Screen For Life
On Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025, the mobile prostate cancer screening unit, which is 38 feet long and has an exam room and lab inside, took up some space inside MercedesBenz Stadium. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Mobile screening unit is here for all
By DONNELL SUGGS
September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and there is no better time than now to be more aware of the risks of not being screened.
There will be more than an estimated 313,000 new cases of prostate cancer in the United States this year, according to data from the American Cancer Society. Of that estimation, nearly 36,000 men will die from prostate cancer.
With 1 in every 8 American men being diagnosed with prostate cancer, getting screened for prostate cancer early can save lives. Black men have even greater chances of having their lives saved if prostate cancer screenings are more available.
Mobile prostate cancer screening units would help thousands of men who might or might not want to make the doctor’s appointments necessary to schedule screenings. The Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University and the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation recently took steps to help make screening for prostate cancer easier.
According to research done by the National Institute of Health, Black men are disproportionately affected by prostate cancer.
“Bringing prostate cancer screening directly into neighborhoods helps break down the barriers that too often keep men from getting tested,” said Martin Sanda, MD, Louis McDonald Orr Distinguished Professor of Urology at Emory University School of Medicine and director of Winship’s Prostate Cancer Program.
Sanda leads the team running the screening initiative and told The Atlanta Voice that making prostate cancer screenings more
convenient and accessible, “We can find the disease earlier, when it’s most treatable, and ultimately save more lives.”
The Emory Winship Cancer Institute mobile prostate cancer screening unit took up some space inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025. It was on display for a media tour that morning, just days before the Atlanta Falcons opened their 2025 season at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Sept. 6. On that afternoon, thousands of men will be filling the seats of the stadium. Many of whom will be over the age of 50 and have not been screened for prostate cancer.
Several physicians were scheduled to speak to the media about what was next in terms of where it would be in metro Atlanta.
The 38-foot-long unit has an exam room and a lab inside. The screenings are free, do not require patients to have medical insurance, and take 30 minutes from start to finish. Patients get their prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test results in the afternoon.
The mobile unit will make 15-20 scheduled stops around Atlanta this year, including in Piedmont Park for the ZERO Prostate Cancer Run/Walk on Sept. 13, at 100 Black Men of South Metro Atlanta’s annual community wellness day on Sept. 20, and on Emory University’s main campus for the Winship 5K Run/Walk on Oct. 4.
Dr. Kennard Hood, a family physician at Emory University based in Henry County, is the medical director of the prostate cancer screening unit. Hood, like many of the physicians and healthcare specialists that The Atlanta Voice talked to on Tuesday, believes PSA screenings and early detection will help save lives. The mobile screening unit can make those screenings much easier.
“If you can detect prostate cancer early, there is a better chance of finding a cure,” Hood, who also works as a family physician at an Emory University clinic in Henry County, said.
“With this mobile screening unit, we can actually take this unit to the community,” Hood said.
Emory Healthcare and Winship Cancer Institute Lab Technician Andre Posey II said being ahead of the game and accessible to the Black community will make a big difference.
“We have to be proactive, not reactive,” Posey, a Chicago native, said.
Posey’s great-grandfather died from complications brought on by prostate cancer, and he believes that not getting screening and the misconceptions of prostate screenings with the Black community led to his great-grandfather being less prepared for the fight.
“I want the numbers to change for everybody, because it’s just a screening and not invasive,” Posey II said.
Dr. Vikram Narayan, an Associate Professor of Urology at Emory University, believes
there are so many myths about what a prostate cancer screening is in all communities, but especially in the Black community. That has to change if lives are going to be saved by the millions.
Narayan said prostate cancer typically does not have clear and present symptoms, which can make it even more dangerous.
“We want to make sure we dispel a lot of myths. All you need is a simple blood test, and we can do it right in the mobile unit,” Narayan said.
The mobile unit has an exam room inside.
Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
The PSA screenings can be done inside the mobile unit and can be completed in 30 minutes.
Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Dr. Kennard Hood (above) is a family physician with Emory University in Henry County, and the medical director for the prostate cancer screening unit. “We can actually take this unit to the community,” Hood said. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Atlanta’s Azalea Fresh Market opens to combat food desert
By DONNELL SUGGS
There was no red ribbon outside the front door of the Azalea Fresh Market as political dignitaries and business leaders waited for the exact moment to begin the first tour of the store. The market is located at the corner of Peachtree St. and Edgewood Avenue, and directly across the street from Woodruff Park. What was once a Walgreens with people sitting and sometimes lying outside is now supposed to be an answer to changing downtown Atlanta’s status as a food desert. The store resembles your average Publix, with clean floors, well-lit sections, fresh fruit and vegetables, and high-end candies, like Tony’s chocolate bars.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, Invest Atlanta President & CEO Dr. Eloisa Klementich, and Savi Provisions President Paul Nair attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“I want to revitalize Downtown,” Dickens said as he and others were given a tour of the first floor of the market by Nair, some of his family members, and staff. “This is our vision coming true.”
According to Nair, Azalea Fresh Market was designed by architects at the Savannah School of Art & Design (SCAD). The second floor, which was not part of the Mayor’s and media’s tour on Thursday morning, will have two restaurants. The second floor will be accessible via escalators and an elevator. The store will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day.
