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Judge Thelma Wyatt Cummings Moore: A trailblazer in Georgia’s legal community
On to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
BY DONNELL SUGS
JONESBORO - The Jonesboro High School band, the Majestic Marching Cardinals, warmed up with a number of songs before their special guest arrived at the school’s gymnasium on Veterans Day, Monday, Nov. 11. One of the songs they played that morning was “Back Stabbers” by the legendary group The O’Jays.
On Monday morning there was a lot going on but back stabbing wasn’t one of them. In fact, Ebony Austin, the owner of several area restaurants and a regular contributor to local fundraising drives and holiday giveaways, was doing the exact opposite. She was giving back.
A check for $20,000 was presented to Jonesboro High School Band Director Lynel Goodwin and the band a little after 9 a.m., during the first period. Jonesboro High School’s band has been recognized as one of the best in the state of Georgia, but they would be making their first trip to New York City to represent the Clayton County Public School during the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade. While in New York City for the parade, there are also plans to tour Harlem, a visit to the Statue of Liberty, perform alongside the Rockettes, and have dinner on the Hudson River, according to Jonesboro High School officials.
“I just think it’s for the kids, they have a special place in my heart,” Austin explained. “We’re super-excited to be a part of this trip. In fact it’s an honor.”
All that is made possible by Austin’s generosity, said Goodwin.
“It means everything,” he said of the donation. “It’s the difference between us going and not being able to go. It’s major.”
Austin has never been a part of a band, but she shared a story of being a high school kid and being able to take her first trip out of town to North Carolina and how that made her feel important and well thought of. “Just being able to pour into these students is a big deal,” she said.
Goodwin said the trip to New York for the Thanksgiving holiday will be “life-changing” for the students involved with the band program. New York City may be hundreds of miles away, but it might as well be millions of miles away for Clayton County kids.
“A lot of these kids have never been outside of the city of Jonesboro,” Goodwin said.
The owner of several successful restaurants, Austin has been responsible for donating thousands of dollars to students for trips, scholarships, school supplies, and for Christmas gifts, as part of her Nouveau Christmas initiative. Her philosophy on giving is simple, she says. "Just having someone pouring into these students is a big deal, " Austin said.
Austin’s restaurants are responsible for employing more than 100 people at metro Atlanta
locations. Her personal brand of stone-ground grits, Nouveau Stone Ground Grits, are available in more than 150 Publix supermarket locations.
Majestic Marching Cardinals head drum major William Shelton, a senior, and dance captain Serenity Hudson, a junior, both believe this coming experience will change their lives forever.
Shelton, 17, called traveling to New York City with his bandmates, “mind-blowing.”
“Everything about it is wow,” he said.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Hudson, 16. “This is like a dream come true for me.” She said she grew up watching the Rockettes perform on TV and now knowing she will have an opportunity to perform alongside the legendary dance troop is beyond her wildest dreams.
Asked what they wanted to say to Austin about the $20,000 donation, Shelton said, “Thank you, not only for the donation, but for the hard work and dedication you have put into us. It really means a lot.” He added that for Black teenagers like him, particularly in Clayton County, this kind of opportunity doesn’t happen very often.
“As an African American woman, she is doing a lot of great things for the community because she is making a way for young ladies,” Hudson said. “We don’t really get recognized as much for what we can do and I just want to really thank her for showing me that I can do whatever I want to do.”
The Majestic Marching Cardinals have plans to perform in London next year and have performed on Thanksgiving Day in Chicago. Now they are off to New York City.
“It takes a community to be successful in what we do,” said Senior Deputy Superintendent – Chief of Staff for Clayton County Public Schools Dr. Douglas Hendrix. “This is about your lives.”
The Jonesboro High School Band (above) has been recognized as one of the best in the state of Georgia. While in New York City for the parade, there are also plans to tour Harlem and have dinner on the Hudson River, according to Jonesboro High School officials. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
On Monday, Nov. 11, inside the gym at Jonesboro High School, a check for $20,000 was presented to Jonesboro High School Band Director Lynel Goodwin and the band.
Majestic Marching Cardinals head drum major William Shelton, a senior, and dance captain Serenity Hudson, a junior, both believe this coming experience will change their lives forever.
Photo by Donnell Suggs/ The Atlanta Voice
William Platt is Revitalizing His Old Neighborhood One Restaurant at a Time
BY LAURA NWOGU
Behind the success of Atlanta restaurants The Vault Hidden Inside the Bank, Restaurant 10 Bar & Grill and the Rosie’s Coffee Café franchises is Atlanta restaurateur William Platt. From hearty meals to community giveaways, Platt has invested in and become an integral part of Westside Atlanta, one plate at a time. For the Atlanta mogul and philanthropist, it’s a mission that began 40 years ago.
Platt grew up in Herndon Homes, a 520unit public housing project that the Atlanta Housing Authority demolished in 2010. He said those who grew up in the projects were always looking for a way out. At the time, the loom of the Atlanta child murders only gave the kids in his community two options when they weren’t at home: school and the gym. Pushing that desire to make it out of Herndon Homes was police officer Locke, who headed the Police Athletic League (PAL), an organization in which members of the police force coach young people in sports and help with school-related activities.
Seeing how Locke cared about the community planted the seeds for Platt’s philanthropy.
The first Rosie’s Coffee Cafe location that opened on Sylvan Road 10 years ago soon became two more, one near the Mercedes-Benz Stadium and another in Carrollton, with Restaurant Ten and The Vault following after. From conception to completion at the hands of his own construction company, Platt worked to build institutions that would fit the acronym of The Bank: blessing all neighborhood kids. It’s a revitalization effort that reflects his hope to give back to the neighborhood that raised him.
“I was, once upon a time, a neighborhood kid,” Platt said. “I've invested millions of dollars to make my dream come true. So, my motto is impact over income. And I always knew that these areas that I was concentrating on were underserved communities. I took the chance, and I reinvented my community, and that's what I always believed in.”
His latest venture is The Vault Hidden Inside the Bank, a restaurant located at 3120 Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway. Its unique design is apparent from the parking lot, where a display armored car sits in front of the matte black building, which opens up to an interior that melds a sleekness and luxury often seen at eateries in Midtown or Buckhead. The restaurant serves Southern-fusion cuisine, from fall-off-the-bone oxtails to blackened salmon and crab fried rice, which chef Kevin Griffin said is made from scratch. Amid the promise of good food, it’s hard to ignore the huge bank vault that transforms the restaurant into The Bank, a spacious event venue that has hosted concerts for people such as Mary J. Blige and T.I. and hosts community events, including backto-school drives and Thanksgiving turkey
drives.
“We've served thousands and thousands of families, and my goal was always, if we had an event in the back, then we can come up to the front and have dinner or lunch and
fellowship about what took place and do a recap here. So that was always my vision, and that's why I built it the way I did.”
The venue has garnered plenty of support from the community, including Mayor An-
dre Dickers and the City of Atlanta. It has served as more than just a restaurant and event center, but a signal of the investment into a community that has been repeatedly overlooked. In February 2021, Microsoft announced a major expansion into Georgia, purchasing 90 acres of land for a corporate campus near the Grove Park neighborhood that would bring 15,000 jobs. However, in 2023, the tech giant hit pause on the Westside project, dispelling hope for the community and leaving them with high property values and tax increases due to the anticipation.
