SEPTEMBER 18-24, 2026 • Vol. 61 Issue 19 • FREE
IN THIS ISSUE
New ‘Skeletons Become Children’ Exhibit Opens in Atlanta PAGE 9
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A Community Remembers
The great-great-granddaughters of the late James L. “Mr. V” Virgil participates in a balloon release and candlelight vigil held in his honor outside the former location of his nightclub, Mr. V’s Figure 8. Community members gathered this week to celebrate Virgil’s life and his legacy as an Atlanta business owner. Photo by Tabius H. McCoy/The Atlanta Voice.
Page 2 • SEPTEMBER 18-24, 2026 • theatlantavoice.com
Community
Long Live Mr. V By DONNELL SUGGS
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he red balloons lifted up into the night sky as Earth, Wind & Fire’s 1981 classic “Let’s Groove” played on the loudspeakers. Another party, another night at Mr. V’s in Southwest Atlanta. For many people who called Atlanta home in the mid to late 70s and 80s, Mr. V’s Figure 8 was the place to be. On a warm night decades after the club opened and long since closed, there was a party going on. James L. “Mr. V” Virgil recently passed away after living to be 85 years old, but the memories from nights out at his club, “Mr. V’s Figure 8,” will live on forever. On Tuesday, Sept. 15, the parking lot of the now-closed legendary nightclub on Campbellton Road was full once again. There were still ladies dressed up and men in suits, but this time it was to celebrate the life and times of Virgil. A balloon release and candlelight vigil in his honor took place, and for so many people in attendance, including Virgil’s daughter, who took a moment to speak from the stage set up in front of where the entrance to the club was, it was a family reunion as much as it was a memorial. “Virgil was so kind to me when I
For many people who called Atlanta home in the mid to late 70s and 80s, Mr. V’s Figure 8 was the place to be. Photo by Tabius H. McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
moved to Atlanta. We all loved him,” said Karen Crenshaw, who added, “This is a social group,” as she pointed to all the groups of people hugging, talking, and laughing in small groups. In her hands was the original Mr. V’s VIP card, given to the few who were lucky enough to earn one. The card was more than 40 years old and in near mint condition. “Of course I still have it,” she said. Teresa L. Graves, an actress and dancer who remembers spending long nights at Mr. V’s, walked over to
The club was open during a time in Atlanta affectionately described as “Old Atlanta” when there were fewer tourist attractions and more Black Mecca. Photo by Tabius H. McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
hug Crenshaw, a longtime friend, and said, “It’s a reunion and a celebration. We are here to honor Mr. V’s. When this place opened, it was the spot.” The club was open during a time in Atlanta affectionately described as “Old Atlanta” when there was less tourist attraction and more Black Mecca. For men like Lance Robertson, who was wearing a white t-shirt with the words “I Am Atlanta Culture” on it, Virgil should be credited with making Atlanta what it is today. “Mr. V was a major player in the emergence of Atlanta. You ever heard of Grady babies, well, these are Mr. V’s babies. A lot of us grew up in this club.,” said Robertson. So many people used the phrase “good man” to describe Virgil, a native of Mississippi who came to Atlanta from Chicago, that it became cliche. But that description of the
Back then, you couldn’t wear jeans in Mr. V’s,” Foster said. “He set a trend.” Photo by Tabius H. McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
businessman and entrepreneur was fitting if you asked Ricardo Butler. “Mr. V put Atlanta, Georgia, on the map,” said Butler, who worked at the club as a young man in the late 70s. “Everything was affordable. He had one of the best buffets, too. He was just a good person.” Local artist and curator Renee Gardner used to work for Virgil. She knew him well and teared up
Atlanta residents gathered at the former Mr. V’s Figure 8 nightclub to honor founder James L. “Mr. V” Virgil, whose club shaped memories of the city’s 1970s and ’80s nightlife. Photo by Tabius H. McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
moments before the balloon release. “I got a chance to really sit down and learn from him. It was so beautiful. He definitely was a mentor to so many of us,” she said. “He was always there to help.” “Groovy People,” a Lou Rawls classic, played over the speakers as people mingled about following the balloon release. Kenneth “Sky” Foster looked to his right, and then to his left, and smiled. “I worked for him for four years as a doorman while I was in college. Back then, you couldn’t wear jeans in Mr. V’s,” Foster said. “He set a trend.” Tim and Carlita Nunnelly were there to pay their respects. Both frequented Mr. V’s Figure 8 back in the day and have fond memories. “He did a lot for the nightlife in Atlanta,” said Tim, who knew Virgil from when both were young men in Chicago. “This was the beginning right here.” Foster took time to hug some people, and shake hands with others as the evening went on. It seemed like everyone there, more than 60 people at one point, knew his name. When asked how he seemed to know everyone in the parking lot, Foster, the former doorman, smiled. “My job was to say, “Welcome to Mr. V’s Figure 8 Club,” said Foster.
