Georgia Voice - February 2026

EDITOR’S NOTE

Comfort food in a time of chaos

COLLIN KELLEY

As we were going to press with this issue, the Republican party was performing Olympic-worthy mental gymnastics over the Jan. 24 killing of protest observer Alex Pretti by ICE agents in Minneapolis. They were even backtracking on the beloved Second Amendment about who can carry a legal firearm and where.

Pretti’s killing came on the heels of the fatal shooting of Renee Good by ICE, also in Minneapolis. An award-winning poet, Good was a queer woman with a wife and kids, but the administration and its minions immediately labeled her a domestic terrorist.

Six prosecutors in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division resigned after they learned there would be no probe into Good’s death. ICE’s unchecked power, the detainment of U.S. citizens and protesters, and the disappearing of immigrants is a chilling callback to other despotic regimes in history.

Meanwhile, ICE has opened a new field office near the Atlanta airport and may open another “immigration detention center” in the rural town of Social Circle.

The distressing news and images have led to more protests around the country, including here in Georgia. Please be safe if you attend a rally or march and look out for each other. That’s never been more important.

So that this column isn’t entirely doom and gloom, I’ll pivot to one of my tried-and-true spirit-lifters: food.

Since I’m not a very adventurous eater, I have a pretty tight circle of favorite restaurants in Atlanta: The Colonnnade, Manuel’s Tavern, Cypress Pint & Plate, Fat Matt’s Rib Shack, and the tacos at Poncho’s are my go-tos. My favorite burger joints remain George’s in VaHi and Grindhouse.

I also love Waffle House, which is a requirement to live in Georgia. Two egg breakfast with a biscuit instead of toast, please.

My friends, dismayed at my limited palate, have tried to expand my dining horizons with some success. I have become a big fan of the pho restaurants along Buford Highway, especially Pho Dai Loi, Pho 24, and Lee’s Bakery. My new favorite is the recently opened New

Super Pho next door to the Super H Mart in Doraville. The Michelin-rated Nam Phuong is another spot for the best Vietnamese food in town.

If I’m in Savannah, I never miss getting crab cakes at the Cotton Exchange Tavern on River Street or gorging on the seafood platters at The Crab Shack.

While I’ve been trying to eat at home more to save money, I admit to spending way too much money at restaurants. I like a corner booth and not having to wash dishes afterwards.

Like lots of folks, I worked at a restaurant in my 20s to help make ends meet even while I was a journalist. For a time back in the late 90s/early 00s, I DJ’d on Sundays at an East Atlanta restaurant during their weekly trivia. The owner liked me and said I’d make a great host if I wanted to pick up some extra cash. So, one fateful summer, I decided to try it. The restaurant was on the decline, staff were leaving in droves, and so were the customers. Let’s just say it didn’t go well for me, and my tenure as a host lasted about three months after I stormed out, as the Brits would say, in full strop.

I’ll stick to journalism and encourage y’all to keep your spirits high in times of trouble.

Editorial

Collin Kelley

Executive Editor

Beth McKibben

Editor-in-Chief

Sr. Editor Food & Dining

Cathy Cobbs

Managing Editor, Reporter Newspapers

Sammie Purcell Associate Editor

Staff Writers

Katie Burkholder, Logan C. Ritchie, Sarra Sedghi, Hayden Sumlin, Stephanie Toone

Contributors

Joe Reberkenny

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HRC warns LGBTQ+ progress faltering as Trump enters second year

By Joe Reberkenny | Washington Blade

As President Donald Trump moves into the second year of his second term, LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations say they are shifting into a more aggressive posture — armed with new data that shows how quickly hard-won progress is eroding under the Trump-Vance administration.

The Human Rights Campaign hosted its 2026 Election Strategy Kick-Off meeting in January at the National Press Club in Washington, where leaders shared fresh polling data detailing how Trump’s first year back in office has affected LGBTQ+ Americans — and how proequality candidates can respond heading into the midterms.

LGBTQ+ adults themselves, that number jumps to 29.7%.

That erosion of acceptance is translating into tangible changes in behavior. Nearly half of LGBTQ+ adults surveyed — 47.5% — reported being less out in at least one area of their lives over the past 12 months, at least in part due to cultural shifts or executive actions taken by the Trump-Vance administration.

HRC President Kelley Robinson hosted the event, joined by MSNBC’s Jonathan Capehart, Reproductive Freedom For All President Mini Timmaraju, and Joey Teitelbaum of Global Strategy Group. Together, they laid out what they described as a dire political and cultural moment for LGBTQ+ people — and the concrete steps campaigns must take to counter a surge of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and policy coming from the GOP.

“The emergency that we warned about is no longer a warning — it is the reality that we are living inside,” Robinson said. “Donald Trump may not have started this fire, but he surely poured gasoline on it.”

New data collected by HRC and Democratic pollsters at Global Strategy Group (GSG) paints a grim picture of life for LGBTQ Americans in Trump-era America — particularly when it comes to visibility, safety, and economic security.

Acceptance and visibility declining

One of the clearest trends from the survey is a decline in perceived acceptance. The data found that 21.6% of all U.S. adults say acceptance of LGBTQ+ people has declined in the past year. Among

The survey found that 26.5% of LGBTQ+ people are less out at work than they used to be, 25.4% are less out in healthcare settings, and 28.3% feel less out in public spaces. While the choice to be out varies by person and circumstance, researchers note that higher levels of being openly LGBTQ+ — particularly when safety is assured — have historically been linked to greater societal acceptance. Visibility is slipping even more broadly. More than half of LGBTQ+ adults — 51.1% — say they are less visible than they were a year ago. Among LGBTQ+ parents with school-aged children, 40.1% reported being less visible at their children’s schools — the highest rate of retreat in any measured environment.

“Nearly half of LGBTQ+ people say they are less out than they were just a year ago,” Robinson said. “Visibility — something we fought generations to build — is slipping before our very eyes.”

Capehart emphasized that these numbers have real-world consequences beyond personal identity.

“Half the community retreating back into the closet is distressing, but understandable in these times,” Capehart said. “The danger is when people disappear from public life, because it becomes easier to ignore their suffering.”

Decades of research from organizations such as Gallup and PRRI have consistently shown that increased visibility correlates with greater public support for LGBTQ+ rights. When people personally know someone who is LGBTQ+, they are significantly more likely to support equality — creating what advocates describe as a positive feedback loop. The new data suggests that loop is now reversing.

Voters are ahead of politicians

Despite the cultural retrenchment

reflected in the data, GSG’s findings also offer a clear political opening for candidates who run unapologetically on equality — particularly in competitive districts.

According to the polling, voters in battleground and purple districts “overwhelmingly support” nondiscrimination protections and LGBTQ equality. These voters, the data show, are deeply wary of politicians inserting themselves into people’s personal lives while failing to address urgent issues like the cost of living, healthcare, and public safety — especially when those intrusions target transgender people.

Teitelbaum, GSG’s senior vice president for research, said the polling makes clear that Republican messaging on transgender issues is far out of step with the electorate.

“In no state have we ever seen more than 18% of voters say being transgender should be illegal,” Teitelbaum said. “That means more than 80% of Americans are not where Republicans are — and that gives us room to go on offense.”

HRC leaders pointed to the recent Virginia gubernatorial race as a case study in how candidates can successfully navigate anti-trans attacks. Democratic Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger faced a barrage of anti-trans messaging from her opponent, yet refused to cede ground on equality — instead redirecting her campaign toward economic concerns and quality-of-life issues.

