The Atlanta Voice E-Edition 110124 by theatlantavoice633

Next Stop: Super Tuesday

President Kamala Harris (above with former United States President Barack Obama in Clarkston last week)

former United States President Donald Trump, have had celebrities

high-profile politicians campaign on their behalf. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice

ONLINE Do You Know Where Your Polling Place Is?

Celebrity Jeopardy

BY DONNELL SUGGS

The 44th President of the United States finished his speech and grabbed the right arm of the first female Vice President of the United States. He raised her arm to the sky, and more than 20,000 supporters inside a high school football stadium in a small town cheered in unison.

Former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan walked out a tunnel at Madison Square Garden waving an American flag. He performed his trademark hand-to-ear move and received an ovation from the large crowd in attendance for a rally for former United States President Donald Trump. He was followed by Dr. Phil.

The use of celebrities and notable politicians has ramped up the past few weeks as early voting ends around the country with less than a week till Election Day, November 5. Former First Lady Michelle Obama was in Michigan and Georgia in support of Harris as well.

United States Vice President Kamala Harris returned to Georgia for what, at least on paper, looked like the biggest rally of the Democratic presidential campaign. There have been large crowds in Atlanta, Savannah, Cobb County, and even in little old Liberty County, but this was different, if nothing else, because the guests she was planning to bring on stage with her at James R. Hallford Stadium in Clarkston, a small city in DeKalb County, were larger than life.

“Make no mistake, we will win, or as a certain former President once said, yes, we can,” Harris said.

The stadium in Clarkston has a capacity of 15,000, but that doesn’t include risers and folding chairs on the field. There were reports of more than 20,000 people at the rally. By the time the rally began, there wasn’t room for another folding chair on the field or another person in the stands. By the looks of it, this was the largest rally of the campaign thus far.

Harris would take the stage with Obama for the first time during this run for the White House. The two have been good friends for decades, dating back to when Harris knocked on doors for him in California during Obama’s first presidential run. Along with Obama, singer/songwriter Bruce Springsteen, actor and director Tyler Perry, award-winning actor and Morehouse College alum Samuel L. Jackson, and director and New York Knicks and Liberty super-fan Spike Lee were along for the ride.

The list of people who met the Vice President at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport a few hours earlier was almost as long as the guest list for her rally. Atlan-

Still, their respective counties, DeKalb and Clayton, were among the many in Georgia that turned in big

numbers of early voters during the first 10 days of the early voting period. As of Sunday afternoon, Georgia had well over two million votes cast. Trump spent time alongside Georgia It. Governor Burt Jones in Zebulon, Georgia, another small city.

“We cannot be hoodwinked, led astray,” said Lee during his time on the stage. “Sisters and brothers, now is the time to choose our way forward. This is a life and death situation.”

Lee left the stage holding a pair of Kamala Harris campaign signs above his head.

Springsteen came on stage and performed a trio of songs; “The Promise Land,” “The Land of Hope and Dreams,” and “Dancing in the Dark.”

Before he took his leave, he said, “I want a President who reveres the Constitution, who believes in the rule of law, and the peaceful transfer of power.”

Georgia Senators Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff both spoke to the crowd.

Movie mogul Tyler Perry may have had the most poignant message. He spoke about coming from nothing, finding his calling in

ta Mayor Andre Dickens, Congresswoman Lucy McBath, and Congresswoman Nikema Williams were among the welcome party.

McBath even wore a pink Rosie the Riveter/ Kamala Harris t-shirt for the occasion.

Like Stonecrest and Jonesboro last Sunday, Clarkston was a different place to hold events and rallies.

Former two-term United States President Bill Clinton (center) visited Fort Valley, Georgia, on Sunday, Oct. 13, to stump for the Harris-Walz campaign. Photo by Julia Beverly/The Atlanta Voice

Filmmaker, Morehouse Man, Brooklyn native, and New York Knicks super-fan Spike Lee appeared in Clarkston on Thursday night. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice

“Love takes off the masks we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within.”— James Baldwin

Black Retirees Growing Older and Poorer

2025 Social Security COLA lowest in 10 years

BY CHARLENE CROWELL

As Americans live longer, the ability to remain financially independent is an ongoing struggle. Especially for Black and other people of color whose lifetime incomes are often lower than that of other contemporaries, finding money to save for ‘old age’ is particularly daunting.

According to the National Council on Aging, racial and ethnic minorities accounted for one in 4 adults aged 65 and older in 2022. In that same year, the average 65-year-old could expect to live another 18 years or longer, on a median income of $29,740.

In 2022, the average yearly Social Security benefit for Black men ages 65 and older was $15,345, and for Black women was only $13,755. However, the average annual Social Security income for all 65 or older men was $18,910, and for all older women was $14,824.

In past generations retiring workers often received a gold watch, pension, and company-sponsored health insurance. But today’s retirees face far different circumstances. With few remaining pensions available, most workers must look to themselves for financial security in their old age. And Social Security has become a financial lifeline.

When enacted in 1935during the throes of the Great Depression, Social Security was a ground-breaking federal social safety net for retirees. Financed by payroll taxes that began in 1937, both employees and their employers paid into the program. A 1939 amendment to the law expanded the program to include survivor benefits for retirees’ widows and children, commonly known today as SSI. In 1956 disability benefits were added in a second expansion.