theatlantavoice.com • SEPTEMBER 18-24, 2026 • Page 3
Politics
Election Day is less than 50 days away, Georgia By DONNELL SUGGS
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here are now 50 days till midterm Election Day, November 3, 2026. That’s less than two months before Georgia voters decide who will be their next governor, attorney general, secretary of state, one-half of their United States Senate representation, and more. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms was in Milner at a campaign stop over the past weekend. Asked if she believes the war in Iran may be a distraction to Georgia voters, Bottoms, the second woman to be elected Atlanta Mayor, said the current presidential administration specializes in distraction, but that shouldn’t surprise Georgia voters. Bottoms was back on the campaign trail with fellow Democrat Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff last Sunday. The pair has campaigned together several times this year, including in Atlanta. On Sunday, they were in Athens. Her counterpart and opponent, Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick
Jackson, is scheduled to be in Marietta this week. And Ossoff’s opponent, Republican Congressman Mike Collins was back in town after appearing on stage during the inaugural Republic Midterm Convention in Dallas. Bottoms was asked if the current war in Iran, which has led to a munition shortage, according to the Pentagon, can be a distraction to Georgia voters. There are nine major active duty military installations in the Peach State. “President Trump is the author of distraction and chaos. Even a war in the Middle East impacts us directly. From the cost of groceries, to the cost of gas, to his erratic tariff policies, it’s unfortunate,” said Bottoms. “Men and women of this state are being harmed because of a war that was started because of the president’s ego.” In Clayton County, Democratic candidates for secretary of state, attorney general, commissioner of labor, commissioner of insurance, and public service commissioner held a meet and greet at the Clayton County Northwest Library in Riverdale on Monday. With less than 30
State Rep. Tanya Miller (left) and Nikki Porcher during a meet-and-greet in Clayton County on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
days till the early voting period begins on October 13, candidates like Judge Penny Brown Reynolds, State Representative Tanya Miller, and Nikki Porcher answered questions from voters and pitched their goals for their respective campaigns. “We are 29 days away,” said Brown Reynolds on Monday night. “I was in Gainesville/Hall County yesterday, and I know Georgia is ready for change.”
Brown Reynolds said she was in a room full of white people, potential voters if she is lucky enough to crack the Republican stronghold that is Hall County. Despite being among Republican voters, Brown Reynolds said she was amongst like-minded companies. “I believe there’s a Georgia for all of us,” she said. “Right now, we’re trying to save democracy. We have to take everybody and vote from the top of the
ballot to the bottom of the ballot.” Miller, who worked as a prosecutor and often touts the fact that she was undefeated in that role, was in Lamar County over the weekend. She is not new to running for a political office, and sometimes uses her time in front of a crowd to explain what the attorney general’s role is. “I have found that a lot of people don’t know what the attorney general does because the current attorney general doesn’t do anything,” Miller explained. “The attorney general’s job is to protect the people.” President Donald Trump is in the news for many reasons, including because of A.I., but he also was a subject of discussion in the small library anteroom on Monday night. “We are not safe from Trump in Georgia. They are on a mission to roll back our rights,” said Miller, who says she is running for Georgia Attorney General because of people like her grandmother who was born in MIssissippi in 1922. “My career, though it has a lot in it, is a balanced career. I have always worked for the people.”
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Voices
There’s a Storm Coming By REV. PETER JOHNSON
FOUNDED
grew up in Plaquemine, Louisiana, where the older folks could tell you it was going to rain before there was a cloud in the sky. As a little boy, I would hear one of them say, “A storm is coming.” I would run outside, look up at a bright blue sky, and come back convinced they were wrong. “There’s not a cloud out there,” I would say. They would smile and answer, “Baby, you haven’t lived long enough yet.” Before the day was over, the wind would shift. The air would get heavy. Dark clouds would gather, and the rain would come pouring down. Back then, I thought they had some kind of magic. Now I understand. They had experience. They had survived enough storms to recognize the signs before anyone else could. Well, I am one of the older people now, and I feel a storm coming. It is gathering around something called election integrity. Let me be clear. I believe elections should be secure. Every lawful vote should be protected, every voting system should be trustworthy, and every American should have confidence in the process. But Black folks have heard the language of “election integrity” before. We have heard words like “order,” “protection,” and “security” used to justify poll taxes, literacy tests, intimidation, and exclusion. We know that sometimes the words sound reasonable while the results fall hardest on our communities. That is why we must pay attention not only to what is being said, but to what is being done. President Donald Trump says he wants stronger election security. But at the same time, his administration has taken actions that critics say weaken independent election oversight, reduce confidence in federal election institutions and place greater pressure on the systems that help protect fair elections. That contradiction should trouble us. You cannot claim to strengthen the roof while removing the beams that hold it up. The bipartisan U.S. Election Assistance Commission was created after the disputed 2000 presidential election to help states improve election administration, certify voting systems and assist local officials. When the leadership of such an agency is weakened, every citizen should ask whether public confidence is being
May 11, 1966
I
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 COO Richard Dunn rdunn@theatlantavoice.com CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER Jazmine Brazier jbrazier@theatlantavoice.com EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING / EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO PUBLISHER Chia Suggs csuggs@theatlantavoice.com EDITOR IN CHIEF Donnell Suggs editor@theatlantavoice.com
Rev. Peter Johnson is a veteran Civil Rights leader, minister, educator, and writer whose activism spans more than six decades. A legend of the Civil Rights Movement, he writes frequently on faith, justice, democracy, and race in America.
