Erika Weathers (above) was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, 2008, and last year. She is a survivor and advocate for women and men who face or have faced similar battles with cancer. Photo courtesy of Weathers
Erika Weathers’ journey: Breast cancer, resilience, and advocacy
By DONNELL SUGGS
Erika Weathers was on a roll when she learned that she had breast cancer in 2004. Then, at 33, Weathers was living in Vinnings and working as a flight attendant for a local airline. She loves to travel, work out, and act, and those jobs and activities allowed the Middletown, New York native, to see the country, meet people from around the world, and entertain others. On that day, however, traveling, Zumba classes, and reading scripts were the last things on her mind.
“I was in the prime of my life,” said Weathers by phone from her home in Atlanta.
There is no history of breast cancer in Weathers’ family. She was the chosen one, and she still doesn’t know why she was chosen to go through what she went through.
“I’m the first one. It was like, ‘Why me? What’s going on in my body?” she said.
About getting the news that her life was going to change, she said, “That was devastating.”
Weathers, 56, is far from alone. Breast cancer will affect millions of Americans this year. Whether you are male or female, adult or child, the odds that you know someone who has had breast cancer inject itself into their life is high, according to data from the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. (NBCF).
1 in 8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer, according to the organization’s data. This year, there will be an estimated 316,000-plus women and nearly 3,000 men diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. One of those women was once Weathers.
Along with skin cancer, breast cancer is the
Midtown. That day, she was surrounded by family and friends.
Weathers is also an author. She wrote a book about her breast cancer survival and journey, “Free Me 2 Be Me,” which was self-published in 2021, after she was laid off during the COVID pandemic. The time off work as a flight attendant allowed Weathers to focus on telling her story.
“I took advantage of that time. I used to always say I wanted to write a book about my life,” said Weathers, who added that she wrote the book about her entire life and not just the cancer part of the story.
In the book, she also discusses her relationship with her father, Ronald Weathers, who, along with her mother, Jackie Zoldan, twin brother Chris, other brother Erik, and stepmother Carol Weathers, has impacted her life.
Asked if she has any advice for breast cancer patients going through what she went through, Weathers simply said they have to keep on keeping on.
“Get on with your life,” she said. “It just depends on how you are. I’m always looking for the next best thing to do in my life.”
most common cancer among women in this country. But there has been a significant decrease in breast cancer deaths since 1989, according to the American Cancer Society data.
Early detection and awareness are reasons for thousands of lives being saved.
“Early diagnosis is key. Early detection, get it out of you, and get on with your life,” Weathers said.
The early detection of the cancer, Weathers’
positive attitude, and willingness to fight can all be listed as reasons she survived her first diagnosis. Along with being a flight attendant, Weathers is a realtor for HomeSmart, an Arizona-based brokerage firm, and an actress. Weathers has had roles in several Lifetime projects and routinely goes out on auditions. She also volunteers as a poll worker during local elections, and don’t forget those Zumba classes. She has also been an instructor in the past.
“I always have a positive mindset. You can only do what you can do, but it’s always better to have a positive mindset when you do it,” she said. “I just have to make everything work.”
That positive mindset came in handy when Weathers was challenged again. She was re-diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 and again in late 2024. She had just finished celebrating 16 years of being cancer-free before this. Both times, she faced facts and approached hormone therapy treatments and radiation treatments with faith and a positive attitude. But it wasn’t easy. It never is, she said.
Following surgery on her left breast, the right had been removed years earlier. Weathers got the chance to go through a national rite of passage for cancer patients. During her first battles, she never got the chance, but she did this time around.
On May 9, 2025, she rang the bell at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University in
Weathers is working on a second book, preparing for more real estate training, and working the polls for the upcoming November elections.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and for the past 40 years, it has been the national month of observance in the United States. Weathers enjoys speaking to groups and individuals as an advocate for breast cancer patients and survivors. She remembers needing to talk to someone who understood what she was going through
“Sometimes it’s easier to talk to someone who has been through it,” she said.
Erika Weathers has been through it and back.
“I just like to know that I can get to the finish line and to know that I can do anything I can set my mind to,” Weathers said.