Asked about what could be done to prevent any security issues with the market being open till 10 p.m., Dickens said there will be plenty of eyes on the first supermarket in the Five Points area in decades.
“We are very well aware of the need to maintain safety and security. Businesses thrive when they don’t have the uncertainty of crime,” Dickens said. “We made a commitment to this location, to Savi, and to the residents and businesses of downtown, that we are going to make sure it is safe.”
Dickens said there are cameras and security systems in place for added security. The 61st Mayor of Atlanta added that the Atlanta Police Department, Georgia State Police, and the Central Atlanta Progress Downtown
Ambassadors are all routinely on the scene and will provide an extra layer of security.
“I think there’s a lot of eyes on this,” Dickens said. “So, when you have a lot of activity, the more shoppers you have, the more business that is going on, and that provides safety.”
During the tour at the back of the store, Dickens credited Nair for the prices of the protein powder. Dickens said he uses similar products and pays equal prices for them.
“We absolutely want to be cheaper than Walmart,” Nair told Dickens.
The Olympia Building, home of the large Coca-Cola clock on top of the building, in which Azalea Fresh Market is housed, has been a landmark for many years. The nearly 100-year-old building has been home to several businesses, including bank branches, and Tom Pitt’s Soda Fountain in the early 1900s.
Azalea Fresh Market is not a cheap solution to Downtown Atlanta being a food desert, but it is an answer.
“Y’all did it,” Dickens said to Nair and company. “We set the vision and y’all made it happen.”
The Azalea Fresh Market opened on Thursday, August 28, 2025. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens (above) visited the store. Downtown Atlanta has been a food desert, and the market will offer college students, City workers, and locals an option. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Voices
The Black Press, Public Media, and Press Freedom: We Must Restore These Cornerstones of Democracy
By SHAVON ARLINE-BRADLEy AND JA’LIA TAyLOR
There is no democracy without a free press. That truth is especially urgent for Black women and our families, who have long relied on trusted media not only for information, but also for protection, representation and empowerment.
In an era of disinformation, misinformation, political polarization and eroding trust in institutions, the vital role of an independent press cannot be overstated. A functioning democracy depends on a well-informed public, and it is through diverse and community-based journalism that citizens can participate meaningfully in civic life and protect their rights. Among the most essential resources in this landscape are the Black Press, public media, and the fundamental right of freedom of the press.
From the earliest days of the Black Press to the local public radio stations that reach us today, these platforms have filled the void left by mainstream outlets that too often ignore or misrepresent us. In communities where trust in traditional institutions is fragile, they have long served as a trusted messenger. This is especially true in public health, elections and education.
The Black Press emerged out of necessity: mainstream newspapers ignored, distorted or dehumanized Black life. In response, Black journalists created their own platforms to tell their own stories. These publications were not merely observers but active participants in the struggle for freedom—amplifying the voices of abolitionists, advocating for anti-lynching laws, supporting voter registration and protection campaigns, and they continue to expose systemic injustice.
These media have educated our children when textbooks failed. They have spoken truth when power tried to silence it. And they have kept our communities informed during crises, from natural disasters to pandemics. Public broadcasters don’t just deliver the headlines; they provide context, history and often an international perspective that many other outlets lack.
Now, these vital sources are in danger.
Congress has cut $1 billion from public broadcasting, threatening PBS, NPR and hundreds of local stations. For many rural and low-income families, these are the only free and reliable sources of news, educational programming and emergency alerts. For Black communities, they are often the only spaces where our stories are told with care and accuracy.
Public media also offers something else: accessibility. Funded in part by taxpayers and sustained by listeners and viewers, public media is free from the gatekeeping of paywalls and subscriptions. They are educational resources that broaden civic understanding and nurture
empathy in a fragmented world.
Without public media and a strong Black Press, disinformation and misinformation spreads more easily. Accountability becomes harder. Our children lose access to shows that teach, inspire and reflect their identities. And our communities lose one of the few platforms that truly belong to us.
A free and independent press is not a luxury. When it is defunded, our ability to learn, to vote and to lead is weakened.
We cannot afford to sit back. That is why Congress should restore funding for public media.
We all should in turn support local public radio and TV stations. Invest in Black-led journalism.
The future of democracy depends on who controls the narrative. If we want truth, justice,
and equity to prevail, then we must fight for the media that fights for us.
NCNW is an “organization of organizations,” composed of more than 350 campus and community-based sections and 37 national women’s organizations that enlightens, inspires, and connects more than 2,000,000 women and men. Its mission is to lead, advocate for, and empower women of African descent, their families and communities. It was founded in 1935 by Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, an influential educator and activist, and for more than 50 years, the iconic Dr. Dorothy Height was president of the organization.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the The Atlanta Voice
FOUNDED
May 11, 1966
FOUNDER/EDITOR
Ed Clayton
Immortalis Memoria
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
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO PUBLISHER
Chia Suggs csuggs@theatlantavoice.com
EDITOR IN CHIEF Donnell Suggs editor@theatlantavoice.com
GENERAL ASSIGNMENT REPORTERS
Isaiah Singleton isingleton@theatlantavoice.com
Laura Nwogu lnwogu@theatlantavoice.com
BUSINESS REPORTER
Tabius McCoy tmccoy@theatlantavoice.com
EDITOR AT LARGE Stan Washington swashington@theatlantavoice.com
ADVERTISING, SALES & CIRCULATION
ADVERTISING ADMINISTRATOR
Chia Suggs advertising@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
Black newspapers from across thesplayed at the NNPA National Convention. The annual event brings publishers and journalists together at a designated location. This year’s convention will be held in Savannah, Georgia. country were di Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Vegan House of Pancakes Brings Plant-Based Breakfast to East Point
By LAURA NWOGU
Think buttery, fluffy and flavorful stacks of pancakes on an early weekend morning — but make it vegan. That’s exactly what chef Nikki Ford, also known as Chef Nikki in The Mix is doing at Vegan House of Pancakes (VHOP). On the corner of Cleveland Avenue in East Point sits a bubble-gum pink house where home-cooked comfort food meets plant-based breakfast for everyone.
