State University (above), has fallen victim to recent
Photo by Julia Beverly/The Atlanta Voice
Kennesaw State University to end Black Studies program
By DONNELL SUGGS
The email began with the word “Colleagues” and quickly transitioned into something other than collegial.
“I am writing to notify the faculty and staff in Black Studies, Philosophy, and Technical Communication, that following the completion of an unsuccessful threeyear low award process, a decision has been made to administratively deactivate these majors effective immediately.”
The Black Studies program, which is an interdisciplinary Bachelor of Arts degree program offered at Kennesaw State University, has fallen victim to recent Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) cuts. The current presidential administration has been in office for just over 100 days and has made DEI cuts a priority. From cutting hundreds of roles at federal agencies to an ongoing public fight with Harvard University over the institution’s DEI policies and admission practices, the Trump administration, in many ways, has set the tone for many other institutions, including universities and major businesses.
Staff in the Black Studies, Philosophy, and Technical Communication departments recently received word of the closure from Dr. Catherine Kaukinen, the Dr. Norman J. Radow Endowed Dean’s Chair of the Humanities and Social Sciences and Dean of the Norman
“I will continue to support all faculty and staff in these programs in their continued commitment to RCHSS, KSU, and all our students.”
Dr.
Catherine Kaukinen The Dr. Norman J. Radow Endowed Dean’s Chair of the Humanities and Social Sciences and Dean of the Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences (RCHSS)
J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences (RCHSS).
“I will continue to support all faculty and staff in these programs in their continued commitment to RCHSS, KSU, and all our students,” Kaukinen wrote.
The notification was signed “Katie”, Kaukinen’s nickname.
The email and subsequent responses from staff members were provided to The Atlanta Voice from an anonymous source. Several conversations with this source further validated the deactivation of the Black Studies program and the others.
“Why are they stripping the students of their voice,” the anonymous source told The Atlanta Voice about the Black students that are currently majoring in Black Studies. “The timing is very, very off. It’s not right.”
Documents from the university’s program
deactivation resolution were shared with The Atlanta Voice. The deactivation of the programs is being disputed by members of the staff as being in violation of the resolution that was passed by the RCHSS Curriculum Committee in April 2024.
Kennesaw State University’s student population is 25% Black, according to data from Data USA, a public U.S. government data site. That is roughly 10,762 of 43,190 students.
There is a plan in place to set up a “2-year teach-in plan” for the existing students in all three majors to “ensure they can complete their programs of study,” according to the email.
The reason given for the deactivation is being dressed up as an institution of higher education doing what it has to do to get the most of its “limited resources,” according to the email. The email continued to break
down how the Black Studies program, along with the others, are victims of low enrollment, and having recently gone through “another three-year program improvement process” are now no longer needed at the university.
The Black Studies program at Kennesaw State University had existed for 20 years.
The faculty and staff associated with all three programs will keep their jobs, according to the email.
The Atlanta Voice reached out to Kaukinen for comment. Tammy DeMel, Assistant Vice President, Strategic Communications at Kennesaw State University responded with the following email acknowledging the deactivation of the programs:
Kennesaw State University has decided to deactivate three low-producing majors in accordance with the University System of Georgia’s established thresholds. While the Black Studies, Philosophy and Technical Communication programs have all consistently fallen short in enrollment and degree output over at least the past 10 years, a twoyear teach-out plan will still allow current students to complete their degrees. Faculty will also continue offering courses in these areas for minors, electives and general education. KSU, as always, remains committed to prioritizing student success and timely degree completion.
Staff in the Black Studies, Philosophy, and Technical Communication departments recently received word of the closure via email and an anonymous source shared those emails with The Atlanta Voice. Photo by Julia Beverly/The Atlanta Voice
Atlanta ranks 25th most expensive city for rentals
By ISAIAH SINGLETON
Zumper, a rental marketplace website/app that helps renters find apartments, houses, condos, or rooms for rent, released their latest National Rent Report.
The report covers 100 cities nationwide, including Atlanta, with data aggregated from over one million active listings, and includes a National Rent Index for one- and two-bedroom units.
Zumper’s latest National Rent Index showed continued price stabilization across the U.S. rental market. The median national rent for one-bedroom units took a 0.5% monthly dip to $1,517, while two-bedrooms decreased 0.2% to $1,901. This April marks the third consecutive month of flat or declining prices.
Meanwhile, Atlanta has been ranked as the 25th most expensive city to rent. The price of one-bedroom units in Atlanta increased 0.6% to $1,610 this month, while two-bedroom units grew 1% to $2,100.
On a year-over-year basis, rents
were still up, 2.1% for one-bedrooms and 3.1% for two-bedrooms, but those increases stand for a steady deceleration compared to previous months.
The cooling trend comes as the market nears the end of a 50-year peak in new apartment construction, which has played a significant role in easing price pressure.
“With so much new supply coming online over the past 12 months, we’re seeing renters able to move up market,” said Anthemos Georgiades, CEO of Zumper. “That movement frees up inventory at lower price points, creating a ripple effect of affordability. However, if demand holds steady while new construction continues to taper off, we could see rents pick back up in the second half of the year.”
The most recent CPI data revealed that rent inflation is below 4% for the first time since January 2021.
For more information about how Zumper’s monthly rent data provides insights to where the CPI is heading, visit https://www.zumperrentals.com/ blog/zumper-consumer-price-index/.
Atlanta has been ranked as the 25th most expensive city to rent. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Voices
Thriving, Not Surviving: The New Black Agenda
By ANDRE M. PERRy
In 2020, people around the globe rallied behind the slogan Black Lives Matter, making it the largest and possibly most diverse set of protests in history. While the goals varied, the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis energized demands for everything from police accountability to support for Black-owned businesses to addressing the black-white wage gap. Each activation was worthy on its own merits. By design, the demonstrations did not put any single group or leader at the forefront, in part to avoid creating an individual target for the opposition. The tradeoff, however, is that the energy after each respective rally became less sustainable, particularly after the protests ended and news cameras departed than if it had been held together by a durable set of policies. Eventually, people went back to work, parents sent their children to school and life returned to normal.
We as Black people need a long-term movement that is part of people’s daily lives.
Acts of civil disobedience, when targeted, are effective, but they eventually dissipate, and interest in that cause always wanes particularly if it is not held together by a durable set of policies. Protests must be connected with demands for substantive, measurable, sustainable, long-term change.
