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AUGUST 28-3, 2026 • Vol. 61 Issue 16 • FREE

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Atlanta residents fight back against data centers PAGE 3

First Among Many

Ralph Stokes (above) has been volunteering at the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club for over 20 years. Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

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Local

Ralph Stokes gives back to Atlanta through golf By DONNELL SUGGS

he warm temperatures, bright skies, and green grass always makes taking photos much easier. On Tuesday morning, Ralph Stokes posed for photos, smiling the entire time while the photographer directed his movements. During the photoshoot, groups of people stopped by to say hello to Stokes, or to tease him about his celebrity status. The picturesque scenery, which encompasses Atlanta’s East Lake Golf Club is both a familiar and comforting sight for Stokes. For the past 21 years, he has been a volunteer during the TOUR Championship and for the past nine years, Stokes has been the man to see on the first tee box at the TOUR Championship. Thus his celebrity status. He keeps order at the beginning of the tournament. Not an easy feat. Stokes calls the TOUR Championship the “Super Bowl” of golf, and even after earning the right to walk around Atlanta’s most prestigious PGA tour stop and go wherever he

wants, he still gets fired up for the annual tournament. “It’s always exciting because you get to meet the top 30 players,” Stokes, 73, said. “Each one of them greets me when they walk onto the first tee.” This year, the top five players in the FedEx Cup rankings are twotime Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, Matt Fitzpatrick, Wyndham Clark, Cameron Young, and South Korean and 2017 Players Championship champion Si Woo Kim, who addressed the media on Tuesday. All five players and 25 others will be playing in the TOUR Championship and Stokes will be one of the first people they see when they prepare to tee off. Stokes said over the years he has been able to create relationships with players that have continued year after year. A funny story he shared included getting a big bear hug from 6’2” Spanish golfer John Rahm to start the tournament. “It’s just exciting to be a part of the Super Bowl of golf. To be there to see how these golfers get

The first tee at East Lake Golf Club has been Ralph Stokes’ territory for the past nine years. Some of the best golfers in the world have to start the TOUR Championship with an introduction from Stokes. Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

themselves is always exciting,” he said. Stokes is an author. He wrote “One of the First: Lessons I Learned While Overcoming the Challenges of Integration”, a memoir about his time as a running back for legendary college football coach Bear Bryant and the University of Alabama Crimson Tide. He was one of the first Black players to play for the state’s flagship college football programs and those lessons helped him prepare for a long career in business and volunteerism. “I was fortunate to be a pretty good football player,” said Stokes, who often wears a National Championship ring from his time with the Crimson Tide. “To be able to play college football at the highest level, on some really good teams, you learn how to deal with pressure.” He also loves golf. He has been playing for decades, and his time working the first tee at the TOUR Championship allows him to be close to the game, and see how inclusive golf can be. The game has a reputation for its exclusivity because it is played at places like East Lake Golf Club and the Augusta National Golf Club, but Stokes says golf can bridge gaps instead of create them. “I love that the game of golf does not discriminate. When you stand over that golf ball, it doesn’t discriminate either,” Stokes said. Stokes’ career includes winning awards. He was recently awarded the Sam Lacy Pioneer Award by the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) during the journalism organization’s annual convention. This year’s convening of more than 4,300 Black reporters, editors, cameramen, camerawomen, producers, and radio and television hosts took place in Atlanta. The photoshoot ended near the clubhouse and despite the temperature rising, and the many people moving about the grounds, Stokes remained in a good mood. He stopped to say hello to a trio of women walking by, and waved hello to another man driving by in a gold cart. Stokes has a celebrity-like following around the tournament, but he really gets a kick out of what other people see when they attend the TOUR Championship. “Yes, it’s an honor to be with

Ralph Stokes (above), an avid golfer, was born in Montgomery, Alabama, and played college football for Bear Bryant at the University of Alabama. Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

these players and be up close and personal, but seeing the joy and excitement of the fans, that’s what I like,” he said. “Golf and the TOUR Championship helped heal and grow the city of Atlanta,” he said. The TOUR Championship takes

place between August 26-30, with starting tee times at 11:20am on Thursday. Stokes will be there on the first tee as per usual. “The energy and excitement, just being a part of such a great event, it’s an honor,” he said.

The TOUR Championship will take place from August 27 to 30 at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

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Local

Atlanta residents fight back against data centers By LAURA NWOGU

ata centers are cropping up around Atlanta, and residents are speaking up against them. Georgia Public Service Commissioner Peter Hubbard and Southwest Atlanta Neighbors Mobilize (SWARM) hosted a conversation with Fulton County residents to fight back against data centers. A data center is a physical location that houses network computers, storage systems, and IT infrastructure. While they provide critical infrastructure for powering the internet and platforms such as iCloud and Google Drive, these centers can also impact the environment through massive energy consumption and local pollution from diesel generators, contributing to climate change and straining local resources. According to the Data Center Map, there are 201 data centers in the Atlanta and Metro area. While some leaders insist that data centers produce property tax revenue that can then eliminate property tax bills and create jobs, others believe the significant impacts on water and energy are not worth it and there should be a pause on building new ones. Atlanta

A data center is a physical location that houses network computers, storage systems, and IT infrastructure. Photo by Tabius H. McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

City Council members have even introduced new legislation aimed at regulating local data centers and eliminating their tax breaks. When the audience was asked how many of them had been impacted by data centers, a third of the room raised their hands. “Everyone’s seeing their power bills go up. The reason why that’s happening is we’re building the

According to the Data Center Map, there are 201 data centers in the Atlanta and Metro area. Photo by Tabius H. McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