When Ford adopted a vegan lifestyle in 2016, she had no idea it would lead to entrepreneurship. A stay-at-home mom of two girls, flipping pancakes and whipping up breakfast began in the comfort of her kitchen. It wasn’t until her partner, who goes by PBD Grey, encouraged her to sell what he called “the best pancakes I’ve ever had,” that the idea of more began to flourish. Ford was skeptical about people wanting to buy a pancake mix, but Grey knew that breakfast lovers would be in the market for another way to make the breakfast staple with ease. The duo soon got the ball rolling with a tentative game plan. Grey designed the logo and Ford created enough mix for just 100 bags. In March 2020, the pancake mix named Nikki’s Fat A** Cakes went live on Ford’s website, and she old out in less than 25 minutes.
Over the years, that light bulb idea continued to shine and build into pop-ups around Atlanta. When Grey came across a house and commercial kitchen for lease in East Point one day in October of 2024, the mention of a possible restaurant named Vegan House of Pancakes became reality. Through
fundraising and support from the community and vegan celebrities such as Tabitha Brown, VHOP became East Point’s go-to for vegan breakfast four months later.
“I wasn’t trying to create healthy pancakes. I was just creating a vegan pancake that felt like home, and everybody has enjoyed it, vegan or not. They don’t say, ‘Oh, these are vegan.’ They’re like, ‘These are the best pancakes,’” Ford said. “That’s how I created it, and he pushed me to sell it, and here we are, five years later. I definitely wouldn’t be doing it without Grey, because I didn’t want to do it. But, he saw the vision, so I’ve just been riding it, trusting him, and it’s been working.”
The team is small, comprised of just Ford, Grey and Ford’s culinary partner chef Chelsea. As of now, the restaurant is only open on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., making their total operating day less than 60. But the labor of love has been made even sweeter by family and plant-based ingredients. Together, they’ve been able to navigate the obstacles and unfamiliarity of running a business, but have shone in their community-driven approach. So much so that people often sit in the parking lot as early as 9 a.m. to be first in line when they open at 10 a.m.
“It feels good. I knew that we had a good product. When I tasted those pancakes, I knew I wasn’t gonna be the only one to love them, but the fact that other people got to experience it, and just how it caught on and the support we got, it was a little bit of a surprise,” Grey said.
“That’s the part that’s still shocking to me,” Ford added. “That people actually get
up early enough to come sit in the parking lot to be here when we open. They really want it. The people come faithfully. When names pop up on the screen, I’m starting to know the people.”
The pancakes are stacked high and smothered in toppings such as blueberry compote, chocolate chips, strawberries, peaches and cream. Customers can order the pancakes from a side window behind the house with sides such as jalapeno grits — a chef Chelsea specialty— tofu scramble, cheesy potato casserole, and vegan sausage. Ford’s mix is also sold in-house for purchase.
Ford and Grey said they’re excited to see the restaurant’s growth, from more locations and operating days to opening a small diner, but they are focused on maintaining the quality of the food and service.
“We’re weekends only, but we’re building the foundation. The process is to be able to scale. And when we do, we don’t want to compromise on the food or the customer service,” Grey said. “We absolutely see this as an across-the-US type of thing. In the short term, we want to open up more days. That’s the next goal: to go from two days to possibly six days a week. And then, different states,
different locations.”
But amid those plans, prioritizing their two daughters is also a big focus for them as they continue to navigate the demands of the restaurant industry.
“I homeschool my kids, and it was really important for me not to miss out on them. And it was like, why be an entrepreneur if you feel like you’re working a nine-to-five every day or longer and you don’t see your kids,” Ford said. “From what I hear, I know the restaurant world can be like that. So, this is just working out for our family.”
The duo said they hope that VHOP can become a staple for vegans and non-vegans alike. When people eat their food, they want them to walk away feeling like they ate good food.
“Be excited to eat it because it’s delicious. And if you like delicious food, you would like Vegan House of Pancakes. That’s what I wanted people to feel. And when the reviews were coming in, people were saying, ‘These are the best pancakes I’ve had,’ Or ‘I don’t even eat tofu. This tofu is so good.’ That’s what I want you to feel like,” Ford said. “You don’t have to be vegan for 20 years; you can be vegan on the weekend and come eat with us.”
Vegan House of Pancakes (VHOP) is located on the corner of Cleveland Avenue in East Point. The business sits a in bubble-gum pink house.
Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
Chef Nikki Ford (center) and her partner PBD Grey are the owners and visionaries behind Vegan House of Pancakes, a plant-based breakfast restaurant in East Point.
Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
VHOP’s menu, curated by chef Nikki Ford (above) and her culinary partner, chef Chelsea, features flavorful pancake stacks made with Ford’s vegan pancake mix. Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
Impact Church’s expo boosts Black entrepreneurship
By TABIUS McCOy Report for America Corp
As Business Month conclud-
ed on Sunday, August 31, Impact Church is actively working to broaden Black business ownership and spending across the region.
In Atlanta, Black businesses make up less than 12% of owners, a figure higher than many major cities but still leaving a gap. “Black businesses don’t have the leg up like some white counterparts when it comes to generational wealth,” said Mary Joshua, director of operations at Impact Church. She helped lead Impact’s 4th annual Black Business Expo.
The expo featured more than 75 metro Atlanta businesses, ranging from agriculture and tutoring to fashion and real estate. Joshua, a business owner herself, started the event in 2020 to give Black-owned businesses a platform and show consumers how to support them. “We wanted a place where we could uplift one another,” she said.
This year’s event felt especially pivotal, as many Black consumers nationwide have expressed frustration with major corporations over the past few months for pulling
back on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. “It’s important that we keep our identity and know who we are, so we can intentionally pour into one another,” she said. “When we look at places like Black
Street, our famous Black communities were all built on us having our dollars and circulating those dollars.”
For young entrepreneurs, the expo offered a chance to showcase their businesses and take steps toward building generational wealth.
Kyle Sloan, a recent Morehouse College graduate who owns the faith-based clothing brand Unorthodox, said the event gave him and other businesses a platform to tell their story. Sloan started the brand two years ago after going through his own spiritual awakening. “I could still pursue my love of fashion, but it would look a little different—it
would be unorthodox,” Sloan said. “Everyone is unorthodox in their own way, especially in today’s society. Just be true to who you are.”
For Harper Cooper, a recent Xavier University graduate and founder of Merakichets LLC, a custom crochet business, the expo was a chance to connect with customers and raise funds as she prepares to attend Brown University for graduate school next fall. She said it was also about being part of uplifting social change within the Black community.
“I think this is important not only for Black business owners to show up for each other, but to come to a place where we are wanted,” Cooper said. “A lot of times Black corporations only want Black dollars, but they don’t want your Black values or Black morals.”
Community member Mickey Green, who has attended the expo since it started four years ago, said it gives businesses a chance to give back. “It’s important to keep our dollars in our community,” she said.
Some vendors focused on simply raising awareness. Dr. Catrice Barrett, owner of Brilliant Bilingual, highlighted the economic value of bilingualism. “People who are bilingual make on average 10% more than individuals who only speak one language,” she said.
Bernard Cook, owner of A Plus Window Repairs, used the event to introduce himself to potential clients. “I’m passing out cards today so when a person needs me, they’ll call me,” he said.
Some businesses, like Metro Atlanta Urban Farm, gave away goods for free. Owner Bobby Wilson, an urban organic agriculture farmer for more than 20 years, handed out collard green and turnip seeds while educating people on growing produce at home.
“I truly do believe that one day everyone will have to grow some of their food,” Wilson said. He said the intended impact at the expo was a bit deeper than creating business profit. “We are trying to make a difference in marginalized and underserved communities across the state.”
Wall
Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
Impact Church held it’s 4th annual Black Business Expo on Sunday. Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
Cornbread Sisters: A family recipe turned successful venture
By DONNELL SUGGS
Atlanta traffic, notorious for being some of the worst in the country, might be the only thing that can keep the Cornbread Sisters apart. A scheduled appointment in the WAREhouse Studios on the campus of The Atlanta Voice was temporarily delayed due to Friday morning traffic, but when they got on the same page, there was something special about their connection.
Toshia Tiller, 57, and her sister Shelia Tiller-Tooks, 55, are the Cornbread Sisters, the founders and owners of the brand of the same name. They tend to finish each other’s sentences when they are in the same room. Having grown up with three other sisters in Atlanta’s East Lake Meadows housing projects, Tiller and Tiller-Tooks would forever be family, but the Cornbread Sisters business makes them much more than that. They are partners.
Wearing different green Cornbread Sisters-branded T-shirts and matching white jeans, Tiller and Tiller-Tooks started their business alongside childhood friend Judy. Tiller-Tooks’ daughters, Kristin and Cydnee, also help out from time to time. The Cornbread Sisters is a family business.
“We are representing all women,” Tiller said, owning their own business.
When asked if they planned to wear the branded T-shirts to the interview, they said no, but it never hurts to advertise the business whenever possible.
“It’s loud. Having the t-shirts on, people always ask us about our business,” Tiller-Tooks said. “Having the shirts on starts conversations.”
Metro Atlanta leads the country with nearly 14,000 Black-owned businesses. The Cornbread Sisters are one of the many led by women. Their late mother, Catherine Tiller, is the inspiration for the business and East Lake Foundation’s Start: Me program was the catalyst for taking that family recipe for cornbread and bringing it to the masses.