To compensate beneficiaries for rises in cost of living, an annual Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) began in 1975. Prior to 1972, only special acts of Congress could increase benefits.

Today, more than 80 years later, 68 million retirees and 4.5 million other program participants recently learned that a 2.5 percent COLA increase will be added to their monthly checks – even lower than the 2.6 percent decade-long average computed by Social Security. For retirees, the increase will begin in January. SSI beneficiaries will receive their increase with their December 31 payment.

Next year’s increase means the average retiree’s monthly $1,927 Social Security check will rise by $49. The monthly average for an elderly couple with both receiving benefits will be $3,089, from 2024’s $3,014 – a $75 increase. It is important to note that individual benefit

levels are determined by a formula that uses a worker’s highest earnings over a 34-year career. Should Medicare’s 2025 rates increase as expected, the net increase to retiree checks will be even less.

As the nation still struggles to cope with rising prices, the agency’s statement and those of elder advocates were polar opposites.

“Social Security benefits and SSI payments will increase in 2025, helping tens of millions of people keep up with expenses even as inflation has started to cool,” said Martin O'Malley, Commissioner of Social Security.

But according to AARP, when the projected Medicare increase is announced, most retirees will receive a net gain of only $10.20 in 2025.

“[E]ven with the COLA, we know many older Americans who rely on Social Security may find it hard to pay their bills,” Jo Ann Jenkins, AARP’s chief executive officer, said in a statement. “Social Security is the primary source of income for 40 percent of older Americans.”

AARP’s concerns are validated by findings in an April 2024 report from the Society of Actuaries Research Institute, entitled, Retirement Wealth by Race and Ethnicity: Differences, Trends and Contributing Factors

“Social Security provides a near-universal basic benefit, but many older adults, especially Black and Hispanic/Latino people and many people of other and multiple races and ethnicities, still struggle to meet the expenses they incur that are above those basic benefits because they have substantially fewer retirement savings, even after accounting for aspects such as education and income, than

is the case for white households,” states the report.

Key findings from the report include:

· White households with a college degree had a median retirement wealth of $273,500, compared to $160,323 for Hispanic/Latino households, and $119,000 for Black households with a college degree; and

· Over the past three decades, Black and Hispanic/Latino households, as well as households of other or multiple races or ethnicities, owned on average between one-third and 60% of the retirement wealth of white households. There is no robust indication of those gaps becoming smaller.

These retiree racial wealth gaps are framed as elder poverty in another report, “Who Counts as ‘Poor’ in America?, from the New York-based Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis.

“[I]magine being over 65 years old and trying to survive on $15,060 a year,” states the report. “According to official U.S. government poverty levels in 2024, one is considered “poor” in America – and thus qualifying for certain assistance – if their annual income is $15,060 or less for a single person, $31,200 for a family of four.”

The next Congress would be well-advised to get serious about the future solvency of Social Security. No one wants or should expect to become older and poorer.

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

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Spiritually Speaking: Personals

BY JAMES A. WASHINGTON

The

Atlanta Voice

Do you know many people who claim to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? Maybe they say they know the Holy Spirit intimately. Do you claim this? I suspect we all want to. Now, if you’re going to be honest, how many people do you know who really have that kind of spiritual connection? I think it’s pretty easy to understand the concept. However, I believe it is more than a notion to achieve if you use the natural world as your reference point. We have all had, at one time or another, a very personal relationship with another person. They are wonderful, at times painful, and at other times seemingly very traumatic. But make no mistake about it. They have been and are considered by you as extremely personal. In many cases, these relationships shape our character and define us as human beings, good and bad. Not only do deeply personal relationships define us, but they can also set our lives on a road we sometimes would otherwise choose not to go down.

Your relationships with your mother or father, brother or sister, family member, ex-lover, ex-spouse, or best friend can and do leave lasting impressions branded on your psyche. How we deal with and recover from personal relationships allows us to become who we are. You are extremely blessed if you can share your personal moments with others. Many of us keep them hidden in our secret places to treasure or cherish or, in many cases, despise. Isn’t it interesting that much of the road to salvation begins with a personal experience that some call “being or getting saved?” I understand it as puzzling to those who have not had this experience. How can you have a personal experience, a moment of enlightenment, with an invisible untouchable who has been dead for over two centuries? But if you have

had a real connection with someone who is now deceased or no longer in your life, you can testify how that person has and continues to have a profound effect on your very being. Even now, though they are gone, you respond to the knowledge of how he or she would respond and react to certain behaviors you wouldn’t want any of us to know you engage in. You know that person would be disappointed, maybe hurt. You also know what would make them very proud of you. Sometimes, you even act or react according to what you think they would expect of you. Now, that’s a personal relationship. And so it is with the Almighty. By faith in Jesus, belief in His deity, trying to live by His Word, understanding His sacrifice, these things, and much more, we all have begun this very personal trip. You cannot

have a personal relationship with a stranger. Only an idiot would submit themselves to the will of someone they just met yesterday. How many times have you spent a great deal of time with someone who ultimately turned out to be a complete and total stranger? I guess I’m saying we don’t have that relationship with God that we want simply because we don’t seek to establish it. We study Him not. We know Him not. A personal relationship with God is not measured by how often you attend church but rather by the depths to which you’ve been touched by His will because you were consciously and deliberately looking for Him. May God bless you and keep you always.