As data center proposals advance across Georgia, Atlanta residents and officials are pressing for rules on water use, energy demand, and tax breaks. Photo by Tabius H. McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

wrong resources in this state. We’re doing a lot of fossil fuel production or generation of energy … instead of just building lower cost resources and allowing that to help lower our power bills,” Hubbard said. “After housing, I think the power bill is probably the second biggest thing that you have to pay for; it’s a big deal. It’s been going up, and you know Republicans have been just resting on their laurels, accepting everything the power company gives to them. We can do better.” Jovan Davis, the finance assistant for Peter Hubbard and a member of the Atlanta People’s Campaign, said a big issue is that there are no regulations for data centers. “Data centers use a lot of water, and while there are different frameworks for how to use water within those data centers — some that are seemingly less harmful than others — the issue that we’re having is there’s no set framework for what that should look like. There’s no restriction,” Davis said. “There’s no set guidance on what that should look like for each of these planned builds, and that is a problem. So now our water is impacted. Our air quality is impacted. Our heat index is impacted because if we’re losing these trees, we’re losing that level of shade. We’re losing that level of protection, and then finally, your bills are impacted. And while that’s not an environmental

impact, that is an impact on how much food you might be able to purchase or how much gas you might be able to put in your car when you’re ready to go get said food.” Davis noted that three areas in Georgia have proposals on the table for new data center builds: Southwest Atlanta, Cobb County and Coastal Georgia. “Southwest Atlanta is one of the most financially disadvantaged parts of the city. It is also a huge cultural center of the city, and it is another unnecessary burden on

the residents that live there that will be coming. Cobb County traffic needs a lot of road repairs and road widening, and options with public transportation. You put this thing there, you’re cutting out the ability to make that a reality. And then with Coastal Georgia, one of the pushes is that it’s going to bring jobs. It’s not going to bring jobs that are long term. It’s not going to bring jobs that are sustainable for the people that live there. So now the economic ecosystem will get that boom and then it drops and then what?”

When the audience was asked how many had been affected by data centers, a third of the room raised their hands. Photo by Tabius H. McCoy/ The Atlanta Voice

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Voices

When a Black Child Dies Without Answers, Grief Has Nowhere to Go

FOUNDER/EDITOR

By REV. SHEILA POYNTER JOHNSON

Ed Clayton Immortalis Memoria

olan Wells, 18, disappeared during a July 4 boating trip to Horn Island off the Mississippi coast and was found dead two days later. Officials initially suspected drowning and reported no evidence of foul play, while both the state autopsy and the family’s independent autopsy have been inconclusive or withheld pending a grand jury investigation. The family, their attorney Ben Crump and the Congressional Black Caucus are pressing for federal review, but the manner of death remains officially undetermined. Psychoanalysis distinguishes between mourning, in which the lost object can be gradually relinquished, and melancholia, in which loss cannot be metabolized and becomes lodged in the psyche. Open Wounds An undetermined death is a kind of engineered melancholia; without a narrative of how and why, the grieving mind cannot complete its work. For Wells’ parents, and vicariously for Black parents watching, the absence of answers keeps the wound open. The mind abhors a vacuum, and into that vacuum flow the most terrifying possibilities, which for Black Americans are not paranoid fantasies but memories. The case’s grip on the collective Black psyche cannot be separated from geography. A Black teenager vanishing in a majority-white space in Mississippi activates what could be called a cultural unconscious structured by Emmett Till, whose body was pulled from a Mississippi river in 1955. Trauma theorists like Maria Yellow Horse Brave Heart and psychoanalytic writers on transgenerational transmission (Nicolas Abraham and Maria Torok’s notion of the “phantom”) argue that unmourned historical violence is passed down not as memory but as affect, dread and behavioral injunction. When the news broke, many Black parents did not experience it as new information; they experienced it as confirmation, the return of something never fully repressed because it was never fully safe to forget. The skepticism in the Black community toward the official investigation, whatever the eventual findings, functions as a transference onto institutions that have historically been unreliable containers for Black grief. In Wilfred Bion’s terms, a community needs institutions that can “contain” catastrophic anxiety, receive it, process it and return it in tolerable form. When sheriffs, coroners and prosecutors have historically failed to serve that function for Black families, the anxiety remains uncontained and circulates as suspicion, activism and sometimes conspiracy thinking. The demand for federal review is, psychologically, a search for a container that can be trusted. For Black parents specifically, cases like this reinforce what psychologists describe as racialized

FOUNDED May 11, 1966

PUBLISHER/EDITOR J. Lowell Ware

Immortalis Memoria The Atlanta Voice honors the life of J. Lowell Ware. ––– PUBLISHER Janis Ware PRESIDENT/ GENERAL MANAGER James A. Washington 2018-2024 COO Richard Dunn rdunn@theatlantavoice.com CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER Jazmine Brazier jbrazier@theatlantavoice.com Nolan Wells’ death has left his family grieving in uncertainty—and awakened a deeper, historically rooted fear among Black parents who know that unanswered loss rarely feels like an isolated tragedy. Photo Credit: iStock.com/cyano66

hypervigilance, which operates almost like a superego injunction: Never let your child be the only one, never let them separate from the group, never assume white spaces are safe. Nolan’s stepfather’s anguished comment that he taught his son “never to separate from friends he arrived with” reveals the protective script and the parent’s torment when the script fails anyway. Psychic Burdens This produces several psychic burdens: The anticipatory grief of raising a child one fears burying; the impossible double bind of wanting children to move freely through integrated spaces while dreading those spaces; the guilt-laden fantasy of omnipotent protection, in which any harm becomes evidence of parental failure rather than of a dangerous world; and the erosion of what Erik Erikson called basic trust, now transmitted to the next generation as inherited wariness. The marches, Wells’ funeral officiated by the Rev. Al Sharpton, the crowdfunding, the celebrity support and the demand for transparency can be read as attempts at collective working-through, converting passive helplessness into active agency. Whether or not foul play is ever established, the mobilization itself serves a psychic function. It insists that a Black child’s death must be seen, countering the historical experience of Black loss being treated as unremarkable. The tragedy, psychoanalytically, is that even if the investigation ultimately confirms an accidental drowning, the terror the case evoked in Black parents is real and rational, grounded in history rather than fantasy. That is the deepest injury racism inflicts. It makes it impossible to grieve an ambiguous loss simply, because every ambiguous loss arrives already haunted. I write this not only as a scholar of the psyche, but as a Black mother and grandmother.