The Start: Me program serves Atlanta’s Westside, Southside, the city of Clakston, and the East Lake neighborhood. The latter was once one of Atlanta’s oldest Black neighborhoods. Tiller and Tiller-Tooks grew up there and spoke to The Atlanta Voice about
“I knew it was going to be serious and beneficial to us,” Tiller said about the Start: Me program.
Tiller-Tooks said she was excited about the program because, “we were going to be around other entrepreneurs. To see how other people were moving, see what things we were doing right, and what things we could
tweak a bit.”
“I was all in because I knew it was going to be serious and we were smart enough to know what we didn’t know,” Tiller said.
The program offered the Cornbread Sisters the opportunity to spend time with other business owners who had gone through the Start: Me program. Tiller said it was life-changing.
“It was like a living library for me,” Tiller said. “Literally, you could talk things through in real time.”
Tiller-Tooks said the Start: Me program continues well past their completion.
“Even right now, we are able to pick up the phone and have someone answer our call,” she said. “We know their name and they know us as well.”
That education and enlightenment helped improve the business that is the Cornbread Sisters. The product has always been good; learning how to better get the product out to customers has improved.
A day in the life of the Cornbread Sisters begins with music. Legendary singer/songwriter Stevie Wonder has always been a family favorite, says Tiller, who had moved to Los Angeles before moving back home to Atlanta. Working out of a commercial kitchen space to reduce overhead, the Tiller, Tiller-Tooks, and Judy get started on orders early in the morning.
Tiller-Tooks starts her days by answering
emails, checking the status of orders, and taking or returning phone calls. Tiller books the kitchen for the day, goes to the grocery store to get ingredients for the orders, and touches base with customers. Judy, who both sisters describe as a cornerstone of the business and a do-it-all employee, is the general manager. She, too, wears a lot of hats for the Cornbread Sisters business.
“She’s absolutely irreplaceable,” Tiller said of Judy. “Her dedication is quiet, but forceful.”
Tiller added, “It feels like all three of us are sisters.”
The three women, and Tiller-Tooks’ adult daughters, do it all. And the business is thriving.
“We’re everything, “ Tiller said of the five-woman crew. “We are the cooks, maintenance, and the social media managers. It’s important for us to learn all aspects of the business.”
Being a women-owned business was important to the sisters as well. Being a Blackowned and operated business run entirely by women makes the Cornbread Sisters even more of a special enterprise.
“To have a place where we are able to carve out something of our own, that’s important,” Tiller-Tooks said.
“People need more of us,” Tiller said of small businesses run by Black women. “We have the ability to be the boss and a nurturer.
“I knew the Start-Me Program was going to be serious and beneficial to us — we were going to be around other entrepreneurs. To see how other people were moving, see what things we were doing right, and what things we could tweak a bit. I was all in because I knew we were smart enough to know what we didn’t know.”
Shelia Tiller-Tooks Cornbread Sisters
Women are needed in all spaces.”
The Cornbread Sisters’ motto for their cornbread, which is sold in 32-ounce batter buckets and as orders of a dozen bite-sized pieces, is “Not just a side piece. Eat with anything. Anytime. Anywhere!”
The words “anytime” and “anywhere” mean something different to the Cornbread Sisters from East Lake Meadows.
“When you come from where we come from, they have already written your story,” Tiller said. “But we were brought up in a family that raised us to go forward.”
“When you come from not having a lot, I always felt like I had to find my own way,” Tiller-Tooks said.
These days, Toshia and Sheila have something that honors the memory of their mother and goes well with a bowl of chilli or your morning coffee.
Looking down at her t-shirt, Tiller said it was about more than just having a successful business.
“It’s important that Black faces are shown,” she said. “We want to represent our people.”
Toshia Tiller, (right) and her sister Shelia Tiller-Tooks are the Cornbread Sisters, the founders and owners of the brand of the same name. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Arts
Xernona Clayton’s legacy honored with art installation
By NOAH WASHINGTON
On Thursday, Aug. 28, the city of Atlanta celebrated the 95th birthday of civil rights trailblazer Xernona Clayton with an evening surrounded by hundreds of friends and supporters at a public art installation unveiling in her honor at Hardy Ivy Park in downtown Atlanta.
Clayton, born Aug. 30, 1930, in Muskogee, Oklahoma, worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement as a member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He was honored with Legacy in Bloom, an evening celebration featuring nature-inspired art installations by three Atlanta artists.
The event, held from 5 to 7 p.m. at Hardy Ivy Park on West Peachtree Street, showcased works by artists Chloe Alexander, Grace Kisa, and Sayma Hossain, each interpreting Clayton’s remarkable legacy through different artistic mediums.
Artist Grace Kisa spent about 30 days creating “Variation on a Dream,” a two-piece installation featuring abstract trees connected by flowing vines. The work draws
inspiration from Clayton’s former talk show called “Variations” and represents the cross-pollination of ideas in community building.
“So you need a male and a female tree, the vines that are going through is the energy that’s transmitted,” Kisa explained. “And then the trumpet, this is an abstract version of the trumpet flower for the Trumpet Awards, is pollinating each other.”
The reference to the Trumpet Awards holds special significance, as Clayton founded the awards program in 1993 with Turner Broadcasting to honor African American accomplishments and contributions. Clayton serves as founder, president, and CEO of the Trumpet Awards Foundation.