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

41st Annual Atlanta Mayor’s Masked Ball to celebrate UNCF’s 80th anniversary

Spelman College hosts Homecoming Convocation with Alumna Mo Ivory as Keynote Speaker

BY LAURA NWOGU

Spelman College ushered in the start of its homecoming with its annual convocation at Sisters Chapel on Thursday. Alumni, faculty, and students decked in blue and white packed the church's pews to kick off a weekend of events that will end with its joint SpelHouse tailgate.

Moraima “Mo” Ivory, attorney and director of Georgia State University’s Entertainment, Sports & Media Law Initiative, was the keynote speaker, and Spelman senior Destiny Blash moderated the chat.

Ivory, who is a Spelman alumna, discussed her journey from entertainment lawyer to V-103 radio host to being a guest correspondent on networks such as CNN and MSNBC. Outside of her media and entertainment law success, Ivory has aided and worked on political campaigns for Stacey Abrams and former U.S. president, President Barack Obama. She is also running for election to the Fulton County Board of Commissioners to represent District 4 in Georgia.

“You can easily maneuver through all these different things and end up in different in-

Food

dustries by having a very strong skill set in the things that you do and being reliable, being somebody that people can count on to show up, being presentable — like all the things that people want to see when they want to hire you to do something,” Ivory said.

Amid the excitement surrounding homecoming, the main goal of the convocation was to highlight students and encourage them in

their collegiate journeys. The first cohort of the Morgan Stanley HBCU Scholars Program, which provides full scholarships for HBCU students at Howard University, Morehouse College, and Spelman College, sat in the crowd.

The one thing Ivory wanted to leave students with is to put less pressure on what the future holds for them.

“You're already here, so you've already risen to a certain level being here. But I also want to tell you to give yourself grace and to enjoy this experience and not go through it completely stressed out about what you're not doing, what you're not accomplishing, what somebody else in your dorm is getting, or how you're not getting that internship. Everything that is meant for you will happen.”

Ashleigh McFadden of Nàdair shoots for the stars with Sommelier Award

BY LAURA NWOGU

The Michelin Guide returned to Atlanta on Monday after its debut in 2023, giving Atlanta area chefs and the city’s dining scene long-awaited recognition.

O By Brush, Staplehouse, Omakase Table and Spring were awarded one Michelin Star, and Masterpiece, Superica, Table & Main and Whoopsie’s were each honored with the Bib Gourmand distinction.

Among the additions to the Michelin Guide, Ashleigh McFadden of Nàdair, a Scottish restaurant opened by celebrity chef Kevin Gillespie, earned the Michelin Sommelier Award, a significant achievement in the world of wine professionals. According to studies, only 11.3% of sommeliers in the U.S. identify as Black, compared to 51.4% who identify as white. Of the 279 Master Sommeliers in the world, only four are Black.

The Micheline inspectors were impressed by McFadden’s refreshing and thoughtful approach to the wine program at Nàdair and her ability to introduce guests to bold new flavors, expand their palettes and take them on a journey they didn't expect.

“I feel like wine should be for everyone and anyone, and I feel like everyone should be able to find something they like,” McFadden said as she accepted her award.

For the second year in a row, The Michelin Guide did not award any Michelin stars to Black-owned restaurants or chefs in Atlanta. Only a handful of Black chefs have been awarded Michelin Stars, and it wasn’t until 2022 that Gerald Sombright became the first Black chef in the U.S. to be recognized with a Star. However, The Busy Bee and Bomb Biscuit Co. maintained its Bib Gourmand distinctions and Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours maintained its Michelin recommendation.

Spelman College kicked off its homecoming with a convocation featuring keynote speaker Moraima “Mo” Ivory, who encouraged students to enjoy their college experience and not stress about what they are not doing or achieving. Photo by Laura Nwogu/The Atlanta Voice

Ashleigh McFadden (above) of Nàdair, a Scottish restaurant opened by celebrity chef Kevin Gillespie, earned the Michelin Sommelier Award. Photo by Laura Nwogu/The Atlanta Voice

Election Central

Disinformation targeting Black men in U.S. election cycle

BY NOAH WASHINGTON

There are less than two weeks until the most powerful person in the free world is elected, and in the lead-up to the 2024 election, disinformation aimed at Black men has emerged as a significant concern. To address this issue, Jason "J" Carter, founder of ONE Musicfest, teamed up with Esosa Osa, founder, and CEO of Onyx Impact, to host a crucial panel discussion titled "FACT CHECK THE BULLSHIT & VOTE!: Why Black Men Are Being Targeted with Disinformation?" held on Oct. 23, at The Gathering Spot in Atlanta.

The event brought together a group of leaders to raise awareness about the harmful narratives targeting Black male voters and discuss strategies for resisting these tactics.

“Disinformation is as old as white supremacy. The tools and tactics may have evolved, but the goal has always been the same: to deter, deny, and disempower Black communities,” Osa said.

Onyx Impact is a nonprofit organization dedicated to combating harmful information ecosystems.

The panel was a high-profile gathering, featuring a lineup of speakers including former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, Grammy award-winning rapper Michael “Killer Mike” Render, Ryan Wilson, co-founder and CEO of The Gathering Spot (TGS); and Dr. Zackory Kirk. The event opened with remarks from Mo Ivory, Commissioner-Elect of Fulton County, who introduced the panelists featured in the dialogue.