“Look at Virginia and the good governor that’s about to be inaugurated, Abigail Spanberger,” Robinson said. “She faced a flood of anti-trans attacks. More than half of her opponent’s ad budget was spent trying to divide and mislead voters, but she didn’t flinch. She stood her ground, and voters rewarded her by a win of over 15 points in Virginia.”

Economic, healthcare impacts deepen

Beyond cultural shifts, the survey shows that the administration’s policies are having measurable economic and health impacts on LGBTQ+ Americans.

LGBTQ+ adults are twice as likely as non-LGBTQ+ adults to say their financial situation has worsened over the past year. Advocates pointed specifically to the administration’s hardline rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives as a key driver of workplace hostility. Among LGBTQ+ workers whose employers ended or scaled back DEI programs, 57.4% reported experiencing stigma or bias at work.

Healthcare access is also deteriorating — not only due to Trump’s aggressive push against gender-affirming care, but

across other critical areas as well. Access to HIV prevention and treatment has become significantly more difficult. LGBTQ+ adults on Medicare or Medicaid are more than twice as likely to report barriers to HIV care compared to those with other forms of insurance. Among LGBTQ+ adults earning less than $75,000 per year, 41.5% reported difficulty accessing HIV prevention or treatment.

“Since Donald Trump returned to office, LGBTQ+ Americans are worse off in every area this survey measures than we were one year ago,” Robinson said. “We are less visible, less safe, and less economically secure.”

A playbook for going on offense

In response, HRC is urging more proequality candidates to run — and to do so strategically. The organization outlined a campaign playbook designed to help candidates define themselves early, counter anti-trans attacks, and proactively promote their values rather than playing defense.

The framework centers on five core pillars:

1. Share your story before attacks come

2. Lead with your values

3. Address concerns directly

4. Turn the tables and gain voters

5. Go big

U.S. Rep. Julie Johnson of Texas joined the meeting virtually, echoing the call for more openly pro-LGBTQ leadership in Congress.

“They’re banking that the politics of hate and division can distract voters from their failure to address soaring health care costs, high grocery bills, and the scourge of gun violence — and we cannot let them win,” Johnson said. “The answer is not to hide or stay silent. The answer is to be prepared.”

Johnson, the first out LGBTQ+ member of Congress from the South, said real change in Washington begins with elections.

“We need to flip the House to a pro-equality majority that will focus on the needs of all Americans, without exception,” she said. “With HRC’s help, candidates like me can go on offense and lean into our values, because the American people want real leadership, full equality, and a commitment to freedom.”

Robinson closed the event with a blunt assessment of the moment ahead.

“This is a different United States of America than it was just months ago,” she said. “Preserving democracy and protecting LGBTQ+ lives both require the same thing: winning power and refusing to back down.”

Atlanta Pride announces new board members

By Katie Burkholder

Atlanta Pride has announced the appointment of three new members to its Board of Directors.

The newly appointed board members are Luis Feliciano, Dr. Chicora Martin, and Dr. Christopher A. Thompson. These new members bring expanded expertise in communications, higher education, community engagement, and LGBTQ+ advocacy to the organization.

Feliciano is a strategic communicator and creative leader focused on inclusive storytelling and community engagement, and has leadership experience in nonprofit communications and inclusive sports organizations, like Stonewall Sports Atlanta.

Dr. Martin serves as Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students at Agnes Scott College. They have led nationally recognized initiatives focused on student development, wellness, and LGBTQ+ inclusion and have held leadership roles with NASPA and the

National Consortium of LGBTQ Resource Professionals.

Dr. Thompson is a strategic advisor and educator specializing in public interest storytelling, communications, and governance. He is the founder of House of Heralds PR and teaches at Kennesaw State University.

“Atlanta Pride continues to grow, and strong leadership is essential to that evolution,” said Chris McCain, Executive Director of Atlanta Pride. “These new board members reflect the inclusivity, talent, and dedication of our community, and their perspectives will help guide our work as we expand our impact across Atlanta and throughout Georgia.”

The organization also announced its newly elected board officers, including Nicoal Campbell as Board Chair, Toby Vargas-Jaume as Board Vice Chair, Chris Ruiz as Board Secretary, and Farah Witt as Board Treasurer.

The Board of Directors guides Atlanta Pride in expanding year-round programming, deepening community

News Roundup

Deaths

of

Renee Good and

Alex

Pretti rock LGBTQ+ community

The January deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of ICE agents in Minneapolis, MN, catalyzed a fresh wave of outrage, protest, and grief — especially within the LGBTQ+ community and among advocates for civil rights and accountability.

On Jan. 7, Renee Good, a 37-year-old poet, wife, and mother who identified as part of the LGBTQ+ community, was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. Her death, later ruled a homicide by the local medical examiner, occurred while she was driving and has been widely contested by family, neighbors, and video evidence that disputes the official federal narrative.

Just weeks later, on Jan. 24, Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse, was shot and killed by federal

agents during a protest. Pretti had joined demonstrations sparked by Good’s death and was attempting to assist another person when he was killed. Video and eyewitness accounts have cast doubt on federal claims that he posed a threat.

LGBTQ+ lawmakers and advocates condemned both deaths, calling for greater accountability, defunding of DHS/ ICE, and structural reforms to protect marginalized communities.

WHO withdrawal could mean setbacks in HIV funding

The United States officially completed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization on Thursday, ending nearly eight decades of membership and raising concerns among public health experts about the future of HIV funding, research, and global health cooperation.

President Donald Trump initiated the departure on his first day in office in 2025, citing dissatisfaction with the WHO’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and alleged political biases. The exit, finalized Thursday, ends U.S. financial contributions and participation in WHO governance, according to a report from the Associated Press.

Public health leaders warn that the move could mean the worldwide disruption of decades of progress in HIV prevention and treatment. The U.S. has been the largest supporter of global HIV programs, particularly through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, known as PEPFAR, which has provided antiretroviral

partnerships, and continuing its legacy of advocacy, visibility, and celebration.

According to Atlanta Pride’s 2025 Impact Report, the festival continued to be the largest free Pride event in the U.S., with over 350,000 attendees and the largest parade in Atlanta with more than 100,000 spectators. The weekend culminated in the Starlight Cabaret, the largest outdoor drag event in the country, and the festival hosted the largest Family Fun Zone and

Artist Market to date.

The organization also saw an increase in financial support, despite a nationwide decline in corporate Pride sponsorships. Atlanta Pride welcomed 10 new sponsors and more than doubled its total number of individual donors through the launch of the 70 CLUB, the organization’s monthly donor community.

treatment and prevention services to millions of people since its creation. Experts say the loss of WHO funding and coordination may worsen gaps in services that have helped reduce new infections and AIDS-related deaths, AP reports.

Supreme Court hears arguments on trans sports bans

The Supreme Court heard two cases on Jan. 13 that could change how the Equal Protection Clause and Title IX are enforced.

The cases, Little v. Hecox and West Virginia v. B.P.J., ask the court to determine whether state laws blocking transgender girls from participating on girls’ teams at publicly funded schools violate the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause and Title IX. Once decided, the rulings could reshape how laws addressing sex discrimination are interpreted nationwide.

The Supreme Court is expected to issue rulings in both cases by the end of June.