protected or endangered. Black Americans, especially, cannot afford to be casual about that question. Our people did not stumble into the voting booth. We marched there. We prayed there. We bled there. We buried people on the road there. I remember men and women standing in courthouse lines knowing they could lose their jobs, be threatened, humiliated, or turned away. Some dressed in their Sunday clothes because they believed registering to vote was sacred work. They were not only fighting for the right to cast a ballot. They were fighting for the right to trust that the ballot would count. That trust is fragile. Once people lose faith in elections, every defeat becomes fraud, every victory becomes suspicious, and every political opponent becomes an enemy. Democracy cannot survive long under those conditions. As a minister, I learned that accountability strengthens trust.
Pastors should not count the offering alone. Finance committees review the books. Trustees examine expenditures. Auditors ask hard questions. That does not weaken the church. It protects the church. The same is true for elections. Independent oversight is not the enemy of election integrity. It is part of election integrity. Black voters should also be cautious when politicians raise fears about widespread voter fraud without producing evidence that matches the alarm. History tells us that imaginary threats have often been used to create very real barriers. We have seen laws presented as neutral that made it harder for elderly people, students, working families and communities of color to vote. That is why this moment requires wisdom, not panic. We should register. We should verify our registration. We should learn the laws. We should vote early when possible. We should help our elders reach the polls. We should
watch local election boards, state legislatures, and federal agencies. Most of all, we should refuse to surrender our trust blindly to any politician or political party. The old folks in Plaquemine taught me to pay attention before the rain started. They noticed the wind. They felt the pressure change. They recognized what others ignored. I hope I am wrong about this storm. I pray that our elections remain free, fair and trusted. But I have lived long enough to know that rights can be weakened while people are distracted, and institutions can be damaged while leaders insist they are being protected. Black America must not be caught without an umbrella. Our ancestors paid too much for the ballot. Our children have too much at stake. This is the hour to stay awake, stay informed, stay organized, and keep voting. The clouds may not be visible yet. But the wind is already changing. There’s a storm coming.
GENERAL ASSIGNMENT REPORTERS Laura Nwogu lnwogu@theatlantavoice.com Noah Washington nwashington@theatlantavoice.com BUSINESS REPORTER Tabius H. McCoy tmccoy@theatlantavoice.com SPORTS REPORTER Tarohn Finley tfinley@theatlantavoice.com EDITOR AT LARGE Stan Washington swashington@theatlantavoice.com ––– SALES RDW Jackson rdwadman@gmail.com SUBMISSIONS editor@theatlantavoice.com DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS Martel Sharpe msharpe@theatlantavoice.com ––– CONTACT INFORMATION 633 Pryor Street, S.W. Atlanta, GA 30312 Office: 404-524-6426 info@theatlantavoice.com
theatlantavoice.com • SEPTEMBER 18-24, 2026 • Page 5
Food
Catch Them by the Smoke: Black Girls Grilling Takes On the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival By LAURA NWOGU
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hen India Glass and Felicia Jordan, the sister duo behind Black Girls Grilling, attended the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival (AFWF) for the first time in 2025, they vowed that they’d return as featured chefs in 2026. A year later, their promise rang true. Glass and Jordan will join the more than 200 chefs, restaurants, and beverage purveyors gathering at The Home Depot Backyard for the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival’s culinary weekend of food, drinks, and culture. Black Girls Grilling will be part of “The Homecoming” event on Sunday, Sept. 13, where comforting flavors, seasonal dishes, and Atlanta hospitality meet. It’s an atmosphere that encompasses everything the sisters love: rich smoke, hot coals, delicious food, and community. Glass and Jordan hail from a long line of pitmasters and cooks, their father and uncles teaching them everything they know about the craft. What has grown into an award-winning venture for the sisters stems from their family roots. Growing up in a small shotgun house in Vienna, Georgia, their