“I could have pulled out just like Microsoft and taken my business and investment to Buckhead. I could have gone to any other place — Doraville or Brookhaven — but I chose my community.”
Platt hopes to fill that gap, providing families with a five-star meal and five-star service right in their backyard. With the help of his business partner Deshaun Shelton, Platt shared that he’s organizing a scholarship fund for kids in the community. He’s also shooting a documentary titled “The Hand of Life” that will take viewers on a journey of how he’s played the hands he’s been dealt with, from growing up in Herndon Homes to a businessman revitalizing the Westside of Atlanta.
Atlanta restaurateur William Platt (above) grew up in Herndon Homes, a 520-unit public housing project that the Atlanta Housing Authority demolished in 2010. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice
The Vault Hidden Inside the Bank, a restaurant located at 3120 Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway. Its unique design is apparent from the parking lot, where a display armored car sits in front of the matte black building. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice
“Whoever debases others is debasing himself.”— James Baldwin
Do We Owe Black Men an Apology?
BY JOSPEPH WILLIAMS
After Kamala Harris’s stinging loss to Donald Trump in the election on Tuesday, the social media Blackisphere chopped up why an accomplished Black woman — the sitting vice president, a former senator and prosecutor — lost. How, they wondered, could Harris have crashed out to a scandal-plagued, insurrectionist convicted felon, an old white man who was one of the least popular presidents in recent history?
To some, the villains are obvious: the roughly 20% of Black men who, according to exit polls, voted for Trump.
“I just seen a black man say ‘i didn’t vote for Trump…. I voted against Trans rights and LGBTQ people rights, High inflation and a Broken Economy,’” television personality Ts Madison wrote on X. “Trying to Hurt a small group of people as a BLACK person definitely shows me that you don’t want rights…. You want privilege!”
Not so fast, said Joy-Ann Reid, host of MSNBC’s “The Reid Report.”
“Every four years, I go through this ritual,” she said Tuesday night, noting 8 in 10 brothers chose Harris, not Trump, at the ballot box. “The world just wants to say that Black men are realigning, and they’re all gonna run to Donald Trump,” even though the Latino vote shifted far more dramatically to the former president than in 2020.
“It is not Black men. They are not shifting,” she said. “You are not seeing Black men shift. Please stop.”
Andre Perry, a senior fellow at Brookings Institution, thinks the debate over whether Black men turned their backs on Harris when she most needed them is misguided because “it really does not reckon with why people vote, or the rationale for people’s votes.”
Misogynoir — resentment and anger towards Black women — may have motivated some Black men to choose Trump, Perry says. But it overlooks more complex socioeconomic issues, and the GOP’s continuing outreach to Black men.
“I think there’s sexism among men, but the truth is economic shifts, like overseas trade agreements, hit Black men just as hard as whites,” Perry says. That, he says, makes both groups more receptive to Trump’s message.
Unfairly Scapegoated?
Not since Willie Horton became a household name in the 1988 presidential election have Black men been at the center of such intense political debate. Unlike Horton, who became the face of violent crime in America for Republicans, there’s no consensus on whether Black men are the avatars of Harris’s 2024 defeat.
What is clear, however, is that narrative has taken hold among many Black Harris supporters. The exit poll numbers tell a conflicting, nu -
After Kamala Harris’s defeat by Donald Trump, the question remains: Did 20% of Black men really decide this race?
anced story.
At nearly 80%, Black men were Harris’s second-largest voting demographic; only Black women voted for her at a higher percentage. Meanwhile, Trump’s highest demographic — white men — clocked in at 57%, more than 20 percentage points lower.
But Brittany Packnett, an educator, organizer, and activist, argues good wasn’t good enough in an election in which the outcome could mean the difference between life or death for some Black women.
“Black men, I should be able to lovingly say to you that 78% was strong but it’s still a C+—and there’s room for improvement to fix your attachment to patriarchy,” she wrote on Threads.
If Harris had received a higher percentage of the Black male vote, it could have been enough to win a swing state or two — especially since Trump’s margin of victory in some states was a few hundred thousand votes or less. And it wasn’t like the Democrats couldn’t see it coming.
In August, Harris rolled out her “Opportunity Agenda,” a blueprint aimed at helping Black men get ahead. Black men, the agenda said, “have long felt that too often their voice in our political process has gone unheard.”
But in October, at a campaign stop in Pittsburgh, former President Barack Obama said he’d heard reports of low energy for Harris in some neighborhoods that supported him in 2008. The problem, he said, “seems to be more pronounced with the brothers.”
“Part of it makes me think — and I’m speaking to men directly — part of it makes me think that, well, you just aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president,” he said.
Tapping Into Resentment
Unlike in 2020, however, Trump didn’t roll out specific policies intended specifically for Black men. Instead, he tapped into their lingering resentment of the Democratic Party, arguing that liberals always prioritize other groups, like women and the LGBTQ community, instead of them.
“Any African American or Hispanic — and you know how well I’m doing there — that votes for Kamala, you gotta have your head examined,” he said during a rally in Atlanta last month. “Because they are really screwing you.”
Perry says the GOP has spent years quietly crafting a message that blue-collar Black men, and other voters who didn’t go to college, can easily relate to. Elites, it goes, look down on you; Trump is one of you.
That simple message “resonates with people without a college degree, and there’s many more Black [male] and Latino voters” in that class, Perry says. It was a mistake, he says, for Democrats to expect party loyalty, or Harris’s race, to supersede Trump convincing Black men they are seen and understood, even if it isn’t necessarily so.
Until the Democrats can course-correct, Perry says, Black male defections to the GOP may continue, albeit incrementally.
That includes an X user with the handle @TonyXTwo.
Sporting a MAGA ballcap over his dreadlocks, he posted a video of himself talking about how he rebuffed an electioneer who assumed he was a Democrat; then narrated a video of himself in the ballot booth, voting Republicans all the way down the ticket.
The caption reads, “I’m showing you I’m done with the Democrat Party! Absolutely done! TRUMP 2024!”
By contrast, @Pinko69420 used percentages to make his point: white women, not Black men, are the real scapegoats.
“53% in 2016, 55% in 2020, 56% in 2024,” he wrote. “Because society insists on bestowing them with the Disney Princess/Damsel In Distress/Inherently Virtuous treatment, [white women] will never receive the level of castigation Black Men and other demographics receive.”
For her part, Packnett isn’t scapegoating. She just expects more.
“I know Black men voted like they always do. I’m saying I’ve always wanted them to do better,” she wrote on Threads. “If your mom was always good w you bringing home a C, we got raised differently. I can hold high standards for my brothers like they hold them for me.”