Washington Blade

Pentagon blocks new recruits who are HIV+

The Trump administration’s fight to prevent HIV-positive people from enlisting in the military will soon be settled, but not before upending the lives of those who want nothing more than to serve.

The Department of Defense has ordered officials not to train new recruits who are HIV-positive, according to guidance sent by the U.S. Military Entrance Processing Command and obtained by

CNN. The order, sent Jan. 16, states “we are pausing shipping any HIV+ applicants and will follow up in the coming weeks,” pending a ruling from an appeals court. — The Advocate

DeKalb delays LGBTQ+ police liaison vote

The DeKalb County Commission has approved a policy statement establishing guiding pillars for equitable policing in the county.

At the commission meeting on Jan. 13, it approved the statement, which affirms the department’s commitment to treating all residents equitably. The statement establishes guiding pillars for this equitable treatment, including equal service and constitutional policing, inclusive and broad-based community engagement, and operational integrity, safety, and sustainability.

The policy statement was approved in lieu of a resolution establishing a LGBTQ+ police liaison. The police department and county staff will come before the Employee Relations and Public Safety Committee in July to outline how they will implement the pillars detailed in the statement, according to Decaturish.

Commissioner Ted Terry, who introduced the resolution championing the need for an LGBTQ+ police liaison in August, was supportive of the policy statement, saying it establishes a “vision” for the county’s policing and leaves it up to the police department on how to strategically implement this vision.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Director Robby Myles talks staging ‘BLKS’ at Out Front Theatre

By Sammie Purcell

“BLKS,” a play from Aziza Barnes, will play at Out Front Theatre Company from Jan. 29 to Feb. 14.

“BLKS” follows a group of Black women in New York City over a period of 24 hours as they navigate intimacy, health, and more. The play explores what it takes to be a queer Black woman, navigating that experience with humor and humanity. The production stars Taylor PasqualettiCampbell, Kierra Danielle, and Tatyana Mack.

The production is directed by Robby Myles, a Chicago native who moved to Atlanta about seven years ago and has worked with local theater companies such as True Colors and 7 Stages. This is the first show that Myles has directed for Out Front, but he previously worked with the company as an assistant director.

Georgia Voice recently spoke with Myles ahead of the show’s opening. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. You worked as an assistant director at Out Front before. How did that experience working specifically as an assistant director with the theater company where you’re directing prepare you to step into this role?

Robby Myles: I think that one, it helped with the storytelling at this particular location. What I love about theater and a lot of theater houses is, there’s a certain genre and vibe that each one has. To learn what each one is, and to learn how to deliver work in that same realm is always really exciting.

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Coming April 2026

So to know that was really helpful, and just educational on my journey.

Yeah, and I guess you’re around some of the people that you’ll be working with in the future as well.

Myles: Yeah, and honestly, one of the main reasons [the opportunity came about] is because we’ve worked together before. We know each other, and this would be a great fit for all of us.

When was the first time that you heard of this particular show?

Myles: I heard of it around the time it first came out, right when I graduated college. I think it all really worked out, because it was a show that I told myself for years that I really wanted to work with, in some capacity. To be offered to direct, I was like, oh – this is kind of a dream, right here. This is literally one of my dream shows. I was going through my notes the other day, of shows that I’ve been wanting to either produce or direct. From 2022, this show was on the list. So, to be able to direct it is kind of great. It’s kind of cool. What makes you want to put a show on your list of things you’d like to direct? And what in particular drew you to this show?

Myles: My mission statement as an artist is to create work that really pushes Black and LGBTQIA stories. This show, in particular, not only fits in that realm, but also we’re taking a closer look at Black women in general. I think there’s always a presentation,

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on stage and film, that [Black women] have, and I think this is a really nice show that kind of shows how human they are, along with how much they have to take on as well. For me to be able to help tell that story is an honor, and to make sure that the women in the show, they feel safe and they feel open to tell their stories as well.

When you’re taking on a show that’s been around for as long as this one has, obviously, it’s been produced before, it’s been imagined by other directors. What is your approach to coming up with a construction and vision for a show that’s been done before?

Myles: I think it’s first to acknowledge that there have been other productions of it, but then to also remember that one of the coolest things about art is that there’s not only so many ways to perceive it, but also deliver it as well. This is also a show that hasn’t really been done here in Atlanta either, so it’s still new to so many eyes. There are still so many creative ways to tell the story itself.

I think, for just approaching the show in general, it’s to follow this kind of sitcom-y feel that the show has, but also still make sure the characters are relatable and able to connect to [the audience]. That’s been one of the most exciting parts of this process.

I like the idea of a sitcom being a descriptor. That puts an image in your head right away.

Myles: I think [what we have] for set and costumes and everything, you instantly go in that direction. I think that makes it very welcoming, makes it very familiar, to some degree. Again, there are so many demographics of groups or whatnot, where it’s easy for someone to think – this is how they look, this is how they act, this is how they move. And something in this presentation can remind you that at the core, we’re all still human. We all still go through heartbreak, and breakups, but also we still go out and we have fun with our friends, and everything like that. I wanted to be able to show that. I feel like that was really important to me.

Could you talk a little bit about the casting and finding the different actors to bring these roles to life?

Myles: Each character has very unique qualities to them, about how they stand out as characters. It was finding who could really capture those. And from those who we cast to our understudies, I feel we were able to find pretty much perfect fits. Also, casting was to find those who can fit in the character, but be open to exploring all the avenues that this character provides. I also want to give a big shout-out to my assistant director, Lauren [Alexandria]. I think sometimes you have assistant directors,

and some directors kind of use them as, you know – just take my notes. But she’s been really helpful in this process of [giving] thoughts and ways to navigate the story as well. I bring her up because she also helped a lot with casting [for] these stories that are being told. [She] was doing a really good job in these auditions and callbacks of, who’s doing a really good job presenting these characters in this way? While each one is an individual, there’s still the [idea of] who can help make this a true ensemble as well.

Yeah, you have to think about the chemistry between them, not just the individual.

Myles: I think the cast that we have now – throughout the process, but even at that callback and auditions – they did an excellent job of, whoever they were reading with, there was instant chemistry, and they knew how to make it work. That was exciting to see. It was like, okay, great – you can do that here, I can’t wait to see what else you can do in the rehearsal process. I can’t wait to see what you do with the final product, as well.

Was there anything that you found, through this directing process,

particularly challenging, or anything that surprised you?

Myles: One of the things I’ve learned in directing in general is to prepare for it all. So even if there was something that came up, I was like, I knew this would happen. So I was ready for that.

I would say, for me, as I identify with he/him pronouns and everything, I want to be sure that I’m helping tell their story appropriately. I think that was a fear that I had going in, but I knew that involved me going in with open eyes, open ears, and care. Coming in that way really helped form a trust. In theater, that’s always a big thing to have. I think in this show, in particular, just everything that each character is going through and whatnot, I think there has to be a level of trust that’s given and received on all ends. Having that in the room has really just made this process really fulfilling.

Just making sure you’re listening?

Myles: It’s making sure that I’m listening to these experiences, and I’m also not mansplaining either [laughs]. To make sure I’m not going, “Oh, you mean this.” Even though I’ve never done that before, I’m just being really cautious of it.

Theatrical Outfit’s premieres ‘Bleeding Hearts’

By Collin Kelley

Theatrical Outfit kicks off the new year with the world premiere of Atlanta playwright Steve Yockey’s “Bleeding Hearts” at the Balzer Theatre in Downtown.