Weathers (above) is an author and wrote a book about her breast cancer survival and journey, “Free Me 2 Be Me.” The book, which was self-published in 2021, is available on Amazon. Photo courtesy of Weathers
1 in 8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Weathers was first diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 33. “Early diagnosis is key. Early detection, get it out of you, and get on with your life,” Weathers said. Photo courtesy of Weathers
Erika Weathers rang the bell at Emory University Hospital Midtown on May 9, 2025, and celebrated with family and friends. Photo courtesy of Weathers
Atlanta Starbucks locations to shut as part of restructuring
By LAURA NWOGU
In Atlanta, it seems like there’s a Starbucks on every corner, but on National Coffee Day, that expectation is shifting. The multinational coffeehouse chain recently announced that it would be shuttering the doors of hundreds of stores.
In a statement on Sept. 28, Brian Niccol, the Starbucks chairman and chief executive officer, said they’d been reviewing their North American coffeehouse portfolio to identify and close underperforming stores. The restructuring is part of a “Back to Starbucks” plan focused on returning to its roots through a simplified menu, an elevated store experience, and a redesign.
“During the review, we identified coffeehouses where we’re unable to create the physical environment our customers and
partners expect, or where we don’t see a path to financial performance, and these locations will be closed,” Niccol said.
Coffeehouses scheduled to close were notified last week. In Atlanta, those closures include the location on the lower level of the Equitable Building at 100 Peachtree Street, 21 14th Street, and 1870 Piedmont Avenue. The closure of over 400 stores will impact “non-retail partner roles,” resulting in 900 corporate layoffs.
In the statement, Niccol shared that they are “working hard to offer transfers to nearby locations where possible” and will offer severance packages for partners they can’t immediately place.
The decision comes after Starbucks reported a decline in sales for six consecutive quarters as of July 2025.
Atlanta Hawks’ Million Meal Pack: Fighting hunger together
By NOAH WASHINGTON
The Atlanta Hawks and State Farm brought thousands together at State Farm Arena for the fifth Million Meal Pack, a largescale volunteer initiative to fight hunger across metro Atlanta.
More than 5,000 volunteers, including families, churches, sororities, fraternities, corporate teams, and community groups, rotated through five shifts to help pack more than one million shelf-stable meals. The event, held in partnership with U.S. Hunger, benefits nonprofits such as the Atlanta Community Food Bank, Hosea Helps, Midwest Food Bank, the Salvation Army of Metro Atlanta, and Sweetwater Mission.
Since the program’s launch in 2019, the Hawks and State Farm have enlisted more than 21,000 volunteers and provided over 4.1 million meals to Georgians in need. The program did not happen during 2020-2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This work is core to being a civic asset,” said Alexis Roe, the Hawks’ vice president of community impact. “One in seven adults and one in five children live with food insecurity. Efforts like this remind families that this city embraces them, and that we’re committed to making their experience a little better by providing a meal.”
The atmosphere inside the arena contrasted with the sobering statistics. Volunteers streamed in through tunnels filled with smoke and music, energized by DJs and Hawks talent. Roe credited the team’s live entertainment staff, led Saturday by DJ Mohawk, for keeping the energy high across shifts.
For many, the event was personal. Juanita Gibbons Delaney, a registered nurse from Southwest Atlanta, joined alongside her church, Historic Ebenezer Baptist, and her
nursing sorority, Chi Eta Phi. “I believe in volunteering and giving back,” she said. “If anyone’s hungry in the Atlanta area, we’ve got one million meals here for you.”
Elizabeth Robinson, a longtime State Farm employee working in auto claims, originally from Illinois, volunteered as a table captain. She said she was inspired to step up after first participating as a packer last year. “I wanted to dedicate more of my time,” Robinson said. “Everyone comes in ready. I love to see the excitement when people walk through the tunnel, and the DJ hypes everyone up. It’s amazing.”
The effort reflects a strong partnership between the Hawks and State Farm. King Butler, a State Farm vice president based in Atlanta, said employees and agents eagerly sign up each year. “The feedback we get is that this is one of the best events we do all year,” Butler said. “They know it makes a difference, and they have fun doing it.”
The meals that were packed on Saturday
did not sit idle. Pallets were immediately loaded onto trucks bound for food banks and pantries across the region. “These are shelf-stable, healthy meals, the kinds that food banks never have enough of,” said U.S. Hunger CEO Rick Whitted. “They’ll be in pantries and on families’ tables today and in the coming weeks.”