father and his family leaned heavily on each other. With little else to do, weekends were all about fish fries and firing up the grill. “Our love for food begins with family. We grew up fellowshiping all our lives, getting together, especially after church on Sundays,” Glass said. “We’re cooking and eating, and the love about it is actually being a part of it, having the hands-on experience.” Those moments created family recipes and Southern barbecue traditions that have now been passed down to the sisters. From sweet smoked pound cake and oxtails to smoked seafood queso, they have taken those recipes and made them their own, all on their Big Green Egg grill. “Food is celebration. Food is life. It brings people together. We’ve had wonderful opportunities to travel to a lot of different countries at this point, and we notice it all across the globe,” Jordan said. “It’s different cuisines, it’s different cultures, it’s different chefs, and when we can be right there in the mix, we love it.” They now stand on the shoulders of their family and Black pitmasters who historically invented
When India Glass (right) and Felicia Jordan, the sister duo behind Black Girls Grilling, attended the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival (AFWF) for the first time in 2025. Photo by Tabius H. McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
and perfected modern American barbecue. And as Black women pitmasters, they are now forging their own path. With 20 years in the hospitality industry on Glass’ side and 15 years in operations for Jordan, the sisters decided to combine what they’d learned from different restaurants and corporate America to create Black Girls Grilling. For a decade, they have carried the importance of tradition, fellowshiping and connection with them through Black Girls Grilling. Their signature motto “catch me by the smoke,” embraces the idea of community around food. Where there’s smoke, there’s Black Girls Grilling, and they encourage everyone to socialize and celebrate with them as ingredients turn into comforting and hearty dishes. “We have come in contact with some of the most amazing kindred spirits. We have friends and family that support us, but there are strangers that’ll come out and say, ‘Hey, we met y’all at a barbecue competition’ and they may follow us on social media, but they’ll come back out and see us at festivals,” Jordan said. “When we say ‘catch me by the smoke,’ we literally mean it. We got smoke in the air. We out there having a good time, and come join because
once you get there, you’re part of Black Girls Grilling.” Their passion has carried them far. The sisters recalled times when exhaustion beat them down, from barbecuing all night to gathering items for events and filling out paperwork. But they kept going and pushing through the challenges because they enjoy the purpose of it all, and for
them, “tired is not a reason to stop.” “We say Black Girls Grilling because it’s in the name. That’s who we are. But it’s never about the separation; it’s about the celebration,” Glass said. “Since the beginning, people have fallen in love with us because we come with authenticity every single time… That’s just because leaning on family, we grew up seeing
that. That’s DNA that’s genetically in us. We can’t be nothing else but us.” The sisters said they have been preparing for the AFWF for months. On Sunday, Black Girls Grilling will be serving their Piggy Smalls, an open-faced pulled pork sandwich. When guests leave the festival, Jordan said she hopes they’re able to enjoy themselves without worry. “I hope they take away just the ability to just let your guard down, let your hair down, have a good time, treat yourself. You know, I tell people all the time: treat yourself, don’t cheat yourself,” Jordan said. “Especially where we are now, even just economically, everybody’s feeling what it’s like sometimes to go through those challenges. When you can come out and say, ‘Hey, I’m gonna get my ticket to this Atlanta Food and Wine Festival,’ come out, let your hair down, meet people that look just like you that have stories that are similar to yours.” They also hope attendees see that if you have a passion for something and continue to show up for yourself, anything can happen. As much as they enjoyed being on the other side of the tent, they said they’ll enjoy being under the tent even more. And it’s a purpose that they manifested nearly a year ago. “I always feel that things happen in divine order, so that was created for me to think about what’s going on right now. We’re perfect for our purpose,” Glass said.