THE ATLANTA VOICE
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Spiritually Speaking: Must Be The Translation
BY JAMES A. WASHINGTON
The Atlanta Voice
I’m learning what it means to have a personal relationship with God. As one begins to travel down the path towards the Almighty, it becomes more and more obvious that choosing which path to take at the fork in the road is merely a matter of choice, not circumstance, not accident, not fate. Once you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, what’s in your heart takes priority over what’s in your mind or what comes out of your mouth. I believe this is where faith begins, and ignorance falls by the wayside, even as we desperately want to continue claiming ignorance as a defense for unholy actions, unholy practices, or hypocritical conduct. The proof is in the heart. Like the child who responds in silence to the parent who states, “I know you know the difference between right and wrong, or I know you know you weren’t raised that way,” the silent child knows in his or her heart that the parent is correct. No answer is the answer. And so it is with God. No matter the situation or the cir-
Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
cumstance, when you acknowledge God, you cannot use the excuse that you don’t know, you didn’t have control, it was an accident. This is God we’re talking about, and it’s your heart He’s talking to. You can deny it if you want to, but no answer is an answer, and indecision is a decision. Faith in the face of temptation does not automatically mean we’ll always make the correct choice. More often than not, we’ll let God down as well as ourselves. A true understanding of faith, however, won’t keep us down. Through faith and a personal relationship with God, we can get up and try again in still the face of other, if not the same, temptations we succumbed to in the first place. You see, this personal relationship makes you somehow aware of the distance between you and God, much like that between you and a
“YOUR VOICE”
loved one. Time and distance make the heart grow fonder, supposedly. In this case, time and distance bring no peace and no satisfaction. In a true believer, this is obvious to God. Until you can submit to this personal pain and angst, until you feel this, then you can’t recognize that you have a choice in these matters, and even if you don’t choose the path God has laid out for you, you certainly know when you’re headed in the opposite direction. God hasn’t moved. You have. Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him.” Romans 4:7-8. Is this possible? I understand if I can just get to “…circumcision of the heart by the (Holy)Spirit…) Romans 2:29. All things are possible to those who love the Lord. Again, as a child who
knows he or she has disappointed a loving parent, there is no joy until the relationship is again in balance. Or, the couple who realizes anger and argument cannot last forever must be resolved to find conjugal peace. Walk with God, or better yet, simply attempt to walk with Jesus, and trust me, you’ll know when you’re out of step. You’ll feel it, and it will make you miserable, just as miserable as being out of touch with someone you love in the physical world. I guess I’m saying when you know you’re going wrong if you deliberately reach out to touch God. He’ll be there before you ever move your hand.
May God bless and keep you always.
This column is from James Washington’s Spiritually Speaking: Reflections for and from a New Christian. You can purchase this enlightening book on Amazon and start your journey toward spiritual enlightenment.
In the wake of their recent Presidential election defeat, what should the Democrats do next?
Atlanta
"I think it's time for the Democrats to stop playing Nice and trying to go high. And it is time to go low. It's time to get dirty. It's time for us to take from their playbook. Stop playing safe. I also think that Democrats should get more serious about their geopolitical presence. I think our generation, Gen Z, and the coming generations are more concerned about that, as they should be. And I think Kamala may have lost a lot of people when she shifted her stance on Gaza and Palestine. And I think that our generation and those coming up after us will not be okay with that, like the generations before us. So, I think the Democrats need to come out with a strong stance on Gaza."
Fairburn
"It's time for the Democrats to roll their sleeves up and be very intentional with who we select as our next candidate. I think in the past, we've made a lot of mistakes, even including when we originally all agreed that Hillary Clinton would run for president. But we end up voting and having President Obama, And now, at the last minute, Vice President Kamala Harris, our candidate of choice. So, we need to be more intentional when finding and grooming that candidate to ensure we're okay. They are okay with many policies, laws, and what the people want to see, and maybe we can get back in office. The biggest thing is we need to roll our sleeves up and find that right candidate."
"The next step I think the Democrats need to do as a whole is to come together and know that God is still in control over everything, no matter who's in office. But we first got to come together to get on the same page so we could select somebody, that's everybody. Not only that, but we all need to get out and support that person. And they got the support and donations they need, just everything to help that person raise for the campaign to make for a successful turnout."
"Well, one of the things we need to work on is identifying candidates that represent the party in a way that motivates today's voters, not voters from 60 years ago or from our parents' generation. There's a new generation of voters. People turn 18 every year, and that's the generation making decisions that affect our country. So, we need a candidate that appeals to them. For a long time, we've always assumed that if you are African-American or a minority in America, you were automatically a Democrat. And I wonder if that's fair to the people in this country because all parties are always good to us. So we need to deeply dive into what serves us best."
Compiled by Vincent Christie.
STEPHANI GRAY
TRACEY HUDSON
VARICK BROWN College Park
DAMON PHILLIPS College Park
Vivo brings African elegance to Atlanta with new store
Love & Hip Hop Atlanta’s Spice opens Graci Noir shop in Clayton County
BY DONNELL SUGGS
RIVERDALE - The camera crews were in place and several Love & Hip Hip Atlanta cast members were making their way on and off the red carpet for photos and filming, as the star of the evening, Dancehall sensation Spice, made her first appearance in front of the newly opened retail location for her travel boutique clothing brand Graci Noir.
Models wearing Graci Noir hoodies pose for the cameras prior to the ribbon-cutting at the Riverdale retail location on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Located in the Allen Plaza shopping center. a low-slung strip of small businesses such as an insurance company, DUI school, and barbershop, Graci Noir immediately gave name recognition to what was once an easy-to-miss location. Graci Noir sits at the corner of a bust section of Highway 85 in Clayton County across the street from the city's popular Super H Mart location.
Spice was without her signature blue hair on Tuesday, and decided to wear an allblack ensemble to the ribbon-cutting of her new retail location. Spice wore black leather pants and knee-high boots that matched the black Graci Noir hoodies she wore. A film crew from Love & Hip Hop Atlanta worked its way around the parking lot to film her as she greeted guests and posed for pictures.
Graci Noir occupies a corner suite in the shopping plaza and that extra parking space was used for tables, a miniature red carpet, and Barbie box for the grand opening. The clothing line, described as travel wear, consists of men's and women's sweatsuits
and tracksuits. Both were displayed in the window at the retail location, and there are kid's sizes available online. The Graci Noir brand includes accessories, such as handbags, sunglasses, and hats, and footwear.
The retail location is one of the newest Black-owned businesses in Riverdale, a city of just under 15,000 residents, according to the United States Census. The boutique is a bit more high-end in comparison to the traditional retail businesses in the city, particularly on Highway 85. Spice's decision to open her business in Clayton County says a lot about how the county's reputation is moving in a positive direction. The Harris-Walz ticket and Democratic Party of Georgia held a number of rallies in Riverdake during the recent residential campaign. Most recently, Jonesboro elected its first Black mayor in Dr. Donya Sartor.
The Jonesboro High School band, the Majestic Marching Cardinals, recently received a $20,000 donation from local restauranteur and entreprenuer Ebony Austin for a trip to New York City to perform in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Clayton County is quickly becoming a destination for Black-owned businesses instead of an option.
"Fashion, like music, has always been another art form of expression for me. When I launched my luxury apparel brand, Graci Noir, a few years ago, it was always my dream to open up my own storefront location; and what better location than in Riverdale Georgia," Spice told The Atlanta Voice. "The community has welcomed me with open arms. It just feels right, and I am so grateful to God for making this all possible."
“Queen of Dancehall” and Love & Hip Hop Atlanta star Spice (left) outside of the new Graci Noir retail location in Riverdale on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Graci Noir is located in a small shopping center on Highway 85 in Riverdale, across the street from a popular supermarket, Super H Mart.
Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
“The community has welcomed me with open arms. It just feels right, and I am so grateful to God for making this all possible,” Spice told The Atlanta Voice about opening her business in Clayton County. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Harris concedes the election, but not ‘the fight that fueled this campaign’
Trump’s Coming for Our Schools. Educators Are Ready to Fight
BY AZIAH SIID
In the aftermath of Donald Trump’s victory, many educators are among those worried about the future of the Black children they teach and protect. And many educators who supported Vice President Kamala Harris have decided to take her concession speech message — “Sometimes the fight takes a while” — very seriously.
