadium, and home to a large foreign-born community that makes up 32% of the population. Trump’s plan to deport 15 million immigrants may not sit well with the real residents of the community.

The Bronx also has the highest poverty rate and the highest unemployment rate of the 62 counties in the state. If Trump really cared about the people there, he’d push his party to support a permanent childcare tax credit instead of promoting tax breaks for billionaires.

But Trump has no chance of winning the Bronx, New York City, or New York state, so he’s staging carefully orchestrated pit stops in the area during his criminal trial to push a false narrative to the media that he’s making inroads with Black and Hispanic voters.

“You live in a blue city, but it’s going red very, very quickly,” Trump told the rally. No, it’s not.

The park where the rally took place is located in New York’s 15th congressional district, represented by Ritchie Torres, a 36-year-old Afro-Latino gay man, who says that Trump is “less popular than arsenic” in the Bronx. It’s considered the poorest district in the coun-

try, and President Biden won 85% of the vote in 2020, while Trump, a native New Yorker, took only 14.7%.

Biden also defeated Trump throughout New York City, 76% to 23%, but here’s the thing. New York is the largest city in America, so 23% of the turnout is still nearly 700,000 people. So, yes, Trump has hundreds of thousands of supporters in the Big Apple, but they’re a tiny minority compared to the 8 million residents who live there.

Unfortunately, Trump doesn’t do math. He plays head games about crowd sizes to convince himself and his supporters that he’s always winning because he can fill an auditorium. He deployed the same tactic in 2016 and 2020, when he drew huge crowds at his rallies but lost the popular vote in both elections. That’s because big crowds don’t equal big votes.

“Our side is much bigger than their side,” Trump told his audience in the Bronx, ignoring the reality that Republicans haven’t won the popular vote in a presidential election in 20 years.

But Trump is a celebrity, and even some of his critics find him oddly amusing because you never know what’s going to happen when he speaks. It’s like watching a train wreck. You don’t want to see it, but you can’t stop staring.

While Biden was busy hosting a series of state meetings with President William Ruto of Kenya at the White House on Thursday, Trump was acting a fool in the Bronx. Which do you think is more likely to draw a crowd?

If a handful of Black people show up and show out at a Trump rally, some in the media consider that breaking news that allegedly counters the narrative about him. Actually, it doesn’t. Trump won only 12 percent of the Black vote in 2020.

But that’s still millions of Black people, so Trump could theoretically generate Black crowds all across the country and lose 90% of the Black vote to Biden. That’s why the media needs to contextualize the Black and brown presence at Trump’s rallies with actual voting data that clearly demonstrates those people are a tiny minority in their own communities.

But the media love a horse race, and TV producers still haven’t figured out how to tell these election stories without perpetuating manipulative campaign propaganda. That’s the lesson CBS News reporter Lesley Stahl learned back in the 1980s when she discovered that the Reagan White House didn’t mind her critical reports because she used the video images the administration picked to communicate its message. Just like the Trump campaign, they knew that positive pictures mattered more than negative words.

So when you see Trump staging these events in Black and brown communities, don’t be fooled by The Ops that he got. He’s still Donny, and he’s not for the Bronx.

“Black Vote, Black Power,” a collaboration between Keith Boykin and Word In Black, examines the issues, the candidates, and what’s at stake for Black America in the 2024 presidential election.

Keith Boykin is a New York Times–bestselling author, TV and film producer, and former CNN political commentator. A graduate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School, Keith served in the White House, cofounded the National Black Justice Coalition, cohosted the BET talk show My Two Cents, and taught at the Institute for Research in African-American Studies at Columbia University in New York. He’s a Lambda Literary Award-winning author and editor of seven books. He lives in Los Angeles.

Rappers Sheff G, right, also known as Michael Williams, and Sleepy Hallow, center, also known as Tegan Chambers, join the Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump during a campaign rally in the south Bronx, Thursday, May. 23, 2024, in New York. AP Photo/

Yuki Iwamura

Rising from the ashes: Summerhill’s Poach Social has reopened with renewed vision

‘Coming in Hot’: A blueprint for black women’s career success

BY ISAIAH SINGLETON

In an empowering tribute to the accomplishments of Black women everywhere, Dr. Tashion Macon recently released her book, "Coming in Hot: A Blueprint for Black Women Setting the World Ablaze.”