While the summer of 2020 held the promise of such a change, yielding more than an estimated $340 billion in investments in racial equity, it lasted just a few years. By 2025, corporate leaders and college presidents, under pressure from the Trump administration’s anti-DEI crusade, clawed back much of those commitments. Now, the silence of today is louder than the protest chants of 2020. Five years after Floyd died beneath a white officer’s knee, begging for his mother and igniting worldwide protests, police still kill Black people today as often as they did in 2020.
As we acknowledge the fifth anniversary of Floyd’s killing, we must mobilize in a systematic, organized manner. Back then, we witnessed the power of taking to the streets. Now we are witnessing its limitations. As we acknowledge the fifth anniversary of Floyd’s killing, we must mobilize in a systematic, organized manner.
To make real, lasting change, Black people need a movement that is resilient, comprehensive, and welcoming to all who wish to join. More importantly, the movement must carry legislation and substantial policy change from the present into the future. To achieve this, the focus of our demands must become something different.
When we unite around issues that foster thriving rather than emphasize suffering, we empower more individuals to engage. Civil unrest must be transformed into civic action, driving meaningful change, demanding justice, and promoting substantial legislation that emphasizes thriving, not merely survival. Putting the slogan Black Lives Matter in research terms, we must ask what the most important factors are that influence Black life expectancy.
We, as Black people, know what we are fighting against. It’s time we create an agenda identifying what we are fighting for. Julia Amaral
To make real, lasting change, Black people need a movement that is resilient, comprehensive, and welcoming to all who wish to join.
The answers are the foundation of an agenda that people can rally behind.
My colleague, Jonathan Rothwell, and I processed hundreds of variables from a wide variety of data sources, such as the U.S. Census Bureau, the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Reserve, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Facebook, and the real estate agency Redfin. We ran these variables through Lasso, a machine-learning algorithm, to select variables and rank their importance.
The result is the 13 most influential factors affecting life expectancy and pinpointed the locations where people are living the longest.
My book, “Black Power Scorecard: Measuring the Racial Gap and What We Can Do to Close It,” identifies areas where Black people have longevity and examines the socioeconomic conditions that enhance it.. The analysis spotlights the necessary systemic changes Black communities need for similar outcomes.
Consider: in Manassas Park, Virginia, and Weld County, Colorado, the mean life expectancy for Black residents is 96 years — a national high. In Jefferson County, Ohio, however, the average Black person lives 33 fewer years. In academic terms, that lifespan gap translates to roughly 100 years of progress in living standards, medical
science, and public health.
The economic, educational, social, and political conditions that help Manassa Park residents thrive should be the scaffolding of our movement. The most influential factors include home and business ownership, income, education, gun violence, family structure, and healthy and clean environments. Most, if not all, of these factors are kitchen-table issues that usually aren’t among the acronyms and obtuse academic jargon that academic elites and social media influencers like to use when discussing the “Black agenda.” Yet they must be part of any conversation or political protest aimed at protecting or improving Black people’s lives.
We need to rally for more than our suffering.
Civic action must be driven not only by the injustices of the past and present but also by our aspirations, hopes, and visions for a brighter future. We can draw invaluable lessons from the civic actions that have successfully fostered better outcomes at the local level. Although less dramatic, cooperative real estate practices in Baltimore, STEM programs in New Orleans, unionization efforts in Michigan, and other mundane actions positively affect people’s lives. The life-affirming initiatives that address quality of life issues relatable to all must become the cornerstone of a robust Black agenda. Together, we can harness this momentum to create lasting change and uplift our communities.
The daily news, as well as our reactions to it, both contribute to a dominant narrative of racial disparity, suffering, and pain. Black people know what we are fighting against. It’s past time that we know what we are fighting for.
Andre M. Perry is the author of “Know Your Price: Valuing Black Lives and Property in America’s Black Cities.” He is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and the director of its Center for Community Uplift as well as a professor of practice of economics at Washington University in St. Louis.
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Spiritually Speaking: Lucky No More, Blessed Always
BY JAMES A. WASHINGTON
The Atlanta Voice
Ihave to say I’ve been feeling pretty lucky lately, and not necessarily from a financial, physical, or even emotional point of view. When I look at my life from a worldly perspective now, it can sometimes still be against me. Life happens, appears stacked, and well, you know the rest.
These days, my spiritual resolve kicks in, if I’m fortunate, and I keep returning to this one thing. It’s not about luck anymore. I’m blessed because there are not enough hours in the day to thank the Almighty for that simple transformation of thought. I’m blessed because from where I sit, and I could be wrong about this, but I don’t think I missed my wake-up call from God. I confess. It was a long time coming, but instead of pushing the snooze button, I got my behind out of bed and started paying attention to God’s agenda rather than my own. Think about it. That’s a question anybody should ask themselves. Have I missed God’s wakeup call? All I can say is did you call the
It’s not about luck anymore.
front desk and ask/pray for one? My bible is full of not-yet saints and prophets who, when called, tried their very best, ignore it, to sleep through or pretend the call was for someone else. Most just denied it. What about you? Remember in the bible, God played past the “you talking to me?” He gave marching orders, and that was it. Hello Moses. Sometimes, He even lets you think you know more than He does. Say what, Jonah? Even when you doubt what God is saying, He still, with appropriate consequences, rings your phone again. How ‘bout that Zechariah?
Imagine missing your wake-up call from God and never getting another one. Like I said, I’m feeling pretty blessed today. I would have loved to have seen the look on my mother’s face to hear me say I’m saved. The following conversations would have been the stuff dreams are made of. Some
“YOUR VOICE”
people who are or would roll over in their graves to hear that about you have been a part of your life. Can you say Holy Ghost party?
I know this for a certainty because I believe I woke up on the last ring of my last wake-up call. I could be wrong, but everything A.S. (after saved) is more optimistic for me. I find myself ridiculously giddy with the reality that God said, ‘ring him up one last time.’ It gives my every waking moment and inevitable death new meaning. You know, when you miss your wake-up call, it has a tendency to ruin your whole day. I kinda think if you miss God’s wakeup call, it has a tendency to ruin your whole life and the next one and the one after that. I’m sure there is someone reading this who knows the feeling of just getting in under the wire, either catching a plane, making an important meeting, or beating the bill collector
minutes before everything gets turned off. The negative anticipation is replaced with relieved enthusiasm because you made it in the nick of time. Whew, thank God I made it. I may yet not get to heaven, but I can at least say I know the way. That’s worth shouting about. The bible counts it all joy. Life and death look a whole lot different to me now. Actually, they’re both the same to some extent. God is in both worlds. And it’s pretty nice to recognize and follow Him in this one.