For Whitted, the event was also about awareness. “As you’re packing, there’s a realization, this is real food, going to real people who need real help,” he said. “That energy inspires people to keep serving their neighbors long after the event ends.”
Hawks CEO Steve Koonin said the Million Meal Pack reflects the organization’s goal to be more than just a basketball franchise. “Sports bring people together,” Koonin said. “Seeing thousands of volunteers from all walks of life give back shows what this building can mean as a town hall for Atlanta.” Organizers emphasized that while one day can’t solve food insecurity, the Million Meal Pack is a powerful step. For Robinson, the event’s impact was clear: “We’re here for a worthy cause,” she said. “Helping people who don’t have enough, that’s what it’s all about.”
Three Atlanta-based Starbucks locations are closed or will be closing this week. Above: The location inside the Equitable Building at 100 Peachtree Street in downtown Atlanta. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
The Atlanta Hawks and State Farm brought thousands together at State Farm Arena on Saturday, September 27, for the fifth Million Meal Pack. Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
Voices
Justice in the Algorithm
By DR. MUSTAFA ALI
We should understand the essence of this moment — on the cusp between collapse and creation — we stand staring at something both terrifying and divine: the rise of artificial intelligence. It’s not science fiction anymore. It’s not a whisper on the wind. It’s here. It’s learning us — our faces, our rhythms, our desires, and even our fears. And if we’re not careful, it’ll inherit every injustice we’ve failed to dismantle.
The future we want cannot be built with the tools of the past. Slavery had cotton. Colonialism had gold. The 21st century has data. But the lesson remains the same: those who do not control the resource are destined to be controlled by those who do.
Own Your Data or Be Owned by It
Let us take a moment to be clear. In this new digital economy, data is the new oil — but more invasive, more intimate. It knows the pulse of our hearts, the inflection of our voices, the tilt of our politics. But unlike oil, data regenerates, multiplies, feeds itself. And right now, it’s being harvested by the handful, sucked from communities without consent, transparency, or reparations.
We’ve seen this movie before. First, they take your labor. Then they take your land. Then they take your likeness. Now they want your language patterns, your biometric scans, your browsing habits. It’s an extraction economy wearing a Silicon Valley hoodie.
But what if we flipped the script? What if data were community-owned? What if AI models trained on Black speech patterns, Indigenous knowledge systems, or working-class narratives had to pay for that privilege — not just in licensing fees, but in returns that fund schools, solar panels, local clinics, and libraries? What if every byte pulled from us came back tenfold in dignity?
Justice Must Be Programmed In
AI doesn’t have to be evil. It’s not inherently racist or sexist or ableist. But it willbecome those things if we don’t train it differently — because it learns from us. And if we don’t teach it to see the humanity in the most marginalized, it will reinforce the hierarchies that profit from their invisibility.
Every decision we make now—about facial recognition, about predictive policing, about employment screening, about who gets credit and who gets watched—etches itself into the code of tomorrow. We are building a digital Constitution, line by line, and if equity isn’t the preamble, oppression will be the default.
Together, let us legislate like it matters and utilize strategy to achieve our collective goals. Together we can demand ethical frameworks that center justice, not just efficiency. As a forward-thinking collective, we can require AI audits, community oversight boards, and radical transparency about where the data comes from and how it’s used. Let’s create models that
don’t just optimize profit margins but maximize shared power.
The Climate Cost of the Cloud
And then there’s the Earth.
We cannot build the future on a platform that burns it down. The servers that feed AI’s hunger for computation don’t run on goodwill. They run on coal-fired electricity, on lithium mines that scar Indigenous land, on water siphoned from drought-prone regions to cool machines that memorize our selfies. The irony is brutal: we’re training machines to understand us while killing the planet that birthed us.
If the digital future requires strip-mining the natural one, we’ve already failed.
We need a green AI revolution. One that prioritizes energy efficiency in its very architecture. One that locates server farms in places powered by wind and sun, not fracked gas. One that reinvests its profits into climate resilience — especially in frontline communities that didn’t create this crisis but bear its brunt.
Imagine if every teraflop of AI-powered innovation came with a carbon receipt and a promise to offset, to repair, to regenerate. Imagine if the biggest AI labs were also the biggest funders of climate justice and energy transition in the
Global South. Imagine if intelligence — artificial or otherwise — meant nothing unless it was in service to the planet.