“We need an uprising,” Zinn Education Project organizer Jesse Hagopian tells Word In Black. “We need a mass multiracial uprising to challenge those in power. Nobody’s coming to save us.”
Frederick Ingram, Secretary-Treasurer for the American Federation of Teachers, has spent his career fighting the good fight for equitable education, fair treatment of teachers, and essential funding. Trump’s win isn’t the result he expected, and he knows the work to stand up to policies that will hurt children is just beginning.
“I’m certainly disappointed in the outcome,” Ingram says. “We have to accept the results of what’s going on, and Vice President Kamala Harris reminded us that we have to continue to fight.”
Becky Pringle, President of the National Education Association, doubled down on the fact that teacher’s unions like the NEA, as well as families and elected officials, need to show up for kids “now more than ever.”
“Our students deserve safe and welcoming public schools,” Pringle said in a statement. “Tomorrow, they will need us to stop his attempts to defund our schools, pass vouchers, ban books, and separate children from their parents.”
Will Trump Close the DOE?
Donald Trump has repeatedly said he plans to shutter the Department of Education and dismantling it is central to Project 2025, the 900-page blueprint for a second Trump presidency. His proposals can inflict plenty of other damage on schools and students, too. Shifts to larger class sizes due to budget cuts and bans against teaching accurate U.S. history could be on deck.
“We should be nervous about the way that — speaking from a Black person’s perspective — curriculum has rarely, if ever, actually been culturally responsive towards us,” says Jose Vilson, director of the national education nonprofit EduColor.
The continued erasure of the separation of church and state in schools and limiting the rights of LGBTQ+ students are also possibilities under Trump’s administration.
Of course, many critics of public education say it has failed one too many students and needs to be dismantled. Conservative politicians and policymakers are likely to con-
tinue promoting controversial school choice options as the solution to boosting student achievement. But nearly 50 million children from pre-kindergarten to 12th Grade are enrolled in public school, so school choice simply isn’t the universal solution its supporters make it out to be.
“From a shared convenience. There’s no system that’s going to be able to hold our children and educate them for six to eight hours a day while we’re trying to work,” Hagopian says.
Personal and Professional Worries
Some educators don’t think Trump has the power to demolish the Department of Education or Office for Civil Rights without massive pushback from communities and organizations.
But Vilson says the DOE would become easier to obliterate once targets like the Office for Civil Rights are weakened and no longer an ally for those filing complaints for disability, race-based issues, gender issues, and more.
Vilson also shared his personal disap -
pointment in the amount of Trump support from the Latino community despite Trump’s racist and stereotype-laden comments about their homelands, families, and more.
“I’m disappointed in Latino men,” Vilson says. “But I think that needs more breakdown. Those of us who aspire towards Blackness definitely voted for Harris, whereas those who aspire white, well, you already know.”
Hagopian, a veteran Seattle Public Schools high school teacher and co-editor of the books, “Teaching For Black Lives” and “Black Lives Matter at School,” worries both professionally and as a father to a son who attends public schools.
“It’s scary to have somebody who has embraced fascist ideology be elected president,” Hapogian says. “Putting my 11-year-old son to bed last night was really hard because he was worried about what a Trump victory will mean for him, for our family, for his friends — his very multiracial group of friends.”
“We talked about his fears last night, and we also talked about the fact that many kids in Gaza go to sleep with a whole lot of fear and anxiety every night, and have for a long
time, and we both talked about how we wish we could do something to help them.”
Organize
Like You’re Taking Down Jim Crow
Hagopian says regardless of what the rich and powerful have planned, building community and continuing to protect one another is necessary if the Black community wants to safeguard Black children and their schools.
“Four students who went into a drugstore and sat down at the lunch counter broke the segregation law and refused to move — that sparked a struggle throughout the South,” Hagopian says.
“You see an injustice, you name it, and then you act against it. You can change the world, and I think that building community is the most important thing right now. Getting together with people who want to resist Trump’s overt fascism, his overt racism, transphobia, xenophobia, misogyny.”
Vilson says the best way to move forward is to continue rallying people behind the cause by ensuring they understand the importance of pushing back against right-wing ideologies in schools. Folks, he says, need to be ready to protect students’ lives by paying attention to what happens where decisions are made: local school site meetings and school board meetings.
“I’m going to try to continue to help organize students across this country to build the same kind of youth uprising that brought down Jim Crow,” Vilson says. “We’re going to be getting teachers and mentors together across the country to bring youth and educators together to strategize about how we build that uprising.”
Larger entities like the AFT have long fought attacks on public education, with its 1.8 million members rallying for equitable school funding, safe school facilities, higher teacher pay, and adequate school staffing.
“We’ve been fighting a blueprint for Project 2025 in Florida for a couple of years now,” Ingram says. “They’re trying to do an all-out assault on public education, defund our public schools, ban books, close libraries, make it difficult for teachers to teach honest and true history, oversized classrooms, an inundation of testing about your program that seeks to take students out of the public sector into private schools, parochial schools, and charter schools.”
Ingram says the courage of district-level leaders, state superintendents of education, and state governments to push back policies that will destroy public schools is crucial.
“We’re going to have to fight back if they are not good for kids,” Ingram says. “If they’re not good for teaching and the teaching profession.”
Teachers and union leaders are rallying to protect Black students and public schools from Trump’s Project 2025 policies.
Beyoncé leads Grammy nominations with 11 nods
Georgia artist Cyrus Nelson: Bringing art to the masses
BY LENTHEUS CHENEY
Born in Madison, Georgia, and raised in Eatonton, Georgia, Cyrus Nelson embodies the quintessential small-town-to-big-city success story. His journey to becoming a celebrated mixed-media artist in Atlanta demonstrates how his passion and perseverance led to eventual achievement.
With support from his parents, whom Nelson said set him on his path, he was introduced to the art world at 5 years old.
“I still have my very first painting,” Nelson said. “My parents started buying me supplies, supporting that craft and nurturing it to get me to where I am today.”
After completing high school, Nelson pursued higher education to ensure he had a stable career path. He graduated from Georgia Southern University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design and later obtained a BFA in interactive design and game development from the Savannah College of Art and Design. During these years, Nelson balanced his passion for art with the demands of a corporate job, but the tipping point came during a Juneteenth festival where he showcased some of his original pieces.
“I saw how people gravitated to my work,” Nelson said. “That gave me the motivation and the push to create a website and take my art more seriously.”
This turning point was the catalyst for what would become a full-time career in art. In 2020, Nelson hosted a solo show on his birthday, Feb. 29, aptly titled “Leap,” to mark the leap year and his leap of faith into a full-time art career.
According to Nelson, a signature piece titled “Passage” from this solo show represents the highs and lows of his life’s journey.
“No matter what you go through, know that you will get through it. This storm shall pass,” Nelson said.
Nelson’s art, influenced by his African heritage and personal experiences, often features a blend of photography, fabrics, buttons and found objects.
“I love African masks, and I try to infuse those elements from my heritage within my work, and that comes through in the texture,” Nelson said. “My work represents hope and light for the next generation. I want my work to be able to uplift people.”