According to Macon, “Coming in Hot” is a movement, a call to action, for Black women, the corporate entities that employ them, and the allies dedicated to their success and equitable consideration and inclusion in the C-Suite.

Starting her career in Atlanta and LaFace Records, Macon witnessed the beauty of careers like Dr. Dre, Toni Braxton, Usher, TLC, OutKast, Pink, and more.

"Coming in Hot” offers rich narratives, proven strategies, and personal insights that cater to the ambitious and dreamers, catalyze change-makers, and applaud trailblazers everywhere.

In an article by Forbes, Despite the growing rate of Black women with college degrees, there is still a significant earnings disparity, where Black women are typically paid only 67 cents for every dollar paid to white men, resulting in a staggering $2.1 million earnings loss throughout a 40-year career.

Released in reflection of the research informing Equal Pay Day, Macon introduced the “Hotlist,” a framework empowering Black women to count the costs and the coins as they cultivate a career arc as authentic and unique as they are.

The Atlanta Voice: What inspired your book, “Coming In Hot: A Blueprint for Black Women Setting the World Ablaze”?

Tashion Macon: I attended my nephew’s graduation from Howard University, and I noticed every time they called a young black lady's name, she was Magna Cum Laude, with a 4.0 GPA, ready to go, every time they called her name. Because I have a background in the entertainment industry, it made me think about how being a female academic is equal to being a female artist; there are more of us than opportunities. So, how do I help the next generation? What book could I write that I wish I would have had at her age so I could count the cost and the coins to craft the right career for me? That turned into Coming in Hot.

AV: You refer to your book as the blueprint. Tell me how you came up with this and what it symbolizes.

TM: The blueprint is around understanding this arc of a black woman's career from age 22. From entry-level to emerging leader to established executive to when you exit. I created a new framework called “Hotlist” in the book, and the hotlist lays out how I've seen careers shaped successfully in your 20s or 30s, 40s or 50s, and even in your 60s, so that's why it's called the blueprint. In the book, I call it happiness, and I talked to young women at every stage and age of life.

What would be paramount to your career success in your 20s, your 30s, your 40s, your 50s, your 60s?

AV: Speaking of the “Hotlist,” you released your book reflecting on equity in salaries. Talk to me a little about this.

TM: When we talk about equal pay day, and Women's Equality Day is coming up in August, we talk about equality holistically being economically and emotionally environmental. When I wrote the Hotlist, this new framework revolved around a woman's emotional and economic health at the same time. Make sure that as you decide about your career, you count the cost and the coins and understand what you may want to do or experience at certain ages. I'm strongly encouraging entry-level executives to consider working abroad. Why? If you can work remotely, living in certain places is far less expensive than in some of the major cities we're in. It allows you to count the coins. So, when you come back to your native country, if that's what you choose, you are financially positioned to purchase something because real estate is still the foundation of wealth building in this nation.

AV: What can corporations do to go be-

yond performative gestures?

TM: I think what we've seen with the rollback of affirmative action, the completion of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB), the pledges that were around George Floyd, that never really happened, was more transactional than transformative. I do think that what corporations can do is read this book so they understand how black women, particularly, are experiencing these spaces. It's challenging to be the most degreed and the least paid for no reason. So, the first thing I would say is to level the economic playing field and pay a Black woman at the level of her degree if she is the most degree and the most denied. So, I think corporations must level the playing field economically and do right by the degree of this Black woman who is getting master’s and PhDs.

AV: What is something you learned about yourself from writing your book?

TM: I wish I would have included myself. I was a first-generation graduate in my family and helped get several people in my family through college. I've been blessed to make a good life financially, but I come from very humble beginnings when you are the first in that kind of context. I grew up in East St. Louis, Illinois. I've sold, and I've sold, and I've sold, and I didn't necessarily reserve any for myself. Writing the book helped me, mainly when I was writing about the hotlist in the framework of the future.

AV: What advice would you give Black women wanting to write and publish a book?

TM: Do it, girl. Do it. When there's a story in you, it's meant to be told, and there are so many ways now to write a book, tell your story, and convey the message that you believe is meaningful.

What’s Next?

As far as what’s next for Macon, she said a seven-city book tour is coming soon, possibly including Martha’s Vineyard.

“I’m excited about that possibility,” she said. “I’m taking ‘Coming in Hot’ and converting it into an evergreen calendar, so women can always turn the page on their blaze.”

She will also turn the book into an affordable curriculum so that women can purchase it and do self-guided studies.