We Decide What Tomorrow Knows
This moment is not neutral. It is holy. It is perilous. It is pregnant with possibility.
We can choose a future where AI deepens divides, surveils dissent, and sells our stories to the highest bidder. Or we can choose one where it becomes a tool for liberation — a way to amplify unheard voices, dismantle biased systems, and democratize the very act of knowing.
But make no mistake: we must choose . The algorithms won’t save us. The corporations won’t either. This isn’t about tech. It’s about values. About vision. About whether we believe that every child — whether born in Nairobi or Newark, on tribal land or tenement block — deserves a say in the systems that will define their lives.
So we start today. By organizing. By legislating. By educating. By demanding a future where intelligence — human and machine — serves justice, not empire.
We own our stories. We own our data. We honor our Earth.
And we refuse to be left behind.
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Dr. Mustafa Ali says we must decide whether AI serves empire — or liberation. And if we don’t own our data, we’ll be owned by those who do. Photo Credit: iStock.com/Dongyu Xu
William J. Scott Elementary gets $9K grant for bike program
By ISAIAH SINGLETON
William J. Scott Elementary was in for a major treat with the introduction of All Kids Bike, a national 501(c) (3) nonprofit that aims to give every child in America the opportunity to learn how to ride a bike in school.
William J. Scott Elementary revealed the All Kids Bike Kindergarten PE Learn-to-Ride program, thanks to a generous $9,000 grant from The Life Time Foundation.
During the celebration, the All-Kids Bike Program introduced the kindergarteners to their first ride on the Strider balance bikes. William J. Scott Elementary leadership and representatives from the Life Time Foundation delivered a brief presentation before the bike reveal.
The grant includes teacher training and certification, the comprehensive eight-lesson learn-to-ride curriculum, a fleet of 24 Strider balance-to-pedal bikes, pedal conversion kits, student helmets, a teacher instruction bike, and rolling storage racks—everything needed to teach kids how to progress from balancing to pedaling.
William J. Scott Elementary was selected because it is a community where Life Time Team Members live and work.
By teaching kids to ride bikes in school, All Kids Bike gives hundreds of thousands of children each year the chance to learn a life-changing skill that supports physical development,
Local
William J. Scott Elementary students (above) were in for a major treat with the introduction of All Kids Bike, the national 501(c)(3) nonprofit aimed to give every child in America the opportunity to learn how to ride a bike in school. Photo by Isaiah Singleton/The Atlanta Voice
boosts mental health, and builds confidence.
This inclusive program empowers children to achieve a key developmental milestone while building lifelong wellness, confidence, and independence, because every child deserves the joy and freedom that comes with riding on two wheels.
The Life Time Foundation is dedicated to fostering healthy people, a healthy planet, and a healthy way of life. With their gift of $90,000 to All Kids Bike, they will deliver 10 programs
at schools across the country during the 202526 school year.
Principal at William J. Scott Elementary, Laminate Ojezua, said the school’s coach wanted to do something with All Bikes, and it would not have been possible without the help of the Life Time Foundation.
“My Coach, Coach Pendleton, wanted to incorporate All Kids Bike in our school, and it truly wouldn’t have been possible without the aid and support of Life Time Foundation,” she said. “This is a cool opportunity, so I’m forever grateful to them for bringing joy to our students here at William J. Scott.”
When Ojezua saw the kindergartners ride the bikes for the first time, she said she was extremely excited.
“I feel like sometimes, the physical activities like riding bikes are a lost art, but they’re important and tie into a lot of things, not just physically, but with coordination, critical thinking, reading, and a lot more,” she said. “It ties into things academically as well, so this is crucial for our students.”
Long term, she says, students will be able to use the bikes during P.E. with Coach Pendleton.
