The Atlanta Voice E-Edition 050523

Metro

What’s next for McLendon Hospital?

BY DONNELL SUGGS

There are signs in the front yards of homes on Bernard Street on the northwest side of the Hunter Hills section of Atlanta. The signs read, “Private Property: This house is not for sale”. The homes that have those signs out front are well kept, the grass is cut, the paint isn’t chipped, the doors aren’t off the hinges. They have the appearance of lovely places to live. A few doors down stands an entirely different story.

At the corner of Bernard and Chicamauga Avenue, NW, is one of the city’s oldest monuments to an Atlanta long forgotten. McLendon Hospital, one of two places Black Atlantans could go for medical care when it opened in the 1940’s, is in horrible condition. Opened by the late Dr. Frederick Earl McLendon, the hospital, along with Harris Memorial Hospital, which opened two decades earlier, served a population that was often marginalized. The fact that McLendon Hospital is no longer open isn’t the tragedy, it is how the building has been left to crumble that is the true tragedy. There are no doors on the building save the front door. There is no longer a roof, or windows and there are wooden beams holding up the walls. Where there was once three buildings making up the hospital

May is Historic Preservation Month and Atlanta Preservation Center Executive Director David Yoakley Mitchell believes there’s no better time to bring light to McLendon Hospital’s current plight. “It should be the time to better appreciate the value of America’s historic places as definers of our national character,” Mitchell told The Atlanta Voice. “We should be advocating and encouraging thoughtful preservation and economic development of buildings, structures, and spaces like the McLendon Hospital as a matter of national policy, which is needed now more than ever.”

Up and down Bernard Street and throughout Hunter Hills there is construction taking place on homes. Private homes. The average cost of a single family home in Atlanta has gone up by just over 2%, according to online brokerage site Zillow. Houses in Atlanta are averaging $374,081, according to the site and with Atlanta’s population having grown by nearly 2% every year since 2019, according to Macrotrends.net. prices will continue to rise

along with the population.

“This should be embraced as a universal goal and success,” said Mitchell of the reasons preservation is good for all involved. “McLendon Hospital manifests all of this and provides an anchor for this neighborhood and our city.”

The owner of the land and property at 1366 Bernard Street, NW, Cheng Yi Tsu, paid $270,000 in December 2021, according to Fulton County property records. The former McLendon Hospital building and surrounding land currently has an appraised value of

A look at the interior of McLendon Hospital shows a once proud building now full of rubble.

Photo by Donnell Suggs:/ The Atlanta Voice

and architectural diversity, is a way to create economic development and jobs.”

There have been efforts by grassroots organizations like the Historic Hunter Hills Neighborhood Association to get the word out on why the last remaining piece of McLendon Hospital should be preserved. They have even invited Tsu to their next community meeting on Monday, May 8.

“If we do lose McLendon, my hope is for other neighborhoods to see it as an example and to begin the process to protect their own jewels before they are crushed,” said Hunter Hills Neighborhood Association President Lisa Reyes in an email to The Atlanta Voice. “The struggle to save McLendon Hospital has been heartbreaking.”

$534,200, according to Fulton County property records. There are good odds that the property’s owner will not want to sell the property for preservation, which can draw less money than holding it for a developer to scoop up.

Mitchell believes preservation of historic property is good for the fabric of Atlanta.

“Historic preservation is accepted as a key component for a thriving livable community that can support varied and rich experiences,” Mitchell said in an email to The Atlanta Voice.

“Understanding how to adaptively reuse structures and spaces that retain historic character,

Mitchell added about McLendon Hospital and other historic buildings and homes in Atlanta that are in danger of falling victim to neglect or worse, “We are indebted to those who had the foresight and self-determination to serve these citizens of Atlanta. Yet, this building has the challenges of providing both that context and the memory that make this building so important. The notable concentration of the Hunter Hills community - and those that could only find medical services in this building- now belong to a different world. This building stands as a lone reminder of a different time.”

Midtown mass shooting suspect caught in Cobb after killing 1, injuring 4

BY DONNELL SUGGS

Midtown Atlanta was under siege Wednesday afternoon following a mass shooting at Northside Family Medicine and Urgent Care (1110 W Peachtree St NW Suite 200) where one woman was killed and four others were injured. Deion Patterson, a 24-year-old Black male, was the shooter.

Patterson was captured around 8 p.m. in an apartment complex in Cobb County not far from The Battery. The shooting took place at 12:08 p.m., according to Atlanta Police Department (APD) representatives.

During a press conference at APD headquarters, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens thanked the citizens of Fulton and Cobb counties for “keeping calm” and “providing information to law enforcement.”

Midtown Atlanta was immediately placed under lockdown, including Midtown High School, which is less than two miles from the location of the shooting. All five shooting victims were female, including the 39-year-old who was killed.

The other victims, whose names were not released at the time of this story, are 25, 39, 56 and 71 years of age.

Hours before Dickens met with the media near the site of the shooting to update the public on the status of the victims and Patterson, who remains at large. Dickens asked the public to "Please do not approach [Patterson], but do call 911" if they see him.

"We are working together with several law enforcement agencies from across the state," Dickens said. Along with the APD, MARTA Police, Fulton County Police, Fulton County Sheriff's Department, Georgia State Patrol and Cobb County Police Department are involved in the search.

Atlanta Police Department Chief Darin Schierbaum also spoke to the media about the continued efforts to find and arrest Patterson.

"This is an urban environment so it does present challenges," Schierbaum said of the difficulty of finding a suspect in a busy part of the city.

Traffic in Midtown along Spring and West Peachtree streets was blocked off for hours.

Patterson has a prior criminal record. He was charged with drug offenses in Henry County in 2015 and probation violations in 2017.

Atlanta Airport service workers demands Delta, City of Atlanta for higher wages to at least $15/hr

BY ISAIAH SINGLETON

Service workers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport rallied on Monday to demand an increase in living wages for the very workers who help keep the nation’s busiest airport safe, clean, and running.

In honor of May Day, a national celebration of labor rights, service workers are calling directly on Delta Air Lines and the City of Atlanta to address high staff turnover at the airport and stabilize the majority Black airport service workforce.

Airport service workers organized with the SEIU Workers United Southern Region, nonunion workers, and other union leaders to voice their demands for at least $15/hr.

ATL is the second largest employer in the South and is a major travel hub for Delta, which effectively sets the rates of pay for airport service workers. Last year, Delta effectively raised ATL service workers’ wages to just $12/hr while raking in $50.6 billion in 2022.

Fed up with the status quo fueled by corporate greed, ATL service workers are rising to reject business as usual and ensure they are respected, protected, and paid.

SEIU Workers United Florida Georgia Di-

rector Mark Wilkerson said although they fought to increase wages to $12 last year, it simply isn’t enough.

“Enough of exploiting these workers like they’re nothing,” Wilkerson said. “It’s time for us to sit at a table and try to get something done for these folks. We’re trying to bring attention to this. Atlantans need to be upset about this. The people of Atlanta should not sit back and allow this type of thing to happen.”

Wilkerson also said they hope to gain support from the community through the rally.

“At the end of the day, we just want what’s best for these airport workers and that’s for them to get a wage increase for the next two to three years,” he said. “We aren’t telling the community to boycott anything, but the community can help by calling the city council in Atlanta, reach out to the Mayor of Atlanta, and let them know you are watching this and are concerned.”