Throughout the discussion, Osa provided

a detailed breakdown of three types of harmful information that have been used against Black communities: misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation. She explained, “Misinformation is simply incorrect information, like giving out the wrong polling hours. Disinformation is a lie spread with intent, such as deliberately providing wrong polling information to Black communities. Malinformation, however, is based in truth but is spread

with the intent to harm.”

Osa warned that all three forms are particularly dangerous during election cycles, where they are often amplified through social media to sow confusion and reduce voter turnout.

The panel also explored these tactics’ emotional and psychological impact on Black men. The goal, as the panelists discussed, is to weaken voter confidence and create feelings of disillusionment. Wilson spoke candidly about

why this conversation was urgently needed, explaining that the idea for the event originated from the passionate and community-focused individuals at ONE Musicfest. “When there are a lot of things at stake, you’ve got to put those things on the table and have a real conversation about it,” Wilson said. He further emphasized the importance of understanding how disinformation undermines democratic participation.

“We have to get people out to vote. And the only way you do that is you work with people already organizing,” Killer Mike told the attending audience.

Wilson also tackled concerns about Black men's voting habits and participation in the upcoming election. He was optimistic about Black men's involvement, highlighting that they have historically been the second-largest voting bloc for Democrats, following Black women. “We’re going to show up, and we’re ultimately going to win this election,” Wilson stated.

Closing out, each panelist stressed the urgency of recognizing and resisting disinformation, especially in an election cycle where false narratives are amplified through social media and other platforms. “The reason disinformation works is because the more times we hear something, the more likely we are to believe it’s true—and that’s why this recurring social media environment is so dangerous,” said Osa. The event aims to equip attendees with the tools to fact-check false narratives and ultimately ensure that Black men are informed, empowered, and ready to vote in the 2024 election.

Georgia’s Black voters near 873,000 ballots as early voting period ends

BY DONNELL SUGGS

Georgia has seen a record number of Black voters cast ballots during the early voting period. Nearly 873,000 Black Georgians voted before Election Day, according to data from the Secretary of State’s Office.

During a press conference on the South Steps of the Georgia State Capitol on Wednesday morning, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and Georgia Secretary of State’s Office Chief Operating Officer Gabriel Sterling addressed the media about the upcoming elections. During that press conference, The Atlanta Voice asked Sterling if he knew the 872,510 votes was a record.

Sterling said he didn’t have the numbers in front of him, but it was safe to assume that it has been a record-setting performance by Black voters.

Raffensperger, both he and Sterling are Republicans, said this is going to be a “tight election” but “it’s going to be a close election in all battleground states” so Georgia voters should expect a long Super Tuesday night.

The early voting period ended on Friday, November 1, and with a 45% statewide turnout, there has been a record number of votes cast in Georgia, a crucial battleground state for United States Vice President Kamala Harris and

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz; and former United States President Donald Trump and his running mate Ohio Senator J.D. Vance.

There have been 3.2 million votes cast thus far, according to election data from the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office. In comparison to the first 16 days of early voting in 2016 (1.3 million voters) and 2020 (2.1 million voters), this year’s efforts dwarf any other records that were previously set.

As to be expected, the majority of the votes come from metro Atlanta where the majority of the state’s voters reside, but there have also been record-breaking turnouts in smaller and mid-sized counties up and down the state.

Fulton County – 341,786

Cobb – 239,194

DeKalb – 220,752

Gwinnett – 240,672

Clayton – 64,728

Chatham County, where Savannah is the largest and most populated city, saw 73,994 residents vote early, while Cherokee County (94,991), Henry County (81,593), Forsyth (90,309), Coweta (51,525), Richmond (40,837), and Paulding (52,231) also saw record turnouts during the early voting period, according to data from the Secretary of State’s Office.

From Left to right: Jason “J” Carter, founder of ONE Musicfest, Dr. Zackory Kirk, Killer Mike, Former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, and Esosa Osa. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice

Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (above) during a press conference at the State Capitol on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024. Raffensperger spoke to the media about a number of election-related topics including the record turnout. “Georgia voters are smashing through every voting record,” he said.” Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice

Continued from page 2

Atlanta, and how the Tyler Perry Studios campus in East Point is built on land formerly Fort McPherson, a Confederate army base.

On Sunday, Oct. 27 inside Madison Square Garden, which is located in the heart of New York City, Hogan, Dr. Phil, Tucker Carlson, former Independent presidential candidates Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard took the stage to stump for Trump. Dr. Phil used his time on stage to explain how Trump doesn’t deserve his “bully” tag. Carlson said Harris had no professional qualifications and Hogan made references to his glory days as a wrestler in Madison Square Garden during the 80’s and 90’s.

All three men have huge followings on their respective social media platforms and multimedia pursuits, as does Obama, Perry, and Beyonce’, who spoke alongside former Destiny’s Child bandmate and longtime friend Kelly Rowland on Saturday night in Houston.

On Monday in Philadelphia, Obama was back, but this time the musician of choice was John Legend. His songs of choice were “A Change is Going to Come” by the late great Sam Cooke and “Wake Up Everybody” by Philadelphia’s own Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. On Tuesday in College Park, Obama’s wife, former First Lady Michelle

Obama, visited the Peach State alongside other female industry leaders, such as television producer and screenwriter Shonda Rhimes.