When the news of Nolan Wells broke, I did not first respond with theory. I responded with my body — that tightening in the chest that every Black parent knows, the one that arrives before thought does. I raised my children on the same scripts Nolan’s parents gave him: Stay with your friends; don’t wander off alone; be careful in places where you’re the only one. I said those words so many times they became a kind of prayer. And now I watch my children say them to my grandchildren, and I feel both the love in those words and the weight of them — because no child should need a survival liturgy just to go on a boat trip with friends. Grieving Without Answers When I look at Nolan’s mother, I see every mother I have ever known. I see my own daughter, who worries over my grandson—a senior civil engineering major away at Penn State University. I see myself, lying awake until I hear the key in the door. And I see my grandchildren, whom I want to send into the world with open hearts, not inherited dread — though I know I have passed some of that dread along anyway, the way it was passed to me, hand to hand, generation to generation, like something too heavy to carry and too dangerous to put down. Whatever the investigation ultimately concludes, this much is already true: A mother in Mississippi is grieving without answers, and millions of us grieve alongside her because we know how easily it could have been our child, our grandchild. This is my attempt to give that grief a language. But before it was language, it was a feeling in my chest. It still is. The Rev. Sheila Poynter Johnson is a New York State-licensed psychoanalyst, ordained minister, author, and social justice advocate who serves as the Chair and President of Harlem Family Services.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING / EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO PUBLISHER Chia Suggs csuggs@theatlantavoice.com EDITOR IN CHIEF Donnell Suggs editor@theatlantavoice.com GENERAL ASSIGNMENT REPORTERS Laura Nwogu lnwogu@theatlantavoice.com Noah Washington nwashington@theatlantavoice.com BUSINESS REPORTER Tabius H. McCoy tmccoy@theatlantavoice.com SPORTS REPORTER Tarohn Finley tfinley@theatlantavoice.com EDITOR AT LARGE Stan Washington swashington@theatlantavoice.com ––– SALES RDW Jackson rdwadman@gmail.com SUBMISSIONS editor@theatlantavoice.com DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS Martel Sharpe msharpe@theatlantavoice.com ––– CONTACT INFORMATION 633 Pryor Street, S.W. Atlanta, GA 30312 Office: 404-524-6426 info@theatlantavoice.com

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Food

Restaurant Roundup: Tuk Tuk Thai closes, Midtown’s welcomes Spring Quarter By LAURA NWOGU

art of Atlanta’s charm lies in its diverse food scene, from the rich culture to the bold flavors. The saying often goes that “Atlanta isn’t a real place,” and what makes it unique is the bustling dining and drinking spots on every corner of the city’s neighborhoods, built to satisfy every palate. Lucky for locals and tourists alike, there’s never a shortage of places to visit, especially when new businesses are rolling in every month. However, the landscape of the restaurant industry is constantly in flux, and with grand openings, the city is also seeing a wave of closures from small businesses to legacy and popular restaurants. Here is a roundup of updates on your local favorites, recently-opened restaurants, and incoming restaurants. Local Updates Tuk Tuk Thai Food Loft 1745 Peachtree St NE After more than 16 years serving elevated street Thai food in Buckhead, Tuk Tuk Thai

dishes such as gorditas, ribeye poblano, and tacos with handmade tortillas, to name a few. Hours: Sunday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Monday – Thursday, 11 a.m – 11 p.m.; Friday- Saturday, 11 a.m. – midnight.

The trend of upscale Mexican-inspired restaurants finding a home in Atlanta continues. Habaneros has opened its doors in Midtown’s Spring Quarter. Photo by Tabius H. McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

closed its doors on Aug. 2. In an Instagram video, Tuk Tuk’s chef DeeDee Niyomkul said, “It was a very hard decision for us, and I just want to say thank you to all of our esteemed guests and our friends and family that supported us through all those years.” Niyomkul assured guests that Tuk Tuk was not disappearing completely. A few of its signature dishes and staff have transitioned over to Nan Thai Buckhead, its sister restaurant. Nan Thai will also feature special nights, such as a Tuk Tuk Tuesday.

Recently-Opened restaurants Habaneros 1000 Spring St NW The trend of upscale Mexican-inspired restaurants finding a home in Atlanta continues. Habaneros has opened its doors in Midtown’s Spring Quarter, with an aim to bring the essence of Mexico’s culinary and cultural heritage to North America. Urban street food meets traditional dishes in a Pan-Mexican dining experience that also focuses on presentation and high-energy vibes. Habaneros features craft cocktails and

Sozou 1020 Spring St NW Ste 101 In the same mixed-use district as Habaneros, Sozou is the latest concept that has opened in Midtown’s Spring Quarter. Led by acclaimed chefs Fuyuhiko and Lisa Ito, the restaurant features a main dining room, robata grill and sushi counter where contemporary Japanese dining and innovative technique are paramount. “At Sozou, hospitality begins with one simple belief: everyone who walks through our doors is special. From what you see and touch, to what you smell and taste, every detail has been considered with intention. Our goal is not simply to serve you, but to give you the very best of what we can create,” chef Fuyuhiko Ito said on an Instagram post. “An experience made with care. A moment made especially for you.”