Monday’s rally comes as airport service workers nationwide have been raising their voices, demanding unions for all and federal wage and benefit standards. ATL service workers Yvonne Bryant and Rio Bryant recently took their demands to Capitol Hill,

joining Senator Ed Markey and Representative Jesús “Chuy” García to announce the reintroduction of the Good Jobs for Good Airports Act.

The legislation would help stabilize the air travel industry by ensuring airport service jobs are good jobs that put workers on a path to a livable wage with benefits like affordable healthcare and paid sick leave. From coast to coast, airport service workers are urging Congress to act and pass the Good Jobs for Good Airports Act wage and benefit standards as part of the FAA Reauthorization.

“I love helping people and the people I work with at the airport, they need more money for the jobs that they do because this airport and the company they work for put more work on them and they’re not getting their wages for the work that they are doing,” Yvonne said. “They’re also not getting treated fairly, some of the supervisors don’t respect the workers, will talk to you in any kind of way, just so disrespectful a lot of times. We’re having a hard time feeding our families.”

Yvonne also said the importance of the rally is to make people aware of what’s going on.

“Hopefully this gets people to support and stand behind us,” she said.

Voices

“When we start the day with a spirit of joy, openness, peace and love, we put the universe on alert, we want more of the same.”

— Iyanla Vanzant

Where Are All the Black American Baseball Players?

Jackie Robinson and other greats didn’t endure disrespect for only 7.2% of MLB players to be African American.

BY JOHN CELESTAND

Often referred to as America’s pastime, baseball holds a special place in the hearts of so many citizens in this country. But, like many other professional sports leagues in America, baseball once conspired to keep the best African American players from participating on the main stage.

America’s history of segregation, bigotry, and rage against its own Black citizens found no added barriers or roadblocks when it came to sports. In fact, sports presented a glaring stage for racism — and later Jim Crow — to assert its dominance over Black America before a national audience.

Baseball made its best effort to keep its sacred diamond free of dark faces who could not possibly have the aptitude and fortitude to play such a complicated and highly skilled game. The National Association of Amateur Baseball Players rejected African American membership in 1867, and in 1876, owners of the professional National League adopted a “gentleman’s agreement” to keep Black players out.

Because of this, Rube Foster, considered by historians to have been the best African-American pitcher in the first decade of the 1900s, launched the Negro National League for Black players. This prompted the formation of another league called The Eastern Colored League in 1923, which then led to the two circuits converging to play the World’s Colored Championship in 1924, continuing the annual series until 1927.

These leagues and others, later referred to as “The Negro Leagues,” birthed the first great Black baseball players, such as Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Oscar Charleston, and Walter “Buck” Leonard. Even the great Jackie Robinson, who broke the color line in Major League Baseball in 1947, got his start in The Negro Leagues playing for the Kansas City Monarchs.

Legendary Black baseball players that came later on, such as Willie Mays, Bob Gibson, Ken Griffey Jr., Ozzie Smith, Reggie Jackson, Barry Bonds, and Hank Aaron, can all trace their opportunities to play “America’s Sport” back to the paths blazed by the amazing and resilient players of The Negro Leagues, many who never got to show all of America how talented folks of a darker hue were inside the diamond.

When you think of the struggle, in addition to the enormous obstacles that obstructed pathways

FOUNDED May 11, 1966

FOUNDER/EDITOR

Ed Clayton Immortalis Memoria

PUBLISHER/EDITOR

J. Lowell Ware Immortalis Memoria

to success for eager and motivated Black baseball players during those times, it is gut-wrenching to see the minuscule number of Black American baseball players in today’s games.

On opening day in 1991, Black American players made up 18% of all MLB rosters compared to a paltry 7.2% on opening day of 2022. Not one American-born Black player participated in the 2022 World Series matchup between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Houston Astros. The last time that happened was in 1950.

“It’s very expensive today,” says Corey Smith, a former professional baseball player selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 2000 MLB draft.

“With basketball, you just need a pair of sneakers. With football, most of the time, the equipment is provided. But with baseball, a bat is $500, a decent glove is $250, and a pair of cleats is $100. Once you add in batting gloves and other accessories, you have almost spent $1,000 off top.”

My uncle, Michael Cummings, who was drafted in the sixth round of the 1969 draft by the Boston Red Sox and led the Triple-A league in hitting percentage in 1973, says the lack of Black players in major league baseball is intentional.

“I think it’s designed like that,” Cummings says. “We don’t have many places to play anymore. At one time, baseball was the main sport for Blacks. It’s unfortunate because it’s the sport you can play the longest without getting hurt and make the most money.”

Like any other discipline or sport that lacks diversity, specifically around Black participants, it is difficult to recruit people when they don’t see themselves represented in the first place.

For years, basketball has been marketed as a hip sport that keeps its ear glued to Black culture and hip-hop music. There is never a dearth of Black celebrities in the entertainment industry sitting

courtside for both the regular season and playoff games in the NBA.

In any NBA arena across the country, you can hear hip-hop music blaring from the speakers, dance routines choreographed to hip-hop beats, and commercials that merge the culture with the sport dating back to the late 80s.

With baseball? Not so much.

“From a fan experience, the music that gets played at the stadium is a factor,” Smith says. “Black folks don’t want to hear ‘Sweet Carolina’ playing every game. That stuff matters.”

America’s rap sheet on race makes it hard to ignore the topic when discussing any subject in this country, namely sports. The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Dave Roberts and the Houston Astros’ Dusty Baker were the only two Black managers in Major League Baseball in 2022.

“Baseball is one of the toughest sports for Black players,” Smith says. “Black players have to be twice as good as white players. I’ve outhit players and led organizations in home runs, RBIs, and extra base hits but never got called up, while other guys are steadily getting the call.”

And yet this seemed eerily like things my uncle mentioned about the times back when he was playing. “Back then, Boston was a real racist organization,” Cummings says. “They were one of the last teams to draft a Black player. They even turned down Willie Mays and Jackie Robinson. Said they weren’t good enough!”

Even without the racial components, baseball is a highly skilled sport that also takes an extensive financial commitment. If Black families can find the means to commit financially, they still face the issue of isolation on the diamond with the lack of Black players and coaches on every level.

Read the rest of this article online at www. theatlantavoice.com

The Atlanta Voice honors the life of J. Lowell Ware.

PUBLISHER

Janis Ware jlware@theatlantavoice.com

PRESIDENT/ GENERAL MANAGER

James A. Washington jaws@theatlantavoice.com

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO PUBLISHER

Chia Suggs csuggs@theatlantavoice.com

DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS

Martel Sharpe msharpe@theatlantavoice.com

EDITOR IN CHIEF Donnell Suggs editor@theatlantavoice.com

GENERAL ASSIGNMENT REPORTER Janelle Ward jward@theatlantavoice.com

GENERAL ASSIGNMENT REPORTER Isaiah Singleton isingleton@theatlantavoice.com

GENERAL ASSIGNMENT REPORTER Noah Washington nwashington@theatlantavoice.com

MANAGING EDITOR, DIGITAL Itoro Umontuen iumontuen@theatlantavoice.com

ADVERTISING, SALES & CIRCULATION

ADVERTISING ADMINISTRATOR

Chia Suggs advertising@theatlantavoice.com

CIRCULATION MANAGER

Terry Milliner

SALES

R.D.W. Jackson rdwadman@gmail.com

SUBMISSIONS editor@theatlantavoice.com

CONTACT INFORMATION

633 Pryor Street, S.W. Atlanta, GA 30312 Office: 404-524-6426 info@theatlantavoice.com

SPIRITUALLY SPEAKING

‘Earned equity has no value in your application to Heaven’

BY JAMES A. WASHINGTON The Atlanta Voice

Sometimes I have the audacity to think that I know just what it takes to guarantee salvation, only to discover with minimal soul searching how wrong I really have been.