“In this space, in this garden, she is the gardener,” Kisa said of Clayton’s role in nurturing civil rights progress. “These are the fruit of those ideas.”
The installation is positioned strategically around Clayton’s existing statue in the park, creating what Kisa described as a conversation between the artworks. “It looks like she’s presenting them and they’re talking to each other,”
“She is
the center, and then them on each side, pollinating.”
Artist Sayma Hossain contributed two pieces that carved out different aspects of Clayton’s career, highlighting her work as an executive broadcaster at Turner Broadcasting and her leadership roles with the King Center and NAACP board. One piece is positioned by the arc, while another sits by the fence behind Clayton’s statue.
“She’s turning 95 and to celebrate her legacy, two other artists and I were asked to create work to honor her,” Hossain said. “I carved out, like, parts of her legacy, like when she was executive at Turner and when she was at the King Center- like just really amazing things,” said Hossain.
The celebration was emceed by veteran Atlanta broadcaster Fred Blankenship, who called Clayton “the link from the King family to her media roots, to the civil rights struggle, to where we are today.”
“I feel blessed to have the opportunity to talk to a living legend like Xenora Clayton,” Blankenship said. “She is the link. And to have her to be able to tell the stories of yesterday and make them relevant today, ain’t nothing like it.”
Blankenship reflected on the unique opportunity to learn from such historic figures. “I have the ability to trace my steps back through history. Who can say that? We live in a place where we have our Xenora Claytons, we have our Andrew Youngs, and it’s such an honor to be able to still pull from these legends.”
During the event, Clayton shared a personal story about experiencing
racial discrimination with Dr. King at an Atlanta hotel in the 1960s. She recalled how they were denied service despite King’s efforts to impress guests from New York with a nice dinner.
“Dr. King said, You think it’s a problem here? And I said, Well, I have no idea, because I knew I had done my job,” Clayton remembered. When they called the general manager, he responded dismissively, saying, “You colored people anyway, trying to break into our operations.”
The group was forced to leave, walking out onto the corner where the Hyatt was under construction.
“Dr. King said, Well, I guess we’ll have to count on that to treat us decently, because none of these places would,” Clayton recalled.
“And he said, maybe we can get them to treat us right, treat us like citizens. Take our money and treat us right.”
Clayton noted that when the Southern Christian Leadership Conference became one of the Hyatt’s first operations, “they treated us with respect that day, and they’re treating us with respect” ever since.
The evening featured live music by Melvin Miller and Kathleen Bertrand, poetry by Hank Stewart, a DJ set by Sed The Saint, and refreshments, including ice pops, for attendees.
The free public event was designed to be accessible to the entire Atlanta community in honor of Clayton’s lifelong commitment to bringing people together across racial and social divides.
As artists like Kisa hope visitors will understand, the installation is
about more than just the art. It is about community building and the power of ideas. Kisa said she wants people to think deeply about Clayton’s approach to creating change and fostering connections.
Kisa emphasized that the garden metaphor extends beyond her own work to encompass all the installations. She described how the artists’ works complement each other, with her piece serving as an entrance from one end of the park, while other installations guide visitors through different pathways, ultimately leading to Clayton’s statue as the centerpiece of the artistic conversation.
“I can’t dictate what it is that people feel, but at least I want them to be drawn in to what this is,” Kisa said, noting that she included a statement at the base of her installation explaining the piece. “How you plant seeds with your ideas, how you cultivate community through those ideas, that’s what I would want them to experience as they walk through this garden.”
Kisa said.
the gardener in
On Thursday, Aug. 28, Atlanta celebrated the 95th birthday of civil rights trailblazer Xernona Clayton. Left to right: Grace Kisa, Fred Blakenship, Xernona Clayton, Chloe Alexander, and Sayma Hossain. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
“Where The Light Gathers Her Name” by artist Sayma Hossain. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
Artist Grace Kisa with her piece, “Variations On A Dream”. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
$10 million debt relief program launched by Atlanta Dream and partners
By LAURA NWOGU
Aug. 28 marks the 62nd anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, where an estimated 250,000 people gathered in Washington, D.C., to hear the civil rights activist call for civil and economic rights on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. In honor of that iconic historical moment, The Atlanta Dream — named after the speech — hosted a girls’ basketball clinic at the C.T. Martin Recreation Center.
The clinic and day were made even more special with a community announcement aimed at providing financial freedom for Atlanta-area residents. Atlanta Dream president and COO Morgan Shaw Parker, King Center CEO Bernice King, and Cash App counsel lead Chrysty Esperanza announced that, in partnership with ForgiveCo, they are eliminating $10 million in debt in some of Atlanta’s low-income communities. Three thousand five hundred residents will receive debt relief of up to $80,000.
“It’s really special,” Parker said. “It actually opens up opportunities for their dreams to flourish. So that could mean buying a car
or thinking about college. It could mean a down payment on a house, which is game-changing.”
The basketball court was a flurry of motion as over 100 young girls ran drills, enjoyed skill stations and leadership lessons, and played fun games with Atlanta Dream front office staff, players, and representatives from the King Center and Cash App executives. Some of the young girls participating in the clinic were from families that received debt relief.