Have a nice day and may God bless and keep you always.
This column is from James Washington’s Spiritually Speaking: Reflections for and from a New Christian. You can purchase this enlightening book on Amazon and start your journey toward spiritual enlightenment.
What was your take on Ryan Coogler’s film ‘Sinners’ featuring Michael B. Jordan?
TIM HOOD Smyrna
“I just wanted to comment on this movie called The Sinners. I highly recommend the movie. Not just because the movie is great, but it’s so historical, and we need to engage movies [that have] black directors who transcend genres and introduce us to different concepts of cinematography. The movie’s storyline, I don’t want to be a spoiler, is recommended for checking this movie out. I think it will become a part of many of our current collections, enhancing them. But it’s a wonderful movie, expertly done.”
Atlanta
“I saw ‘Sinners’ and I highly recommend it. It’s a story about what you let in and how that matters. You have control of the energies that come into the soul, your creativity, and the passions that you have in your life. And to me, it was just a sermon on that. I think by far the juke joint, when ancestors come, we see that music travels from time and space, and it comes and rejoices in one place. I thought it was beautiful. And now I’m looking at live music, and everything is different. Last night, I was at a club and thought my ancestors were probably there with me. I better act right, so yeah.”
“My takeaway from the movie Sinners is that I just pretty much enjoy the fact that they’re showing the perspective of black excellence from business perspectives. I’m a business owner myself. And to see that come from the movie and be portrayed was amazing compared to a period where sometimes you saw this being a little bit more on the oppressed side. You’ve got to see a different positive side. So that’s my take. Yeah.”
“My overall take from Sinners was that it was a pretty good movie. Had some hidden messages. You probably need to see it again to catch some hidden messages. But overall, my first take was that it was a very good and entertaining movie. I loved the scene with the different musical interpretations and timeline of music, with it going to the roof and being on fire. I thought that was amazing on the first watch. Yeah, I enjoyed the movie, it was Coogler, they did their thing with that one.”
“It was a phenomenal film. It layered many things between lore and actuality, like our previous history. I love the sci-fi part of it, as it relates to vampires. There was also an added, I didn’t see this, a social commentary piece related to race relations. And I said, Oh, this highlights how, as black people, oftentimes, our downfall is our perception of allyhood from others. And, I’m not sorry to say, that was my biggest takeaway from the film. I would recommend everyone see it, black, brown, in between, whatever the case. But I think there was some social political commentary for black folks.”
ZOE RENEE
LEO ROBERTS Atlanta
BRIAN RICE Kennesaw
Compiled by Vincent Christie
ANTONESHA WALKER Atlanta by way of Kansas City
Community
Zion’s Closet: Atlanta Hawks and Love Beyond Walls launch initiative
By ISAIAH SINGLETON
The Atlanta Hawks in collaboration with Love Beyond Walls launched the first installment of Zion’s Closet with William M. Finch Elementary.
Zion’s Closet at Finch Elementary features a newly renovated and upgraded community resource room offering students and their parents access to free laundry, a Wi-Fi lab, new school supplies and uniforms, and fully stocked groceries and hygiene products to ease the challenges that many families are facing in this economy.
According to the Kids Count Data, 18% of school-aged children in Georgia live under the federal poverty threshold. This reality can impede a student’s academic experience negatively affecting a child’s schoolwork, engagement, and development.
A Love Beyond Walls initiative, Zion’s Closet bridges the gap, providing K-12 students and their families access to essential life necessities, alleviating the burden of financial stress on parents and ensuring students can focus on their education without worrying about their basic needs.
Principal of Finch Elementary and Atlanta Public Schools’ Principal of the Year (24-25), Dr. Tara Spencer, said Zion’s Closet will directly help students whose families are experiencing homelessness, in transient housing, and parents trying to make ends meet.
“Providing these much-needed resources helps our students succeed inside and outside the classroom,” Spencer said. “We are grateful for the support of Love Beyond Walls, partnership with Larry Nance, Jr., and community volunteers in making sure our students feel loved, seen, and taken care of.”
Inspired by their IVP Kids book, “Zion Learns to See,” Terence and Zion Lester, a father-daughter writing team, are turning their words into action with Zion’s Closet.
In the book, Zion goes to work with her dad one day and sees how he serves the community, and it inspires her to take it back to her school and tell her entire family about it.
“I was just so excited to share what I had learned from my dad, and I wanted to take it back to my class,” she said. “I told them I wanted to start my own project and come together to find ways to serve our community, so we raised donations like socks, clothes, shoes, and donated that to the community.”
Terence is also the founder of Love Beyond Walls, who said Zion’s Closet stands for “a shared vision to offer a supportive and inclusive environment.
“Zion’s Closet also offers an essential resource hub to help schools address the needs of students who are impacted by extenuating circumstances beyond their control,” he said. “We wrote Zion Learns to See to address the residual impact property has on students and ensure every child has an opportunity to thrive, regardless of their family’s income.”
From an early age, Zion said, she has been actively involved in serving those experiencing homelessness through her dad’s organization, participating in various projects like organizing collections, conducting food giveaways, setting up school closets, and discussing the issue with peers.
“My parents have always taught me that we love our neighbors as ourselves and we put God first,” she said. “Loving others is an act of service, and serving is crucial because it extends God’s love to others and treats people with dignity, affirming their worth regardless of their circumstances.”
More locations of Zion’s Closet are in development with hopes of partnering with schools throughout Georgia and other states as well.
The Atlanta Hawks, in collaboration with Love Beyond Walls, launches the first installment of Zion’s Closet with William M. Finch Elementary.
Photo by Isaiah Singleton/The Atlanta Voice
Inspired by their IVP Kids book, “Zion Learns to See”, the father-daughter writing team of Terence and Zion Lester is turning their written words into action with Zion’s Closet. Photo by Isaiah Singleton/The Atlanta Voice
Democrats in Congress fight to prevent cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security
By ITORO N. UMONTUEN
Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock joined House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senator Cory Booker at the U.S. Capitol steps as the Democrats fight tooth-and-nail to prevent Congressional Republicans from cutting Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security benefits. This part of the GOP’s larger budget package.
During a recent town hall in Cobb County, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene promised permanent tax cuts while protecting Social Security and Medicare. She also pledged to reduce the tax burden on working families.
“Guess what? No one is taking away anyone’s Medicare,” Greene said April 15th. “That’s a lie that is being held by the Democrats, and unfortunately, the media is helping them tell it. No one is losing Medicare. No one is losing Social Security and no one’s benefits are being taken away. And I can tell you for a fact, no one has lost their Social Security.”