Time and time again I’m reminded that I had nothing to do with my own salvation. No matter how hard I try, I cannot earn my way into heaven.

Hell is a different story but, for someone like me who has gotten by on a unique blend of intelligence, street smarts, business skills and basically a good heart, not being able to help myself was and at times, still is, a difficult concept to swallow.

I mean, the more I read and the more I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior, the more I understand that I just need to get over it.

Scripture reinforces the fact that I need to stop fooling myself into believing that I’ve got it like that, when in fact I really don’t. I am powerless in this regard. I am naked and clearly vulnerable when it comes to realizing that Christ is the way the truth and the light of my salvation.

Now, I know that may sound trite to some of you, but my struggle is

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12)

not to read anything into this simple fact.

God has given all of us, not just me, the only guarantee possible to secure eternal life. His name is Jesus.

You can come up with all kinds of scenarios about work and lifestyle and love and various other points of reference because the Bible is full of examples, along with the importance of each.

However, in the final analysis, the answer is still Jesus.

The question is can you accept that? Can you accept and do you believe? Can you internalize His crucifixion as absolution for sin? Do you believe He is coming back with

a purpose?

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

The entire Bible rests on this one set of principles that should guide us in the development and maturing of our faith.

This is what I’ve come to believe and as such, my focus must change from trying to earn the right to enter eternity, to rejoicing in a job well done by Jesus. He definitely did what I couldn’t and you can’t.

It makes sense then to honor God by honoring His child. I can do that by expressing thanks and sincere appreciation for the ultimate sacri-

“YOUR VOICE”

“I’ve been here for about two years and I came from Chicago, Ill. I hate the snow and I hate the cold.”

Compiled by Vincent Christie

fice on my behalf.

That expression of appreciation can, and indeed should, manifest itself in an attempt to copy His style, emulate His ways, live according to His Word, never questioning His motive, His intent or His authenticity.

As I have found in just about all of scripture, this is not hard to understand. This is the Gospel.

The question is can you handle it?

The answer to that question is not as simple as it seems. The answer requires a relationship between you and the God you claim to serve. He knows what is deep down inside and so do you.

I’m just acknowledging here in public that for me it can often be a struggle; one that I am certainly willing to undertake. I must. I have to.

“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me— the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” (Acts 20:24)

May God bless and keep you always.

As one of the nearly 40% Atlantans who are transplants, what motivated you to move here?

“I’ve been in Decatur for about six weeks now. I’m to get a better job opportunity to eventually move my family out here so that we can all live a happier life than we do in our hometown..”

“I relocated to Atlanta in 2000 just for the opportunity to make more money, basically doing the same thing as a teacher in Louisiana versus the lower salary. Money was my driving issue and more diversity and the ability to progress in that career path. I like here because it is extremely diverse and there’s always something to do regardless of what your pallet is craving. I’ve lived here for 23 years.”

“I moved to Atlanta because my boyfriend, who is now my husband; he got a transfer with Delta to come to Atlanta. We came in 2009 and we have been here ever since. I love it. It’s one of the friendliest cities in the world.”

“I have lived in Atlanta for probably about ten years. I love everything about Atlanta; the Beltline, living in the city. I am originally from New York so it is a little blend of both. You have suburbia with a little bit of city life and I love it.”

Sponsored Content

How to Exercise Good Financial Health

SPONSORED CONTENT FROM JPMORGAN CHASE & CO.

April is Financial Literacy Month – a perfect time to start building a foundation for a healthy financial future. Good financial health is the foundation on which strong and resilient households, communities and economies are built, but the reality is, many struggle to manage their financial daily lives.

In recognition of Financial Literacy Month, Mathilda Lambert , Community Manager with Chase at its Summerhill Community Center branch offered top financial tips to help achieve financial freedom and build generational wealth.

1. Small steps lead to bigger opportunities: No matter what amount of money you have, taking small steps towards building a solid financial foundation is key. Whether it’s saving a little more each month, starting to save for the first time or monitoring your credit score, these steps can help you prepare for the unexpected while setting you up for long-term success.

2. Establish good credit: The main elements of securing a good credit score include paying your bills on time, the length of time you’ve had a credit history, and the amount and type of accounts you have. Potential lenders will use this information to determine your credit risk. Managing your finances wisely will help you establish strong credit, a practice that will pay off when you want to make larger purchases like a car or a home.

3. Embrace digital tools: Apps, online goal sheets and budget builders are a great way to manage your finances. Look into what digital tools your financial partner offers. Whether it’s credit and identity monitoring, or setting up repeating automatic transfers from your checking account to your savings account, these tools will help keep you on track with your payments and savings goals.

4. Include the whole family in the process: It’s never too early to get kids started on their financial journey. Ask your bank about opening up a joint checking account geared towards children to help them establish good financial habits. A joint account can offer features designed to help kids learn the importance of saving and meeting their financial goals, whether it’s tracking their spending, creating recurring payments and setting spending limits, or being rewarded when completing chores and earning an allowance to deposit. Once your child understands the importance of saving the money they earn, they can begin to build savings habits that will last a lifetime.

Good financial health is the foundation on which strong and resilient households, communities and economies are built, but the reality is, many struggle to manage their financial daily lives. Photo Credit: iStock/ David-Prado

6. Keep the conversation going: Talk with your partner or other family members regularly about your financial goals and how you plan to achieve them, and check in with your children to discuss their finan-

5. Ask for help: Whether it’s meeting with a banker or talking to friends or family, conversations and advice can be critical to improving financial health, from building a budget to more complex matters like saving for retirement.

cial activity – whether it be what or where they’re spending, how much they’re earning, or their savings goal. These discussions all provide opportunities to keep money as part of your family conversations.

Establishing solid financial habits can

be a lifetime process, but it’s easier if you learn the fundamentals as early as possible. It’s never too early, or too late, to begin your journey, and this month is a great time to get started or recommit to your financial health. For more financial health tips, visit chase. com/financialgoals.

Spelman College held formal inauguration for 11th president Helene Gayle

BY ISAIAH SINGLETON

Spelman College formally inaugurated Dr. Helene D. Gayle as its 11th president during a ceremony on Friday, April 28 at the Morehouse College Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel.

Gayle began serving as the 11th president of Spelman College on July 1, 2022, following an extensive national search led by the Board of Trustees. She succeeds former President Emerita Mary Schmidt Campbell, who served from 2015 - 2022.

Gayle also previously served as president and CEO of The Chicago Community Trust, one of the nation’s oldest and largest community foundations, from October 2017 to June 2022.

For almost a decade, Gayle was president and CEO of CARE, a leading international humanitarian organization. A pediatrician and public health physician with expertise in economic development, humanitarian, and health issues, she spent 20 years with the Centers for Disease Control, working primarily on HIV/AIDS. She led the Bill & Melinda Gates

Foundation’s programs on HIV/AIDS and other global health issues.