“This moment is really full circle, because the Atlanta Dream is primarily made up of Black female athletes. The WNBA is 90 percent African American athletes, and it is such a privilege for us to be able to lean into this community and make sure that we’re serving communities that really are places where young girls need to see their heroes; they need to see what they can be. And if they don’t see that, and they don’t feel like that, then they’re not going to be able to break through some of the barriers that exist in their lives,” Parker said
“This really shows that women’s sports, in particular, are always a catalyst for social change and for community involvement.”
LEGO opens 119th store in the U.S. at Perimeter Mall
By NOAH WASHINGTON
Both the young and the young at heart showed up to Perimeter Mall in Dunwoody on Friday as the LEGO Group opened its newest retail location, marking the 119th LEGO store in the United States.
Michael Stanton, the store manager who previously managed the Birmingham, Alabama, location for 16 years, said the opening represents a homecoming.
“I grew up here and graduated from Marietta High School, way back in the day,” Stanton said. “What’s so fun about working for the LEGO Group is you come to work every day and you play. I mean, we play in the store with the little ones. We play with the big ones, with the vending machine. It’s like not working. It’s like being paid to come play every day.”
The 2,153-square-foot store features interactive experiences, exclusive products and hands-on play opportunities designed to appeal to builders of all ages. A ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m. kicked off the grand opening celebration.
The store includes permanent fixtures such as the Pick & Build Wall, Build a Minifigure station and Play Tables. Customers can also participate in a mystery mural LEGO
brick building activity and view displays from local LEGO Users Groups.
The construction team worked for about 10 weeks to prepare the space, with store staff spending nine days setting up before the opening, according to Stanton.
Stanton said he was particularly moved by opening day’s turnout.
“I get welled up with pride with seeing how many happy families come in,” he said. “It’s one of my favorite things to do, is just talk to families and people who are building with
their kids.”
Opening weekend promotions include exclusive tile giveaways and special sets for LEGO Insiders loyalty program members who make qualifying purchases. The store offers the largest range of LEGO products available, including many exclusives.
Adult fans comprised a significant portion of opening day customers. Mike Moore, an IT professional from Atlanta, said he became seriously interested in LEGO building only recently.
“I probably really only got hardcore a couple years ago, but I really enjoy it,” Moore said. “I’ve got a tech background, and I find it really peaceful putting something together and seeing the end result. The Technic series, which usually have mechanisms and moving parts, I just find really relaxing.”
Moore said he heard about the grand opening only days before and felt he “had to be there.” He purchased a Soundwave set, saying, “I’m a kid of the 80s and 90s, so going back to the transformers was a must.”
Monica Lewis, a flight attendant who began collecting LEGO sets in April, said she enjoys the hobby’s calming effects.
“I am an adult fan of Lego,” Lewis said. “I just started collecting and building this year
in April. It’s a very peaceful hobby.”
Lewis said she has started sharing her passion with friends through building sessions, including getting matching botanical sets with her best friend in New Jersey for what she called “Lego and liquor” nights.
The store targets both children and adults, with sections specifically designed for adult builders. Stanton noted the company has emphasized adult fans for about six or seven years, creating “larger, more challenging builds that are more fun” while also offering sets designed for families to build together.
The company also spotlights female builders through its “She Built That” campaign, which showcases brightly colored, intricately designed sets created to inspire girls and women.
The LEGO Group, founded in Denmark in 1932, takes its name from the Danish phrase meaning “play well.” The company’s products are sold in more than 140 countries worldwide.
Stanton reflected on why he chose to work for the company:
“When you translate the word Lego from Danish into English, it translates as play well. And what better place to work than a company whose name is play well?”
Atlanta Dream president and COO Morgan Shaw Parker (left) said about eliminating the debts: “It’s really special,” Parker said.
“It actually opens up opportunities for their dreams to flourish.” Photo by Laura Nwogu/ The Atlanta Voice
The Atlanta Dream, The King Center and Cash App announced that, in partnership with ForgiveCo, they are eliminating $10 million in debt in some of Atlanta’s low-income communities. Photo by Laura Nwogu/The Atlanta Voice
Mike Moore, 46, (above) with a Transformer LEGO set. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
Braves, Falcons, Panthers, & Tech: Busy weekend in Atlanta Sports
By DONNELL SUGGS
One season is grinding to an end, while two others are just beginning. This weekend will be busy in Atlanta sports, with the final month of Atlanta Braves baseball games beginning, the start of the Atlanta Falcons season, and the football seasons for Clark Atlanta and Georgia Tech.
The Atlanta Falcons, back from another non-playoff season in 2024 (Note: If you’re counting, that’s seven consecutive seasons without a playoff berth), will open the 2025 season with a home game inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, an NFC South rival, is expected to sell out.
The Falcons swept Tampa last season, beginning the season 6-3, before the wheels fell off. A strong start to the season will directly coincide with a victory over the Buccaneers on Sunday.
The Atlanta Braves will also be in town for the weekend. The Braves spent the early part of the week in Chicago playing the Cubs. Atlanta, back to .500 at home with a 33-33 record, returned to Truist Park to play nine straight. The initial third of that homestand will begin with the Seattle Mariners. Seattle catcher Cal
Raleigh (50 home runs) is still pursuing the switch-hitter home run record of 54 by Mickey Mantle in 1961, so there’s a chance that by the time he and the Mariners get to Atlanta, fans could be a part of Major League Baseball history.