Black Girls Grilling (above) will be part of “The Homecoming” event at the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival on Sunday, Sept. 13. Photo by Tabius H. McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
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Sports
‘Football Changed My Entire Life’: Douglas County’s Johnny T White is more than a football coach By DONNELL SUGGS
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ouglas County High School head football coach Johnny T. White and his staff got their team back to practice a couple of days after the Labor Day holiday weekend. The Tigers were approaching a bye week on September 11 and would be back under the Friday night lights on Friday, September 18, in Columbus against the Carver High School Tigers. In between, there was film to watch, plays to go over, and drills to run. While the color guard worked on their routines on the sidelines, and the kickers and punters went through drills near the 50-yard line, White screamed across the field: “Hey, 3:30 p.m. is 3:30 p.m.!” In his 11th season as the Tigers’ head coach, White looks at his 30-plus-year coaching career as “the biggest blessing of my life.” He’s quick to credit his wife of 23 years, Dr. Tiquette White, his daughter, Skai, a senior at Hampton University, the coaching staff at Douglas County, and even his former and current principals. White credits current Douglas County High School Principal Michal Sims and his two former principals at Douglas County, Andre Weaver and Kenja Parks, for making his job that much more enjoyable. Speaking of Parks and Weaver, White said he almost cried when he learned about both of their departures. “Those are two of the best principals I’ve ever worked for in my life,” he said during a recent interview with The Atlanta Voice. White believes the village that is a high school football program includes everyone involved. Asked what football means to him, the Virginia Beach native simply said, “Everything. It’s life-changing. Football changed my entire life.” “We’re going to be real intentional today!” Born in Virginia, football gave White an outlet like many boys and young men in the football and basketball-crazed state. What he would eventually do with that interest is what separates his story
“It’s about relationships. If you want a kid to run through a brick wall for you, you have to build a relationship of trust,” White (above) said. “I’ve always wanted to make sure they see me as a coach and a teacher.” Photo by Tabius H. McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
from so many. White’s mother had him at the age of 16, so along with those challenges, he also dealt with a lack of Black male role models in his life. His first Black male teacher didn’t enter his life until he was a high school freshman. One of those men, Ron Jenkins, his basketball coach at Virginia Beach Junior High School, was an inspiration on and off the court. “He was my biggest role model,” said White of Jenkins. “I didn’t see a Black teacher until then.” He is following in Jenkins’s footsteps as an educator by serving his community in the classroom as well. White doesn’t only coach football at Douglas County High, he also teaches economics during the day. Along with having taught economics over the past 11 years, White has taught U.S. history, American government, world history, and marketing during his teaching career. “I tell my kids all the time that I teach better than I coach,” said White. White believes there needs to be more Black male teachers to go along with the coaches he meets every year. He says some of the younger coaches want the title and
all that goes along with leading a town’s high school football program in a state like Georgia, but not necessarily the grind. He says the job of head football coach is much
bigger than X’s and O’s. “It’s about relationships. If you want a kid to run through a brick wall for you, you have to build a relationship of trust,” White
White has been coaching high school football for over 30 years. Asked what football means to him, the Virginia Beach native simply said, “Everything. It’s life-changing. Football changed my entire life.” Photo by Tabius H. McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
said. “I’ve always wanted to make sure they see me as a coach and a teacher.” Following his high school football career at First Colonial High School, White, a former linebacker on the scholastic level, played on the defensive line during his college football career at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. His college days remain close to his heart, and several of his former teammates still attend an annual offseason retreat. “Playing college football taught me the value of true friendship,” he said. “I have a group of 10 former teammates who talk and text each other every day.” Following graduation, White started his coaching career. During that time, he has been the youngest high school head football coach in Virginia, been an assistant on the collegiate level, and ultimately moved to Georgia to continue that career. As Rakim’s 1992 classic “Don’t Sweat the Technique” played over the loudspeakers, White and members of his coaching staff bobbed to the beat. “Y’all paying attention? This is the greatest rapper ever,” he said. The summer of 2000 remains a touchpoint in White’s life and career. He still remembers the phone call he got about a job opening in Macon, Georgia. What he knew about Macon and Middle Georgia was less than what he knew about what was happening on the moon. He took the job anyway. “That’s how I ended up in Georgia, sight unseen,” he said. White has seen some special talent during the early part of his career. He coached former Michigan State, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Giants, and New York Jets receiver Plaxico Burress while the pair was at Green Run High School. Burress is one of four former National Football League players from Green Run, including former Buffalo Bills defensive back Matt Darby. The job of a high school football coach is to win games (the Tigers
See WHITE on page 10
theatlantavoice.com • SEPTEMBER 18-24, 2026 • Page 7
Business
Lenox Square Job Fair Offers Holiday Season Opportunities By DONNELL SUGGS
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he holiday shopping season is right around the corner. For proper context, it’s just 100 days remaining till Christmas Day. The U.S. economy added over 160,000 jobs in August, according to the U.S. Labor Statistics. On Saturday, September 19, from 2-4 p.m., Lenox Square will be the site for a job fair for part-time and full-time jobs. The event will take place in the mall’s food court and will include national retail brands like Banana Republic, Victoria Secret, Pandora, and PacSun. Department store giant Bloomingdale’s is also scheduled to take part in the job fair. The job fair will offer potential employees the opportunity to meet with hiring teams of nearly 10 businesses within the mall, including restaurants. All candidates are asked to dress professionally, bring resumes, and be prepared to interview on site.
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Page 8 • SEPTEMBER 18-24, 2026 • theatlantavoice.com
Sponsored Content
Betting on Love: Why Bad Money Moves Might Be the Biggest Dating Red Flag in Atlanta By TRAVIS MAY, SR. an Atlanta-based Financial Advisor with Northwestern Mutual.