“In this society for women, especially Black women, it’s still made to believe that we should shrink and hide who we are. Spelman teaches you to believe you actually belong in any room you walk into,” Gayle said.

One student, Gayle said, told her being at Spelman was “like her Wakanda experience”.

“(It’s) a grounding feeling and sense of con-

fidence that’s impossible to shake. She said, ‘I believe Spelman has the armor that I need to shield me in any experience,” Gayle said.

Gayle also said Spelman continues to offer the “premium liberal arts education that develops learners who can think across disciplines to find answers to today’s complex challenges.”

“We value our Christian roots, while embracing a full range of faith traditions, be-

lievers, and non-believers. We expanded our appreciation of our sisterhood to embrace a broader understanding of gender and gender identity,” she said. “While we are historically Black and committed to the education of women of African descent, our doors are open to any woman who wants to educationally experience grounded in the understanding of Black history and Black culture.”

She said this kind of adaptability and intentionality has rooted Spelman in their educational mission, but also in the world beyond their doors.

“For every major social, political, or economical challenge we have faced, Spelman has been there, and our voice has mattered. We continue to break records and score high on all the national rankings,” she said.

Inauguration events began on Thursday, April 27 and will conclude on Sunday, April 30. The line-up of events includes an academic symposium, investiture ceremony, campus celebration, day of service and an interfaith service at Spelman's historic Sisters Chapel.

Celebrating 57 years of excellence

BY MAYNARD EATON, JANIS WARE AND STAN WASHINGTON

The Atlanta Voice: An Institution

BY STAN WASHINGTON EDITOR AT LARGE, THE ATLANTA VOICE

However you want to look at it, The Atlanta Voice is an institution in metro Atlanta. How can something that has served the public for nearly 60 years not be labeled an institution?

From its beginnings in fighting segregation until now, The Atlanta Voice has never lost its focused in providing our readers with the necessary information so that they can make an informed decision whether that be when it comes to voting, to contacting their elected officials, to nonviolent demonstration, to choosing a school or career, to where to dine, to advice on health, to participating in many of the cultural offerings in metro Atlanta and the nation.

The Atlanta Voice has been a consistent platform since its inception as a voice for those who normally haven’t had access to express their opinions through mainstream media. From its regular column of Voices on the Street to its opinion pages, to its interviews, Atlanta has heard from all walks of life from the African American community on a variety of topics.

The newspaper however, has done more than just point out or uncover injustices done to African American communities and it has also high-

57

lighted and saluted the achievements of its people and businesses not only locally but nationally.

It has been a source where readers can find out about community organizations and government activities. It’s been a needed source of connection between companies and its customers.

The paper has also been a valuable training ground for young journalists and a platform for veteran journalists to write articles that would be rejected by some other major media outlets.

The advent of the Internet age did not severely hurt or is killing The Atlanta Voice, in fact it has only enhanced what we’ve done in the past but made it better. The Internet and social media has released us from the confinement of a weekly publication and forever increasing high print costs. We still publish a print edition and we have added an e-edition of the paper. Now we are able to publish daily (or hourly), add video stories, and reach a worldwide audi ence.

How we distribute the news and information to our readers is changing but the mission of The Atlanta Voice remains the same - to give a voice to the voiceless, to expose injustice and highlight excellence wherever we may find it.

It is why we exists

BY JANIS WARE PUBLISHER, THE ATLANTA VOICE

The Atlanta Voice has positively illuminated the contributions of people who gave their time, energy and resources to affect change in the city of Atlanta and beyond.

During the past 57 years The Atlanta Voice has captured, chronicled and preserved the events that

have shaped the evolution of Blacks in this great city. That information is documented in the stories, photos and videos and in some cases audio. We are the protectors of this history and it is our legacy to do so.

We have captured the essence of a people committed and dedicated to change how Black men and women are viewed in Atlanta and in America. It is why The Atlanta Voice exists.

The Atlanta Voice Proudly Serving Atlantans for 57 Years

BY MAYNARD EATON ENDOWED PROFESSOR, SCRIPPS HOWARD SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND COMMUNICATIONS, HAMPTON UNIVERSITY

For more than a half century, the revered Atlanta Voice newspaper has been the soul, substance and premier storyteller of Atlanta's Civil Rights Movement and our Black community. The Atlanta Voice epitomizes the term Black Press.

After being hired at 11-Alive News more than 40 years ago, I was advised by Miami Times publisher Garth Reeves to meet and learn from Atlanta Voice publisher J.Lowell Ware, who he called "one of America's most credible, powerful and progressive Black journalists". That assessment proved to be true. J. Lowell Ware was a compelling, commanding and formidable

figure in Atlanta and throughout the nation. I learned as much from him about writing, reporting and storytelling in the Black community as I did at Hampton Institute and Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. I am forever indebted to this Black Press icon. Meeting with him regularly at Paschal's Restaurant was insightful, informative and instructive. It was eye-opening to see how widely respected he was for his journalistic prowess by whites and blacks, politicos and activists, critics and cronies. He was a quintessential leader. That's why I was so honored when he offered me the opportunity to write a weekly column called Politics 411, which I proudly did for more than a decade working alongside editor Stan Washington, photojournalist Henry Dodson, and salesman RDW Jackson. We were a good team for publisher Janis Ware, who carries the mantle for her esteemed father.

Today, I employ that rich, robust and rewarding Atlanta Voice experience to educate the next generation of journalists in a Hampton University class current editor, Donnell Suggs has addressed - The Civil Rights Era & The Media.

Arts

Disney meets Atlanta at Armour Yards

BY DONNELL SUGGS

Lighthouse Immersive Inc., a Canada-based company that specializes in incorporating art, music and technology made their Atlanta debut this week while simultaneously bringing a bit of Disney World to town.

The Immersive Disney Animation exhibition is taking place in the Armour-Ottley Loop at Armour Yards. The exhibition takes popular Disney animation footage and mixes clips from those films with Disney music and special effects.

The exhibition is immersive in more ways than just with the wall-to-wall film footage. At one point during a showing Tuesday night actual bubbles filled the air and stars could be seen from the ceiling to the floor.

"It pulls you even more into those worlds," Dorothy McKim, a producer with Walt Disney Animation for the past four decades said to The Atlanta Voice. "You actually feel like you're there."

Immersive Disney Animation takes place in a 44,000-square-foot warehouse space, which allows viewers more than enough room to experience the animation and listen to the music in a room full of other people, but with more than enough space to do so.

More than 45 Disney animated films, including The Princes and The Frog, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Peter Pan, Big Hero 6 and Frozen, to name a few, were used to create the Immersive Disney Animation exhibition. According to Kim that was the point of the collaboration between Disney and Lighthouse Immersive, Inc., they wanted

to create something, well, immersive.

"It's the first time we're taking almost all of our con tent and putting it in one ex perience," said Kim.

Songs such as "Try Ev erything," "A Whole New World", "Under the Sea", and "Almost There" by An ika Noni Rose from The Princess and The Frog play

Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Nashville, and San Antonio.

Black Business Profile: Carla Stevenné creates beauty brand for all with Faces Artes

BY ISAIAH SINGLETON

Beauty guru and makeup artist Carla Stevenné, who shares her makeup, hair, and fashion tips and tricks on her YouTube channel BeautyByCarla, created beauty brand Faces Artes to be “one-of-a-kind for all beauties,” she said.