President Donald Trump pledged to keep benefits. House Speaker Mike Johnson says no one will lose benefits.
“I have made clear … that we are not going to
cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid,” said Johnson. “Anyone who is a lawful beneficiary of those programs will continue to receive them. What we’re trying to do at the same time is root out fraud, waste, and abuse.”
However, Johnson did say he pledges to follow the recommendations from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
“The government’s one big pyramid scheme if you ask me,” Musk told podcaster Joe Rogan. “It’s the biggest scam in history. Social Security is the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time.”
According to the Congressional Budget Office, Social Security and Medicare account for about 40% of all federal spending excluding interest on the national debt.
Who would be most affected?
Currently, persons paying payroll taxes aren’t eligible to receive Social Security benefits until they turn 62, or Medicare until they turn 65. Nearly 1.5 million people in Georgia receive SNAP benefits – one out of every eight residents – as of January 2025. A recent study estimates SNAP cuts could cost Georgia’s economy $653.3 million in benefits. Plus, 8.6 million
people in Georgia would see their Social Security benefits cut, according to the House Republican Budget Committee.
One of the ways Republicans are planning to cut Social Security benefits is by raising the retirement age for Americans 59 and younger. For example, this action cuts Social Security benefits for up to 630,000 people in Georgia’s 5th Congressional District.
“Here’s why you know they’re not telling the truth. I offered up a bill on the Senate floor as they were passing the budget resolution that said: ‘what we commit as a Senate body, that we will not cut anybody’s coverage for Medicaid. If they were really going after waste, fraud, and abuse and were committed to not cutting people’s coverage … They would have voted yes on my amendment,” says Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock.
Also, President Trump, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Republicans are seeking ways to slash $1.5 trillion from government programs — a large chunk of which must come from federal health programs.
“They want to balance it on the backs of our children by taking away nutrition programs,”
says U.S. Rep. Steven Horsford, a Democrat from Nevada. “Cutting the social safety net for our families by making social security and veterans weaker, and all to give tax breaks, permanent tax breaks to Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.”
U.S. Senator Ossoff backs the idea of impeaching President Trump … with a caveat
During his town hall in Marietta, U.S. Senator Ossoff was asked why he hasn’t formally backed the idea of impeaching President Donald J. Trump. An attendee rose up and asked Ossoff the following:
“Why are there no calls for impeachment? This is unacceptable. I will not live in an authoritative country, and neither will any of these people. You can do more, think outside the box. You. He needs to be impeached. I will not live like this.”
“There is no doubt that this president’s conduct has already exceeded any prior standard for impeachment by the United States House of Representatives,” Ossoff told the audience. While the Republican-led U.S. House has largely yielded its power to the President, Ossoff agreed with the attendee, but leveled with her in the process.
Atlanta Film Festival premieres ‘The Games in Black & White’
By NOAH WASHINGTON
On Saturday, April 24, the 49th Annual Atlanta Film Festival hosted the world premiere of The Games in Black & White. A documentary about the genesis of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games at the historic Rialto Center for the Arts. Located a short walk away from Centennial Olympic Park.
Before the film began, festival executive director Chris Escobar welcomed the attending crowd, speaking about the film’s deep connection to Atlanta’s history and announcing two major distribution deals that will bring the documentary to an even wider audience. The film will be available to passengers worldwide through Delta Studios, Delta Air Lines’ in-flight entertainment system, starting September 1. Additionally, it will enjoy a statewide prime-time broadcast on Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) in July.
Following Escobar’s remarks, writer and producer George Hirthler discussed making The Games in Black & White.Hirthler recalled growing up in Pennsylvania, where his parents instilled a lifelong principle: “Always give credit where credit is due.” That lesson echoed throughout his career, especially during his work with Billy Payne, who hired him in 1989 to help craft Atlanta’s pitch for the 1996 Olympics.
While researching past Olympic bids at the International Olympic Committee’s headquarters in Switzerland, alongside designer Brad Copeland, Hirthler happened upon a photograph of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the mustachioed founder of the modern Olympic Games. Coubertin’s vision—to create a movement that would unite the world in friendship and peace through sport—immediately captured Hirthler’s imagination and ignited a lifelong passion for Olympic history.
Watching Payne and former Atlanta Mayor and United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young lead Atlanta’s bid, Hirthler saw a living embodiment of Coubertin’s ideals. Together, Payne and Young assembled a diverse team willing to set aside their own lives to bring the Games to Atlanta, believing that the city’s civil rights legacy and message of unity had global significance.
Reflecting on the film’s origins, Hirthler shared how he and producer Bob Judson decided in 2019, over a glass of red wine, that of all the stories to emerge from Atlanta’s Olympic journey, the partnership between Payne and Young was the one most deserving of being retold for future generations.
“Billy and Andy believed that Atlanta had a special message for the world. That message was that the Civil Rights movement
born here shares the same values as the Olympic movement,” Hirthler said.
Narrated by Atlanta native Greg Alan Williams, The Games in Black & White tells the story of two men whose vision and love for the city helped bring the Centennial Olympic Games to Atlanta in 1996. Opening with a sweeping overview of Atlanta’s history as the cradle of the civil rights movement — famously dubbed “the city too busy to hate” — the film reveals how the 1996 Olympics were about more than athletic achievement; they became a defining expression of civic pride.
The film chronicles how Payne and
Young’s team secured Olympic funding and convinced the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to select Atlanta.
Directed with a keen sense for both history and personal narrative, The Games in Black & White features appearances from key figures such as Olympic champion Janet Evans, and members of the “Atlanta Nine” such as Charlie Battle, Cindy Fowler, and Ginger Watkins (to name a few). Additional voices include Dan Corso of the Atlanta Sports Council, musician Dallas Austin discussing the House of Blues he ran during the Olympics, community leader Martin Luther King III, and former Atlanta
The story also highlights initiatives like the Equal Economic Opportunity Program (EEOP), which helped secure major construction contracts and financing to ensure that Atlanta’s Olympic success included broader community participation.
Hirthler emphasized that Payne and Young’s partnership — a white man and a Black man working together to showcase a city shaped by the civil rights movement — embodied the spirit of unity and racial harmony that the Games hoped to project.
As Hirthler said, “They wanted to bring the world here to celebrate the centennial of the hundredth anniversary of the modern Olympic Games, to celebrate the values of diversity and inclusion and racial harmony that the city so uniquely represented and that they emblematically represented as a White man and a Black man.”