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Life

‘This Is a Call to Action’: Eric Garner’s Mother Urges Change at Atlanta Film Preview By NOAH WASHINGTON

wen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner, joined filmmakers, producers, and civil rights advocates in Atlanta for a preview screening and fundraiser for a forthcoming documentary chronicling her son’s life and death, more than a decade after his 2014 killing by New York police became a national flashpoint on police use of force. The event, held at Buckhead Art & Company, featured a seven-minute preview of the film, which includes commentary from Charlamagne tha God, Former New York City Mayor Eric Adams, Tamika Mallory, Hakeem Jeffries, Rev. Al Sharpton, Killer Mike, and Dr. La’Nice Littleton. Carr, who serves as an executive producer on the project, told the room that the screening reflected years of work to keep her son’s story before the public. “This film is actually a call to action,” Carr said. “It’s bigger than my son. It’s bigger than other people’s sons. It’s for all of us

Americans to pay attention and come together and make things happen because that’s the way we’re going to make things happen if we combine our efforts.” Carr said the project traces back to a conversation with producer Patricia Wilson-Smith, who connected her with the filmmakers. “After I talked to the people who were going to be involved in this film, I said, ‘Yeah, I think this would be a good thing for all America to see because it’s happening all around America,’” Carr said. Ben Crump, who has represented the families of Garner and other Black Americans killed by police, said he is helping produce the documentary while separately pursuing cases involving Nolan Wells, a who went missing on July 4 and was found dead two days later, and Karmelo Anthony, the Texas teenager convicted in June 2026 of murdering fellow student Austin Metcalf, whom he fatally stabbed at a Frisco high school track meet in April 2025 while claiming self-defense, and he was sentenced to 35 years in prison, a verdict now

Gwen Carr discusses her son Eric Garner’s legacy, calling the documentary a “call to action” for communities to continue pushing for change. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice

under appeal amid the recusal of the trial judge. “Now more than ever, not just the spirit of Eric Garner, but also the relevance of Eric Garner lays heavy on America,” Crump said, adding that the pattern of alleged police violence followed by what he called institutional cover-ups continues to repeat itself. Director Arshley Emile, who has spent three years on the project, told The Atlanta Voice the film came together as a community effort and initially relied on personal funds before an executive producer stepped in. “It’s been three long years of dedication, intentionality, and travel, and actually paying out of pocket,” Emile said. Emile said continued funding is critical to finishing the film. “Without funding, this goes nowhere. It just stays on the shelf,” Emile said. “It’s not about us. It’s not about Eric Garner. It’s about making sure we don’t have another Eric Garner, we don’t have another George Floyd, we don’t have another Tamir Rice.” “The film should inspire you to make a change. Eric Garner is all of us,” Emile said. “I pray ten years from now we don’t have to have this conversation.” Dessie Brown of LD Unlimited Marketing, who produced the fundraising event, said the goal extends beyond the Atlanta screening. “It’s extremely important to tell our

Gwen Carr, mother of Eric Garner, speaks during an Atlanta preview of a documentary examining her son’s life, death, and legacy. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice

stories because if we don’t tell them, who will?” Brown said. “It’s been 12 years, and so there’s still no justice.” Carr said she continues to travel the country supporting other mothers who have lost children to police violence.

“I don’t know why I got the platform, but I believe that when you get a platform, you have to share,” Carr said. “We are all in pain together, so that’s why I go to encourage, to enlighten, and to love one another because I feel that pain.”

Attendees gather in Atlanta for a preview of the Eric Garner documentary, which explores his story and the continued fight for justice and accountability. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice

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Politics

‘The word tonight is Wake Up’: Bishop Barber, others preach voter’s rights at Big Bethel By DONNELL SUGGS

ishop William J. Barber II delivered his sermon, “The Promise of the Vote,” on Sunday, August 23, inside one of Atlanta’s oldest Black churches in one of Atlanta’s former old all-Black neighborhoods. He was fully aware of where he was, who was in front of him, and why he was in Atlanta not long after traveling to Europe and around the United States on business. “The hour has already come for you to wake up,” he said from the pulpit. “The word tonight is wake up.” Big Bethel AME Church has been the scene for many sermons, but for the past few years, both the pulpit at the Auburn Avenue church and outside of the sacred walls, has also been a stop on many a campaign trail. Though Barber III isn’t running for political office, he was interested in talking about the Black vote heading into Election Day, November 3. “Tonight, as we sit here, it is 407 years since the first ships brought enslaved Africans to Virginia. 239 years from when we were fractionated in the United States Constitution, 177 years since Harriet Tubman escaped slavery, 163 years since the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, and 72 years since Brown v. Board of Education,” Barber said. “The right to vote is sacred.” In 2020, 8% of Black voters voted for the current President of the United States, according to Pew Research Center data. In 2024, 15% of Black voters voted for that same president in 2024. With highly publicized elections taking place around the country, including a gubernatorial and senatorial race here in Georgia, the Black vote has once again been called to the front of the church to testify.