Stevenné said her grandma is her biggest inspiration behind the art design of Faces Artes. She is also in a highly creative family and grew up always around art. Stevenné remembers her grandmother’s artwork the most clearly, particularly having a lasting memory in her mind, and it inspired the vision for the brand today. Her grandma used different colors and shapes and is the biggest inspiration behind each bold, colorful work of art.

Everything Stevenné has experienced on the rise as a beauty creator over the past years is the foundation of this makeup brand.

Stevenné was also recently at the World Natural Hair Show held in Atlanta to get the word out about Face Artes, what it essentially means to her, and the importance of having a voice as a Black creator and influencer.

“Everybody should be invited to beauty events,” Stevenné said. “This gives influencers and content creators an official stamp from their followers that they're legitimate creators. This allows them to raise their price and get even more opportunities as creators, but if the space is closed on levels for all, only all are included in marketing to sell us the products.”

For additional information and to shop, visit https://faceartesbeauty.com/. To view/ purchase Stevenné’s beauty products and other items, visit https://www.amazon.com/ shop/carlastevenne. Additionally, to find her on YouTube, visit https://www.youtube. com/channel/UC8bFB0jFTjM7boJ48qUslHw.

The Atlanta Voice: Why did you decide to start your business?

Carla Stevenné: I decided to start my business because I have been a content creator and influencer for over 10 years. I started my beauty channel on YouTube when

I was 14, have over 15 million video views to date, and realized there was a need for more beauty brands willing to work with me and pay my rates over the years as a creator. There was a lack of diversity, particularly in the beauty space, and I created this brand to help fill the gap in the industry to open opportunities for all on every level in the beauty space. I have worked with the biggest hair, fashion, and skincare brands. However, when it comes to beauty, I have only worked with a small fraction compared to the other brands. This made me question the industry and realize the reality of the beauty space and its lack of openness to all on every level. A lot is missing, and everyone isn't genuinely welcomed into the beauty space as it may seem to sell everyone the products. Everyone deserves to be a part of the beauty space and feel welcomed and beautiful. Being an influencer/content creator, there is a lot of money to be made, so if everyone isn't eating from the industry, that causes problems in the space in the long run. My dream was to be a big-time beauty influencer growing up, and I want anyone who has that dream to know they can make

it happen, thanks to Face Artes Beauty.

AV: Was there a moment that inspired you to start this business?

CS: There was a precise moment that inspired me to start this business when I was working with my manager as an influencer on a platform, and I won't name names, but I was speaking with people about my plan to start a beauty brand, and immediately the next day I was dropped in the beauty category to the bottom just because they were aware that I wanted to create a beauty brand. I did everyone right and helped them so much, but then was attempted to be destroyed immediately after this moment. This immediately sparked a light inside me to ensure I make the best beauty brand ever created to ensure that this never happens to anyone else again. That's the moment that started everything and gave me the fuel I needed to get this done correctly so no one would ever feel how I felt when that happened to me.

AV: Is there a mentor in your life that inspired/inspires you as a business owner?

CS: Yes, her name is Courtney Adeleye, the founder and CEO of Olbali. Courtney

owns multiple companies and mentors’ other business owners with her brand Olbali. I signed up for her masterclass in December 2021. She supplied me with all the keys and has made over 100 million dollars in sales with her famous brand. I am forever grateful for her mentorship because she helped me when I needed it the most and continues to help people today.

AV: What are your business goals for the remainder of the year?

CS: One of them is to continue working with influencers worldwide. I sent one palette to an MUA that is in South Africa. Also, I have traveled to London and promoted my brand there. I want my business to be a global sensation and capture markets worldwide. Also, I want to expand the collection and have lip gloss. I am waiting to use the full lip gloss, so I know how that experience would be for a customer shopping. For me, it is all about having the best quality products with the best results on the market. I would love to be able to do another tradeshow as well. Atlanta welcomed us with open arms, and I appreciate that love and encouragement on my journey as an entrepreneur.

AV: Any advice to future business owners about taking the plunge?

CS: My advice to any business owners taking the plunge is to take it one step at a time. Don't think too far ahead about the work that goes into it and get yourself overwhelmed. Have a notebook and write down those long-term goals, but most importantly, take those steps because nothing great comes overnight. You have to put in that work and build it, and eventually, you will have an empire. Take your time with the process. Believe in yourself, and never let anyone stop you. Take that as a sign you are on the right track because it happened to me. Certain things that may happen in your life are painful, but use those moments and struggles as motivation, so you can share your story with the next business owner and show them that it's possible. Let your hardships be why you go hard for your business, and always keep going even on the days you don't feel like it because it will be worth it in the long run.

Atlanta-based CEO to represent Georgia in national small business recognition

BY JANELLE WARD

Ken Taunton, founder of the Black-owned employment agency, The Royster Group, was announced by Administrator Isabella Guzman last month as one of the 67 representatives making up the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2023 State Small Business Persons of the Year.

The administration selects one or multiple business owners from each state, along with two entrepreneurs from Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, to represent their state or territory based on their economic achievements within their respective regions and industries.

Taunton, who also serves as president and CEO of the Atlanta-based staffing firm, was recognized with the other selected small business owners at the Small Business Administration’s awards ceremony in Washington on April 30 and May 1.

“To say I’m elated would be an under-

statement,” Taunton said. “This award is a testament to our incredible Royster team, supportive partners, wise mentors and wonderful clients who contribute to our success. This honor would not be possible without their collective trust and support in our ability to connect top talent with top-tier employers.”

The Royster Group is an agency that partners with businesses in public, private and healthcare sectors in hiring compatible employers and leaders.

Taunton founded the company in 2001, beginning as a solo venture and expanding to currently manage 80 employees.

The firm has also expanded from earning $2 million annually in 2008 to over $20 million this year, according to Taunton’s biography on the SBA’s website. Though it’s headquartered in Atlanta, the Royster Group has developed a presence over the years in 20 U.S. states.

Administrator Guzman said each of this year’s award recipients represents the best of the small business owners

in their states and territories, fostering the potential to serve as inspirations for American entrepreneurs of the future.

“Our 2023 State Small Business Persons of the Year have given their all to achieve their American dream – to own and build a strong, resilient business; create jobs; increase competition and innovation and power America’s historic economic recovery,” Guzman said in a press release announcing the winners. “These incredible entrepreneurs show the vibrancy and grit of our nation’s small businesses. From Main Street to manufacturing hubs and tech centers, they are powering our economy. We hope their stories inspire and motivate the next generation of entrepreneurs.”

The SBA’s awards ceremony will be held in coordination with National Small Business Week, which is observed each year during the first week of May. The two-day ceremony will take place prior to the organization’s two-day virtual summit, which was held on May 2 and 3.

Ken Taunton, founder of the Black-owned temp agency, The Royster Group, was announced by Administrator Isabella Guzman last month as one of the 67 representatives making up the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2023 State Small Business Persons of the Year.

Business Mobile landscaping service GreenPal finds footing in metro Atlanta

BY JANELLE WARD

Nashville-based landscaping company GreenPal made its Atlanta debut on April 11, adding the metro area to its steadily-growing list of more than 250 markets across the United States.