The “breakneck, pitch-black farce” about the disappearing middle class and how people forget to put themselves in each other’s shoes runs from Jan. 28 to Feb. 22.

The story: Sloane isn’t sure why exactly her husband, Timothy, brought home a probably dangerous drifter with a knife, but she doesn’t like it. Of course, it’s hard to focus when her wealthy neighbor keeps dropping by to steal anything not nailed down.

“We’re thrilled to be starting the new year with the world premiere of a new play,” TO Artistic Director Matt Torney said in a statement. “And, we are even more thrilled that it’s a play by one of Atlanta’s most celebrated playwrights, Steve Yockey.”

Torney said “Bleeding Hearts” is part of the theatre’s commitment to new plays by Atlanta playwrights as part of its “Made in Atlanta” development program. Since starting five years ago, “Made in Atlanta” has developed and premiered the hip hop musical “Young John Lewis,” which won Best Musical in the 2025 Suzi Bass Awards, “FLEX” that went on to play at Lincoln Center in New York.

“Bleeding Hearts” will feature anensemble of current, returning, and

new faces, including: Josh Adams as “Griff O’Brien,” Veronika Duerr as “Sloane Burke,” Christopher Hampton as “Timothy Burke,” Tony Larkin as “Old Blindy,” and Tess Malis Kincaid as “Felicia Reed-Walker.” Under the direction of Sean Daniels (former Artistic Director of Dad’s Garage), the design team includes: Scenic Design by Kat Conley, Costume Design by April Andrew Carswell, Lighting Design by David Reingold, Sound Design by Dan Bauman, Properties Design by Leah Thomas, Special Effects by Sarah Beth “EssBee” Hester, Intimacy Coordination by Bridget McCarthy, and Stage Management by Gabby Peralta. Tickets are available at theatricaloutfit. org or call (678) 528-1500 for more information.

By Aziza Barnes

January 29 - February 14

Tickets and more information:

‘Prisontown’ explores impact of ICE detention center in Lumpkin

By Katie Burkholder

Lumpkin, GA, a town two-and-a-half hours southwest of Atlanta, is home to less than 1,000 residents – 891 to be exact, according to the 2020 census. It’s also home to the Stewart Detention Center, one of the largest immigration detention centers in the country.

This tiny town is the subject of playwright, actor, and Out of Hand Theater Associate Artistic Director Lee Osorio’s new play, “Prisontown.” Lumpkin is also Osorio’s hometown.

The show follows the “95 percent true story” about a writer who returns to Lumpkin to witness the barbarity of the nation’s immigration crisis and

a small town torn by poverty and the prison industry. With the recent deaths of Mexican national Sanchaz Dominguez in ICE custody in Lovejoy, GA, and Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis after being shot by an ICE agents, “Prisontown” is a timely exploration of the impact of anti-immigration sentiments and policies on all of us, immigrants or otherwise.

Osorio got the idea to write the show after a conversation with his brother, who’s an immigration attorney.

“He texted me one day asking me, ‘Hey, how would you feel about marrying a gay, 25-year-old Mexican national who lost his DACA status because of a DUI?’ He, of course, was joking; he’s a good

immigration attorney who would not defraud the U.S. government like that,” Osorio told Rough Draft. “But he was just frustrated that there was this person who had come to the states when he was very, very young, brought by his parents, and was going to get sent back to a country that he knew nothing about.”

This young man was being held in Stewart Detention Center, which opened in 2004 and can hold more than 1,700 detainees. Osorio’s brother relayed to him how the town had been completely changed by the opening of the detention center.

“The grocery store across the street, it’s now shut down,” he said. “The town square was nearly abandoned, and the thing that was keeping the whole town and the county alive was this detention center.”

This question of how facilities like Stewart impact those who live both inside of and in proximity to them is at the heart of “Prisontown.” In the one-man show, Osorio explores this through his personal lens as both a Lumpkin native and son of a Venezuelan immigrant.

“I was just thinking about how easily I could have ended up in any number of places in Lumpkin, either as a detainee or as a guard, if we hadn’t moved away,” he said. “…The whole system is so extractive and harmful to us in all ways that we may not always directly feed, but that are real and deeply felt in those places most proximal to the prisons themselves. The prisons are bad for detainees and immigrants, 100 percent. They’re also bad for all of us.”

“Prisontown” runs until April 5 as

part of Out of Hand Theater’s Shows in Homes program. Instead of being performed on the traditional stage, the show will come into local Atlantans’ homes for 40 intimate and familiar performances. Venues include homes in Kirkwood, Decatur, Lenox, Buckhead, Virginia-Highland, Midtown, and Old Fourth Ward, all offered to the community by homeowners.

The program, born out of necessity since Out of Hand couldn’t afford a brickand-mortar space, encourages a sense of community connectedness and empowers arts accessibility.

Each performance will be followed by a conversation facilitated by community partners El Refugio, an organization providing loved ones of Stewart detainees with a free place to stay and other support, and the ACLU, a legal civil liberties organization.

Osorio says he hopes to inspire audiences to support these organizations and other groups assisting immigrants while recognizing the humanity of all people. He also hopes “Prisontown” starts conversations, especially among people who don’t necessarily agree, and acts as a salve against divisiveness.

“The problem that we face right now is increasing violence across this country that takes many, many forms,” he said. “One of those forms is internal, it’s that hatred that becomes way too easy these days. How do we combat the violence within ourselves and our own thoughts?”

Tickets for “Prisontown” are available at outofhandtheater.com.

‘Cashing Out’ documentary unpacks the viatical settlement industry

By Sammie Purcell

On a walk with his father in 2020, filmmaker Matt Nadel learned an earthshattering truth about his upbringing. A few years later, he turned that truth into the short film “Cashing Out.”

During the early days of the AIDS crisis, before life-savinga medications and therapies came into play, thousands of people turned to a new industry for a little relief before they died: viatical settlements, or the practice of people with terminal illnesses selling their life insurance policies to a third party. The sick person gets money to make the rest of their life more comfortable, and when they die, the owner of their policy collects the payout.

On that walk with his father, Nadel learned that his father was one of the investors who bought life insurance policies during the AIDS crisis.

“He was kind of defensive of it off the bat … It sort of set me on this path where I was like, look, I need to figure out what to make of this, not just as your son, but as a gay man,” Nadal said. “I live and stand on the shoulders of the activists of that era who fought for the health advances and the

advances in recognition that mean that I can live a free and healthy life now.”

He started researching viatical settlements, trying to make sense of an undeniably morbid practice, but one that also helped so many people in an impossibly dire situation.

Out of his research came “Cashing Out,” which examines what type of system allows for something like viatical settlements to exist, focusing on the intertwining perspectives of Scott Page, the broker of one of the first sales of a life insurance policy for a person with AIDS (that person was his partner); Sean Strub, who sold his life insurance policy and then lived to tell the tale; and Dee Dee Chamblee, a Black trans woman who navigated the AIDS epidemic in Atlanta without a life insurance policy to sell.

The short played at last year’s Out on Film festival, and was recently shortlisted for the Best Documentary Short category for this year’s Academy Awards.

Read Sammie Purcell’s full interview with Nadel by scanning the QR code. The short can be watched at newyorker.com.