The hardback/hardcover will be coming out soon, and the e-book will be available now. Copies are available on Amazon. For more information about Macon, visit https:// www.tashionmacon.com.

To purchase a copy of Macon’s book, visit https://www.amazon.com/Coming-HotBlueprint-Setting-Ablaze/dp/177482227X.

The hardback/hardcover edition of “Coming in Hot’ will be coming out soon, according to author Dr. Tashion Macon. The E-book is available now on Amazon. For more information about Macon, visit https://www.tashionmacon.com. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice

Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice

Biden Administration Announces Big Investment Totals for HBCUs

Brooklyn Tea hosts Camp HBCYouth fundraiser

BY NOAH WASHINGTON

Ablock party and fundraiser for Camp HBCYouth was hosted by Brooklyn Tea, one of the newer businesses in the Castleberry Hill area, last week.

Camp HBCYouth is an educational summer day camp inspired by Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Camp HBCYouth was founded by Spelman College alumnus Regan Fresnel and Morehouse College alumnus Brian Wright. Fresnel, originally from Baltimore, Maryland, graduated in 2018 with a degree in political science. Her college years were marked by significant involvement in community programming and politics, including work with the Georgia House of Representatives and the Black Caucus in Atlanta. Despite her promising start in politics, Fresnel felt a pull towards direct social impact.

After interning with JP Morgan while at Spelman, Fresnel realized her passion lay in community work rather than politics. She initially founded Camp Achieve in partnership with Morgan State University, serving over 100 children weekly. Her vision expanded, leading to the establishment of a second camp location at another HBCU, Tennessee State University, in 2022, which included unique activities such as daily tennis lessons.

Upon returning to Atlanta, Fresnel met Brian Wright, owner of Six Degrees Marketing, in 2021. Wright, a Morehouse graduate from Brooklyn, New York, with a degree in marketing, who co-owns the agency, which is dedicated to community initiatives. Together, Fresnel and Wright expanded Camp Achieve, rebranding it as Camp HBCYouth. They aimed to establish programs on multiple HBCU campuses in Atlanta, including Morehouse College and, starting in the summer of 2025, Clark Atlanta University.

“The main initiative of the HBCUs Foundation is to service youth. We want to empower black youth, we want to give them exposure to higher education,” Fresnel explained.

Brooklyn Tea, co-owned by Spelman alumnae Kerri-Ann T. Thomas and her fellow Spelmanite Jamila Wright, embraced the opportunity to support Camp HBCYouth. Thomas, a 2010 Spelman graduate with a dual degree in philosophy and psychology, emphasized the importance of community-focused initiatives. “What's

the footprint you're trying to leave? What's the impact you're aiming for? They knew what we were doing and what we were about, so they connected with us,” said Thomas. Brooklyn Tea regularly hosts monthly events, such as First Saturdays, to support local vendors and artists.

During the fundraiser, Brooklyn Tea, which opened earlier this year, distributed pamphlets and flyers with QR codes linking to the donation site. The money that was raised will be to support Camp HBCYouth, which will operate from June 3 to August 2 at Morehouse College and Tennessee State University. The camp provides a safe and enriching environment for children, featuring academic projects, leadership development, and recreational activities. Registration is currently open at $200 per child.

Brian Wright shared his journey to Morehouse College, influenced by his aunt who insisted he attend despite his initial reluctance. Reflecting on his time there, he expressed gratitude for the supportive network and lifelong connections he made, including his business partner Fresnel and peers like Thomas. Wright says he aims to share with the students that attend the camp, “We could then have a pathway of understanding like, hey, remember when we were in elementary school, and we went to Morehouse College or remember when we went to Morgan State or when we went to TSU?. We want them to have early experience in that,” Wright said.

To learn more visit https://camphbcyouth.com/

A block party and fundraiser for Camp HBCYouth was hosted by Brooklyn Tea, of the newer Black-owned businesses in the Castleberry Hill area, last week. Photos By Noah Washington/ The Atlanta Voice

5 Organizations Promoting Youth Entrepreneurship

BY AZIAH SIID

From hair products mogul Madame C.J. Walker to Pinky Cole, CEO of Slutty Vegan Foods, the Black community has a long tradition of inspiring and nurturing entrepreneurs.