S
ingles on the dating scene can have great jobs, solid self-care routines, and good communication skills, but according to new research, it’s their ability to handle money that determines if a relationship will last. When it comes to dating and relationships, it turns out that financial literacy and money management matter more than most realize. A new survey found that 60% of Americans say poor financial habits are an absolute dealbreaker in a relationship. But here’s what might surprise people: It’s not about being broke or carrying student loans. It’s about the choices someone makes. Nearly half of Americans - 49% - say excessive gambling or risky money moves are the biggest financial warning signs in a partner. That tops hiding purchases and high credit card debt. And there’s a reason why: Most people understand that life
happens. Inflation is real. Bills pile up. Emergencies blow through your savings. But someone who’s spending money on sports betting apps instead of building an emergency fund, or taking out loans to cover gambling losses? That’s not bad luck. That’s bad judgment Among Gen Z couples, 41% say money fights are seriously straining their relationships. With many breakups resulting from financial distrust and incompatibility. “When one person is trying to save while the other is chasing quick wins, that tension shows up everywhere: date nights, future plans, how you talk about the life you’re building together,” said Travis May, Sr., an Atlanta-based Financial Advisor with Northwestern Mutual. According to the latest Northwestern Mutual Planning and Progress study, 32% of Gen Z adults are either betting on sports or considering prediction markets, compared to just 17% of all adults. That’s a sign of desperation wrapped in an opportunity, and it’s reshaping how young people think about money and risk. Betting apps are everywhere
Photo Credit: iStock.com/Dragos Condrea
now, and sports betting has been normalized as a quick way to build wealth when traditional paths like homeownership and retirement savings make financial security feel further away than ever. For a generation watching their parents and grandparents work decades toward milestones that still seemed out of reach, the appeal of quick wins is real. “Money compatibility is becoming just as important as emotional chemistry,” May added. “Couples aren’t just asking, ‘Do we love each other anymore? They’re asking, ‘Can I trust you enough to build a financial future with you?’ And that’s a valid question.” According to the study, financial red flags that kill relationships include: - Excessive gambling or risky money behavior: 49% - Hiding or lying about purchases: 47% - High credit card debt: 41% - Constant impulse spending: 32% - Expecting a partner to pay for everything: 28% “It’s important to start having
Travis May, Sr., an Atlanta-based Financial Advisor with Northwestern Mutual Photo Courtesy of Northwestern Mutual
these conversations about money early,” said May. “Before co-signing on a lease or discussing having children, talk about your money values. I know these aren’t romantic questions, but they are critical
to the future of your relationship.” The full Love, Money and Relationships Progress and Planning study is available at https:// news.northwesternmutual.com/ planning-and-progress-study-2026.
theatlantavoice.com • SEPTEMBER 18-24, 2026 • Page 9
Arts
New ‘Skeletons Become Children’ Exhibit Opens in Atlanta By NOAH WASHINGTON
A
group exhibition drawing on one of the oldest surviving texts in human history has opened at the Emma Darnell Aviation Museum & Conference Center, pairing passages from the Egyptian Book of the Dead with new work from more than 20 Atlanta-based artists. The show, “Skeletons Become Children,” was conceived by artist and curator rEN Dillard, who said the idea came to him nearly two years ago while listening to an audiobook of “Awakening Osiris” by Normandi Ellis on a drive back from New Orleans. “My whole mythos as an artist is to translate higher philosophical ideas to brothers who look like me, who may not ever be exposed to it
any other way,” Dillard said. Dillard asked 23 artists to read the text and create original work in response. Each finished piece hangs beside the page of the ancient manuscript that inspired it, and a QR code at the exhibit links to the specific passage behind each work. Dillard’s own piece, “Sky Racer,” depicts the sun god Ra transitioning from animal to human to spiritual form. He said he hopes visitors leave with a renewed connection to concepts he believes still shape modern life, from the Ten Commandments to imagery on U.S. currency. “We’ve lost that information,” Dillard said. “My aim with this exhibition was to get us re-engaged with that.” Artist Gerald Byrd, a lifelong
Realms of Light by Rachel Garceau. The piece is made of porcelain. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
Atlanta resident and graduate of Atlanta College of Art said he had started his piece with days left before the deadline. While searching for inspiration, he visited an unmarked cemetery for unclaimed and incarcerated people near a local prison, then found a wooden Anubis statue at the West Georgia Flea Market after a stranger who described himself as a psychic told him he needed it. The finished work depicts two souls facing Anubis, one with his head raised, one lowered, modeled on two of Byrd’s childhood friends who died shortly after being incarcerated. Byrd used family quilts, traced back to his grandmother in Bowdon, Georgia, as a backdrop. “I thought, even in death, they don’t receive respect or glory, and we all make mistakes,” Byrd said. “So that was my way of honoring them.” Byrd said he hopes the piece restores “pride of self and love of self, love of our culture, love of our people” in viewers. Porcelain artist Rachel K. Garceau based her sculpture on a passage titled “Becoming a Light in the Darkness.” Garceau, who typically works in white or grayscale porcelain, said the piece marks a departure into color. White spheres represent sea foam, a symbol she connected to Hans Christian Andersen’s original “The Little Mermaid,” Greek myths of Aphrodite and Celtic creation stories. Black pebbles represent darkness, and hand-formed red petals stand in for the Egyptian blue lotus flower, a recurring symbol in the text. Because she could not source a blue lotus, Garceau substituted calendula, a flower she grows herself that also opens by day and closes at night. “It’s this sort of bridge between earth and sea, or life and death,” Garceau said. Painter Courtney Brooks, whose submission draws from a passage titled “His Soul, His Shadow,” described her piece as an abstract, figurative work tracing a journey “from darkness to light.” “It represents journey of like going in positions and how we keep