“Our students will be able to graduate when they’re able to ride bikes fully and confidently, so it’s not just the physical aspect of riding the bikes, but the characteristic tricks that come with it, like perseverance,” she said. “We want our students to feel it’s okay to fall and get back up as long as you keep getting back up and trying, and, in the end, you’re going to be
First-time homebuyer seminar in Atlanta offers $5,000 grant opportunity
By STAFF REPORT
Aspiring homeowners in the Atlanta area are invited to take the first crucial steps toward realizing their dream at the exclusive CHASE YOUR DREAM: 1st-Time Homebuyer Seminar presented by Jimmy Jones & CHASE BANK on Wednesday, October 8th. This special, private event is designed to demystify the home-buying process and connect attendees with key industry experts and valuable financial resources. The seminar will be held at the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE), located at 504 Fair St SW, Atlanta, GA 30313 @ riceatlanta. A complimentary dinner, sponsored by Chase Bank, will begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by the main presentation at 6:30 p.m. Attendees will have the unique opportunity to hear directly from Bryant Thomas (@iambryantthomas) of Chase Bank, who will detail how qualified first-time buyers can access a $5,000 HOME GRANT from Chase Bank to help with
down payment and closing costs.
The comprehensive panel of speakers includes:
Jimmy Jones (@iamjimmyjonez), Realtor
Bryant Thomas (@iambryantthomas), Chase Bank
Kareem Madison (@kareemmaddison), Closing Attorney
Trevor Hymel (@safehomeinspectionsllc_), Home Inspector
These experts will cover every step of the journey, from pre-approval and financing to inspections and the final closing. In addition to gaining invaluable knowledge, guests will have a chance to win exciting door prizes, including a Big-Screen TV sponsored by Jimmy Jones and Lueder, Larkin & Hunter and hundreds of dollars in gift cards.
This is a private event, and real estate agents are strictly prohibited from attending.
The seminar is focused solely on providing resources and education
to potential first-time homebuyers through the Jimmy Jones Team’s effective strategies.
EVENT DETAILS:
WHAT: CHASE YOUR DREAM: 1stTime Homebuyer Seminar
WHEN: Wednesday, October 8th, 2025 (Dinner 30 p.m. | Presentation 30 p.m.)
WHERE: Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE) - 504 Fair St SW, Atlanta, GA 30313
RSVP: Attendance is mandatory and free, but limited. Secure your spot now at ChaseYourDreamATL.com
About the Event
The CHASE YOUR DREAM: 1st-Time Homebuyer Seminar is a collaborative effort to empower the Atlanta community by providing accessible, expert-led information on achieving homeownership. The event is made possible through the generous sponsorship of Chase Bank and Lueder, Larkin & Hunter.
successful. I’m really excited for our students.”
General Manager for the Life Time Foundation, Tara Esmiel, said that Life Time and the Life Time Foundation understand the importance of healthy habits.
“We understand the love for being active, movement, and staying active is an important part of kids’ wellbeing. We’re super proud to be able to give back to the Atlanta community where our team members live,” she said.
When Esmiel saw the kindergarteners get on the bike for the first time, she said she was in tears.
“I was so overjoyed, especially when we were leading up to everything and seeing how excited they were, and then actually getting them to ride the bikes and seeing them go fast, it’s so special,” she said.
Ojezua also says thank you to the Life Time Foundation for their support.
“Thank you so much to the Life Time Foundation. We really do appreciate it. Whenever we get opportunities like this, something that pours into our students, it means the world to us because we try to pour into them every day, but it means more when the community does it,” she said. “I’m incredibly grateful, and we’re all excited and hope they come back.
Additionally, Ojezua says the school is trying to partner with Life Time Foundation to do more physical activities for the kids and even the teachers.
“I’m looking forward to a great partnership,” she said.
HIV stigma and disparity: Christopher Green’s journey
By DyANA BAGBy
On a warm Florida night in May 2013, Christopher “Super” Green learned he was HIV-positive.
“I got my diagnosis on a date, actually,” he said. “I was dating a guy, and we wanted to be intimate. He was studying public health, so we went to a clinic together.”
The result stunned him. Just months earlier, he had tested negative. “I remember feeling like my world had ended,” Green said. “At this point, I felt like my life was over. No one was going to love me. This is it. Get ready. I have three years to live.”
Those early days were marked by fear and shame. Shame made him feel isolated, unwanted, untouchable. But Green’s best friend, T.J., promised to stand by him. That support, combined with meeting J.J.—a young, Black case manager who spoke his language and understood his experiences— shifted everything. J.J. inspired Green to pursue public health himself.
Ten years later, Green is thriving. He works as a lead prevention navigator at Here’s to Life, a nonprofit in Atlanta’s West End serving men with HIV and substance use disorders. He tells his story openly because silence, he said, only fuels stigma.