A voter information and registration table was set up in the back of the sanctuary at Big Bethel AME Church on Sunday, August 23, 2026. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

Bishop William J. Barber II (above), Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, and former Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell spoke during Sunday’s “The Promise of the Vote” event at Big Bethel AME Church. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

Barber III took to the pulpit in Atlanta as part of a 12-city tour to get the word out that the Black vote is more “sacred” now than ever before. “We have to understand one thing about voting, the voting didn’t come from the government, the vote came from God,” Barber said. This appearance by Barber, and former Atlanta Mayors Andrew Young and Bill Campbell, and current Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, comes on the eve of Atlanta not making the list of top three cities for the Democratic National Convention in 2028. Willis, who has come before the congregation at Big Bethel in the past to air her grievances with the current presidential administration, said, “Here in Georgia, we see exactly what we’re up against. How many of y’all know that the Black church has always been more than just a place of worship?” Campbell, who has made many more public appearances over the past two years as part of the “Soul of Atlanta” voting rights movement, said these midterm elections are the most important of our lifetime. “We’re back here at Big Bethel making sure the power of the Black vote is heard,” Campbell said. In the back of the sanctuary, two members of the Big Bethel AME congregation manned a voter registration and information table. Barber commanded the crowd’s attention with his stories and Biblical references, but had their attention when he said, “When somebody attempts to suppress your vote, they try to take away a person’s humanity.” Rev. Dr. Jay Augustine, the senior pastor at Big Bethel, spoke to the media before the event took place. He brought a reporter and a television station cameraperson into an anteroom away from the crowded sanctuary. In the small, but comfortable room were portraits of the two men he called “his heroes,” the late Dr.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis said, “The vote is a declaration. It says I’m here.” Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

Martin Luther King Jr. and Georgia Congressman John Lewis. Both Civil Rights Era icons watched over him as he spoke. “Big Bethel, historically, has been called the city hall of Sweet Auburn, it is a place of organizing, a place where people have come together to fight for food rights that should naturally be ours,” he said. “We take great pride

Rev. Dr. Jay Augustine, the senior pastor at Big Bethel AME Church, said it’s important to talk about the power and promise of the vote. Even in church. “In the Black community, the church has always played a prophetic role,” said Augustine. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

in social justice affairs.” Both Augustine and Barber, respectfully, said the Black church’s job isn’t to tell its congregation who to vote for. The church’s job is to explain why it’s important to vote. “In the Black community, the church has always played a prophetic role,” said Augustine. Barber tried to make it plain during his speech: “We are non-partisan, but not non-political.”

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Community

DeKalb County leaders unite for 2nd annual community violence intervention gathering By LAURA NWOGU

ommunity leaders, youth and violence-prevention practitioners, researchers and policymakers convened at Emory University’s Miller-Ward Alumni House on Friday for the second annual Unity in the Community: DeKalb Edition. Formed by the Georgia Violence Prevention Partnership with the DeKalb County Human Services Department, the event focuses on violence prevention, youth leadership, and collaborative community safety solutions across Metro Atlanta. Through keynote speakers, panel discussions, input from youth and interactive networking moments, Unity in the Community hopes to advance a shared vision for a safer Atlanta. “Violence does not begin with a single incident, and it will not be solved through a single program,” said Dionna Smith, the chief communications officer for the DeKalb County CEO. “It is often connected to challenges that affect every part of the community, including access to education, employment, housing, mental health support, positive activities, and trusted relationships. That is why today matters.” Unity in the Community Conference Chair Shannon Butler shared that since its inception, Unity in the Community has been able to give out over 2,000 pieces of violence prevention educational materials throughout DeKalb County, connect 486 families to food assistance and obtain over 300 youth and family surveys to inform county violence prevention. Gwendolyn Sands, the visionary behind Unity in the Community, presented to the audience a five-part Peace Plan, a violence prevention roadmap for metro Atlanta. The first part of the plan is to strengthen the community violence intervention (CVI) and prevention

The day featured a CVI panel with DeKalb County Chief of Police Gregory Padrick, DeKalb County School District Chief of Police and Public Safety Dr. Tracey Whaley, DeKalb County Assistant District Attorney Tyshawn Y. Jackson, and Georgia State University professor and criminologist Dr. Volkan Topalli. Photo by Laura Nwogu/The Atlanta Voice

ecosystem. Part two is coordination, partnerships and narrative change. Part three is policy, funding and regional planning. Part four is youth leadership, empowerment and civic engagement. Part five is accountability, monitoring and continuous improvement. “What we realize in this movement is that youth are the core of this mission,” Sands said. The day featured a CVI panel with DeKalb County Chief of Police Gregory Padrick, DeKalb County School District Chief of Police and Public Safety Dr. Tracey Whaley, DeKalb County Assistant District Attorney Tyshawn Y. Jackson, and Georgia State University professor and criminologist Dr. Volkan Topalli. The panel discussed the importance of community engagement, data-driven strategies, and collaboration among public safety agencies, schools, and community-based organizations. They also stressed the need for job

Community leaders, youth and violence-prevention practitioners, researchers, and policymakers convened at Emory University’s Miller-Ward Alumni House on Friday, August 21, for the second annual Unity in the Community: DeKalb Edition. Photo by Laura Nwogu/The Atlanta Voice

programs and the increased involvement of churches in reducing violence. Jackson, who works in the firearm violence prevention unit, shared that through a grant from the Department of Human Services, the unit was able to purchase gun safes and trigger locks for members of the community to pick up at their office. There are 33 locks left for members of the community to collect. “We go out in the community to where they are and provide them with these resources as well to make sure that they have a way to lawfully secure their firearms so that we can prevent unintentional deaths, as well as intentional deaths by individuals who should not lawfully have a firearm and gain access to it,” Jackson said. “We also preach every day for those individuals who lawfully are able to

possess a firearm to please put your firearm in a place that prevents other individuals who should not lawfully have firearms from gaining access to your firearms.” Padrick said CVI is a huge part of the data and the intelligence-driven approach that the DeKalb County Police Department uses to see crime reduction. “We have a 13% reduction in violent crime and over a 20% reduction in property crime. And those aren’t just numbers. That’s 13% less of the population that has been affected by crime. Those are some of the strategic things that we look at and we measure the success of crime reduction, not on arrest, not on tickets,” Padrick said. “In all honesty, the strategic initiatives are these partnerships, and building on these partnerships.”