Nelson said his innovative approach to art has garnered him a dedicated following and even some celebrity clientele. Though modest about his growing fame, he acknowledged the attention his work has received online since posting original pieces for sale.
“The pandemic hit, everything shut down. So, I just started posting [my art]. A year later, my job was furloughed. So, I was like, ‘OK, what am I going to do?’ And I just started posting more and more on social media, and it just took off.”
Today, Nelson thrives as a full-time artist and recently showcased some of his artwork at the National Black Arts Festival‘s Fine Art Print Fair.
Courtney Brooks, guest curator for the National Black Arts Festival, chose Nelson as one of the 13 artists to participate in this year’s event.
“I came across Cyrus’s work during [the] Articulate exhibit. So, I’ve been following for a few years now,” Brooks said. “I love the symbolism that he has in his work. I also love that there’s a bit of abstract elements to it and how he embellishes when he adds like these bright neon colors against these black silhouette figures.”
In addition to his signed and numbered prints available for sale at the fine art print fair, Nelson displayed a 19-by-17-inch
framed original mixed-media print titled “Angel of Mine.”
Attendee Juanika Harper said the piece moved her emotionally, and that she needed to make it an addition to her collection of Black art.
“My mother died 10 years ago, but she collected angels. And so, I have angels all over my house in discreet ways,” Harper said. “This really spoke to me because it symbolizes, for me, she and I, and I said, ‘You know what? I have to have it.’”
Leevahn Smith, also an avid Black art collector, purchased
a signed and numbered print of the “Angel of Mine” and found a different meaning in the painting.
“I loved the picture. Really. I just loved the painting,” Smith said. “It’s a bold symbol of two Black men getting together and then they’re not fighting. They enjoy each other.”
Despite the challenges of being an entrepreneur, Nelson said that he remains optimistic and grateful for being able to share his art and make it accessible to others. With price points starting at $25 for a Cyrus Nelson art-inspired T-shirt to $750 for a small ceramic piece to $8,000 for a commissioned art piece, Nelson said that he has something for everyone.
“I make my work affordable for everyone to purchase,” Nelson said. “There is something for everyone, meaning prints to small originals, to larger originals and I also offer payment plans. I want someone who is truly in love with my work to be able to collect it.”
When asked what has changed since he took the leap into a full-time art career, Nelson reflected on how far he has come, personally and as an artist.
“I’ve definitely become more confident in who I am as a person and an individual, even though I am a bit shy. My body of work represents hope and light,” Nelson said. “People tell me when they view my work, they feel nothing but joy and happiness. And that’s what I love.”
“Angel of Mine” painting by Cyrus Nelson. Photo by Lentheus Chaney/The Atlanta Voice
“Passage”. Photo by Lentheus Chaney/The Atlanta Voice
Entertainment
‘Luther Vandross: Never Too Much’ is a gift to his fans
BY STAN WASHINGTON
Luther Vandross: Never Too Much” is now playing in limited release in theaters. It will air on CNN and then on MAX streaming in 2025.
If you are a fan of Luther Vandross and you think you know everything there is to know about the late acclaimed phenomenal singer, then you are in for an awakening. There is so much more that we don’t know.
Dawn Porter’s “Luther Vandross: Never Too Much “ is one of the best music bio documentaries of recent years. Hardcore Vandross fans will be wowed and pleased by the information and footage Porter was able to find on the late singer.
The film has been well-received on the film festival circuit and was picked up for distribution by CNN Films in partnership with the company of one of his biggest fans, Oprah Winfrey’s OWN.
Before Vandross became one of the world’s most beloved male singers, he was a part of a few singing groups, sang several commercial jiggles, and sang backup with rock and R&B legends.
My biggest surprise was that I always assumed Vandross was the recipient of a ton of Grammys. That is not the case. He had so many hits, like “Endless Love,” “Never Too Much,” and “House Is Not A Home.” It was very frustrating to Vandross. Did he face racism even after he became a one-name entertainer? According to Vandross, he did. Vandross died in 2005 of a heart attack. Porter took time out of a busy schedule to discuss her passion project via telephone.
The Atlanta Voice: Out of all the great singers, what made you want to do a documentary on Luther Vandross?
Dawn Porter: I couldn’t believe he didn’t have a feature documentary. Someone who has written and produced with Aretha Franklin and Dionne Warwick and with all the success he had as a solo artist. Having such an impactful career in American music – really the world. I just couldn’t believe there was no film. Of course, I was a fan, but I was just curious about where this man came from. What was his real story? Working with Sony (Music) allowed us to look into that.
AV: When did you first discover Luther?
DP: He’s one of those artists you can’t remember the first time because it feels like he has always been around. And the idea that he is still being played, the kids are discovering him now. I was at a few dance parties this summer, and he is always being played. He has been a part of my growing up and part of my adulthood.
AV: I remember discovering him when he was with the singing group Change.
(Luther left the group because he wanted to do his own music.)
DP: We have some great footage from that era. There was so much that I didn’t know about him. He did so many jingles that I didn’t know was Luther.
AV: You never saw scandals about Luther’s love life in the tabloids. Did he have a love life?
DP: We addressed that quite a bit in the film. He would say that he never found that one person that he was on equal footing and in love with. Of course, there was a lot of speculation about his sexuality, but I’ll have to refer you to the movie.
AV: That had to be tough on him as this singer who sung all of these classic ballads, and he never found his true love.
DP: He was on Oprah about 14 times, and they had much in common, particularly in their public battle with weight. Once, she asked him which of his songs was his favorite, and he said, “Any Love.” He said it was the most autobiographical song. He never stopped searching for that love.
AV: I guess that is not so uncommon. I know many people who have never found that “one,” even if they have been married a few times.
DP: I agree with you. Here is this man
responsible for a million babies being born – Dr. Love. We interviewed (singer/songwriter) Valerie Simpson, and she said that he did not want to be known as Dr. Love. He said he wanted to be known for his singing skills, but she told him that’s what you are. You have given us such wonderful love songs. She wanted him to accept it because he had given many people the gift of words they would have wanted to say.
AV: What will the hardcore Luther fan discover in this documentary?
DP: They will discover a lot about his early life, his teenage years before he was famous, and subsequently how he got discovered. Some of it reminds people that he was not only a singer but an arranger, a composer, and a producer. Putting it together all in one place will help you understand the magnitude of his talent.
AV: Luther was the only male singer I heard referred to as a diva – divo. Did you find he behaved that way later in his career?
DP: I don’t think he was. I think he was exacting, but he was always that way. We have rehearsal footage of him preparing his dancers, and they talked about how they wanted to live up to his expectations. In the film, we have a montage of his elaborate staging and costumes and all of the things he put into his shows. His shows were so legendary. He told his audience, “I will not play with your ticket money.” He understood that people were paying good money and deserved to be entertained. And he wanted to give as close to perfection as he could provide. That’s what he was going for. It wasn’t diva for diva’s sake. His attitude was, ‘We don’t take our audience for granted.’
AV: What singer was that who fired him from being a backed-up singer and told him that he needed to focus on his solo career?
DP: That was Roberta Flack. Unfortunately, she wasn’t in any condition to give us an interview, so we have archival footage of her describing their relationships. That’s the beauty of this film: where we couldn’t get current footage, we found footage of people talking about him.
AV: Did you ever get to see him perform live?