“For many people, the stigma is more dangerous than HIV itself,” Green explained. “It keeps people from getting tested, starting treatment, or reaching out for support.”
Green’s story mirrors a larger crisis: HIV continues to disproportionately affect Black communities in the South, where systemic inequities drive persistent disparities.
Structural Inequities
Nationwide, more than 1.13 million people were living with HIV in 2023, according to AIDSVu, a project of Emory University. Those aged 55–64 made up the largest group, 26%. Black individuals accounted for 39% of people living with HIV—despite being just 12% of the U.S. population. The prevalence rate among Black Americans was seven times higher than among white Americans.
The disparities start with prevention. In 2023, Black Americans made up 38% of new HIV diagnoses but just 14% of those eligible for PrEP, a highly effective prevention pill.
“These systemic inequities are the main driver,” said Rashad Burgess, vice president of corporate responsibility at Gilead Sciences. “We’ve known this for a long time, and it’s still true today.”
Atlanta is one of the nation’s HIV hotspots, with Fulton County reporting that Black residents account for more than 60% of new diagnoses, though they make up roughly 40% of the population. AIDSVumaps show the hardest-hit neighborhoods concentrated
in southwest Atlanta and along the I-20 corridor, areas shaped by housing instability, limited transportation, and scarce access to culturally competent healthcare.
“Having the ability to get a ride to a doctor’s office is key,” Burgess said. “If you’re unstably housed, it’s hard to stay on medications. And if you’re not virologically suppressed, you’re more likely to transmit the virus and your health outcomes decline.”
Gaps in Prevention
Access to PrEP remains one of the biggest gaps. Even when Black patients are engaged in healthcare, Burgess said, they are less
likely to be offered PrEP due to provider bias.
“What we find to be really successful are systems that routinize HIV screening,” he said.
“That way, people know their status and, if negative, can be offered PrEP as a natural next step.”
Longtime Atlanta activist Daniel Driffin said too many providers still refer patients to specialty clinics instead of prescribing PrEP themselves. Combined with high uninsured rates and Georgia’s refusal to expand Medicaid, many fall through the cracks.
“We’re waiting for people to learn they’re living with HIV before we intervene,” Driffin said.
“That’s a horrible place to be in public health.”
Driffin and other activists launched a
community-led prevention model to address the gap. Over 60 days, more than 150 participants helped design a program focused on three pillars: robust HIV testing, a pooled “people’s purse” to fund prevention efforts, and culturally resonant messaging.
“We create a hand-holding situation until that person begins care,” Driffin said.
“Community-led solutions alongside public health oversight ensure that people aren’t being forgotten.”
Progress and Threats
Medical advances have made HIV manageable. In 2023, 82.8% of newly diagnosed individuals were linked to care, 76.3% of people living with diagnosed HIV received care, and 67.2% achieved viral suppression.
“You can live a normal life, have a normal lifespan, with your virus being managed by therapy,” Burgess said.
But progress is fragile. More than 80% of CDC prevention funding supports state and local health departments through the federal Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative. Proposed cuts of nearly $1.5 billion to Medicaid and CDC budgets could erode years of gains, leading to more infections nationwide.
The Weight of Stigma
Even with medicine and prevention tools, stigma remains the hardest barrier to break, particularly in the South.
“As a matter of fact, many argue stigma is the number one barrier,” Burgess said. “It impacts whether people access PrEP, whether they seek treatment, and whether they’re diagnosed late or with AIDS.”
To shift perceptions, Gilead invests in campaigns featuring trusted voices—from faith leaders to barbershops to celebrities like Tamar Braxton, who has publicly shared her use of PrEP. Partnerships with Morehouse School of Medicine extend outreach to rural Georgia.
“We have to normalize HIV prevention and care as part of overall wellness,” Burgess said. “That means visual representation, trusted messengers, and community-driven dialogue.”
For Green, that mission is personal. Each time he shares his story, he chips away at the silence that once left him isolated.
“I learned what care looks like from another Black man because he knew how to relate to me, how to pour into me what I needed as opposed to giving me just clinical information,” Green said.
“We often talk about the social determinants of health within public health spaces, such as housing, employment, and access to a phone. But we can’t leave out the most important thing, and that is the person and meeting them where they are.”