Trump brought Georgia Congresswoman Majorie Taylor Greene and former collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines to what looks to be his final rally in Atlanta at McCamish Pavilion on Monday night.

Whether or not celebrity support makes a difference will be seen on Tuesday.

Actor and Morehouse Man Samuel L. Jackson. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice

Tyler Perry (above) spoke about his studio on land once home to a Confederate army base. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice

Arts

Custom Made: Fruition Hat Co.

Art, Grief, and Community

BY NOAH WASHINGTON

On Thursday, Oct. 24, Atlanta Contemporary welcomed visitors to its newest anchor exhibits: WE KEEP US SAFE, A Sorcery of Sustenance, and Donald Locke: Nexus

“We have three major gallery experiences, so having new works in these spaces at the same time allows us to maximize our ability to present a range of artistic work while attracting a diverse audience,” said Floyd Hall, curator of the A Sorcery of Sustenance and executive director of The Atlanta Contemporary Gallery.

A Sorcery of Sustenance by Masud Olufani, delves into the cultural retentions of the African diaspora through food. Tatiana Bell's WE KEEP US SAFE captures collective grief and resistance, while Donald Locke: Nexus highlights the artist’s exploration of his journey from Guyana to the United States.

A Sorcery of Sustenance: Food as Cultural Memory

Masud Olufani’s exhibit, A Sorcery of Sustenance, highlights the connection between food and memory. Olufani, who uses sculptures made from traditional African American food sources such as rice, yams, and black-eyed peas, Olufani spoke to The Atlanta Voice and explained the central idea behind his work: “Eating, consuming food is not just a rote exercise. There's another level to food consumption that involves memory, cultural retention, history, and meaning.”

The inspiration for A Sorcery of Sustenance came from Olufani’s travels to West Africa. In 2022, after receiving the results of his ancestry test, which traced his lineage to the Mende people of Sierra Leone, Olufani decided to visit the continent. “I went back to Sierra Leone two years ago to connect with my ancestors,” he said, “ I also visited Ghana while I was there. I was just very observant, watching how people process food, the foods we ate, going into villages, and how people climbed trees and tapped for palm oil.” His observations led him to recognize deep connections between the foods of West Africa and those eaten by African Americans today, particularly in the Black community.

For Olufani, food consumption is a form of magic—“a sorcery,” as he calls it—because when we eat, we consume nutrients and a culture’s history and identity. “If I'm taking in food from another culture, I'm consuming part of their history and memory,” he elaborated.

WE KEEP US SAFE: Honoring Collective Grief

Tatiana Bell’s exhibit, WE KEEP US SAFE, similarly explores memory but through the lens of collective grief. Bell’s - inspired by the Defend the Forest movement, cited “the murder of Tortuguita,” an Indigenous queer and non-binary environmental activist and forest defender, "I was feeling lost in terms of how I could show

up for the movement and my community," Bell explained. This sense of loss and the desire to create a space for collective healing drove her to begin working in a greenhouse at South River Art Studios, located in Southeast Atlanta.

The installation pays homage to the grief of people from various movements, with contributions from those involved in the Black Lives Matter movement and those advocating for justice in Palestine and for environmental causes.

"It was a journey of finding a place that felt safe," Bell said. The exhibit’s video piece features voices from protests, notes read aloud by friends, and the voice of Tortuguitas’ mother, who attended one of Bell’s grief gatherings on the anniversary of her child’s death. “We keep our stories alive by word of mouth and feeling solidarity in whatever grief we’re feeling,” Bell emphasized.

For Bell, the exhibit is a reflection of political movements and a space for personal grief.

“It doesn’t have to be as big as a movement. It’s also a lot of personal grief and about honoring the importance of grieving,” she said. She hopes that visitors to the exhibit will leave with a deeper understanding of the power of mem-

ory and the need to honor both individual and collective losses.

Donald Locke: Nexus

Donald Locke: Nexus, a tribute to the late Donald Locke, a Guyanese artist whose influence spanned continents and decades. Curated by Grace Aneiza Ali, Nexus showcases Locke’s work and marks a return to the studio space where his journey in Atlanta began more than 30 years ago.

Grace Aneiza Ali, a fellow Guyanese, curated the exhibit with a personal connection. “As a curator, it's always a blessing to be able to work on an artist from the place you're from,” she explained. Ali had worked with Locke’s art before, but Nexus holds a special significance. “He was one of the first 12 artists in 1992 to move into the Nexus studios [at Atlanta Contemporary],” Ali recounted. “Thirty years later, we're literally back on hallowed ground. And the work you see in the room is the work he made while he was literally in the studio down the hall.”

Locke's journey is the transnational artist experience. He migrated from Guyana to the United Kingdom and eventually to the United

States. His work—rooted in these cross-cultural experiences—explores themes of identity, memory, and the intersection of personal and cultural histories. Ali’s curatorial process, steeped in their shared heritage, sought to honor Locke’s artistic legacy and the rich Guyanese community from which he hailed.

Locke’s art challenges traditional categories, merging the boundaries between painting and sculpture. His ability to infuse structure with deep symbolic meaning is a recurring theme in his work. Ali emphasized this: “Donald was such an incredible master of form. He would treat the back of his paintings as equally important as the front. He constructed the structures to hold his paintings, and then he would coat them with all of these things that you're not necessarily meant to understand what they are. But he was pushing the boundaries between painting and sculpture. Is it sculpture, or is it architecture?”