DP: No, I didn’t, but watching all the concert footage was fun. We wanted to give people the feeling of watching a concert film. Working with Sony, we captured what being at one of his shows would be like. AV: How long did it take you to pull it all together?
DP: It came together pretty fast, considering the complexity of this documentary. It was about a year.
Luther Vandross with his Grammy Award, Feb. 20, 1991. (AP Photo)
Quincy Jones, musical titan and entertainment icon, dead at 91
Judge Glenda Hatchett: A life of passion and purpose
BY ITORO N. UMONTUEN
She is vivacious. She is tenacious. Plus, she possesses a good heart. The Honorable Judge Glenda A. Hatchett has served in the highest of boards and presided over one of America’s largest juvenile judicial circuits. However, at her core, Hatchett always stands on business, as the kids would say. She never backs down from any challenge thrown her direction. She weaves passion and purpose into every step she takes.
Hatchett discussed her experiences growing up in Atlanta during the Civil Rights Movement. For example, Hatchett recounted a childhood memory of tasting water from a white water fountain. Hatchett was five years old and wanted to know if the ‘Whites Only’ water fountain tastes differently.
“And people looked at me, but I learned words very early on,” Hatchett explains. “I could obviously spell my name. I could read colored, and I could read white, right? And so I was just curious, and so there were these little steps on the side of the water fountain to get up to the white water fountain. Of course, there was a colored fountain.
And with adult eyes, I look back on that, and I realized that she was afraid for my life. I could have disappeared out of the back door of Sears and Roebuck that day, never to be seen again. And I didn’t understand that. I thought, ‘well, why isn’t she mad at the little boys? Why is she upset with me?’ And so I have different recollections of growing up, and I also am very grateful, because my parents were very clear about what we would and would not do.”
The transition to professional life
After graduating from Mount Holyoke and obtaining her law degree from Emory Law, Hatchett became the top legal consultant at Delta Air Lines after serving as a federal clerk in the Northern District of Georgia. In 1990, Hatchett became the Chief Presiding Judge at the Fulton County Juvenile Court. That accomplishment saw Hatchett become Georgia’s first African American Chief Presiding Judge of any state court. However, she wrestled with that decision.
“There were people that didn’t wish me well outside and inside the courthouse,” says Hatchett. “And so it was tough. It was tough, but I went there for a purpose. I went there to make systemic changes. I wanted to change the way we did juvenile court. I wanted to go back to the original mission of us rehabilitating children, not just locking them up.”
Hatchett moves to television Hatchett stepped down from the bench in 1999, to spend time with her family. In 2000,
she would host the TV show, Judge Hatchett. Just like she did when she ran Fulton County Juvenile Court, Hatchett wanted to ensure she had the resources to rehabilitate individuals. She asked for social workers and access to drug treatment or rehabilitation programs.
“And before I had that part of the conversation, they called in the President of Sony Television,” explained Hatchett. “He came in, and he sat close to me and said they told me they really want you to do this. He later said, ‘I want to know from you what it will take to get you to do it. What would it take you to say yes?’ So I outlined, just off the top
of my head. I outlined everything. I thought that makes sense. And he said, ‘will you commit to doing the pilot?’ And I said, ‘no, I have to go home and have a meeting with my children.’ So that was a that was a Friday. Thanksgiving was the following Thursday. I was on a flight Friday, shot the pilot that weekend. That’s how quickly it happened.”
Hatchett’s TV show aired in syndication from 2000 until 2008 after airing 1,130 episodes and winning two Emmys.
Current Events
During the interview, Hatchett discussed her involvement in the class action suit against the BioLab chemical plant in Conyers that released harmful chemicals into the air on September 29th. Hatchett says her law firm is fighting for people who had to leave their homes. She added she thinks about the people think about who can’t go to work, the business owners and also their employees who are depending on those paychecks.
“It has such a rippling effect for people,” said Hatchett. “We have people who’ve had chronic breathing issues and burning eyes and skin irritations, and the list goes on. And we don’t really know the full impact of this yet. We just don’t know yet, and but we are going to be on the front line of this and and hopefully getting people the justice that they need.”
Hatchett fights for better outcomes regarding maternal mortality. Hatchett and
her son, Charles Johnson IV, lost Kira Dixon Johnson, her daughter-in-law, during childbirth in 2016. In September, she joined former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms as a surrogate for Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign.
“The reason I had to stand there at that gathering is to raise my voice to say that we have got to do it differently in this country,” explained Hatchett. “Mothers need to go home with their children, and we’re going to continue to fight that fight.”
A Gem for Gen Z and Millennials
In the end, Hatchett, continues to weave passion, purpose and style in her daily walk. She will never duck and dodge and be all things to all people. But as she emphasized during the conversation, she will stand on business.
“I would say that it is important for them to know who they are,” answered Hatchett regarding a piece of advice she’d leave for millennials and the younger generations. “I mean, really know who they are and to whom they belong. I’m unapologetically a Black woman who is grounded in my faith. But whatever that is for those people, they need to find that. And they need to know their history. I am always cognizant of who I am and whose I am. That would be my advice, to be really clear about who you are and to really reach into your soul and be authentic about it.”
Judge Glenda A. Hatchett sits for an interview inside the law offices of Stewart, Miller and Simmons, on October 14, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia.
(Photo by: April McLaughlin)
Glenda A. Hatchett, also known as “Judge Hatchett”, practices law in Atlanta with Stewart Miller Simmons trial attorneys. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice
“The Nae'ked Truth” Shall Set Celebrities Free
BY ERIKA WILSON
Back in the 1960s, Georgia’s own music icon, Otis Redding and, the legendary “Queen of Soul,” Aretha Franklin, mesmerized America with amplified anthems about respect. Now, in 2024, a dynamic duo on a mission to unveil the raw truth — is bringing that very same spirit of respect to the journalistic world.
“We really want to know your story, we really want to know your truth, we really want to go beyond the headlines,” said La'Janeé.
“We have the education, we have the credentials and we wanted to get back to the basics of what true journalism is,” said Kedrin Herron. Ericka Wilson sat down with the two hosts of the new talk show
“The Nae'Ked Truth.” La'Janeé (Laa-Ja-Nae) and Kedrin (KehDren) are both passionate about honest storytelling though, each of them bring their own unique expertise to the table.
La'Janeé has professionally pranced across the industry, scoring huge opportunities at “The Shade Room,” BET and also at the largest audited African American community newspaper in Georgia, The Atlanta Voice. Now, as the face of “The Nae'Ked Truth,” she hopes to demolish what she calls “sensationalism in journalism,” and instead restore the responsibility and integrity in the industry. Her partner in front of the camera, Kedrin Herron, is making his bold and influential imprint visual at “Upscale Magazine.” He has also advised many young students as a media professor. “When you think of the term “naked,” you think of things being stripped down, things being bare,” said Herron. The title of the show is a nod to the pair’s distinguished collaboration. Combining their names—La'Janeé and Kedrin — “The Nae’Ked Truth” is an extension of their personal and professional excursions. After several false starts to launching the show,
they both say they are now ready to take on the world of celebrity media with their new platform — just without the clickbait or gossip. “With having a wide-range of guests, we will obviously have a wide range of topics. I think the biggest thing is to establish “The Nae’Ked Truth” as a trusted place for people to come and feel comfortable and not exploited,” said La'Janeé. With a diverse list of guests lined up—including reality star and business woman Dr. Heavenly Kimes, from the BRAVO TV show “Married to Medicine,” “The Nae'Ked Truth” promises to be anything but predictable in their candid, in-depth interviews. La'Janeé and Kedrin want their guests to shed their public personas and share their true selves, without the fear of being canceled or misrepresented. While the show is based in Atlanta, La'Janeé and Kedrin are determined to reach a global audience. “The Nae'Ked Truth” premieres November 11th at 3pm EST on YouTube.