Following the screening, a panel discussion featuring Payne, Young, and Hirthler offered further reflection. Payne and Young remarked on Atlanta’s achievement, with Young observing, “It was a constellation of little miracles that occurred in the street,” and continuing, “I saw the ability in the people of Atlanta to rise to the occasion.”
Mayor Shirley Franklin.
“The Games in Black & White” will have a statewide prime-time broadcast on Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) in July. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
Writer and producer George Hirthler, Billy Payne (center), and former Atlanta Mayor and United Nations Ambassador Andrew young (far right) on stage at the Rialto Center on Saturday, 24, 2025. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
The Power of Creativity: Morehouse College hosts 3rd annual Dream Makers Summit
By ISAIAH SINGLETON
Morehouse College hosted their third annual Dream Makers Summit, a showcase of student excellence.
This dynamic, daylong event highlights the scholarly excellence, creative achievements, and entrepreneurial spirit of Morehouse students.
The Summit engages students as they present their groundbreaking research, innovative projects, and business ventures.
The Dream Makers Summit is a signature event celebrating Morehouse students’ innovation, creativity, and scholarly research.
During this special occasion, students highlighted bold ideas, groundbreaking presentations, and dynamic alumni discussions.
The summit connects forward-thinking industry leaders with the next generation of innovators with lunch-and-learn sessions, industry networking, and research-driven insights.
This year’s keynote speaker is alumni Dr. Artesius Miller, founder and CEO of the Uptopian Academy of the Arts.
Miller founded The Utopian Academy of the Arts Charter School network in 2009. The idea for charter school network came when Miller was a graduate student at Columbia University.
The Utopian Academy of the Arts Charter School Network, Miller says, was designed to give students in Atlanta and Clayton County Public Schools, the fifth largest school system in the state of Georgia, access to a high-quality education every single day.
Miller’s development of Utopian Academy for the Arts was in direct response to outweighing the economic and educational
disparities that existed within the Clayton County community.
Following the loss of accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the Clayton County Public Schools District was identified as a community in need of alternative public education solutions, including increased options for parents to have access to charter schools.
Miller said he is “really grateful” to have been at Morehouse College for the Dream Makers Summit.
“Just years ago, I sat in the same seats that you are all in today, and I listened to those that would come back, whether it’s alum of the school, alumni of the school, partners, or supporters in various capacities,” he said.
“These were people who wanted to pour into the men of Morehouse.”
He also says those who harness the power of creativity and innovation not only have a competitive advantage in the workplace, but these are people that are often categorized as trailblazers in the different industries in which they stand for.
Miller names people like Issa Rae and Rosalind Brewers as some examples of trailblazers who have used their gifts and talents on their respective platforms to help give back to marginalized communities.
Also, Miller says he gets a chance to see innovation and creativity harnessed in every single student and the beautiful thing about the vision has allowed him to create an impact for students in many ways.
“The beauty of this vision has allowed me to create an impact for students in ways that we’ve seen catapulted where a district that once said the students were academically
challenged, and struggling learners grade levels behind, we’ve been able to reshape that narrative,” he said. “Students are also able to discover their artistic talents as well.”
Miller says as innovators, sometimes it’s necessary for students to pursue postgraduate studies to receive the credentials that are necessary for them to be able to have the ability to serve.
“As an educator, it’s not just about being able to say, ‘hey, there’s an idea I have’, we must put in the work,” he said. “That’s something, as we sit in our seats right now, regardless of what industry or ideas you have, we have to put in the work to receive the necessary satisfaction and credentials,
which will in turn make people say, ‘you can do this work’, so it gives you some level of credibility.”
Another part of innovation he wants students to consider when developing their own ideas is partnerships and how can you stand out to your consumers/stakeholders?
Furthermore, Miller says to students in the audience all it takes is to believe within yourself.
“You must surround yourself with people that believe in you and your vision because when they do, they will support you,” he said. “It does help though having friends who are billionaires who do believe in you and your vision though.”
Dr. Miller (right) says those who harness the power of creativity and innovation not only have a competitive advantage in the workplace but are often categorized as trailblazers in the industries they represent. Photo by Isaiah Singleton/The Atlanta Voice
Morehouse College hosted its third annual Dream Makers Summit, a showcase of student excellence. Photo by Isaiah Singleton/The Atlanta Voice
Spelman College Unveils Mary Schmidt Campbell Center for Innovation and the Arts
By NOAH WASHINGTON
Mere hours before the city of Atlanta was hit with a disruptive rain and hail storm, Spelman College celebrated a major milestone out in the sun with the official opening of the Mary Schmidt Campbell Center for Innovation and the Arts (CI&A), a $96 million, state-of-the-art facility.
The event began with a community celebration on Wednesday, April 23. The CI&A, named in honor of President Emerita Mary Schmidt Campbell, is the first new academic building constructed just beyond Spelman’s gates. It now serves as the home for Spelman’s dance, documentary filmmaking, photography, theater, and music programs.
The Center’s design reflects a deeply intentional approach to creativity, collaboration, and future-focused pedagogy. Among the speakers during the ceremony was Professor Emerita Ayoka Chenzira, Founding Director of the Digital Moving Image Salon, who played a pivotal role in the building’s conceptualization and development.
“When I was asked to help with the building design and serve as the faculty shepherd, I hesitated,” Chenzira recalled. “But I knew it was urgently needed. The arts faculty and students were scattered across campus—opportunities for knowledge-sharing were being missed. This space changes that.”
Chenzira spoke to the crowd, describing how she worked alongside fellow faculty members, consultants, and architects to design a space that would serve Spelman’s Division of the Arts’ immediate and long-term needs. Despite unprecedented challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain delays, and rising construction costs, the vision endured.
“This is a space for experimentation, innovation, and community gathering,” she said. “It will support the imaginative, emerging voices of our students across disciplines— students whose work will shape and reshape not only Spelman’s future but the world’s.”
The CI&A spans 82,500 square feet and includes the Arthur M. Blank Innovation Lab, digital media and gaming labs, a
high-tech black box theater, flexible classrooms, a rooftop terrace, a performance studio, and a striking double-height atrium called The Hive. It also houses the Center for Black Entrepreneurship and the Atlanta University Center Art History and Curatorial Studies Collective.
“This building is a project that invests in the power of creativity, the arts, and innovation,” said Dr. Liz Andrews, Spelman College Museum of Fine Art. “It brings people together across disciplines and allows creativity to flourish. It’s incredibly thoughtful and beautiful,” Andrews continued.