Best Bets

The legendary Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is returning to The Fox Theatre in Atlanta from Feb. 11-15. Experience the passion, precision, and powerful storytelling by one of the most acclaimed dance companies in the world. Get tickets at foxtheatre.org.

Macon Pride is hosting a special Valentine’s cocktail-themed evening called Partners in Pride on Feb. 11 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Longleaf Distilling Co. Details on IG @maconpride.

a date, friends or solo. More details on IG @roswell_empowered.

Lips Atlanta is hosting Queen of Hearts on Feb. 14, featuring drag from the Ladies of Lips, plus a Galentine’s Brunch on Feb. 14-15. Make reservations at lipsatl.com/ valentines.

Charis Books & More in Decatur hosts the virtual All Our Exes Poetry Reading on Feb. 14 at 7:30 p.m., featuring poets Subhaga Crystal Bacon, Chen Chen, Richie

The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula: Titans 2 Tour is making a stop at Buckhead Theatre in Atlanta on Feb. 13 for a night of glamour, filth, horror, and drag excellence. Tickets and more details available at dragulalive.com.

The Atlanta Ballet will present “Giselle” Feb. 13-15 at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center. The ballet is about a young peasant girl whose world shatters when she uncovers the shocking betrayal of her beloved Albrecht. Get tickets at atlantaballet.com.

Roswell Empowered is hosting its Pride Prom 2026 on Feb. 14 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Melrose & McQueen in Roswell. DJ Biggz will be playing hits from the early 2000s as part of the “Millennial Magic” theme. All ages are welcome, but parental supervision is encouraged for those under age, plus ID will be required. Come with

Hofmann, Luther Hughes, Margot Kahn, Keetje Kuipers, Rajiv Mohabir, Laura Read, Leigh Sugar for a reading featuring poems on past lovers and flings. Register at charisbooksandmore.com.

Lore is hosting a Heated Rivalry Drag Brunch on Feb. 15 at 11:30 a.m. featuring Atlanta’s best drag performers, comedians, and boylesque dancers paying tribute to the hottest new gay TV show. Find out more at loreatl.com.

Cozy up to fellow queer women at the Sapphic Valentine mixer at Side Saddle Wine Saloon and Bar in Atlanta on Feb. 15, starting at 3 p.m. Guided by event host Chelsie, the mixer is for WLW looking to date, make new friends, and everything in between. Find out more at sidesaddle.wine.

Trailblazers, the Rome Pride Adventure Club, will host its next hike on Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. at Garrard Trail. Visit @romegapride on IG for more information and a map.

Here are Georgia’s 2026 James Beard Awards semifinalists

By Beth McKibben

Awards season returns for another round, including for the restaurant industry’s biggest night of the year: the James Beard Awards, known as the “Oscars of the food world.”

The James Beard Foundation just announced the semifinalists in the chef

and restaurant categories for the prestigious awards. Pastry chef Claudia Martinez, sommelier Taurean Philpott, the Kamayan ATL owners, Aria, and Madeira Park are among the semifinalists from Atlanta.

Presented annually, the awards cover categories like Best Chef: Southeast, Outstanding Restaurant, Best New Restaurant, and Emerging Chef.

Last year, the James Beard Foundation added three new categories: Best New Bar, Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service, and Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service. Marietta Proper nabbed a semifinalist nod for Best New Bar, while Kursten Berry of Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours was named a semifinalist in the Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service category.

The foundation also honors a handful of restaurants from around the country with its America’s Classic award, given to independent and family-owned restaurants deemed community cornerstones. Busy Bee Cafe, a soul food institution in Atlanta’s Vine City neighborhood, won the award in

2022. Two new locations of the Vine City restaurant will open this year at Atlantic Station and Centennial Yards in South Downtown.

Despite having 12 strong semifinalist restaurant and chef contenders in 2025, including Aria and Lucian Books & Wine and chefs like Bruce Logue (BoccaLupo), Brian So (Spring), and Rod Lassiter and Parnass Savang (Talat Market), Atlanta and Georgia walked away with no awards. Aria was the lone finalist at the awards last year, nominated for Outstanding Hospitality. The award went to Atomix in New York City.

In 2024, a similar scenario occurred when Savang and Lassiter wound up being the only Georgia finalists at the awards ceremony. The Talat Market owners were up for Best Chef: Southeast, which went to Paul Smith of 1010 Bridge in Charleston, West Virginia. Chef Terry Koval of The Deer and The Dove and Fawn in Decatur won the award for Best Chef: Southeast in 2023.

Finalists are announced on March 31, with the winners announced during an awards ceremony in Chicago on June 15.

Aria, Buckhead

Outstanding Hospitality

Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service

Taurean Philpott, Avize, Westside Best Chef: Southeast

■ Carlo Gan and Mia Orino, Kamayan ATL, Chamblee

■ J. Trent Harris, Mujō, Howell Mill Road

■ Freddy Money, Atlas, Buckhead

■ Todd Schafer, Abel Brown, Augusta

Best New Bar

■ Lucky Star, Star Metals

■ Madeira Park, Poncey-Highland

Outstanding Restaurateur

Meherwan Irani and Molly Irani, Chai Pani Restaurant Group (Chai Pani and Botiwalla), Asheville, Charlotte, Atlanta, and Decatur

The most anticipated Atlanta restaurant openings of 2026

By Beth McKibben

With the whole of 2026 still ahead of us, it’s simply too difficult to gauge the number of new restaurants that will eventually open around Atlanta this year. But these eight upcoming restaurants opening over the coming months have already captured our attention in 2026.

Babygirl

East Lake

Anticipated early 2026

In early 2026, Whoopsie’s and Pure Quill Superette chef Hudson Rouse will bring East Lake an all-day bistro serving breakfast and lunch. Taking over the former Mix’d Up Burger space at Hosea & 2nd, Babygirl is meant to fill the gap in service hours before restaurants like Gene’s and Poor Hendrix open for dinner. Rouse wants to provide East Lake residents with a place to grab breakfast and lunch – or a glass of wine and a cocktail before 5 p.m. – without having to leave the neighborhood. He thinks of Babygirl as a cafe with diner-like menu options that might include a burger and fries, club sandwich, pasta, and daily specials taking inspiration from Rouse’s world travels. Sugar Loaf

Reynoldstown

Anticipated early 2026

Owners Nebi and Lindsay Berhane describe their farmers market food stall and upcoming restaurant, Sugar Loaf, as “Southern-inspired” and “globally influenced,” with flavors that tap into their Ethiopian and Albanian heritages. Located across from Atlanta Dairies, breakfast will feature Sugar Loaf’s popular dabo, buttermilk, and pimento cheesestudded biscuits, housemade granola and yogurt bowls, and ricotta and fresh jam toasts. Look for Liege waffles and caramel-topped “sticky buna” infused with Ethiopian coffee on the weekends. Lunch will include an Oklahoma-style fried onion smashburger, sandwiches like the “World Tour” made with Cajun-spiced

mushrooms, Ethiopian lentil salads, and a zesty Albanian chicken sandwich. Expect coffee leaning into the flavors and cultures of Ethiopia and Albania, along with a robust tea program and seasonal drinks, such as hot chocolate and variations on the Arnold Palmer.

Some Luck

Poncey-Highland

Anticipated spring 2026

Delays kept Some Luck from opening in 2025, but it’s still on track to open, and that’s all that matters.