Christopher Green, 34, has been on antiretroviral medication since being diagnosed with HIV a decade ago. The medication affords him a healthy life and suppresses the virus, so he is undetectable and cannot transmit it. Photo by Dyana Bagby/The Atlanta Voice
Three Atlanta Artists Redefine Identity in ‘Outside’ Exhibition
By NOAH WASHINGTON
Three artists with Atlanta roots are examining what it means to exist “outside” dominant narratives in a new exhibition that opened Wednesday at Hawkins Headquarters gallery.
“Outside,” curated by Rosa Duffy, features works by Gerald Lovell, Taylor Simmons and Jurell Cayetano, all artists who got their start in Atlanta, though two now live in New York.
The show’s title carries multiple meanings, from literal outdoor spaces to cultural positioning within Black communities, said Simmons, who coined the name after the artists’ original concept fell through.
“The word outside could mean ‘we outside,’ which in Black cultural consciousness we’re all aware of,” said Simmons, who moved to New York but returns regularly to Atlanta. “I love the idea of there being almost like a secret language for Black folks.”
The exhibition emerged from years of planning. The three artists had attempted to mount a group show twice before, with previous iterations falling through. Duffy, an archivist and curator who has known all three artists for over a decade, connected them with Alexander Hawkins, who opened his gallery in August 2023 in a converted space on Old Hapeville Road.
“They’re three of my favorite artists,” Duffy said. “They deserve to have a homecoming show.”
Hawkins, a 2021 Savannah College of Art and Design graduate with degrees in sculpture and art history, identified a gap in Atlanta’s art scene that led to his gallery’s creation.
“Atlanta largely lacked this middle gallery section,” said Hawkins, who began construction in March 2023. The city had “a lot of small nonprofit spaces and a bunch of larger galleries in Buckhead,” but needed something in between.
The location choice was deliberate. “We kind of wanted to be far away from everyone else,” Hawkins said. Despite being on Old Hapeville Road, the gallery sits just outside Hapeville city limits in Fulton County.
Simmons’ four works blend personal memory with tactile
experiences. His piece “Shortstop in Red Clay” incorporates cast iron powder to recreate the red Georgia clay he remembers from childhood baseball games in Douglasville.
“There’s some things that have actual objects or tactile feelings that create a memory in your mind,”
Simmons said. The painting includes a photograph of him at age 7, capturing what he calls a “cherished memory” of getting too muddy for his mother’s new Ford Explorer.
Lovell’s portraits, including “Lunatico”, inspired by a Brooklyn jazz bar, and “Boots (94’ Bronco),” focus on intimate identity rather than trauma narratives often expected of Black artists. His works combine flat impressionistic techniques with thick impasto.
“I don’t know when paintings come to me. They just kind of come to me,” Lovell said about his creative process.
Cayetano’s five pieces chronicle nightlife through archival photographs spanning nearly a decade. Born in Brooklyn but raised in Atlanta since the mid1990s, he describes himself as “really a homebody,” but his paintings capture “moments of zen,” “delirium and euphoria,” and morning-after reflections.
“Every piece is kind of chronicling one stage of the night,” said Cayetano.
The press release describes “Outside” as an assertion of presence and visibility, “an act of resistance during a time when Black folks face the counteract of being pushed underground.”
Hawkins, a 2021 SCAD graduate who opened the gallery to fill what he saw as a gap in Atlanta’s art ecosystem, said the exhibition represents the quality programming he aims to provide.
“It’s really nice finding exciting artists, whether they’re in Atlanta and accessible, or if they’re in Canada, New York, or wherever they may be,” Hawkins said.
For Duffy, the exhibition demonstrates the possibilities of sustained artistic practice. Two of the artists are now represented by galleries in New York and London.
“What I think is important about this show is to see that it’s possible to be a working artist,” she said. “They’re good representations of what rigor can get you as far as your art practice is concerned.”
The exhibition runs through Nov. 24. Hawkins Headquarters is located at 2865 Old Hapeville Rd SW, Hapeville, GA 30354.