GreenPal’s expansion into the Atlanta metro area isn’t the company establishing a presence in the state, but it is the company’s first time integrating into Georgia’s largest market.

The digital landscaping service announced its Atlanta expansion following success in previous markets across the country, including Seattle, Chicago and Los Angeles.

GreenPal’s co-founder Gene Caballero said the service allows independent landscapers to operate their businesses completely cashless, while eliminating unnecessary steps in the lawn care business model that have historically stripped landscapers of valuable time and money.

While Caballero and his partner, co-founder Bryan Clayton, came up with the idea for GreenPal in 2012, the company officially began to take form three years later, starting within the pairing’s hometown of Nashville before spreading to other major U.S. cities in the following years.

“My first job out of college was in sales. So I was a little privy to newer technologies like Uber, Lyft and Airbnb,” Caballero said. “[I] knew that if someone was going to summon a stranger to come pick them up, or allow a stranger to live in their extra bedroom for the weekend for extra money, at the same time, they would do that with lawn care at some point down the road.”

How it works

GreenPal is a comprehensive lawn care service that allows users to connect with landscaping technicians in their area. Clients can book, pay, rate and rebook their favorite landscapers all from the interface of GreenPal’s mobile app or website.

“We’ve described it as the ‘Uber’ for lawn care,” Caballero said. “It’s the easiest way for homeowners to find, schedule and pay their lawn [care specialist].”

Customers can post photos of their lawns to GreenPal, and, using satellite technology, the company’s algorithm connects customers’ requests for service to independent landscapers in their area. According to the company’s website, GreenPal secures five bids for each con-

sumer within 24 hours of submitting photos. Customers can then select the landscaper they want, after reading ratings and reviews from previous consumers. The contractors provide personalized quotes as a part of each bid, which can also aid customers in making a decision. After confirming an appointment, the landscapers send customers a photo of their yard upon the job’s completion.

Following approval of the landscapers’ work, customers pay them through the application and have the option to book another appointment weeks in advance.

Effective for clients and entrepreneurs alike

While GreenPal works to convenience customers by combining the many facets of hiring a lawn care professional into one easy-to-use business model, Caballero said that GreenPal’s interface is designed to benefit landscapers, as well, enabling them to focus more on completing gigs

and less on technical issues that take time away from completing more jobs and making more money. He said that this business model separates GreenPal from competitors in the landscaping market.

“I think that’s what fueled our growth so much,” Caballero said.

“Not only do we handle their demand creation, we also handle their scheduling, their route optimization and their payment processing.”

Having spent his early years operating a landscaping business of his own, Caballero said he wanted to create a product that removes the hassle of paperwork, tracking missing payments and other tedious activities for current owners of lawn care startups and companies.

“I just wanted to mow and take care of my customers,” Caballero said.

“I certainly didn’t want to sit at home after a 14-hour day and send out invoices and chase

my money. That’s who we designed the entire thing for: that landscaping professional, and we believe we’re the first true operating system for those guys.”

GreenPal pre-screens all of its landscapers to confirm their identities before making their services available to the public through their app and website. Caballero said the company requires its contractors to submit proof of identification in the form of a driver’s license and social security number, and proof of a valid bank account within an institution in good financial standing. Landscapers wanting to join the program must also send photos of their previous work, as well as references attesting to their skills.

“Our homeowners have told us that the most important thing to them is the actual social proof,” Caballero said. “So we do all that and what homeowners seem to really care about is the ratings and reviews. But, we’re still going to continue to do as much as we can to vet these guys and make sure that the homeowner has a wonderful experience, as well.”

GreenPal in Atlanta

Caballero said the company is expanding across the greater Atlanta area one region at a time, starting in the outer suburbs and inching closer to the inner parts of the city over time. He said allowing GreenPal to grow gradually, as opposed to all at once, will help the company manage its consumer load more efficiently, a task that GreenPal has had issues handling in large markets previously, like Houston, Texas. Caballero also said that in the company’s short time settling into the region, Atlanta may prove to be one of the company’s most successful markets come the end of this summer, and may rise to become a top-three market by the end of 2023. He also said GreenPal’s leadership intentionally expanded to greater Atlanta during Georgia’s month of seasonal transition, in order to beat the spring and summer rush of landscaping requests.

“We’ve had an overwhelming amount of positive feedback from the area,” Caballero said. “And springtime is when people are looking for lawn care, or deciding whether or not they want to do it or outsource it. So, for this market, I will say that, yes, we have actually timed it [perfectly].”

Atlanta homeowners looking to use GreenPal can visit the company’s official website for the city, or download GreenPal’s app to any portable mobile device.

Hulu and The City of Atlanta celebrate Dr. Coretta Scott-King

BY NOAH WASHINGTON

City of Atlanta hosted “Made By Her Monuments,” Thursday, April 28, a collaboration between The King Center and Hulu to celebrate civil rights icon and wife of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Dr. Corretta Scott King on what would have been her 96th birthday.

The event marked the first in a series of monuments dedicated to bridging the gender gap in publicly displayed art. The unveiling of the memorial was accompanied by a series of speeches from multiple speakers who are dominating their respective fields, as well as performances by Victory Brinker, a classically trained singer echoing Dr. Scott-King’s background as a classically trained singer, and Jennifer Holliday, a Tony and two-time Grammy Award winner.

Founder and CEO of BWA Studios, Taylor K. Shaw, whose studio is focused on empowering women of color, spoke at the event. She had just come off of the Black History Month series “Your Attention Please,” a series highlighting the life of Dr. Scott-King, which is now streaming on Hulu.

“Having a studio designed to help black women is such an incredible way for us to manifest Dr. Scott’s vision and story. The addition of this monument to honor the legacy of Dr. King is truly sacred,” said Taylor K. Shaw to The Atlanta Voice.

Among the speakers present was Dr. Scott-King’s daughter, Dr. Bernice King,

who expressed her admiration for the memorial.“This is amazing. It depicts everything about who she was as a person; she was very artistic and creative,” said King.

The memorial was designed by Saya Woolfalk, a visual artist recognized for her use of various media to investigate concepts such as hybridity, science, and race.

“When I came here this morning, it was the first time I saw the monument installed on the grounds. Seeing the monument right next to where Coretta Scott King and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. are buried was such a moving moment for me. It is such a significant and powerful moment,” Woolfalk told The Atlanta Voice.

The monument showcases a lectern at the center of its structure, paying tribute to how Mrs. King was often photographed - standing behind a podium, addressing large audiences. The lectern contains a functioning microphone that permits visitors to actively participate and let their voices be heard. The backdrop of the monument is adorned with a rose pattern inspired by the Coretta Scott King rose - a flower named after her. The structure is surrounded by words such as empathy, change, freedom, justice, peace, compassion, liberty, rights, truth, and community.

A quote from Mrs. King can be found on the monument: "Women, if the soul of the nation is to be saved, I believe that you must become its soul.”

Notice of Public Hearings

Notice is hereby given that the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority will hold public hearings for the purpose of considering the Proposed FY 2024 Operating and Capital Budgets

Effective July 1, 2023

Budget Hearing #1 - TUESDAY, MAY 16

Community Exchange 6:00 PM & Public Hearing 7:00

In Person: MARTA Headquarters 2424 Piedmont Road, Atlanta, GA 30324

Virtual: Go to itsmarta.com to join the virtual public hearing Phone In: call 646-931-3860 – ID: 865 2831 1573 Access Code: 597493

An overview of the proposed Operating and Capital Budgets will be available for community review on MARTA’s website at itsmarta.com.