Chefs Parnass Savang and Rod Lassiter, owners of Summerhill Thai restaurant Talat Market, plan to open their Thai bar by spring. Taking over the Highland Ballroom Lounge adjacent Madeira Park, Some Luck will serve a decidedly Thai-focused menu of bar snacks, noodle soups, wings, and latenight bites inspired by dishes found at street stalls throughout Thailand. Expect quick-fired, stirred cocktails mixed with Thai ingredients and base spirits like rum, as well as pitchers of Singha beer and local beers on draft at the basement-level bar.

Mule Train

South Downtown

Anticipated spring 2026

Nearly a decade after launching one of Atlanta’s first pop-ups, The Plate Sale, husband-and-wife duo Mike and Shyretha Sheats will open their first restaurant, Mule Train, this spring in South Downtown. The restaurant’s name references the place where Mike’s family gathers back home in Oglethorpe, as well as the Civil Rights-era campaign Martin Luther King, Jr. worked on days before his assassination. Identical in all but name, Mule Train will continue The Plate Sale’s culinary ethos, combining Southern fare, local, seasonal ingredients, and hospitality. While the couple hasn’t settled on a final menu, expect Mule Train to include popular dishes from The Plate Sale, like the smoked bologna sandwich and fried quail.

Heritage

Summerhill

Anticipated spring 2026

After operating Heritage Supper Club as a dinner series for the past five years, founder and chef Demetrius Brown will evolve it into a restaurant in Summerhill. Brown, along with his Bread & Butterfly partner, Brandon Blanchard, will open Heritage on Georgia Avenue this spring. From the music to the food, Brown wants to tell a story here, and one that centers on the global roots of the African diaspora. An evening at Heritage will start with drinks in the cocktail lounge, before moving to the dining room for a 10-course tasting menu exploring the cuisines of Black cultures from around the world. The night concludes with dessert in an intimate area of the restaurant. You’re meant to enjoy more than just a meal at Heritage, according to Brown, who calls his new Summerhill restaurant a “full-body experience.”

Broad Street BBQ

South Downtown

Anticipated spring 2026

South Downtown will become the center of World Cup activities in Atlanta this summer, with the spotlight shining on the new restaurants soon to become part of the redevelopment plans for the neighborhood. This includes Broad Street BBQ, owned by Jason Furst and Chef Sam Pinner of Sammy’s in Adair Park. Expect brisket and smoked pork sandwiches and plates at Broad Street, along with other smoked meats paired with sides of mac and cheese, hoecakes, and baked beans. Pinner is playing with the idea of a collard green lasagna, while Furst is working with Sammy’s bar manager, Connor Hammond, to create Broad Street’s cocktail menu. Want a sneak peek of the menu? Order the Uncle’s Sam’s barbecue sandwich at Sammy’s. It features the smoked pork butt Pinner became known for when he and Furst worked together on Bainbridge Island in Washington.

Sargent

Old Fourth Ward

Anticipated spring 2026

Five years after opening Lucian Books & Wine in Buckhead, Jordan Smelt and Katie Barringer will debut their next restaurant together this spring. Located beside 3 Parks Wine Shop on the Eastside Beltline, Sargent takes its name from American portrait artist John Singer Sargent. Smelt and Barringer see Sargent as a more casual, everyday kind of restaurant serving wood-fired dishes, small plates, and cocktails. Unlike the Europeanleaning wine list at Lucian, Smelt’s wine list at Sargent will favor domestic producers, along with New World vintages from countries like New Zealand and Australia. Sargent will also include an expanded retail section, where Barringer will continue to sell books and magazines on art, music, architecture, food, and fashion.

Kinship

Grant Park

Anticipated fall 2026

A second location of VirginiaHighland’s Kinship Butcher & Sundry will open at the Beacon in Grant Park this fall. Kinship will take over an unoccupied retail space next door to the former Elsewhere Brewing, which closed in 2024 at the Grant Park complex. The expansion into Grant Park will triple Kinship’s current operations, allowing owners Chef Myles Moody and Rachael Pack to build upon the whole-animal butchery production, add a seafood butchery program, and provide more room to stock market shelves with seasonal produce, wine, and local pantry goods. Most significantly, however, the Grant Park location will include a cafe and coffee shop serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with a full bar offering beer, wine, and cocktails.

Wild Heaven will resurrect Eats at West End taproom

By Sarra Sedghi

Fans of a classic Atlanta restaurant won’t have to go much longer without their beloved institution: Eats is reopening in March.

Atlanta brewery Wild Heaven Beer has purchased the rights to Eats and will reopen the restaurant at its West End taproom in the Lee + White development. Mexican restaurant El Tesoro is moving out of Wild Heaven’s kitchen for another space at Lee + White – perfect timing for Eats’ resurrection.

Wild Heaven won’t simply bring back the Eats name and menu of jerk chicken and vegetables, but will recreate the vibe of the original Ponce de Leon Avenue spot as well.

“We bought everything that’s inside the building,” Wild Heaven co-owner Nick Purdy said. “We’re planning to bring over the furniture, [and] the wall hangings that everybody loves so much.”

Wild Heaven also tapped longtime manager Levi Nichols to ensure they’re faithful to Eats’ original mission. “We’re not trying to be a tribute band. We’re trying to be the band and keep it going,” Purdy said.

Wild Heaven will redecorate the Lee + White taproom to include the original Eats furniture and paraphernalia. “We just have to see what fits and how it all works, but the idea is that when you walk into our West End taproom, you’re going to see and feel a lot of what Eats physically, actually was.”

They’re also transferring the kitchen equipment. “I mean, even the chicken will get cooked in the same ovens,” Purdy said. The new version of Eats will also include the return of its pasta menu, which disappeared during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“A lot of us at Wild Heaven have been fans of Eats for a long time, and we love Atlanta,” Purdy said. “For anyone who thinks this is an important part of Atlanta that’s getting preserved, we definitely

agree with that and are really excited to be able to do all that.”

Purdy recalled dining at Eats after it opened in 1993. “I had a friend who was like, ‘Hey, something opened. I’ve gotta show you,” he said. “I remember sitting in that first booth to the right when you go up the little two stairs, and I was immediately like, ‘Whoa, I love this.’ And so I’ve been going there ever since.”

In addition to the food, Purdy was taken by Eats’ cultivated atmosphere and clientele.

“When I go into Eats, I feel like I’m sitting with a cross section of Atlanta,” Purdy said. “I see people with tattoos and piercings. I see people with starched white collars coming out of the office towers in Midtown. I see workers in their uniforms. I see college students. I see everybody, and it felt like a place where everybody just agreed was great and it wasn’t for any one particular group.”

After Eats’ closure was announced last year, Purdy was a frequent visitor. It was during one of these visits that Purdy spoke to owner Bob Hatcher and asked if he was selling anything beyond the building.

Purdy had gotten to know Hatcher over the years, both as a customer and supplier. Mutual friends and longtime Eats customers Brent and Amity Dey vouched for Wild Heaven. While the Deys played a role in the deal and are part of the “family,” they will not have an operational role, Purdy said.

“The conversation went on through December, and we figured out a way to make everybody happy and got the deal,” Purdy said.

In addition to being the closest Wild Heaven outpost to Eats’ original home, the West End location offers the best logistics. Wild Heaven’s original location in Avondale Estates doesn’t have a kitchen, Purdy said, and Fox Bros. BBQ is faring exceedingly well in the Toco Hills location.

“It’s just one of those situations where everything kind of fit,” he said.