Visitors walk through the exhibit and encounter 15 paintings and four sculptures. The structures Locke created defy easy classification. His experimental techniques were designed to provoke thought and conversation, and Nexus does exactly that. “Donald’s work wasn’t meant to fit into neat categories,” Ali explained. “He wanted to challenge our perceptions of what art could be, and he succeeded in doing that.”

One of Ali’s favorite pieces in the exhibit isn’t a painting or a sculpture but a photograph of Locke himself. “This is him standing in his studio down the hall,” she said, pointing to the image. “I love this photo of him. It brings everything together.” The photograph, enlarged to a scale, captures Locke in a moment of creation— bringing viewers back to the origins of his artistic practice at Atlanta Contemporary.

The three anchor exhibits will be on display till Feb. 2, 2025.

WE KEEP US SAFE, A Sorcery of Sustenance, and Donald Locke: Nexus are now at Atlanta Contemporary. Photo by Noah Washington/ The Atlanta Voice

The Mark of Brer Nancy, 1995 by Locke. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice

WHEN WE VOTE, WE WIN.

When our rights are on the line we fight and when they’re on the ballot we vote, because we’re not going back.

The economy is on the ballot.

Health care is on the ballot.

Criminal justice reform is on the ballot.

Reproductive freedom is on the ballot.

Environmental justice is on the ballot.

The right to vote is on the ballot.

If we do our part and show up to the polls, we will make history (again)!

Let’s vote for progress and the future we deserve. Vote for the leader who’s been fighting for us for years.

Election Day is November 5th. Vote for Kamala Harris.

“A Different Brunch” highlights HBCU’s for Harris

Tobacco use among middle school and high school students declines to 10.1%

BY CLAYTON GUTZMORE

The FDA and CDC report has good news. According to the data from the National Youth Tobacco Survey, tobacco use among middle school and high school students has declined. The numbers show a drop from 12.6 percent to 10.1 percent. This is huge for students and parents because fewer youth picking up cigarettes means fewer tobacco-related illnesses and deaths in the future. The American Lung Association (ALA) highlights how significant this update is. This news is one victory in a decades-long problem.

"The American Lung Association is pleased that youth tobacco use is the lowest it has been in the last 25 years. This is a result of decades of work from the Lung Association and our public health partners to educate the public, including parents and students, about the harms of tobacco and successfully advocate for proven policies to reduce youth tobacco use," said Harold Wimmer, President and CEO of the American Lung Association.

The National Youth Tobacco Survey results were released on October 17 in the FDA and the CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. About 30,000 kids nationwide participated in the survey between January and May 2024. What led to the numbers dropping was policy on the federal level, including higher taxes on cigarettes and the removal of flavored cigarettes in stores. These

steps were accomplished through advocacy by the ALA and other organizations. These results show the progress made after the relentless push to remove tobacco products from kids' reach.

"Progress has happened because our nation has been working so hard against the tobacco companies to implement these proven policies," said Erika Sward, Assistant Vice President for nationwide advocacy of ALA.

"Progress shows a path forward if our political officials and decision-makers are willing to follow it. Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. It is a huge burden on fami-

lies," said Sward.

It took 25 years to get the number so low because tobacco companies have been persistent in selling kids their products. Multiple organizations had to assemble a systematic approach to make a dent in this problem. They advocated for policies like the Tobacco Control Act, pushed for higher taxes on cigarettes to price out people, and even ran mass media campaigns that the FDA and CDC ran. All of this is necessary because it is effortless for kids and teens to pick up cigarettes.

Sward explains that most youth get their cigarettes from a social source. This could be a friend, a relative, or even a parent. Sward

Life Street Lines: 2025 CX-70 Premium Plus

BY DENNIS MALCOLM BYRON AKA ALE SHARPTON

Mazda gives us a promising glimpse into the future for next year’s fleet of automobiles with this 2025 CX-70 midsize SUV. With a stellar balancing act of combining luxury, performance, and gracious amenities collectively provide great value.

Powered by the automaker’s revered performance brand, the CX-7’s E-SKYACTIV G 3.3L turbo engine flexes an impressive 340 horsepower and 369 lb.-ft. of torque, ensuring powerful acceleration and response off the blocks. The MHybrid Boost enhances the driving experience with dynamic ride, while the Skyactiv-Drive 8-speed automatic transmission brings seamless shifts and maximizes the engine’s potential. If off-roading and towing are desired, the CX-70 offers “MI-Drive” with multiple modes, including Sport, Off-Road, and Towing, with a capacity of up to 5,000 lbs., plus hill descent control.

Leading into 2025, why not capture the eyes? Dressed in the always stunning “Soul Red Crystal Metallic” exterior, the CX-70 is sophisticated, yet provides welcomed intimidation with its 21-inch alloy wheels encased in all-season tires for year-round versatility to justify its “SUV” designation. The eye candy keeps coming with a honeycomb grille mesh in piano black, aluminum roof rails, and a panoramic moonroof, adds even more style

points. Mazda lights things up with an adaptive front-lighting system, complete with LED headlights and high beam control for optimal visibility for virtually any driving condition. Other convenience features include a handsfree power rear liftgate and heated, power-folding side mirrors with memory settings, making daily operations effortless.