Unity in the Community Conference Chair Shannon Butler shared that since its inception, Unity in the Community has distributed over 2,000 pieces oftion educational materials throughout DeKalb County, connected 486 families to food assistance, and collected over 300 youth and family surveys to inform county violence prevention efforts violence-preven. Photo by Laura Nwogu/The Atlanta Voice

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Sports

‘I want to be part of a legacy’: Tuskegee hosts first-ever soccer match By TAROHN FINLEY Report for America Corp

t was only an exhibition game for Tuskegee University, but that didn’t matter. It marked the beginning of the university’s inaugural soccer season after Tuskegee announced in February that it was launching its first-ever men’s and women’s soccer programs in the university’s 145-year history. Loud chants of “T-U” filled the air as the home crowd quickly transformed the once-empty bleachers into a sea of crimson and old gold. The crowd and marching band fed off each other, nearly moving in perfect unison. Oohs and aahs echoed across the field after every shot attempt. Students jumped out of their seats, anxiously hoping to see the ball find the back of the net. One of those students was senior Daryl Cossey Jr. Sports have always been one of Cossey’s stress relievers. The fifth-year mechanical engineering student from Savannah, Georgia, has spent his free time hyping up the crowd at Tuskegee games since his freshman year. On this night, Cossey led nearly every cheer and consistently kept the crowd engaged throughout the game. “I love to keep that energy in sports because being a former athlete, I know how it is to play on those courts with nobody cheering for you,” Cossey said. “It’s the worst thing ever, so I like giving them the same respect because they’re doing something that takes a lot to be a student-athlete.” For Cossey, the excitement surrounding Tuskegee’s new soccer programs was personal. He had watched friends play on the university’s club soccer team and believed the school had the talent and passion to take the next step. “Some of my friends at Tuskegee played on the club soccer team, and seeing them playing and how passionate they were, I’m like, it would be really cool if we had soccer because we got people that are skilled and talented and want to play,” Cossey said. It felt like everyone was in attendance — alumni, members of the women’s soccer team, the men’s basketball team, and parents of the players. One of those parents was Walter

Monday marked the beginning of the university’s inaugural soccer season after Tuskegee announced in February that it was launching its first-ever men’s and women’s soccer programs in the university’s 145-year history. Photo by Tabius H. McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

Fans look on from the stands as Tuskegee University makes history with its first-ever men’s soccer match at Cleve Abbott Memorial Alumni Stadium. Photo by Tabius H. McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

Turner, whose son Christopher is a freshman at Tuskegee. Walter has supported his son’s soccer career since Christopher was 4 years old and hopes to travel to every game to continue supporting him. As a Savannah State University graduate, Walter understood the significance of his son becoming part of Tuskegee’s first soccer team. “Exciting for him to be a part of this institution and be a part of history,” Walter said. Walter wasn’t the only parent in attendance. Shawn Haywood was laser-focused throughout the game. Haywood traveled from Montgomery to watch Tuskegee’s first exhibition game while his son, a high school goalkeeper, was at soccer practice. With his son playing the same position, Haywood closely watched Tuskegee goalkeeper Samuel Glasgow, a freshman from

Trinidad and Tobago. “Their goalkeeper, he’s a field general,” Haywood said. “I keep telling my son, you’ve got to be in the field. I like how he’s playing, how he’s talking to his defensive backs, and he’s having them do what he needs them to do. I tell my son, you can see the entire pitch, and you can call things out to these guys that they might not be seeing because they’re in it. I like what he’s doing. I have seen him make a stop, but I did see him make a tackle over here that was really good.” Tymilla Robertson and her son, Isaiah Robertson, from Smithfield, Virginia, also watched closely as Tuskegee played its first exhibition game. Tymilla wanted nothing more than for Isaiah to attend an HBCU. The Robertson family has deep HBCU ties, with each of Tymilla’s siblings attending a different historically Black college or university.

Tuskegee University’s men’s soccer team takes the field for the first time in program history during its inaugural match against Enterprise State Community College at Cleve Abbott Memorial Alumni Stadium. Photo by Tabius H. McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

Now, Isaiah could have an opportunity to create his own legacy at Tuskegee. “This is Tuskegee’s first year of soccer, and they are doing pretty well,” Isaiah said. “I want to be a part of a legacy because this is something bigger than just a winner. Playing for Tuskegee and being able to show my talent and do good things for the school, it would be a blessing.” Late in the second half, Tuskegee trailed Enterprise State Community College 1-0. Then, the crowd’s patience finally paid off. After impressive dribbling from

Members of Tuskegee University’s women’s soccer team show their support as the men’s team takes the field for its historic first match. Photo by Tabius H. McCoy/The Atlanta Voice

Nigeria native Chikwere Ikpo, he delivered a perfect cross to Conyers, Georgia, native Toree Davis before falling to the ground. Davis connected on a flying header to score the first goal in Tuskegee soccer history. The crowd and marching band erupted as the team raced down the sideline to celebrate. Despite the game ending in a 1-1 draw, Tuskegee head coach Matthew Tarpley was all smiles afterward. “I’m honored and absolutely humbled to be leading this team,” Tarpley said. “Having all the students here, the drumline, having the kids sitting on the wall chanting, that’s amazing. That’s the atmosphere that these kids deserve, and I’m proud of the Tuskegee family for bringing it tonight.” The result may have been a draw, but the night represented a win for Tuskegee and its new soccer programs. Fans already have their eyes on what’s next for the program — and what other sports Tuskegee could add in the future, including lacrosse. Tuskegee will travel to Auburn University-Montgomery on Saturday, August22, before hosting Faulkner Univeristy on the following Monday.