The expanded Spelman College Museum of Fine Art now boasts two galleries. According to Andrews, it will host three concurrent exhibitions for the first time this fall, including a tribute to sculptor Nancy Elizabeth Prophet, who helped establish the arts program at the Atlanta University Center.
The new building is already seeing movement. Last month, Spelman hosted the third annual HBCU Game Jam, which brought together institutions from all over the East Coast.
“It’s kind of a Sankofa moment,” Andrews reflected. “We’re looking to the future while also honoring the legacy of those who made this possible.”
Barbara Chirinos, inaugural artistic director of the CI&A and the LaTanya Richardson Jackson and Samuel L. Jackson Performing Arts Center, described the new building as “alive.”
“The energy is amazing,” Chirinos said. “Just walking the halls, you see film students editing projects with collaborators from Morehouse, dancers rehearsing in the lobby, or even film scenes shot in the elevator. This space is a living embodiment of Dr. Campbell and Dr. Chenzira’s vision.”
She also emphasized Spelman’s broader cultural mission and the significance of opening such a space in a climate where diversity and equity face political challenges.
“HBCUs had our agenda before the current administration, and we’ll have it after,” Chirinos said. “This center is about our students, community, and culture. It’s about telling our stories with excellence and boldness.”
The Mary Schmidt Campbell Center for Innovation and the Arts (CI&A) is named in honor of President Emerita Mary Schmidt Campbell. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
Students greeted visitors to the Mary Schmidt Campbell Center for Innovation and the Arts (CI&A) on Tuesday, April 23, 2025. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
The music tech room is inside the Mary Schmidt Campbell Center for Innovation and the Arts (CI&A), a $96 million, state-of-the-art facility. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
Uber and Delta Air Lines Launch New SkyMiles Partnership
By LAURA NWOGU
Uber and Delta Air Lines celebrated the launch of their new partnership with a night of bites, drinks and entertainment from Grammy Award-winning rapper Doechii in Atlanta Thursday night. Uber is now Delta’s exclusive rideshare and delivery partner in the U.S., a tie that came with the end of its partnership with Lyft on April 7. Now, Delta SkyMiles Members can earn miles with Uber and Uber Eats.
Clay West, an Uber and Delta traveler, said he’s excited about the partnership.
“To be able to run your miles up while running your miles up, you cannot beat that,” West said. “It’s a win-win.”
The launch follows other recent changes and announcements that affect travelers and how they get to and from the busiest airport in the world.
Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport announced that it is hiking the price of parking. Starting May 1, the domestic park-ride lot is increasing to $15 a day from $10 a day, and the international park-ride lot is increasing to $30 from $14 a day.
Uber also announced launching a 14-passenger shuttle bus service in May that will take travelers from Midtown and Downtown to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The shuttle will run every 30 minutes on multiple routes from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week. Promotional pricing for the first month of the launch will be $10, but it will increase to up to $18.50 after May.
Uber and Delta Air Lines celebrated the launch of their new partnership on Thursday night in Atlanta—the bites, drinks, and entertainment from the Grammy Award-winning rapper Doechii’s event featured.
Photo by Laura Nwogu/The Atlanta Voice
Photo by Isaiah Singleton/The Atlanta Voice
‘This is more than a concert, it’s a movement’
By DONNELL SUGGS
David and Tamela Mann are headlining the “Live Breathe Fight” tour, which kicks off next month. The 12-stop tour will begin in Dallas, Texas, on May 15 and will run through June 1, closing in Newark, New Jersey. Of course, a stop will be at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.
Along with the Manns, who have been married for 37 years and celebrated their anniversary on Thursday, April 24, the day of this interview, fellow gospel music stars Erica Campbell, Karen Clark-Sheard, Kierra Sheard, and Tye Tribbett will join them on stages across the country.
The Atlanta Voice spoke with the Manns about the tour, what they are looking for from the fans, what songs they look forward to performing, and much more.
The Atlanta Voice: Good morning, “Live Breathe Fight”, what do those words mean to y’all when you hear them?
Tamela Mann: Well, I think it comes from a place of just dealing with life. So it’s like in the midst of all the things that you’re dealing with, struggling with, facing, that I still have to live. You still have to live. And then in the midst of that, it’s actually taking a deep breath to just settle yourself, think about what’s happening, to readjust, to keep breathing for whatever that situation that you’re dealing with.
Because every day is something different. And then fighting, and it’s like victory can be through anything. So you’re fighting for the victory over whatever it is. That’s what the fight is about, getting the victory.
David Mann: Amen. Amen.
The Atlanta Voice: Is there a significance to the location of the tour stops: Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta?
DM: We just wanted to get as many people as we can and just try to, on this particular run, on the next we want to get as many people as we can. So, you know, of course you try to put some of the biggest cities in there and then you try to catch some of the other markets as well. You want to spread love to everybody.
The Atlanta Voice: Y’all know that Atlanta is going to show up for this concert.
DM: That’s actually like our second home because we’re starting here in Dallas, Fort Worth. That’s where we live, but we had to stop in Atlanta.
The Atlanta Voice: What’s the inspiration behind the other acts on the tour? I mean, these are huge names in gospel music. Is it because they’re friends of yours? Do you like them? Do you like their music?
DM: All of the above. Actually, all of the above. Yeah, that’s actually true of all of the above. You know, you got the high energy, energetic Tye Tribbett, who has a catalog that just speaks for itself. You have Erica Campbell, the same, who has a catalog that speaks for itself. Karen Clark-Sheard, Kierra Sheard, they come from a legendary bloodline.
“I would say goals for us are to encourage and uplift our people. To encourage people that it’s not over just because our world is looking and feeling like it’s feeling,” said Tamela Mann (above) when asked about some of the goals for the “Live Breathe Fight” tour. Photo provided to The Atlanta Voice
TM: You can’t go wrong with any of them. DM: They are just easy and great people to work with.
TM: It’s different age groups where it’s like, you get a little bit of everything. We’re spreading yourself out to reach the masses, meaning all age groups. And the artists that
“Some people just need that two and a half, three hours to just leave that at the door, and come worship. Because this is more than a concert, it’s a movement,” David Mann (above) said of the “Live Breathe Fight” tour.
Photo provided to The Atlanta Voice
we connected with are like those artists that have connected with the young people, the middle ages people, as well as our older ones, because we got some of our seasoned saints, and trust me, they come out. They may have their walking stick, but they are there.
The Atlanta Voice: Yes. They’re definitely going to be there in Atlanta. What do you
want to accomplish most on this tour?