BREATHE EASY WITH FREE HEALTH CARE
La’Janeé (Laa-Ja-Nae) and Kedrin (Keh-Dren) are both passionate about honest storytelling though, the each of them bring their own unique expertise to the table. Photo credit: Branden Adams Photography
How gas prices have changed in
Georgia in the last week
The Athlete’s Foor 'Monroe Mixers' series to bridge creative gaps
BY NOAH WASHINGTON
On Friday, Nov. 8, The Athlete’s Foot (TAF) took a fresh step into community engagement with the launch of its “Monroe Mixers” series, hosted at the brand’s Monroe Drive store in Atlanta.
The event featured filmmaker Dennis Reed II (The Affair, The Code, Friends 2 Foe), who discussed the power of product placement and shared insights from his work in the independent film industry.
Monroe Mixers was conceptualized to bridge the gap between aspiring creatives and established industry figures across diverse fields. A brainchild of Cassidy Dansberry, Marketing Manager for TAF, Monroe Mixers (named after the street on which The Athlete’s Foot flagship store is located) is scheduled to be a monthly gathering aimed at bringing together creatives, entrepreneurs, and culture enthusiasts for learning and inspiration.
Dansberry expressed her vision of the series as a way to “meet people in the position that you want to be in.” Dansberry wanted Monroe Mixers to go beyond typical networking events by featuring speakers from fields other than fashion and sneakers.
For the kickoff event, Dansberry chose Reed specifically because of his film influence and connection to sneaker culture and the broader entertainment industry. Reed’s background in film production and directing and his experience integrating brands into his films made him an ideal first guest. Dansberry highlighted that Monroe Mixers will focus on offering hands-on learning.
Reed, who may be best known for his work on streaming platforms like Tubi, brought his expertise in independent filmmaking and product placement to the event. Reed shared his experiences and strategies for incorporating brands into film throughout the event, a crucial aspect for indie creators working with limited budgets. For Reed, product placement isn’t just an advertising technique; it’s a way for smaller brands to gain visibility while supporting independent projects and building a network effect.
“A lot of times, brands think it may cost millions of dollars for placements, but when you look at the independent movie game that we are creating, it's like another commercial for you,” he said.
Reed explained that brands can be woven into a storyline, allowing seamless advertising that organically reaches audiences.
“If I'm planning a love scene, I'll consider including a bottle of wine or another fitting drink to set the mood. For a dinner scene, I'll want details like place settings or table decor that make it feel authentic. When directing a workout scene, I’ll plan to feature someone in appropriate workout gear,” Reed said.
His approach has practical implications, particularly for emerging brands that might otherwise need help to afford traditional advertising. He shared an example of how smaller brands could contribute financially or through in-kind partnerships, helping him meet production costs while giving brands visibility.
The November 8 event marks the beginning of what TAF hopes will be a long-running series. Dansberry plans to host Monroe Mixers monthly, with each event featuring a new host from a different field. While Reed’s background in film was a natural choice for the launch, upcoming sessions may feature professionals from other industries. Dansberry hinted that future mixers would continue to bring in influencers and experts from across the country, expanding the impact beyond Atlanta’s local community.
“We are seeing influencers and hosts that are interested from outside of Atlanta to come in and talk to our community, not just the Atlanta community, but for everybody nationwide,” Dansberry said.
The event featured filmmaker Dennis Reed II (The Affair, The Code, Friends 2 Foe). Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
The Monroe Mixers are the brainchild of Cassidy Dansberry, Marketing Manager for TAF (above). Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
Health
How to stay safe from AI voice scams
Reproductive Rights Advocates Tell What Trump 2.0 Means for Black Women
BY ANISSA DURHAM
As Americans come to terms with — and brace themselves for — a second Donald Trump administration, many have an eerie feeling of uncertainty and disappointment. Top of mind for many women is how this will affect already dwindling reproductive rights.
More than two years ago, the Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson overturned Roe v. Wade, eliminating the constitutional right to have an abortion. Supreme Court justices Trump appointed during his first term played a pivotal role in the controversial decision. So, what happens next?
Currently, 13 states have banned abortion, but in two states, Missouri and Arizona, voters passed ballot measures that amends the state constitution to protect reproductive freedom. With no federal standard about abortion care access, states are still allowed to set their own policies to ban or protect abortion care.
Vice President Kamala Harris was outspoken about reproductive freedom and disagreed with overturning Roe. Restoring the reproductive freedoms that Roe provided became a major part of her campaign. The hope around reproductive rights that a Harris-Walz administration offered many women is in stark contrast to what Americans will likely see under a Trump administration.
After Harris lost the election, Black women, reproductive rights advocates, and leaders in abortion access spoke with Word In Black about their fears, concerns, and ultimate hope as the fight continues.
“Today is about mourning the opportunity a Harris administration would have been, as the first woman, first Black woman, the first South Asian woman to be president,” Kelly Blanchard says, president of IBIS Reproductive Health, a global nonprofit research organization that advances sexual and reproductive health. “She was a real champion for sexual and reproductive health rights and justice. We could sort of taste the idea that there would be budgets without funding bans. I’m mourning the fact that we won’t get to see that future as soon as we wanted.”
Trumps Playbook
Most experts say it’s too early to tell exactly what changes Americans may experience under the incoming Trump administration, but we do have some insight.
Trump said in a March interview he supported a nationwide ban on abortions after 15 weeks’ gestation. Vice President-elect JD Vance has suggested he would support a national law limiting abortion. But recently Vance and Trump have aligned to let states decide. What further abortion bans and re -
After Kamala Harris lost the election, Black women and abortion rights advocates share their fears, concerns, and hope. iStock.com/PeopleImages
strictions will be imposed is unknown.
Monica Edwards, senior policy manager at Power to Decide, says we can look to Trump’s previous administration and Project 2025 as an indication of what may happen.
The 900-page document proposes restricting and eliminating access to mifepristone, denying access to abortion care in emergency situations. Project 2025 policies would also increase misinformation and disinformation about reproductive health, attack contraception, and eliminate the Department of Education.
“Project 2025 is a real threat of what could come,” Edwards says. “Now that he is president, there is a real fear that this Project 2025 document will now be the playbook used to ban contraception, ban abortion, and ban reproductive health rights and justice broadly.”
Texas, which has one of the most restrictive abortion bans, has already seen an increase in infant deaths since the state’s abortion ban became law on Sept. 1, 2021. ProPublica reported two Texas women died after they faced delays in getting miscarriage care because of the state’s abortion ban. And two Black women died in Georgia because of the state’s abortion ban.
Black women and birthing people have some of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the United States. In 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate for Black women was 49.5 deaths per 100,000 live births compared to 19 for white women and 16.9 for Hispanic
women.
“The policies in Project 2025, if implemented, we are going to continue to see people face barriers to all kinds of health care,” Edwards says. “This does have real impact on people’s reproductive well-being … people will continue to struggle to get care, if they can get care at all.”