Queer Hands provides support and safety to handy workers

By Katie Burkholder

Editor’s Note: First names are used to identify Queer Hands’ administrative team by sources’ request.

Queer Hands is more than a handy work organization. The worker cooperative, which began as a small group of queer friends and quickly grew into a nonprofit, is providing safety and support to both the people who hire them and those who do the work.

Queer Hands is a “small but mighty collective of queers” who are providing accessible handy services in Atlanta and beyond. The organization is made up of about 15 Hands, queer and trans people who perform the litany of services the organization provides, and is led by the team of trans administrators – Julian, Juni, and Nicky.

The organization provides everything from home repairs and maintenance, painting, construction, and automotive care to cleaning, landscaping, moving, trash removal, and pet care – all done by members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Despite the wide range of services, the price is fixed – $65 an hour or $520 a day – so that the Hands can make what Julian calls a “thriving” wage. However, the organization provides discounted community rates to people who need work done but don’t have the funds to cover it. Through donations and grants, the Hands are still able to be paid $40 an hour, with the other $25 supporting the organization’s operations.

“When you’re supporting us, you’re supporting Hands earning a thriving wage,” Julian told Georgia Voice. “At $40 an hour, we’re hoping it’s more than livable.”

“People want to put their money in the community,” Nicky added. “We are very ‘for the community, by the community.’”

Beyond receiving more-than-livable wages, the Hands benefit from the organization’s structure in terms of safety. Because all the Hands are queer, going into a client’s home can mean an uncomfortable or even unsafe situation. Queer Hands’ administrators vet all clients, and all clients are required to sign policies that affirm they

SUMMER CAMPS

are not anti-trans or anti-queer. If a client behaves inappropriately, the Hand can flag it, and admin will step up to resolve the issue.

“[If] you feel unsafe and scared, you go back to Queer Hands immediately and you can leave the job, and we’ll talk about it and [figure out] what to do next,” Nicky said. “This communal effort really helps.”

Clients also benefit from the organization’s emphasis on safety. Single mothers who fear inviting straight male handymen into their homes make up a lot of Queer Hands’ clientele.

Above all else, Queer Hands strives to operate from a supportive community framework. Admin supports the Hands’ safety and livelihood, and Hands support one another through sharing skills and tools.

“In my experience, I’ve never worked a job that I think was truly supportive – and I’ve even worked for trans companies,” Nicky said. “…Everyone [at Queer Hands]

comes in saying, ‘If you have this bad experience, we’re here to support you.’” Applications to become a Hand are currently closed, but any openings will be posted to the organization’s Instagram (@queerhandsatl).

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GEORGIA VOICE RESOURCE GUIDE

This list of resources for the LGBTQ+ community in Atlanta and Georgia will be regularly updated on our website, thegavoice.com.

LGBTQ+ Arts Organizations

Atlanta Queer Arts Alliance aquaa.org

Atlanta Freedom Bands atlantafreedombands.com

Atlanta Philharmonic Orchestra atlantaphilharmonic.org

Full Radius Dance – DisabilityInclusive Dance Company fullradiusdance.org

OurSong — The Atlanta Gay and Lesbian Chorus oursongatlanta.org

Out Front Theatre Company 999 Brady Ave NW outfronttheatre.com

Out On Film outonfilm.org

Southern Fried Queer Pride southernfriedqueerpride.com

Voices of Note – Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus and Atlanta Women’s Chorus voicesofnote.org

Business Organizations

Atlanta Business League – Blackowned businesses

931 MLK Jr. Drive SW atlantabusinessleague.org

Atlanta Women’s Network facebook.com/ atlantawomensnetwork

Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

270 W Peachtree St NW ghcc.org

Greater Women’s Business Council 600 Peachtree St NE #440 gwbc.org

Metro Atlanta Association of Professionals maapatl.org

OUT Georgia Business Alliance outgeorgia.org

Urban League of Greater Atlanta

230 Peachtree St #2600 ulgatl.org

Health Organizations

The Galano Club, Inc.

LGBTQ+ 12-step recovery programs 585 Dutch Valley Rd NE galano.org

AID Atlanta

1438 W Peachtree St NW aidatlanta.org

Aniz, Inc. Support Services Agency

236 Forsyth St SW #300 aniz.org

Emory Hope Clinic

500 Irvin Ct #200 hopeclinic.emory.edu

Empowerment Resource Center

230 Peachtree St NW #1800 erc-inc.org

Feminist Center for Reproductive Liberation

1924 Cliff Valley Way NE feministcenter.org

Georgia Harm Reduction Coalition

1231 Joseph E. Boone Blvd NW georgiaharmreduction.org

Latino LinQ latinolinq.org

LGBTQ Therapist Resource lgbtqtherapistresource.com

NAESM, Inc.

315 14th St NW naesminc.org

Open Hand Atlanta 1380 West Marietta St NW openhandatlanta.org

PALS Atlanta - Pets Are Loving Support 1530 DeKalb Ave NE #A palsatlanta.org

Planned Parenthood

Marietta: 220 Cobb Pkwy N #500 East Atlanta: 440 Moreland Ave SE plannedparenthood.org

Positive Impact Health Centers 523 Church St positiveimpacthealthcenters.org

SisterLove, Inc. 1237 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd SW sisterlove.org

Someone Cares

1950 Spectrum Cir #200 s1catl.org

Status: Home 2700 Cumberland Pkwy SE #220 statushome.org

Thrive SS Inc. thrivess.org

Outside Atlanta

Armstrong University Gay-Straight Alliance facebook.com/ groups/215098925217918

Athens Pride & Queer Collective athenspride.org

Augusta Pride prideaugusta.org

Metropolitan Community Church of Our Redeemer – Augusta 557 Greene St mccoor.com

Metropolis Complex – Augusta All-male gay resort 1250 Gordon Hwy metropoliscomplex.com

Mountain Light Unitarian Universalist Church – Ellijay 2502 Tails Creek Rd mluuc.org

Nacoochee Presbyterian Church 260 GA-255 North nacoocheepresbyterian.org

Augusta University Lambda Alliance

augusta.presence.io/organization/ lambda-augusta-universitys-gaystraight-alliance

Boybutante AIDS Foundation –Athens boybutante.org

Carrollton Rainbow carrolltonrainbow.com

Chattahoochee Valley Pride, Inc. –Columbus facebook.com/p/ChattahoocheeValley-Pride-100068922227587

Club One – Savannah LGBTQ nightclub 1 Jefferson St clubone-online.com

Colgay Pride of Columbus, GA colgaypride.org

Common Ground – Athens facebook.com/ commongroundATHGA

CSRA Safety Net – Augusta csrasafetynet.org

First City Network 109 Seminole St firstcitynetwork.org

Forgiving Heart United Church of Christ – Columbus 2946 Grant Rd

forgivingheartchurch.com

Gay Augusta Guide augusta.gaycities.com

Gay Savannah Guide savannah.gaycities.com

Georgia Mountains Unitarian Universalist Church – Dahlonega 3155 Morrison Moore Pkwy E gmuuc.org

GLOBES at UGA uaaglobes.wordpress.com

High Street Unitarian Universalist Church – Macon 1085 High Street highstreetchurch.org