TM: I would say goals for us are to encourage, uplift our people. To encourage people that it’s not over just because our world is looking and feeling like it’s feeling. I’ve never seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread [David 37:25]. And we want to encourage those who may not be believers that we still can have victory even in this time that we’re in right now.
DM: Some people just need that two and a half, three hours to just leave that at the door, and come worship. Because this is more than a concert, it’s a movement. It’s some of everything. You’re going to jump, you’re going to dance, you’re going to shout, you’re going to cry, and I’m going to bring the laugh. And so you get a little bit of everything. I love that.
The Atlanta Voice: Did you think this spring/summer was the right time for a gospel music tour? If so, why?
DM: Yeah, that’s the hope that we were coming in with, that it’s a great time to uplift people.
TM: I mean, if it’s ever been needed before, you know, it’s needed. Because we need uplifting too. Look, we’re a part of it. We’re a part of the things that’s happening.
The Atlanta Voice: What, if any, is your favorite song to perform on this tour, and why? Are we getting new music and jokes as well?
TM: I can’t wait to do this one of course, “Take Me to the King” and “Only Imagine”. They’re like a must that we have to do and “Change Me”, but I’m excited about some of the new songs.
DM: We’re just going to try to incorporate something from everything that we’ve done. You know, we’ve been doing this for 32 years now. So all this stuff just keeps growing. For me, I’m excited about getting on stage, some of the new jokes out and getting some of the new material out that I’m putting together.
The “Live Breathe Fight” tour kicks off next month. The 12-stop tour will begin in Dallas, Texas, on May 15 and run through June 1, closing in Newark, New Jersey. Photo provided to The Atlanta Voice
Black Effect Podcast Festival 2025: Celebrating Black Culture
By LAURA NWOGU
The Black Effect Podcast Festival, organized by radio host Charlemagne tha God and iHeartRadio, hosted its third annual event at Atlanta’s Pullman Yards. The festival, which celebrates podcasts and Black culture, featured activations, local food vendors, giveaways, and an opportunity to pitch your podcast.
The 2025 festival included live recordings of podcasts such as “Good Moms Bad Choices,” “Naked Sports with Cari Champion,” “Funky Friday with Cam Newton,” The Trap Nerds Podcast,” and “R&B Money with TANK and J. Valentine.”
The crowd shot to their feet as TANK and J. Valentine stopped on stage in all white to the sounds of sultry R&B songs. The singer-songwriter powerhouses were joined by Atlanta native and R&B singer Jacquees, where they discussed the state of R&B, development in the music industry, and working with other Atlanta natives like the Migos.
“We used to drop mixtapes for an opportunity to get a deal or an opportunity for someone bigger to see it. But now it’s different because everything is sold. So, there’s nothing where you can organically hear something from artists,” Jacquees said to TANK and J. Valentine when they asked how he broke into the music
industry as a new R&B artist.
“I respect the new brand, and I respect the new TikToks and the new everything that you gotta do because it’s a new generation and it always changes … And now I’m trying to get in where I fit in with the new generation, so I can keep elevating. I ain’t knocking their hustle, but that’s completely different. I don’t know if they appreciate it as much as we do, as much as I do, but hopefully they do.”
Between live recordings, the festival featured panels on topics such as prioritizing mental wellness and physical health and the future of podcasting.
“[Anxiety] is really the fear of the unknown.
And I think there’s so much pressure to be. today. There’s so much performance, so much centered around arriving today. The kids don’t feel like they have enough time to become — even the adults,” Dr. Shawn Dalton-Bethea said during the Prioritizing Mental Wellness and Physical Health panel.
“We’re overstimulated, and that overstimulation is having an impact on our mental health to where we’re always anxious about how we’re not enough. We’re not arriving. And I think what I love to tell people is you have to be where your feet are planted. The future does not exist. The only thing that exists is this moment that we have right now.”
Photo by Laura Nwogu/The Atlanta Voice
The 2025 festival included live recordings of podcasts such as “Good Moms Bad Choices,” “Naked Sports with Cari Champion,” “Funky Friday with Cam Newton,” The Trap Nerds Podcast,” and “R&B Money with TANK (above) and J. Valentine.” Photo by Laura Nwogu/The Atlanta Voice
The Black Effect Podcast Festival, organized by radio host Charlemagne tha God and iHeartRadio, hosted its third annual event at Atlanta’s Pullman yards. Photo by Laura Nwogu/The Atlanta Voice
Advancing leadership for sickle cell community at SC3 summit
By NOAH WASHINGTON
At the 9th Annual Leadership Summit and General Assembly of the Sickle Cell Community Consortium (SC3), leaders, patients, caregivers, and advocates gathered to celebrate years of resilience.
Held at the Atlanta Airport Marriott on Saturday, April 26, the event’s theme, “Legacy of Leadership: Advancing Leadership for Impactful Change,” reflected the Consortium’s mission: collective action by and for the sickle cell community.
Founded by Dr. Lakiea Bailey, SC3 stands by the philosophy “Nothing for us, without us.” Bailey, who has lived with sickle cell disease since she was 3 years old and is currently awaiting a bone marrow match, emphasized empowerment over helplessness. “When you are growing up with an illness like this, those indirectly around you teach you helplessness,” she said. “Our goal here is to un-teach helplessness.”
Sharonda Sikes, SC3’s director of operations, highlighted the Consortium’s proactive approach to advocacy and leadership. “If we do not have a seat at the table, we build it, create it, and make it for ourselves—and then we invite them into our space,” Sikes said. She added that SC3 continues to bust myths about division within the community, pointing to the organization’s growth to more than 90 domestic partner organizations and 25 new international partners.
At the heart of SC3’s gatherings is a deep sense of community. “Every time we have a convention, it is a family reunion,” Sikes said,
emphasizing that Warrior Con, SC3’s annual patient and caregiver convention, is open to everyone—patients, caregivers, trait carriers, allies, and media. “When somebody in your family has sickle cell, your entire family does,” she said. “Why not educate each and
every person there?”
Warrior Con, scheduled this year for Orlando, Florida, features educational tracks for men, caregivers, children, trait carriers, and next-generation advocates. Last year’s event included a “Warrior University” and
a “Homecoming” celebration, creating a welcoming environment for attendees of all ages. SC3 also hosts a virtual Caregiver Summit each November and an end-ofyear Sickle Cell Expo showcasing the talents of the community.