Stepping inside the tan Nappa leather-trimmed cabin with suede accents and wood trim, the interior is just as impressive. Perks for the front passengers include a heated leather steering wheel, and eight-way power-adjustable front seats both equipped with memory functions. The 12.3-inch color center display, paired with the fully digital LCD meter, offers an intuitive interface for accessing the latest Mazda Connect infotainment features, including wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and state-of-the-art 12-speaker Bose sound system. Seating up to five passengers, everyone gets love with

and the ALA are aware that certain retailers sell cigarettes to underage customers, and teens know where those retailers are. The survey results have shown progress, but the ALA reveals that there are 2 million middle and high schoolers using tobacco products.

"We know that tobacco companies are not going anywhere. Our nation needs to do a better job of stopping the illegal import of flavored e-cigarettes and other tobacco products that are aimed at kids. We have 480,000 individuals dying every year from tobacco use, and millions of more who are living with the tobacco-caused disease," said Sward.

The ALA will continue the work on reducing Tobacco use among middle and high school students. Sward encourages those who want to help solve the problem to contact their local elected officials to push more policies that reduce tobacco use. The vice president advises parents to use model behavior with their children by not smoking. If parents use tobacco products, their kids are more likely to use them as well, according to Sward. For the ALA, Every step counts towards their goal of eliminating tobacco addiction.

“Our work is making a difference, but the fact is that 2.25 million middle and high school students still use tobacco products. We won’t stop until all kids are safe from tobacco addiction and all current users have the help they need to end their addiction for good,” said Wimmer.

three-zone automatic climate control, a 150volt outlet, heated second row seats, four USB ports, and second-row window sunshades to make things incognito, hide items, and shade the eyes of especially infant passengers. The cargo area is generous as well.

Easing the mind, advanced safety features like Smart Brake Support, Lane Keep Assist, and Rear Cross Traffic Alert are just a few of the numerous applications in the safety department.

Yes, the 2025 CX-70 is a well-crafted vehicle and standout in the SUV segment, promising Mazda’s bright future for years to come. Fuel Economy: 23 city/28 highway/25 combined

Price: The 2025 CX-70 Premium Plus version is $55,950 MSRP and $57,920 including handling, processing and delivery as reviewed.

For more information, visit Mazdausa. com.

Photo courtesy of Mazda iStock

Trump’s Vow to Be a Dictator Will Destroy Us All

BY KEITH BOYKIN

In 1946, a prominent Lutheran pastor named Martin Niemöller wrote a famous poem about his experience living through the rise and fall of Nazi Germany. During Adolf Hitler’s early years in the 1920s and early 1930s, Niemöller “sympathized with many Nazi ideas and supported radically right-wing political movements,” according to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.

But once Hitler came to power in 1933, Niemöller began to realize the danger. He spoke out against Nazi control of the church and was imprisoned in concentration camps from 1938 to 1945, narrowly avoiding execution.

t’s considered dangerous in American politics to draw comparisons to Nazi Germany, and no serious person does so lightly. But in recent weeks we’ve seen evidence that Donald Trump’s own advisers view him as an unprecedented threat to democracy.

His former White House chief of staff,

John Kelly, and his top general, Mark Milley, have both called him a “fascist.” Even his running mate, JD Vance, once called Trump “America’s Hitler.” And Trump, himself, has said that he needs the kind of generals that Hitler had.

Trump has tried to downplay the threat, but he has admitted that he would be a dictator “on day one,” would terminate the U.S. Constitution, and would fire Special Counsel Jack Smith “within two seconds” as his first act as president. This is a perilous moment for American democracy, and with that in mind, I offer this poem:

First they came for the old Black people

And I didn’t speak up

Because I wasn’t an old Black person

Then they came for the young Black peo -

ple

And I didn’t speak up

Because I wasn’t a young Black person

Then they came for the Native Americans

And I didn’t speak up

Because I wasn’t Native American

Then they came for the Mexican Americans

And I didn’t speak up

Because I wasn’t Mexican American

Then they came for the Muslims

And I didn’t speak up

Because I wasn’t a Muslim

Then they came for the protesters

And I didn’t speak up

Because I wasn’t a protester

Then they came for the people with disabilities

And I didn’t speak up

Because I didn’t have a disability

Then they came for the Africans

And I didn’t speak up

Because I wasn’t African

Then they came for the Asian Americans

And I didn’t speak up

Because I wasn’t Asian American

Then they came for the Black women

And I didn’t speak up

Because I wasn’t a Black woman

Then they came for the rest of the women

And I didn’t speak up

Because I wasn’t a woman

Then they came for the trans people

And I didn’t speak up

Because I wasn’t trans.

Then they came for the Haitian Americans

And I didn’t speak up

Because I wasn’t Haitian

Then they came for me

And there was no one left

To speak for me.

“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.

CLASSIFIEDS

NOTICE REQUESTS FOR PROPOSAL

REQUESTS FOR PROPOSAL

SUMMECH Community Development Corporation, Inc.

ADVERTISEMENT FOR PROPOSAL

Project For Bid

Sealed proposals for Washington Street Multi-Family Apartments in Peoplestown Community, SW Atlanta, GA 30315 property rehabilitation will be accepted by SUMMECH, 633 Pryor Street, SW, Atlanta, GA 30312 on Monday, November 4, 2024. All proposals submitted must be sealed and received no later than 12:00 pm. local (Eastern) time on the stated date.