To learn more, visit itsmarta.com or call 404-848-5000.

The proposed FY 2024 Operating and Capital Budgets are available to view during regular business hours, Mon-Fri 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.

For formats (free of charge) in accordance with ADA and Limited English Proficiency regulations contact, 404-848-4037.

For hearing impaired customers requiring accommodations, information can be obtained by calling the Telephone Device for the Deaf (TDD) at 404-848-5665.

In addition, a sign language interpreter will be available at the hearings. If you would like to provide comments you may: (1) leave a message at 404-848-5299; (2) send comments to MARTA’s Office of External Affairs, 2424 Piedmont Road, N.E. Atlanta, GA 30324-3330; (3) or email comments to publichearinginfo@itsmarta. com; no later than May 19, 2023.

All citizens of the City of Atlanta and the counties of Fulton, DeKalb, Clayton and Gwinnett whose interests are affected by the subjects to be considered at these hearings are hereby notified and invited to participate at said times and present such evidence, comment or objection as their interests require.

Collie Greenwood, General Manager/CEO Community Review

Rise in colon cancer among young people, African Americans, cause for concern

BY KIMBERLY DAVIS

In June 2021, Shundra Seay Massey, a 29-year-old married influencer from Atlanta, started seeing a chiropractor for back pain. A licensed and registered dietician, Shundra had always taken care of herself, through diet and exercise, and thought she had just slept wrong or something. What followed was more pain— excruciating this time—in her stomach and then her back again, tests and more tests, and delay. A delay in her diagnosis of colon cancer.

By October 25, Shundra was gone, leaving behind a son who wasn’t even two years old, a loving husband, and scores of family members, friends and followers to mourn the loss of such a vibrant, positive force. She also left behind a mother with a mission.

That mission, says her mother, Rosonja Seay, is to raise awareness about young-onset colorectal cancer, which affects patients under the age of 50. Think Chadwick Boseman, the acclaimed actor who died from colon cancer in 2020 at the age of 43. With current guidelines calling for screening at age 45 (down from 50 just a few years ago), Seay, who lives in Newnan, Georgia, says it is important to realize that waiting that long can have devastating, deadly implications.

“My mission and purpose in life is to let young people know that this is not an old person’s disease,” says Seay, who still runs her influencer daughter’s Instagram account BrownMommyDiary. “Even though the screening age is 45, I feel like that is just so unfair. . . . Young people between the ages of 18 to 35 are at risk but nowhere near the age of screening.”

Colorectal cancer, which starts in the colon or rectum, is the most common of all human cancers, says Dr. Olatunji Alese, associate professor and director of gastrointestinal oncology in the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology at the Emory University School of Medicine. Because colorectal cancer often isn’t diagnosed until it has spread or grown, it is best to get screened before you start having any problems.

Symptoms include a change in bowel habits that lasts longer than a few days, a feeling that you need to have a bowel movement that isn’t lessened by having one, rectal bleeding with bright red blood, weakness and fatigue, blood in the stool, cramping or abdominal pain and unexplained weight loss. Each year,

more than 150,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, and up to 52,000 Americans die of colorectal cancer on a yearly basis, Alese says.

Colorectal cancer also disproportionately affects the African American community, with Blacks in the U.S. being about 20 percent more likely to get the disease, and about 40 percent more likely to die from it than most other ethnic groups, according to the American Cancer Society.

But recent statistics have shown a trend that has alarmed researchers: the portion of diagnoses of this type of cancer among adults younger than 55 in the U.S. increased to 20 percent in 2019—up from 11 percent in 1995. Even as overall colorectal cancer death rates fell by nearly 60 percent between 1970 and 2020—the result, studies show, of increased screenings—death rates have climbed among people younger than 50. Without intervention, by 2040, colorectal cancer will be the leading cause of death in adults aged 20 to 49. Moreover, by 2030, co -

lon cancer cases are projected to increase by 90 percent in patients under age 35, and rectal cancer cases are expected to rise by 124 percent in that age group. For both African Americans and young people, diagnosis usually comes once the cancer has reached an advanced stage and is more difficult to treat.

Alese says that although the screening age has been lowered, the guidelines are still missing a good number of patients, especially minority patients. It will take a sustained community effort to make change. “I have seen way too many young African Americans with stage four cancer which was completely preventable,” Alese says. “It’s going to take everything possible. It’s going to take a lot of education, community engagement, patient advocacy to actually attract a lot of attention to this issue.”

Seay believes that if she knew her history of colonic polyp removal and signs and symptoms like back pain and abdominal pain could be cause for screening, it may have saved her daughter’s life. Eddie Lee

Shundra Seay

Massey, a 29-yearold married influencer from Atlanta, started seeing a chiropractor for back pain. What followed was more pain—excruciating this time— in her stomach and then her back again, tests and more tests, and delay. A delay in her diagnosis of colon cancer.

Massey III would still have a wife and Eddie IV’s mom would still be here, reveling in her role as “Boy Mama.”

“I remember saying to Shundra when I was recovering, ‘You and your sister probably need to get screened starting around the age of 40.’ Because, again, we didn’t know,” Seay says. “No one ever said to us because you had to have this procedure done, your children probably need to be screened early.”

While Shundra “fought with everything in her” and remained hopeful until the very end because of her and her family’s strong Christian faith, Seay says the fight is hers now. She has started a petition to change the age for colonoscopy screenings.

“For young people, don’t be afraid,” Seay says. “At least talk to your doctor. Even if you don’t get screened, start a conversation. And if you see some changes, make sure you go to the doctor. Don’t ignore them. Don’t think, ‘I’m 25 and this can’t happen to me.’ Shundra was 29 years old when she was diagnosed. She was 29 years old.”

Sports

Falcons believe draft picks will produce quickly

BY ITORO UMONTUEN

The 2023 NFL Draft class for the Atlanta Falcons can be summed up in one word: impactful. With the selections of running back Bijan Robinson through cornerback Clark Phillips III, the Falcons now have the resources to mount a division title challenge in an NFC South that is currently in flux. Let’s do a deeper dive into these draft picks.

The Falcons picked Bijan Robinson with the 8th overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. Robinson ran the 40-yard-dash in 4.46 seconds at the NFL Combine while compiling more than 3,300 yards from scrimmage over the past two years for the Texas Longhorns.

Robinson averaged 6.7 yards per touch.

“I take pride in catching the football, too, as much as running the ball and blocking,” Robinson said. “I think that if you’re a complete player, it just makes the most sense.

Falcons head coach Arthur Smith loves the fact Robinson can catch the ball out of the backfield and line up in the slot.

“Get unique with your personnel packages,” Smith said. “You line up where it looks like 22 personnel, you line up where it looks like 10 personnel, get in the empty. So it allows you to put a lot of stress, even just presnap logistically as you’re going onto the field the way we operate and play and we’ll evolve.”

Falcons General Manager Terry Fontenot said Robinson was their first option all along.

“We loved [Robinson] and we said, ‘if we go back this many spots and pick up another pick and risk losing him, is that worth it or not?’ Fontenot said during a press conference. “That’s what you have to weigh out and we didn’t think it was.”