The Fight Must Go On
Octavia Conner, 41, is a Black woman and mom of four in Atlanta. She is concerned about a woman’s right to choose with Trump back in the White House. She worries that Georgia’s abortion ban could limit the future health care access for her three daughters who are 11, 17, and 20.
“For Black women who are having babies or plan to have babies and some unfortunate event happens, that can be very, very, very scary,” she says. “And I think about that for my girls.”
Conner, a fractional CFO and tax strategist, knows what it’s like to financially struggle as a parent. Initially, she was a single parent for two years with her now 23-year-old son –she credits her grandmother for getting her through that time.
“If you’re forced to take care of a child that you wasn’t prepared to have, it can be very detrimental,” she says. “It can be very, very challenging. And then, with limited help and resources in the economy, it makes it even worse to survive.”
A 2024 report by the Federal Reserve
found that parents living with their children younger than 18 experienced a sharp decline in financial well-being in just three years. In 2021, 75% of parents reported doing okay financially, but in 2023, only 64% said the same.
“It’s not the time for me to be emotional or crawl under a rock,” Tamika Smith, 39, from New Orleans, says. “Now is the time to press, press, and press – and continue to stay on the front lines.”
The new administration and its seemingly bold commitment to dismantling all forms of reproductive health care puts women in a difficult situation. At 17, Smith gave birth to her son and had a support system. But for teen parents in communities that are low income, already struggling with lack of resources, education, and accessibility, she worries about what will happen to them under Trump.
“We’re talking about life or death at this point,” she says.
If a teen gets pregnant and is not allowed to make her own decisions or not informed about her options, Smith is worried about what that outcome will be. States are already allowed to decide what kind of comprehensive sexual health care will be taught in schools. 25 states and the District of Columbia mandate both sex education and HIV education, according to the Guttmacher Institute. But only 18 states require program content to be medically accurate.
Living with endometriosis for the last five years, Smith says she doesn’t want her emotions to get in the way of the continued fight for reproductive rights. With any new administration, things will change. And Smith understands how this can increase anxiety and worry for women living with reproductive health care issues, disabilities, and chronic health conditions. But she hopes people will not stop trying.
“I’m hoping that as Black people … we continue to persevere,” she says. “This will be our notation for us to come together, not to be in competition with each other. But to collaborate, to uplift, to support, to encourage. Especially Black women and Black women.”
Resources:
• Bedsider provides birth control information, sex tips, and healthy relationship advice.
• #AskDr.Raegan is a social media series providing evidence-based, judgment-free information about sexual health directly to young people.
• Power to Decide provides trusted, high-quality, accurate information— backed by research—on sexual health and contraceptive methods so young people can make informed decisions.
$478 million Powerball winning ticket sold in Georgia
Clark Atlanta to face Miles College for football title in Alabama
BY DONNELL SUGGS
The Clark Atlanta University Panthers are continuing their dream season with a trip to the SIAC title game in Fairfield, Alabama on Saturday.
Following a 28-17 victory over Atlanta University Center rival Morehouse College on Saturday, Nov. 9, the Panthers (7-2-1 overall and 6-2 in conference) secured a spot in the championship game against the first-place Miles College Golden Bears (8-2 overall and 8-0 in conference). The Golden Bears went undefeated in SIAC play after dominating Tuskegee University 37-7 on the road on Saturday.
The Panthers took one of its toughest losses of the season to the Golden Bears during Homecoming weekend on Oct. 19. The 49-28 loss was the worst of the season for Clark Atlanta. The 49 points were the highest offensive output for Miles College this season.
Clark Atlanta junior quarterback David Wright III is having an all-league and All-American season. Wright has passed for over 2,700 yards and 26 touchdowns this season. Against Miles college this season he passed for 308 yards and three touchdowns, but did pass for a season-high three interceptions during the loss.
Panthers freshman running back Trayvon Pinder led the team in rushing with 386 yards on 93 carries. Against Miles, Pinder
rushed for 75 yards on 12 carries. His season-high of 87 yards on 12 carries came on Sept. 28 at Lane College. Clark Atlanta won that game 38-28.
Junior receivers Jamal Jones and Armone Harris led the way this season. Jones led the Panthers with 64 receptions and Harris is the
touchdown reception leader with 13. Against Miles College Jones and Harris had big games, with Jones catching nine balls for 75 yards and a score and Harris catching eight passes for 113 yards and a touchdown. The Panthers will need similar repeat performances from both players to win the league title in Birmingham on Saturday. On the defensive side of the ball, the Panthers’ front line will have to play an above-average game as well. During their meeting with the Golden Bears, the Panthers’ defense allowed 222 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
ESPN’s First Take visited the Atlanta University Center
BY DONNELL SUGGS
"There's not a lot of wins you get as an Athletic Director, but this is definitely one of them," said Morehouse College Athletic Director, former NBA guard, and Morehouse College basketball legend Harold Ellis.
One of the most watched sports morning shows was set up in the middle of the Atlanta University Center on Friday morning and Ellis was all smiles. As he made his way through the growing crowd of students, faculty, and student-athletes from both Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), he couldn't help but be pleased.
"I really tried to get First Take here for this game," Ellis told The Atlanta Voice. "I think this is great. It's not just about the [football game], it's about the schools. This show is going to be seen all over the country."
Though Morehouse College has a national and international student body, the football and basketball programs recruit mainly from Atlanta and surrounding Georgia counties. Being seen on ESPN's First Take can be seen as a major recruiting tool for both Morehouse and Clark Atlanta.
"We are going to be all over the world today," Ellis said.
One of the best sports rivalries in Atlanta will renew acquaintances this weekend. Clark Atlanta University and Morehouse College are scheduled to meet on the gridiron at B.T. Harvey Stadium on Saturday, but the big show came to town this morning.
ESPN's First Take, which stars Historically Black College and University (HBCU) alums Stephen A. Smith (Winston Salem State University), former National Football League star Shannon Sharpe (Savannah State University) and Molly Qerim was in the Atlanta University Center on Friday morning. First Take airs weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon.
Hundreds of students from Morehouse College, Clark
Atlanta University, Spelman College, and Morris Brown College filled the yard hours before the show began taping. Morehouse College head football coach and former National Football League receiver Terance Mathis was also in attendance.
The visit to Atlanta comes as part of First Take's "On the Road" live shows on HBCU campuses. The show previously visited Howard University on Sept. 20 and Tennessee State University on Oct. 11. The show comes to downtown Atlanta as Clark Atlanta is having one of its best seasons, the Panthers are 6-2-1 overall, and Morehouse continues its losing ways. The Maroon Tigers, 1-8 this season, the first under head football coach Terance Mathis, are currently on a fivegame losing streak following a 37-3 loss at Miles College on Nov. 2.
Morris Brown College President Dr. Kevin James stood near the stage and watched the students dance and sing to the music being played by a DJ. "The students are turned up out here," he said with a smile. "I think it's a beautiful thing to represent the HBCUs in Atlanta, Georgia."
What's Next:
Morehouse Athletic Director Harold Ellis told The Atlanta Voice that the Maroon Tigers basketball programs will play Tuskegee University during NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco.
ESPN’s First Take had a live taping in the Atlanta University Center on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice
The Clark Atlanta Panthers’ (right) will travel to Birmingham, Alabama, to face Miles College in the SIAC title game on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024.
Photo by Menra Mapfumo/The Atlanta Voice
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