Anubis as Judge of Truth, by Gerald Byrd. Mixed, Found, Oil on wood, 150 y/o quilts, fiverglass anubis, multiple piece installation. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
leveling up in this life,” Brooks said. According to the exhibition statement, “Skeletons Become Children” is curated to sit “at the meeting point of past and present, life and death,” with each piece carrying “the artist’s own
history and perspective.” Byrd, reflecting on the exhibit’s twists, said he never planned any of it. “I did not do this on purpose,” he said. “It’s something greater than me.”
Sky Racer by rEN Dillard. Acrylic, 23K Gold, Dyed Silver, 48x48 Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
Page 10 • SEPTEMBER 18-24, 2026 • theatlantavoice.com
Sports
Falcons Still Without a Starting Quarterback Decision for Week 2 By TAROHN FINLEY Report for America Corp Just Bij It The Atlanta Falcons’ offense can be expected to revolve around star running back Bijan Robinson regardless of who starts at quarterback this week.“If it’s Cooper, Mike, Tua, it doesn’t really matter who it is. I just want to make sure they know that they have me as an outlet at all times on the field, and, you know, if they find me, that will be great. But obviously, you know, I’m here to help them out,” Robinson said. Robinson helped Rush and the Falcons’ offense significantly last Sunday. He had 21 carries for 83 yards while adding eight catches for 90 yards and a touchdown against the Steelers. Stefanski did not rule out Robinson seeing a similar workload going forward.“Do I think he’s going to touch it 29 times each game? I don’t know,” Stefanski said when asked if Week 1 would be Robinson’s workload moving forward. “He wants to, he’s told me. “As an offense, you want to make yourself difficult to defend, and Bijan by himself is difficult to defend,” Stefanski said. “But when you add other great players and you can move and spread the ball around the offense, that can only make him great. That was my takeaway from those 29 touches in Week 1. It can make you even harder to defend in a way.”That reinforces
Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (above) said playing Sunday is still a possibility, but it will come down to him reaching his physical goals rather than how he feels mentally. Photo by Tarohn Finley/The Atlanta Voice
“Just Bij It,” a term created by the Falcons that means looking to get the ball to Robinson if a play does not go according to plan.“If you get in trouble, just Bij it,” Penix said in August. Falcons Offense vs. Panthers Defense Outside of Robinson, the Falcons struggled to feature their other offensive playmakers against the Steelers. Robinson was the only Falcon with more than two catches and 35 yards. He had twice as many catches as every other Falcons player combined and more receiving yards by himself than the rest of the team. Falcons wide receiver Drake
WHITE Continued from page 6 won their first game of the season on September 4, a 35-24 victory over the Douglass High School Astros), but it’s also to put his players in the best post-high school position possible. Whether that is as a collegiate student-athlete or a scholar. White says the toughest part of his job is managing expectations, both for his team and for folks outside of the program. “Unfortunately, I’m not talking about the kids,” he said. “Everybody can’t play at the University of Georgia. Sometimes, you have to fall in love with who falls in love with you,” said White. “You have to want who wants you.” White likes to use the old saying that comparison has been the thief of joy when it comes to college football recruiting success. He believes
London finished with two catches for 29 yards, while tight end Kyle Pitts did not record a catch against the Steelers. The good news for the Falcons is that the Panthers struggled to slow down the Chicago Bears’ offense, which put up a Week 1-high 59 points last Sunday. Despite Carolina’s struggles, Stefanski gave plenty of respect to the Panthers’ defense, mentioning the difficulties their secondary presents as well as the challenges of blocking their front seven and players such as Jaelan Phillips. The Panthers also feature highly touted players such as defensive tackle Derrick Brown and cornerback Jaycee Horn.
social media is the culprit in many cases. “Now these kids are comparing themselves to kids from all over the country. When I was playing in high school, we only knew the players from our area and from our state,” said White. A busy man, White greeted Douglas County Sentinel editor Derrick Mahone outside the gate. Minutes earlier, he was instructing the JV players on their way to the pregame meal. The best part of working with young people in pursuit of dreams and goals is seeing them on the other side, says White. He mentioned former players and watching them mature from boys to men, and that’s what he has enjoyed most about being a football coach for three decades and counting. “You know what I like the most? I like being invited to college graduations and weddings,” White said. “That means I did something right.”