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Entertainment

BronzeLens Film Festival celebrates 17 years By NOAH WASHINGTON

he 17th annual BronzeLens Film Festival kicked off on Friday, August 21, with a slew of films for opening night. The slate included films like “Love Patrick: Nothing is Impossible” and a slate of official selections from countries including Australia, Canada, France, Ghana, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, all produced by or centered on people of color. The list includes films grappling with loss and mental health, like “Carry On” and “In Search of Sanctuary.” The festival runs on two weekends, Aug. 21-23 and Aug. 27-30, and takes place at The Tara. Directors Ryon Horne, Tyson Horne, and Byron Horne, known as the Horne Brothers, brought their documentary on fashion designer Patrick Kelly to open the festival. The film traces Kelly’s path from Vicksburg, Mississippi, to Atlanta and eventually Paris, where he became the first American inducted into the Chambre Syndicale du Prêtà-Porter, the governing body for French fashion houses. Ryon Horne said the film centers on both Kelly’s rise and the obstacles he faced. “We just tell the story about his rise to fame, his challenges as a Black gay man in fashion, but most importantly,

his willingness to not let anything get in his way,” Ryon Horne said. Also, screening was the festival’s shorts programming. Filmmaker Shahlayo Ranson premiered “Carry On,” a 12-minute narrative film about a man working through the death of his mother. Ranson wrote and directed the project, which took roughly five years from initial concept to completion, including about three years of production. Ranson said the film’s message centers on the individual nature of grief. “Grief looks different for everybody,” Ranson said. “You’re not alone in it being a hard thing to process and deal with, and you just got to take time with that grief to then release it from yourself and be able to move forward with your life.” Ranson said the film was completed on a budget of about $7,000 and made possible by skilled collaborators. “It was really a labor of my friends showing up for me and us just working really hard to execute over time,” Ranson said. The festival also featured “In Search of Sanctuary,” a documentary from director Eric Bomba-Ire following Atlanta milliner Otis Damon’s journey through depression and suicidal ideation as a teenager, and his path to designing hats for celebrities. Bomba-Ire said he met

Damon by chance after a friend recommended he visit Damon’s hat shop, and the two spent six months talking before Damon shared his full story. “I think there’s a story there of overcoming, of perseverance, of finding your own sanctuary,” Bomba-Ire said, adding that the project was partly inspired by research he had done on rising suicide rates. Damon said he was initially frightened when approached about sharing his story publicly but ultimately agreed in hopes it could help others. “I was scared,” Damon said. “But then I knew I had to be transparent, maybe to help somebody else. Basically, I want somebody to know that there’s hope. Tell somebody if you’re struggling with depression or contemplating suicide.” Damon, who said hat-making became a source of stability before he understood he was depressed, described the craft in almost meditative terms. “It’s almost like listening to water for me,” Damon said. “The rhythm of the blocking, the pulling, the shaping, the sound of the machine, taking fabric out of nothing and creating something.” The complete festival schedule and ticket information are available at BronzeLens.com.

Directors Ryon Horne, Tyson Horne, and Byron Horne, known as the Horne Brothers, brought their documentary on fashion designer Patrick Kelly (above) to open the festival. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice

Sports

‘We Can’t Get Carried Away’: Atlanta United to host Charlotte FC on Saturday By DONNELL SUGGS

Atlanta United’s all-time assist leader, Miguel Almiron, takes questions from the media following the 2-1 win over Sporting Kansas City on Sunday, August 23, 2026. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

tlanta United has now won consecutive home matches. So, that’s three wins in a row. I repeat: Three is a streak! The Five Stripes defeated Sporting Kansas City 2-1 on Sunday night. A crowd of 36,626 watched the best version of this team score two first-half goals and stay strong on the defensive end. Even after Sporting scored a goal in the 70th minute, Atlanta United did not fold like so many of the games this season. Atlanta United got its two goals from Tomas Jacob and Fafa Picault. Miguel Almiron set a team record for assists during the game. Everything went well. It’s too late to start all over, but now is the right time to start streaking. That said, you don’t want to think too far ahead, says Atlanta United manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino. “We can’t get carried away,” said Martino after the game.

Up next for Atlanta United is another home game, this time against rival Charlotte FC, currently fifth in the Eastern Conference, on Saturday. The three-game win streak has the Five Stripes in 12th place, but only three points behind the ninth-place team, rival Orlando City. Asked whether winning four games in a row would be a big deal, Martino answered both in the affirmative and negative. “For the fans, it’s recovering optimism. As a team, it would put us in the race for the play-in,” he said. Newly signed Swiss striker Breel Embolo was greeted by the Atlanta United fan base at halftime on Sunday. The atmosphere inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium was as energetic and engaged as it has been all season. It was a good impression on a player who will have high expectations as soon as he touches the turf at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. He was formally introduced to the media at the Children’s Healthcare Training Grounds in Marietta on Tuesday.

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AUGUST 28 - SEPTEMBER 3, 2026 • www.theatlantavoice.com

CLASSIFIEDS

SENIORS

PUBLIC HEARING

SENIOR (62+)

City of South Fulton, Georgia Notice to the Public Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Adoption

Spacious 1-Bedroom Affordable! Rent Based on Annual Income Amenities, Great Location, and Convenient to Marta Please call for detailed information

Public Hearing & Adoption of FY2027 Budget

(404) 586-9098

Pursuant to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.) Section 36-81- 5, et seq., the City of South Fulton hereby provides notice that public hearings will be conducted on August 25, 2026, and September 22, 2026, at 7:00 P.M. at the City of South Fulton City Hall, 5440 Fulton Industrial Blvd. SW, South Fulton, GA 30336 to adopt its FY2027 Budget Ordinance. Any person wishing to be heard on the budget may appear at the hearings and comment in accordance with the City’s policies and/or procedures for public comment as outlined on the city’s website at https://www.cityofsouthfultonga.gov/3074/Public-Comment-at-CouncilMeetings.