The creativity and determination to build a successful business from the ground up — and seeing a venture shine — can be immensely satisfying, and the call to create one is enduring. According to the most recent official numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau, there are nearly 3.6 million Black-owned businesses, employing millions of people nationwide.

Now, with platforms like TikTok, Shopify, and other methods, Black youth are turning their interest and passions into profits. For students with an entrepreneurial spirit, there are organizations across the country specifically designed to help them plan a venture, fund it, and more. Check out five of them here:

1. Black Girl Ventures Foundation

In its mission to provide Black women and girls with access to “community, capital, and capacity,” Black Girl Ventures has funded

hundreds of thousands of small businesses across the nation, helping transform dreams into realities.

Founded in 2016 by entrepreneur and computer scientist Shelly Bell, the nonprofit foundation has multiple programs targeting tech-enabled businesses generating under $1M. Their funding model uniquely combines the premise of hit television shows Shark Tank and Kickstarter by activating “community participation in donating to support women-owned businesses directly”.

BGV currently has three signature programs: BGV Pitch, BGV NextGen, BGV Emerging Leaders. It is currently the largest ecosystem builder for Black and brown women founders on the East Coast.

2. The Hidden Genius Project

The Hidden Genius Project trains and mentors Black boys in technology creation, entrepreneurship, and leadership, skills that can help transform their lives and communities.

Founded in Oakland in 2012, the Project is the brainchild of five Black men who were unnerved by the juxtaposition between high Black male unemployment and the abundance of career opportunities in nearby Silicon Valley.

To bridge that gap, the founders established a program to connect young Black males with the skills, mentors, and experiences that they need to become high-performing tech-sector workers and entrepreneurs.

3. The NAACP Powershift Entrepreneur Grant

Along with fighting social injustice, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People also aims to build Black entrepreneurial pipeline.

In conjunction with Medium Rare and The Shark Group, the NAACP is in its fourth year of the annual NAACP Powershift Entrepreneur Grant. The grant empowers Black entrepreneurs and businesses through funding and resources and, in previous years, has contributed immensely to the growth of Black businesses across the nation.

4.

Center for Black Entrepreneurship

The Center for Black Entrepreneurship stems from the long-standing history of creative programming at Spelman College and Morehouse College, both in Atlanta.

In partnership with Spelman and Morehouse, the Black Economic Alliance Foundation founded the first-ever academic center

of its kind to directly produce, train, and support young Black entrepreneurial talent.

According to the site, the CBE seeks to “eliminate the access barrier between Black entrepreneurs, professional investors, and business builders by leveraging education, mentorship, access to capital, and opportunity.”

Building on an existing culture of strong entrepreneurship programs at both historically-black colleges, , the CBE is intended to help expand the ecosystem and continue to grow the pipeline of Black innovation.

5. The Young Entrepreneurs of Color Pitch Competition

A creation of The Abercrumbie Group, the Young Entrepreneurs of Color Pitch Competition launched in 2021 to connect African American and Latinx high schoolers and would-be entrepreneurs to training, resources, and mentorship for highschool students in grades 10-12.

The program features an interactive oneweek paid internship in July for students and young professionals. They’ll work together in teams and learn about entrepreneurship, team building, pitching business ideas, and providing solutions for real-life scenarios when running a company.

How compensation compares between Georgia staff and travel nurse

ALS Association's initiatives raise awareness and support

BY CLAYTON GUTZMORE

Hope is a strong emotion that can propel us through any challenge that confronts us. A group of people who radiate hope are members of the Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) community. ALS is a neurodegenerative disease that, unfortunately, doesn't have a cure. According to the ALS Association, people who are diagnosed with ALS usually have two to five years to live. Even with that grim circumstance, people with ALS Exude hope and still enjoy life while they have it. The ALS association seeks to support people with ALS and their caregivers. With empathy and enthusiasm, this organization desires to give those with this disease a chance to live and experience the world before the end of their journey.

"ALS is a devastating disease Physically, emotionally, and financially. This needs more awareness because we should care about people's opportunity to live, love, and engage with a world in ways that are mean-

ingful to them," said Dean Feener, Chief Information Officer of the ALS Association.

The ALS Association has several projects underway to raise awareness of the disease.

The #ShareYourALSStory campaign began on May 1. This initiative highlights people living with ALS and reveals their daily realities. ALS is such a crushing disease because your brain is losing its ability to control your muscles. This extends to involuntary muscles. The damage of ALS can lead to a person losing their ability to breathe, and the last thing they can control is twitching their eye. As technology advances, it becomes a more vital crutch for the ALS community to rely on to operate.