The Braves lost the series in Chicago after being up several runs in the first game on Monday and losing on a walkoff, and wasting a quality start from Joey Wentz on Tuesday. A pair
of Braves pitchers made their Major League debuts on Tuesday night.
Dominican right-hander Rolddy Munioz pitched two scoreless innings in the fifth and sixth. Augusta, Georgia native Hayden Harris pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the seventh.
Braves rookie catcher Drake Baldwin is racing towards the National League Rookie of the Year award.
Baldwin is hitting .283 with 62 RBI and 15 home runs. Though he has only won
National League Rookie of the Month once, Baldwin has played a large role in the Braves’ offense this season. His defense behind the plate has also been a plus for a Braves team with very little to celebrate this season.
Not to be outdone, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets will also play host duties at Bobby Dodd Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Yellow Jackets and Heisman hopeful (joking. Not joking) senior quarterback
Haynes King won a close one in Boulder, Colorado, last Friday. During that game, King had 156 rushing yards (and three touchdowns) in comparison to Colorado’s 157 total rushing yards. He also passed for 143 yards during the 27-20 victory. Look for those numbers to be equaled if not surpassed during Tech’s next game against Gardner-Webb on Saturday (3:30 p.m.).
Tech will play its next three games at home, including games against Clemson on Sept. 13 and Temple on Sept. 20. The Clark Atlanta Panthers are back in action in the Atlanta University Center. The Panthers, 0-1 after opening the 2025 season with a 31-28 loss to Valdosta State at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama, last week, will host Florida Memorial University on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. Morehouse College, also 0-1, will be in New Jersey at MetLife Stadium on Saturday. The maroon Tigers will face the Howard Universty Bison in the HBCU NY Football Classic. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Atlanta United will be off for the week, but returns to Mercedes-Benz Stadium to host the Columbus Crew on Saturday, Sept. 13. First kick is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The last time the two teams met at Lower. com Field on June 25 in Columbus, Atlanta United lost 3-0 on a rainy night. The Five Stripes were mired in inconsistent play at the time, and are now playing better heading into the international break in the Major League Soccer sc
This weekend will be busy in Atlanta sports, with the final month of Atlanta Braves baseball games beginning, the start of the Atlanta Falcons season, and the football seasons for Clark Atlanta and Georgia Tech. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
The Atlanta Braves will host the Seattle Mariners at Truist Park (above) this weekend. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Photo Credit: Jack Casey/Atlanta Braves
SENIOR (62+)
Spacious 1-Bedroom Affordable! Rent Based on Annual Income Amenities, Great Location, and Convenient to Marta Please call for detailed information (404) 586-9098
CLIENT ACCOUNTING MANAGER
Client Accounting Manager – Envision Business Management Group Inc – Atlanta, GA. Prep revnue prjctns & forcst’g xpendtrs. Reqs bach deg (or FDE) in Accounting, Business, Management, Finance, or rltd fld. 2 yrs exp as an Acntnt, Fncl Mgr, or rltd occ, incl dmstrtd exp in/with: fncl rprt rvws; fncl data anlyztn; fncl rprt creatn; fncl rcrds maint; fncl impct anlys; prep’g rev prjctns; xpendtr forcst’g. Mst hv CPA lic. Mst hv lgl auth to wrk in the U.S. EEOE. Send resumes to Lyka Mae Geocadin, Office Manager, Envision Business Management Group Inc, 3645 Marketplace Blvd, Suite 130-318, Atlanta, GA 30344, or email to officemanager@envisionbmg. com. Pls ref job title + KV25 in cvr ltr or eml subj ln.
Hospitalist Physician – Independent Physicians Resource, Inc. – Atlanta, GA. (Mult Pstns Avail) Provide medcl care to adlt patients in a hsptl in a tmly mnr. Reqs M.D. or frgn eqiv degr. Mst be Brd Cert or Brd elgbl in Intrnl Med or Fam Med. Subj to perdc tfers to var unantcptd loctns w/in the U.S. Mst hv lgl auth to wrk in the U.S. EEOE. Send resumes to Jackie Olliff, Chief Talent & HR Officer, Independent Physicians Resource, Inc., 5665 New Northside Dr., Suite 200, Atlanta, GA 30328, or email to jolliff@apollomd.com. Pls ref job title + AT25 in cvr ltr/eml subj line.
Software Engineer
Software Engineer in Test II w/ GREENSKY MANAGEMENT COMPANY LLC in Atlanta, GA. Telecommuting permitted. Dvlp & execute comprehensive suites of automation test plans & test cases based on req’mts. Contribute toward dsgn’g, dvlpng & supporting frameworks for our test infrastructure & providing testing support for ongoing dvlpmt efforts. Req’s: Bach deg (U.S. or foreign equiv) in Comp Engg, Comp Sci, IT or rel. field. 5 yrs of exp in job offered or in rel. role. Job Code: 9209888. QUALIFIED APPLICANTS: Apply at greensky.com. Select “About” tab & click on “Careers.” NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE. ©2006-2025 GreenSky, LLC. All rights reserved. GreenSky is an equal opportunity employer & will not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any classification protected by federal, state, or local law.
Beulah | Actual patient