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE Dr. Chandace White is no longer with CenterWell Stone Mountain as of September 18, 2026. Current patients will automatically be transferred to another provider at the center. If you are a patient and you choose not to continue care at CenterWell Stone Mountain, you can obtain your medical records by calling 404-9050100.

SUMMONS IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS DISTRICT OF ST. CROIX

The City Council will consider a final vote for adoption of the FY2027 Budget on September 22, 2026, at 7:00 P.M. at the City of South Fulton City Hall, 5440 Fulton Industrial Blvd. SW, South Fulton, GA 30336

MILL HARBOUR CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, Plaintiff, v. DOUGLAS HEMBREE, Defendant.

Budget Available for Review

CASE NUMBER: SX-2026CV-00108 ACTION: DEBT AND FORECLOSURE TO: Douglas Hembree Address: 195-14 th Street, N.E., Unit 1701, Atlanta, GA 30309 #1707 Within the time limited by law (see note below) you are hereby required to appear before this Court and answer to a complaint filed against you in this action. In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment by default will be taken against you as demanded in the complaint. Witness my hand and the seal of this Court on this February 25, 2026. /s/ Scot F. McChain Attorney for Plaintiff Tamara Charles Clerk of the Court NOTE: The defendant, if served personally, is required to file his answer or other defense with the Clerk of the Court, and to serve a copy thereof upon the plaintiff’s attorney within twenty-one (21) days after service of this summons, excluding the date of the service. The defendant, if served by publication or by personal service outside of the jurisdiction, is required to file his answer or other defense with the Clerk of the Court, and to serve a copy thereof upon the attorney for the plaintiff within thirty (30) days after the completion of the period of publication or personal service outside of the jurisdiction.

The proposed FY2027 Budget that will be adopted by Mayor and City Council will be available for public inspection on the city’s website at http://www.cityofsouthfultonga.gov. A physical copy is also available for review in the office of the City Clerk, at the City of South Fulton City Hall, 5440 Fulton Industrial Blvd. SW, South Fulton, GA 30336 between the hours of 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM Monday through Friday.

REQUEST FOR BID

LEGAL NOTICE

FULTON COUNTY ADVERTISEMENT FOR RFP

Notice of Application to Establish a Branch of a State Member Bank

Sealed Solicitation for 26RFP070626K-CRB Building Code Administration Services Construction Management & Planning Services for the Fulton County Public Works Department, will be accepted by the Fulton County Purchasing Department online through BidNet Direct on Wednesday, September 23, 2026. All Bids submitted must be received no later than 11:00 A.M. local (Eastern) time on the stated due date. https://www. bidnetdirect.com/georgia/fultoncountyga.gov. Proposal(s) will be publicly viewed online via BidNet Direct, only the names of the proposers will be disclosed at the opening. Please see registration link in Section 3 of the Solicitation document. Scope of Work: Fulton County, Georgia (“County”) is seeking the services of a qualified professional firm for the following: to support Planning, Zoning, and Building Code Administration operations; to provide site development Construction Management Services including Engineering Review for Land Development Site Development / Infrastructure Inspections, Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Local Issuing Authority (LIA) Compliance and Program Administration; and to provide planning and zoning services to our customers in the unincorporated area of Fulton County on an as-needed basis. PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE: A Pre-Proposal Conference will be held via a Web-Conference, to provide proponents with information regarding this project and to address any questions. Date: Thursday, September 03, 2026 Time: 10:00 AM Link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/73XaD6f3STmj40XQRnpeLQ Contract Term: Initial term ending 12/31/27 with two one-year renewal options. Bid Bond: N/A This document and supporting documents can be downloaded on the BidNet Website https://www.bidnetdirect.com/ georgia/fultoncounty If you have any questions regarding this project. Please contact Craig R. Bogan, APA (404) 612-7660 or Email: craig.bogan@ fultoncountyga.gov. Fulton County reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids and to waive technicalities.

United Bank DBA United Bankshares, 2071 Chain Bridge Road, Vienna, VA 22182 intends to apply to the Federal Reserve Board for permission to establish a branch at 3445 Peachtree Road, Suite 175, Atlanta, GA 30326. The Federal Reserve considers a number of factors in deciding whether to approve the application including the record of performance of applicant banks in helping to meet local credit needs. You are invited to submit comments in writing on this application to the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, P.O. Box 27622, Richmond, VA 23261. Comments can also be sent electronically to comments.applications@rich.frb.org. The comment period will not end before Monday, September 14, 2026. The Board’s procedures for processing applications may be found at 12 C.F.R. Part 262. Procedures for processing protested applications may be found at 12 C.F.R. 262.25. To obtain a copy of the Federal Reserve Board’s procedures, or if you need more information about how to submit your comments on the application, contact Brent Hassell, Assistant Vice President, at (804) 697-8980. The Federal Reserve will consider your comments and any request for a public meeting or formal hearing on the application if they are received in writing by the Reserve Bank on or before the last day of the comment period.

Page 12 • AUGUST 28 - SEPTEMBER 3, 2026 • theatlantavoice.com

“I am able to give my teachers the largest pay increase that we’ve been able to give in my 10 years here.” Dr. Trent North, Superintendent, Douglas County School System

Learn more at goo.gle/ga-impact