"A breakthrough for ALS is how technology supports people in the ALS community. Apple has a personal voice. It's where you can record different phrases on your iPhone, and it creates your voice. I think as technology continues to expand and grow. There will be ways for people with ALS to continue engaging in the world around them in mean-

ingful ways," said Feener.

Feener further explains that much of the association's support in communities like Atlanta comes through exciting technology solutions. The ALS Association partners with many companies to aid people with the disease. They recently launched a dropship program that allows equipment to be delivered to their homes—the organization partners with the CDC to register ALS members to engage in healthcare research. The association partnered with a British company called Nouveau Air to deliver remote spectrometer devices. This equipment measures lung capacity and how someone breathes. The data from the spectrometer is sent to a pulmonologist or a breathing medical specialist.

A moment of fun that illuminated ALS was the viral Ice Bucket Challenge. In 2014, 17 million people worldwide participated in recording themselves pouring a bucket of ice water over their heads. Launched by Anthony Senerchia, Pete Frates, and Pat Quinn, three young men with ALS, the trend raised

The Ice Bucket Challenge was the most significant event that brought awareness to ALS.

"This was probably the first viral fundraising phenomenon. Since the Ice Bucket Challenge, we've supported more than 550 projects in the United States and 18 other countries with $154 million. People's generosity has had a great impact," said Feener. Summer 2024 marks the tenth anniversary of the Ice Bucket Challenge. The ALS Association celebrates the noteworthy moment by challenging everyone to fill their buckets and do it again. Using the hashtag #icebucket10, you can watch recent videos of people dumping cold water on their heads for a good cause.

ALS is a life-altering disease that draws a substantial emotional toll on individuals and their family members. The ALS Association continues to advocate, support, and fundraise for people in this community so no more people have to pay for it.

115 million dollars for ALS research and care.

ALS is a life-altering disease that draws a substantial emotional toll on individuals and their family members. The ALS Association continues to advocate, support, and fundraise for people in this community so no more people have to pay for it. Photo Credit: iStock.com/Zerbor

Tech Association of Georgia partners with Kairos for investor readiness bootcamp

3rd Annual Rick Ross Car & Bike Show

PHOTOS BY JULIA BEVERLY/THE ATLANTA VOICE

Getting regular exercise in 2024

Atlanta United loses fifth straight at home, fires manager

BY DONNELL SUGGS

Charlotte came into the match with a record of 6- 4- 6 and seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings. Atlanta (now 4-4-8 overall), though further down in the standings, brought momentum with them back to Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday. A victory at Inter Miami on Wednesday was the team’s first victory on the road this season. It didn’t matter, as Charlotte managed to win in Atlanta again, this time 3-2 in front of 61,209 fans. The loss was the team's fifth consecutive at home. "We are playing good, but when you don't score the goals in key moments you suffer," Atlanta United manager Gonzalo Pineda said after the match.

The team announced Pineda’s firing Monday afternoon and held a virtual press conference at 3pm Pineda was 34-3429 overall as manager. Assistant coach Rob Valentino was announced as the interim manager. Valentino has been with the club since 2018 and once served as interim manager for eight matches in 2021.

Something had to give

Atlanta went ahead 1-0 in the 35th minute following a strike from Thiago Almada. The shot came off a reflection of a Saba shot/pass and came straight down to Almada, who took it out of the air and put Almada earned a yellow card during the goal celebration for taking his jersey off. Prior to the goal, Atlanta had dominated the first-half possession (at the half, the possession rate was 57.6%-42.3% in favor of Atlanta). Something had to give.

Charlotte managed to tie the match at 1-1 on an own goal from Atlanta United defender Derrick Williams, who up until that point was playing what could be considered a perfect match, in the 40th minute.

Second half: Goals galore

The second half started slow until Charlotte took the lead

STREET LINES

at 2-1 following a goal from forward Liel Abada in the 56th minute. Pineda made three substitutions in the 62nd minute, including bringing striker Giorgos Giakoumakis into the fold. That didn’t help the team defensively, as Abada scored another goal in the 68th minute to put Charlotte ahead 3-1. One of those Atlanta substitutions, Xande Silva, pulled Atlanta back within a goal on a strike in the 76th minute.

"I think we needed today's three points. Today’s victory was pivotal for the mentality of the team," Pineda said.