Among the Consortium’s proudest milestones are establishing the children’s advocacy track, expanding international partnerships, and launching the #WeAreTheCure project, a marrow and organ donor awareness initiative. Bailey and Sikes both stressed that by working collectively, the community has produced a broad range of outcomes in mental health, emergency resources, education policy, and curative therapy efforts.
Sickle cell disease (SCD) receives significantly less research funding than other diseases like cystic fibrosis (CF), despite affecting a larger population. A 2020 study published in JAMA Open revealed that between 2008 and 2018, federal funding per person was approximately $2,807 for CF, compared to just $812 for SCD. Foundation funding disparities were even more pronounced, with CF receiving about $7,690 per person, while SCD garnered only $102. This funding gap correlates with disparities in research output and drug development.
Dr. Bailey credited the organization’s success to a strong support network. “This organization couldn’t run without an amazing, amazing team,” she said. “Take the cape off—you cannot do it all. But with support and faith, we push forward.”
If you are interested in learning more text “SC3” to 61474.
Founded by Dr. Lakiea Bailey (above), SC3 stands by the philosophy “Nothing for us, without us.” Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
At the 9th Annual Leadership Summit and General Assembly of the Sickle Cell Community Consortium (SC3), leaders, patients, caregivers, and advocates gathered to celebrate years of resilience. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
‘You have to figure it out together:’ Atlanta United hosts Nashville SC
By DONNELL SUGGS
MARIETTA, GA. - Last weekend in Orlando, following a second consecutive 3-0 loss on the road, Atlanta United manager Ronny Deila sounded like a man who’s out of excuses for himself and his team.
“I don’t see a lot of smiles. I don’t see a lot of communication,” Deila said. “I don’t see anybody playing on the level that I think they can do.”
During training on Tuesday morning, with dozens of supporters on hand for a season-ticket holder event, Atlanta United players were all smiles during a pre-practice game of touch. The good vibes continued during ball drills and two-on-two competitions.
Following the loss in Orlando, Deila said the current situation that his team is in - Atlanta United is now 2-3-5 overall, the worst 10-game start in franchise history- can be turned around, but it’s going to take everyone involved to make that happen. If the energy on the practice pitch is any indication of the team’s mood with 24 more regular season games to play, then Deila is right.
When asked if Saturday’s match against
Nashville SC, who won their most recent match against the Chicago Fire 7-2, was a must-win, Deila said it’s all relative.
“We want to win. Everybody wants to win. I’m sure Nashville wants to win as well,” he said. “It’s more about how we can perform. How we can get the best out of each other.”
Deila believes his team can win on Saturday. He said they are not only going to need maximum efforts from the players and coaching staff but also referenced the Atlanta United supporters, the 17’s. Deila said he’d like to see a large turnout of support on Saturday afternoon. Saturday’s first kick is scheduled for 2:45 p.m.
“We know we can beat Nashville, but our focus has to be on ourselves,” Deila said.
Alexey Miranchuk, who started in the midfield during the loss in Orlando, echoed his manager’s statement.
“It’s a tough situation, a different situation for all of us,” Miranchuk said. “We have to find some way to stay positive.”
Asked if this team feels like a family facing a tough situation, Miranchuk answered in the affirmative.
“Especially in this tough situation,” Miranchuk said. “You understand who you are and you have to figure it out together.”
Atlanta United defender Matt Edwards #47 during the match against Orlando City at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, FL on Saturday, April 26, 2025. Photo by Mitch Martin/ Atlanta United
During training on Tuesday morning, with dozens of supporters on hand for a season-ticket holder event (not shown), Atlanta United players (above) were all smiles during training on Tuesday morning. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
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FC TAC Mngr (Atlanta, GA), RSM US LLP: Mnge mltple cncrrnt engmnts wthn the Tchncl Accntng Cnsltng (TAC) prctce to prvd tchncl accntng & fnancl or biz advsry gdnce to clnts.
Reqs: Bach (or frgn equiv) in Accntng, Biz Admnstrtn or rltd; 2 yrs of exp as an Accntng Mngr or rltd. Email resume to claudine.volkening@rsmus.com, Attn: Claudine Volkening, Ref: 3025.
SENIOR ETL DEVELOPER
Senior ETL Developer TDA (mult pos), US Bank, Atlanta, GA to dev & document apps to extract,transform, & load data (ETL). Pos reqs a Bachelor’s deg in Computer Science, IT, or a related field, followed by 5 yrs in a progressively responsible Computer Systems Engineer/Architect, or related, occupation. Must include 5 yrs of exp with each of the following: 1. Data Warehousing; 2. Informatica PowerCenter & Informatica PowerExchange; 3. Autosys & Crontab; 4. Oracle, TOAD, SQL Server, & PL/SQL; 5. UNIX; & 6. Putty & WinSCP. Teams may work from home & the office. Pay Range: $171,267 - $188,393.70. Apply online https://careers.usbank.com/global/en or email recruiting.excellence@usbank.com, incl job req 2025-0006566 in subject line.
FULTON COUNTY ADVERTISEMENT FOR RFP
Sealed Bids for 25RFP147291K-CRB Asset Management Modeling & Data Analysis for the Department of Real Estate & Asset Management will be accepted through the WebGrants System at https://www. bidnetdirect.com/georgia/fultoncounty on due on Wednesday, June 04, 2025 at 11:00 A.M.. Proposal(s) will be publicly viewed online via BidNet Direct only the names of the proposers will be disclosed at the opening. Bid Bond: N/A
Scope of Work: Fulton County, Georgia (“County”) ) is seeking responses from qualified engineering firms interested in providing professional services to the Public Works Department. These professional services include, but are not limited to the preparation of reports, technical memoranda, studies, and specifications for projects related to enhancing the performance of the County’s water distribution system and wastewater collection system. The emphasis of this RFP is on developing an asset management program for the capital program, as well as the data analysis and data integration tools necessary to the program’s development and efficacy. Types of data analyses requested can include but are not limited to hydraulic modeling (water and sewer), programming, statistical analyses, and predictive modeling.
Pre-Proposal Conference: will be held via a Zoom Webinar on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at 10:00 .A.M,, to provide proposer(s) with information regarding this project and to address any questions.
To Register in Advance for this Meeting: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/ByFjjmC4SHaAtqlEJkbwqw
Contract Term: Initial term ending 12/31/25 with two one-year renewal options.
PLEASE INCLUDE ANY MANDATORY REQUIREMENT INFORMATION IN THIS ADVERTISEMENT: The selected vendor(s) must have the capacity to provide such services in a facility located within Fulton County.
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.