Falcons Defense vs. Panthers Offense The Falcons’ defense was one of the bright spots in the Steelers game. Atlanta ranked second in defensive EPA at -22.2, trailing only the Steelers, who ranked first at -23.6. The Falcons held Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers to 231 passing yards and a touchdown, and no opposing wide receiver or running back had more than 60 yards. The Panthers’ offense presents a different type of challenge. Stefanski referred to Panthers quarterback Bryce Young as a quarterback who can hurt you. Young has revived his career since being benched early in his second season. He threw for 361 yards, three touchdowns and an interception last week and threw for a career-high 448 yards the last time these two teams met, in the Panthers’ 3027 overtime win over the Falcons last November. For the Falcons to have a different result this time around, they will have to put pressure on Young while accounting for his ability to scramble and keep plays alive in the pocket. Atlanta recorded five sacks in the teams’ last matchup. With James Pearce Jr. suspended and Jalon Walker out for the season, the Falcons could look to Z’Darius Smith to provide a pass-rushing presence. Smith showed no rust in his Falcons debut despite playing limited snaps and missing most of last season
while caring for his late mother and grieving the loss of his grandmother and father shortly afterward. Smith led the team with two sacks of his former Green Bay Packers teammate Rodgers. The Falcons’ defense will also have to slow down Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker, who finished with career highs of eight catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns last week. Coker rolled his ankle against the Bears and reportedly said he does not expect to miss time despite being seen in a walking boot after the game. Second-year Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan is also coming off a breakout rookie season. It will be interesting to see which Panthers wide receiver Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell is matched up against most of the time. Terrell missed Wednesday’s practice with a shoulder injury he suffered against the Steelers, while offensive guard Chris Lindstrom was also absent as he continues to recover from a concussion. Terrell also had a defensive holding penalty and a pass interference penalty in Sunday’s game. Stefanski also said the Panthers’ running backs can hurt you. Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard had 87 scrimmage yards against the Bears. On special teams, the focus will be on Falcons kicker Nick Folk, who missed two field goals after missing only three over his previous three seasons.
The Tigers (above at practice last week) will play at Carver High School in Columbus on Friday night. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Photo by Tabius H. McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
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REQUEST FOR BIDS FULTON COUNTY ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Sealed Bid for 26ITB1617106C-GS Carpet Tile Installation & Repair Services Countywide or the Department of Real Estate & Asset Management will be accepted by the Fulton County Department of Purchasing & Contract Compliance online through the Web Grants System via BidNet Direct at https://www.bidnetdirect.com/georgia/fultoncounty on Tuesday, October 13, 2026 at 11:00 A.M.. All Bids submitted must be received no later than 11:00 a.m. local (Eastern) time on the stated due date, via Zoom Link below. Web Conference Link: https://zoom.us/j/93421113708 Meeting ID: 934 2111 3708 Bid Bond: N/A Scope of Work: Fulton County, Georgia “County” is seeking bids from qualified bidders to provide Carpet, Carpet Tile Installation and Repair Services Countywide. The detailed scope of work and technical specifications is outlined in the Scope of Work, Section 4 of this bid document. General instructions, specifications and/or plans for this project can be Downloaded Free of charge at https://www.bidnetdirect.com/Georgia/ fultoncounty under “Bid Opportunities”. Fee: N/A Term of Contract: 1 Year with 2 Renewal Options. PRE-BID CONFERENCE: will be held virtually online via a Zoom Conference, to provide bidder(s) with information regarding this project and to address any questions. Date: Tuesday, September 22, 2026 Time: 10:00 A.M. Web Conference Link: https://zoom.us/j/97733291423 Meeting ID: 977 3329 1423 If you have any questions regarding this project please contact Gertis Strozier, APA via Phone: (404) 612-7916 or E-mail at gertis.strozier@ fultoncountyga.gov. Fulton County reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids and to waive technicalities.
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“We received a grant from Google to purchase computers so we can educate new students on EMS and fire.” Dr. Miles Allen, Fire Chief, Douglas County Fire & EMS Learn more at goo.gle/ga-impact