Live Forward – Athens 2500 W Broad St Ste 300 liveforward.org

Macon Pride maconpride.org

Oz Campground – Unadilla 50 GA-230 ozcampground.com

PFLAG Blairsville pflagblairsville.org

PFLAG Brunswick facebook.com/PFLAGBrunswick

PFLAG Johns Creek pflagjohnscreek.org

PFLAG Macon facebook.com/PFLAGMacon

PFLAG Peachtree City 225 Market Place Connector #1053 pflagptc.org

PFLAG Marietta 3755 Sandy Plains Rd pflag.org/chapter/marietta

Savannah Pride Center 5859 Abercorn St Bldg 3 savannahpridecenter.org

SCAD Queers and Allies instagram.com/scadqanda

South Georgia Pride – Valdosta southgapride.com

Swiftwaters Campground and Cabins – Dahlonega Campground for women 830 Swiftwaters Rd facebook.com/p/SwiftwatersCampground-andCabins-100069458875646/ UGA Pride Center pride.uga.edu

UNG Gender and Sexuality Alliance instagram.com/ung_gsa

Unitarian Universalist Church of Augusta

3501 Walton Way Ext uuaugusta.org

Unitarian Universalist Church of Savannah 311 East Harris St uusavannah.org

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens 780 Timothy Rd uuathensga.org

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Columbus

PFLAG Rome pflagromega.org

PFLAG Savannah 1305 Barnard St Box 3057 pflagsavannah.org

Queer Student Alliance at UWG westga.edu/academics/universitycollege/ids/gender-studies/queerstudent-alliance.php

Rome Pride romegapride.org

Roswell Empowered IG @roswell_empowered

8827 Heiferhorn Way uucolumbusga.org

VSU Pride Connection instagram.com/vsu_pride

Political Organizations

ACLU of Georgia acluga.org

Georgia Equality 1530 DeKalb Ave NE #A georgiaequality.org

Georgia Log Cabin Republicans georgialogcabin.org

Georgia Rural Urban Summit actionnetwork.org/groups/georgiarural-urban-summit-grususaction-ga

Georgia Stonewall Democrats georgiastonewall.org

Human Rights Campaign –Atlanta hrcatlanta.com

Lambda Legal Southern Regional Office

1 West Court Sq Ste 105 lambdalegal.org

SPARK Reproductive Justice NOW 1065 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd SW #200 sparkrj.org

Stonewall Bar Association of Georgia stonewallbar.org

Young Democrats of Georgia LGBTQ Caucus instagram.com/ydglgbtq

Religious Organizations

All Saints’ Episcopal Church 634 W Peachtree St NW allsaintsatlanta.org

Atlanta Friends Meeting 701 W Howard Ave atlantaquakers.org

Atlanta Shambhala Center 1447 Church St atlanta.shambhala.org

The Cathedral of St. Philip 2744 Peachtree Rd NW cathedralatl.org

Central Congregational United Church of Christ 2676 Clairmont Rd central-ucc.org

Clifton Sanctuary Ministries 369 Connecticut Ave NE cliftonsanctuary.com

Congregation Bet Haverim 2074 Lavista Rd congregationbethaverim.org

Drepung Loseling Monastery 1781 Dresden Dr drepung.org

Druid Hills Presbyterian Church 1026 Ponce De Leon Ave NE druidhillspresbyterian.org

Emerson Unitarian Universalist Congregation – Marietta 4010 Canton Rd emersonuu.org

The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany

2089 Ponce De Leon Ave NE epiphany.org

First Existentialist Congregation of Atlanta

470 Candler Park Dr NE uua.org/offices/organizations/firstexistentialist-congregation-atlanta

Gentle Spirit Christian Church 1500 McLendon Ave NE gentlespirit.org

Hapeville First United Methodist Church

3510 Atlanta Ave hapevilleumc.com

Inman Park United Methodist Church

1015 Edgewood Ave NE inmanparkumc.org

Kadampa Meditation Center 741 Edgewood Ave NE meditationingeorgia.org

New Covenant Church of Atlanta 1600 Eastland Rd SE newcovenantatlanta.com

Northside Drive Baptist Church 3100 Northside Dr NW northsidedrive.org

Oakhurst Baptist Church 222 East Lake Dr oakhurstbaptist.org

Ormewood Church 1071 Delaware Ave SE ormewoodchurch.org

Park Ave Baptist Church 486 Park Ave SE parkavebaptist.com

Shrine of Immaculate Conception 48 MLK Jr Dr SW catholicshrineatlanta.org

Soka Gakkai Buddhist Center 421 17th St NW sgi-usa.org

Saint Mark United Methodist Church

781 Peachtree St NE stmarkumc.org

St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church 1790 Lavista Rd NE stbartsatlanta.org

St. John’s Episcopal Church 3480 E Main St stjohnscollegepark.org

St. John’s Lutheran Church 1410 Ponce De Leon Ave NE stjohnsatlanta.org

St. Luke Lutheran Church 3264 Northside Pkwy stlukeatlanta.org

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church 435 Peachtree St NE stlukesatlanta.org

St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church –Dunwoody 4755 N Peachtree Rd

stpat.net

The Temple 1589 Peachtree St NE the-temple.org

Trinity Center for Spiritual Living 1095 Zonolite Rd NE tcsl.life

Trinity United Methodist Church 265 Washington St SW atlantatrinity.org

Unitarian Universalist

Congregation of Atlanta 2650 N Druid Hills Rd uuca.org

Unity North Atlanta 4255 Sandy Plains Rd unitynorth.org

Service Organizations

Atlanta Pride Committee atlantapride.org

Charis Circle

184 S Candler St chariscircle.org

CHRIS 180 1030 Fayetteville Rd SE chris180.org

In The Life Atlanta 1530 DeKalb Ave NE facebook.com/inthelifeatl

Lost-n-Found Youth

2585 Chantilly Dr NE lnfy.org

Raksha, Inc. raksha.org

Solutions Not Punishment

Collaborative snap4freedom.org

Southerners on New Ground 1201 W Peachtree St #2300 southernersonnewground.org

SAGE Resources for LGBTQ elders sageusa.org

SOJOURN sojourngsd.org

Touching Up Our Roots tuorqueeratlanta.org

ZAMI NOBLA zaminobla.org

LGBTQ+ Sports Organizations

All Stripes

LGBTQ fan organization for Atlanta United group.chant.fan/allstripes

Atlanta Bucks Rugby Club atlantabucksrugby.org

Atlanta Poolplayers Association atlanta.apaleagues.com

Atlanta Rainbow Trout atlantarainbowtrout.com

Atlanta Roller Derby atlantarollerderby.com

Atlanta Tennis Team Association atta.org

Dogwood Invitational Bowling Classic dogwoodbowl.org

Front Runners Atlanta frontrunnersatlanta.org

Gay Gamers of Atlanta and Friends meetup.com/gaygamers GO Kickball gokickball.com

Hotlanta Soccer facebook.com/ groups/34244209984

Hotlanta Softball League hotlantasoftball.org

Hotlanta Squares

LGBTQ square dancing hotlantasquares.org

Hotlanta Volleyball Association opensports.net/hotlanta-volleyball

National Gay Flag Football League nffla.com

Southern Softpaw League southernsoftpaw.com

Wilderness Network of Georgia meetup.com/wildnetga

Transgender Organizations LaGender, Inc. facebook.com/lagenderinc

Sigma Epsilon

Support group for cross-dressing adults

sigmaepsilonatlanta.org/public

Trans Housing Atlanta Program transhousingatlanta.org

TRANScending Barriers instagram.com/transcendingbarriers