Scope of Work: The purpose of this Request for Proposal is to select vendor who can provide Design-Build Services for interior and exterior repairs of occupied multi-family apartments. This project will require all construction, plumbing, electrical, quality control, etc. The successful bidder will be responsible for providing all labor, materials, tools, equipment and incidentals and completing all work required in the Scope of Work and Specifications.

Rehabilitation of 10 Multi-Family Apartments

Fee: N/A

Term of Contract:

Site Visit: Scheduled As Needed, Contact Project Manager

If you have any questions regarding this project please contact Felicia Hicks, Project Manager, at Email:fhicks@summechcdc.org

SUMMECH reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals and the to waive technicalities.

SENIORS

FULTON COUNTY ADVERTISEMENT FOR BID

Sealed bids for 24ITB1334033B-PS - Network Equipment Maintenance and Support for the Fulton County Information Technology 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 Thursday, November 14, 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.

Bid Bond: N/A

Scope of Work: Fulton County, Georgia (“County”) To provide products and services associated with provisioning, maintenance, and support of network (wired and wireless) data communications equipment on an as needed basis. Network Equipment Maintenance and Support.

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: The “Commencement Term” of this Agreement shall begin on the date of execution of the Agreement in the year 2025, January 1, the starting date, and shall end absolutely and without further obligation on the part of the County on the 31st day of December 2025 with three (3) renewal options.

A Pre-Bid Conference, will be held on Thursday, October 31, 2024, at 10:00 a.m., local time, via Zoom to provide bidders with information regarding the project and to address any questions. Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/s/96546445270?pwd=zfzLpggiLjLL9fXfapZdER6ZZoaIhK.1 Meeting ID: 965 4644 5270 Passcode: 091513

Or One tap mobile: +14702509358,,96546445270#,,,,*091513# US (Atlanta) +14703812552,,96546445270#,,,,*091513# US (Atlanta)

If you have any questions regarding this project please contact Phyllis Stewart, Assistant Purchasing Agent, at Email: phyllis.stewart@fultoncountyga.gov or (404) 612-4215. Fulton County reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids and to waive technicalities. Docusign Envelope ID: 6DF75FB9-FD22-489C-B78D3A0F201E80A6

OPPORTUNITY

State of New York - County of Schenectady Supplemental Citation

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK By the Grace of God Free and Independent.

TO: Prince Jackson, 1107 Sumner Avenue, Sch’dy, NY, 12309 Reese Jackson, 1107 Sumner Avenue, Sch’dy, NY 12309 Lakeia Bowman, 1912 Kensington Court, Niskayuna, NY, 12309 Barbara Jackson, as Administratrix of the Estate of Darryl T. Jackson, 309 Chiswell Rd, Sch’dy, NY, 12304

Light’s Funeral Home (Scott & Barbieri), 1428 State St., Sch’dy, NY, 12304

Karyn Kaiya Dowtin, whereabouts unknown, last known address 1230 Peachtree St., NE, Atlanta, GA, 30309

Nicole Netterford, whereabouts unknown, last known address 4321 Ritter Rd., Walterboro, SC, 29488

Marlena Jackson, whereabouts unknown, last known address 4967 Darien Lake, Liverpool, NY, 13088

Carlos Jackson, Jr., whereabouts unknown, last known address 1687 VanVranken Ave., Sch’dy, NY, 12308

Devon King, whereabouts unknown, last known address 1237 Duben Ave., Anchorage, AK 99504

Unknown heirs at law, next of kin and distributees of Joseph David Jackson, deceased, if living and if any of them be dead, to their heirs at law, next of kin and distributees whose names and places of residence are unknown and especially to the unknown heirs at law, next of kin and administrators,

assignees and successors in interest whose names are unknown and cannot be ascertained after due diligence.

Angela R. Tylock, Esq, as Guardian ad Litem, 10 Utica Avenue, Latham, NY, 12110 NYS Attorney General, the Capitol, Albany, NY, 12224 A Petition having been duly filed by Patricia D. Langston, who is domiciled at 21 Morrison Crossing, Dallas, GA, 30157

YOU ARE HEREBY CITED TO SHOW CAUSE before the Surrogate’s Court, Schenectady County, at Schenectady, New York on November 20, 2024 at 10 o’clock in the forenoon of that day, why a decree should not be made in the Estate of Joseph David Jackson, lately domiciled at 810 Hampton Avenue, Schenectady, NY, 12309 in the County of Schenectady, New York, granting Letters of Administration upon the estate of the decedent to Patricia D. Langston or to such other person as may be entitled there to.

(State any further relief requested)

Dated, Attested and Sealed: September 17, 2024 Honorable Vincent W. Versaci, Surrogate /s/ Laurie L Casey

Laurie L. Casey, Deputy Chief Clerk

Attorney for Petitioner: Litz and Litz, Esqs, Kenneth P. Litz, Esq. Telephone: 518-372-3329

Address of Attorney: 143 Clinton Street, Schenectady, NY 12305

Note: This citation is served upon you as required by law. You are not required to appear. If you fail to appear, it will be assumed you do not object to the relief requested. You have the right to have an attorney-at-law appear for you.

File No. 2024-183 Surrogate’s Court