In the second round, the Falcons selected Matthew Bergeron with the 38th overall pick. Bergeron is a 6’5", 318-pound offensive tackle from Syracuse University who has been tabbed to play left guard, a need that has been sorely lacking. He arrives in Atlanta with second-team All-ACC honors.

Bergeron impressed the Falcons coaches during the Senior Bowl practice sessions and attracted a lot of praise for his play on the inside. His versatility will be an asset for Arthur Smith.

In the third round, the Falcons selected Zach Harrison, a 6’6" 274 pound edge rusher from The Ohio State University. Harrison appeared in 46 games and started in 27 for the Buckeyes. Additionally, Harrison earned

first-team all-Big Ten Conference honors as a senior last season after recording 34 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, four pass break-ups and six quarterback hurries.

“As far as stopping the run, it’s about wanting to,” Harrison said during a press conference. “I feel like I got the drive to do that and I feel like I’m hitting my stride.”

Even though Harrison did not fully live up to his potential in Columbus, the Falcons believe they can develop the tenacity that Harrison needs to get Bryce Young, Derek Carr and opposing quarterbacks to the ground.

Cornerback Clark Phillips III was selected by the Falcons in the fourth round (114th overall). In his college career at the University of Utah, Phillips had 111 tackles, 9 inter-

ceptions and 19 pass breakups. Four of those interceptions were returned for touchdowns, which is a school record. Additionally, he was a Jim Thorpe finalist, an award given to college football’s top cornerback. AJ Terrell, Jeff Okudah, Mike Hughes, Dee Alford, Darren Hall, and now Phillips, Atlanta has some serious depth on the outside. He’s 5’9" and weighs in at 190 pounds. However, his technique is top-tier.

“He’s so smart and intelligent,” Fontenot said of Phillips III. “One of the first things he mentioned to us was how much instances he puts on film study. Not something that you necessarily hear a lot of college defensive backs bring up. The football character, the personal character, the football intelligence, film junkie, gym rat, all those things. So you know all that about him, and then it matches with the tape when you watch the tape and then when we get to spend more time with him.”

In the seventh round, the Atlanta Falcons selected safety DeMarcco Hellams (224th overall) out of the University of Alabama. Hellams had 108 tackles in 2022 and was the Crimson Tide’s leading tackler. Additionally, Hellams was named one of the defensive players of the week by the Alabama coaching staff for his efforts against Texas, ULM, Arkansas, Mississippi State, LSU, Ole Miss and Austin Peay.

Immediately after that, the Falcons selected Jovaughn Gwyn (225th overall), an offensive guard out of the University of South Carolina. The 6’3” 300 pounder from Charlotte was named second-team All-SEC in 2022.

Chol gets first start of season in Nashville, United to face Josef Martinez in Miami Saturday

BY DONNELL SUGGS

Atlanta United forward Machop Chol checked another thing off his to-do list when he earned his first start of the season Saturday, April 29 in Nashville. In the absence of striker Giorgos Giakoumakis, who has scored five goals in seven matches (five starts) this season, Chol got the start up front for Atlanta United, who led the Eastern Conference in goals scored (18) coming into the week.

This start comes two weeks after Chol scored his first career goal in Toronto April 15. During Saturday's match in Nashville Chol got an opportunity to add to his scoring tally early in the second half off a pass from teammate Caleb Wiley. He was subbed off for Miguel Berry in the 59th minute.

Chol, a homegrown product, has played in five games this season. He started four games for Atlanta United in 2021 and played in a career high nine matches and 426 minutes. Chol did not register a start during the 2022 season.

What's next:

United returns to the pitch Saturday, May 6 in Miami. Former Major League Soccer most valuable player and MLS Cup Most Valuable Player Josef Martinez will face his former team at DRV PNK Stadium. The match is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m.

CLASSIFIEDS

OPPORTUNITIES NOTICE

IT LEAD SOLUTION ENGINEERS

(Atlanta, GA): Provide technical support for servers and leading IT projects. Participate in the administration and maintenance of the remote monitoring and management system: update agent scripts, respond to alerts, monitor dashboard, and periodic system review. 25% domestic travel required. Telecommuting work arrangement permitted. Mail resumes to Paradies Lagardere Travel Retail, Attn: Tamy Gray, 2849 Paces Ferry Road, Suite 400, Atlanta, GA 30339. Reference job number #SM548793.

SENIOR MECHANICAL ENGINEER

Cooper Lighting, LLC seeks a Sr Mechanical Eng (Peachtree City, GA) to create the mechanical dsgn of new indr & outdr lghtng, lghtng cntrls, & smrt lghtng systms prdcts. Reqs Bach deg in Mechancl Eng & 5 yrs exp dsgnng fxtrs. Exp must invlv 5 yrs in the fllwng: mchncl prdct dsgn w/ fxtrs; Solidworks 3-D mdlng sftwr; thrml & strctrl analysis; SAP PLM; elctrcl eng prncpls; dsgn, mnfctrng, regulatory UL, & aspcts of LED lghtng systms; & injection molded plastic, die cast, sheet metal dsgn, & mnfctrng mthds & processing. Email resume to: taamericas@signify.com & ref job title & job code 18-GA.

Senior Salesforce Developer – Atlanta, GA.

Seeking MS in Comp. Sci., Telecomm. & Network Engg. or closely rel. 2 yrs of software devt. exp. req’d. Position reports to development office in Atlanta, GA; may telecommute. Mail CV to Attn: HR/Job #0417, BetterCloud Inc., 330 7th Ave., Fl. 4., New York, NY 10001.

SENIOR (62+)

1-Bedroom Affordable!

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

FULTON COUNTY ADVERTISEMENT FOR PROPOSAL

Sealed proposals for 23RFP138735K-DB - Standby Professional Services for Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection for the Fulton County Real Estate and Asset Management Department, will be accepted by the Fulton County Department of Purchasing and Contract Compliance, electronically through Bidnet Direct at https://www.bidnetdirect.com/georgia/fultoncounty, on Wednesday, May 31, 2023. All proposals submitted must be received no later than 11:00 a.m. local (Eastern) time on the stated date.

Proposals will be received and only the firms name will be publicly viewed at 11:05 a.m. at the web link https://www.bidnetdirect.com/ georgia/fultoncounty.

Proposal Bond: N/A

Scope of Work: Fulton County, Georgia (“County”) is seeking Proposals from qualified and experienced firms to provide Standby Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing and Fire Protection Professional Services in support of DREAM to establish one (1) or more stand-by contracts for each group or discipline identified within this Request for Proposal (RFP) on an “as needed-task order assignment” basis for the following professional services: Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Plumbing Engineering and Fire Protection Engineering. In order to obtain complete information about this solicitation, please click the link below where this document and supporting documents can be downloaded, https://www.bidnetdirect.com/georgia/fultoncounty.

Fee: N/A

Term of Contract: Contract shall begin on January 1, 2024 and end on December 31, 2024 with two (2) one-year (Renewal Option).

A Pre-Proposal Conference will be held on Wednesday, May 10, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. local time, via web and tele-conference. Please see Solicitation for instructions.

Site Visit: N/A

If you have any questions regarding this project please contact Darlene A. Banks, CAPA, at Email: darlene.banks@fultoncountyga.gov or (404) 612-7879.

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