2024 F-Type R75 AWD Convertible

BY DENNIS MALCOLM BYRON AKA ALE SHARPTON

When it comes to this F-Type convertible linage, I proclaim that the 2024 R75 will be an immediate classic to have in your garage since this is the last Jaguar model last year using traditional fuel. This prestigious carmaker’s strategy going forward is to produce fully electric models, which is very much understandable when it comes to supporting sustainability and simply embracing the demand for the power source coming straight from plugging into an outlet. However, if your driving preference is opting for raw power, invigorating throttle, and owning

the last petroleum-powered F-Type ever produced, this is a sports car to get. Regarding the designation of this particular model, the “R” stands for racing, and 75 celebrates the existence of the automaker.

Now let’s drive.

Jaguar doesn’t hold back in the thrill department; the hair-raising 575 horsepower and 516 lb.-ft. of toque sourced from the massive 5.0 liter, supercharged eight-cylinder engine, and all-wheel drive maneuverability confirms this. Heads will

An Aggressive Saba makes Atlanta a very dangerous side:

Before the first 10 minutes of the match had been played, Atlanta United midfielder Saba Lobjanidze took three shotson-goal. Though all three, one directly in front of the Charlotte net, were misses, his aggression set the tone for the team during the first half. Atlanta United is a much better team with an aggressive Saba on the pitch. His two goals against Inter Miami last week are proof of that.

Two in a row in goal:

Atlanta United goalkeeper Josh Cohen earned a consecutive start on Sunday after helping the team to a road win at Inter Miami on Wednesday. Cohen had a season-high four saves and only surrendered a single goal to Lionel Messi during the 3-1 victory. Cohen made a number of big saves during the match, including in the first half on a diving save with his team ahead 1-0. On the own goal in the first half, Cohen believed he saved it from going in but hadn't had an opportunity to see the replay yet.

"I feel like I got my hand where the ball was on the line," said Cohen in the locker room after the match.

What’s

Next:

Following the international break, Atlanta United will host Houston on Saturday, June 15. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Following that match, Atlanta will play consecutive road matches at D.C. and St. Louis on Wednesday, June 19, and Saturday, June 22. The last time Atlanta played D.C., they watched D.C. United and former Premier League striker Christian Benteke scored three goals during a 3-2 victory for D.C.

Asked if he thinks just winning a couple of matches could change the aura around the team right now, Pineda said he agreed. "I think the team played to win, the effort, the chances, the energy that they put into winning," said Pineda.

turn as well thanks to the 20-inch wheels, pair of dual exhaust pipes, rear lip spoiler, sexy LED lighting, vibrant brake calipers, and signature elongated hood. The fully automatic convertible crown collapses directly behind the cabin at the flick of a switch, which explains why the trunk is extraordinarily spacious for a coupe. This review model’s optional “Giola Green” ($950) is a gorgeous racing color that’s very prestigious across the pond and worth the extra grand.

Inside, the ebony and tan leather cockpit is plush with Windsor seats hugging both passengers once they sink in. When activating the 12.3inch digital display, 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and welcomed knobs for the dual-zone climate control, everything is user friendly. The driver will appreciate

the multiple camera angles, various driving modes, theateresque 380watt Meridian sound system, and eight-speed automatic transmission complete with paddles as well.

While this F-Type starts at $115,000, the owner will appreciate the nubuck-edged floor mats ($100); full leather upgrade package ($2,550); and Giola paint.

Ultimately, let me reinforce my claim that the XJ is an instant classic, so if you value all the power and thrills the last gas engine of the F-Type Jaguar will ever produce, find one and do you!

Fuel Economy: 16 city/24 highway/18 combined

Price: The 2024 F-Type is $115,060 MSRP, and $119,875 including options, handling, processing and delivery as reviewed.

For more information, visit Jaguarusa.com.

Photos courtesy of Jaguar

Atlanta United announced the firing of manager Gonzalo Pineda (above, following Sunday’s 3-2 loss to Charlotte) on Monday afternoon. Pineda was 34-34-29 overall as manager.

Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta United

BY STAFF REPORT

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

Photo courtesy of Walt Disney World

CLEAN ENERGY for a Growing Georgia

With the completion of our newest nuclear power unit at Plant Vogtle, Georgia is now home to the largest generator of clean energy in the United States.

Learn more at georgiapower.com/vogtle.