Jurrell Cayetano (above) standing in front of his piece, Backseat Driving, 2025. Oil on paper mounted on canvas. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
Three artists with Atlanta roots are examining what it means to exist “outside” dominant narratives in a new exhibition that opened Wednesday at Hawkins Headquarters gallery. Above: Gerald Lovell, Lunatico, 2025. Oil on panel. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
Taylor Simmons (above) with Shortstop in Red Clay, 2025. oil, acrylic, cast iron powder, canvas on panel. Photo by Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
Atlanta Braves’ season had highs and lows
By DONNELL SUGGS
The Atlanta Braves’ 2025 season is nearly over. There will be no postseason play for the Braves this time around, though. The National League East belongs to the rival Philadelphia Phillies. A potential wild card spot may go to Atlanta’s other rival, the New York Mets. For Braves fans, the final series against the Pittsburgh Pirates and whether the team wins matters less than what will be in place when the team meets at CoolToday Park in Venice, Florida, for spring training next year.
There’s a lot that went wrong this season (injuries, losing streaks, blown leads, blown saves, and Michael Harris II’s month of May and June, to name a few), but there were also enough positive performances for the fan base to be looking forward to the 2026 season.
The Highs:
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game took place at Truist Park, and by all measures, it was a success for everyone involved. The MLB Draft took place at the Coca-Cola Roxy at The Battery, and that event was sold out.
The 10-game win streak may have taken place at the end of the season, but it did happen. That streak of close wins, blowout victories, and stellar pitching performances (by Spencer Strider, Chris Sale, and Bryce Elder in particular) was an example of what this team can do when healthy.
All-Star first baseman Matt Olson had a career year. On Saturday night against the Pirates, Olson, an Atlanta native, played his 161st game of the year. During that time on the field, he has managed to lead the team in home runs (29), RBI (94), batting average (.272), doubles (40), and walks (90). His defense at first base has been Golden Glove-level.
Hurston Waldrep emerged as the club’s next star on the mound. Waldrep began his career in the majors as a last-minute call-up and had to pitch in Bristol, Tennessee, following a rainout. That was the Speedway Classic against the Cincinnati Reds on August 2, and Waldrep has been impressive during his nine starts (6-1 overall record).
Michael Harris II had one of the best offensive second halves in Braves history. He hasn’t been too bad over the past week, either. Harris II is hitting over .370 with three home runs, seven RBI, four steals, and is slugging over .800. Harris will be an important piece of the 2026 team, with his defense in centerfield and speed on the basepaths. Harris’s bat will also be needed if Atlanta is going to be a postseason team next year. Even with his early-season struggles, Harris will finish this season second on the team in RBI, first in steals, and one of five players with at least 20 home runs.
Ozzie Albies, a fixture at second base for years, had a strong second half as well. He played in 157 games before injuring his hand late in the season. Albies hit 16 home runs, drove in 74 runs, and had 23 doubles, second
only to Olson.
The Lows:
Atlanta began the 2025 season with seven consecutive losses and never seemed to get back on track. The 2026 season will begin at Truist Park, though. The opponents will be the Kansas City Royals and the (add city here) A’s.
The Atlanta Braves will finish the 2025 season under .500 at Truist Park.
All five of the opening day starting pitchers missed significant time this season. All of them. In his final start of the season, Spencer Strider gave up three earned runs and seven hits against the Pirates.
The Future: The Braves have a ton of young talent on this roster, and most of those players will be needed if Atlanta is going to retain its spot atop the National League East.
Braves catcher Drake Baldwin is one of the top rookies in the National League. The Wisconsin native and former hockey player is on his way to becoming the full-time catcher for this team after platooning with Sean Murphy early in the season. Baldwin has 19 home runs and 80 RBI, and has quickly become one of the clutch hitters on this team.
Along with Waldrep, there are other young arms on the roster. Grant Holmes (21 starts this year), Spencer Swellenbach (17), and AJ Smith-Shawver (9) all gave the team quality starts when their numbers were called. All three pitchers will get starts next season alongside veterans like Strider, Sale, and Bryce Elder.
Currently at third base, Nacho Alvarez, Jr. has been impressive defensively in place of Austin Riley, who was hurt a few months ago. Alvarez, Jr. will not and cannot replace the offensive out of Riley, but will make a fine addition to the Braves’ bench when the time comes to give Riley a rest.
A father and son at The Battery hours before Saturday’s game against Pittsburgh. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Truist Park, home of the Atlanta Braves, was sold out several times this season, even after the Braves were mathematically out of postseason position. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Verdure Kitchen: African culinary fusion in Atlanta
By LAURA NWOGU
Oasis is an appropriate word to describe Verdure Kitchen and Cocktails. A hidden gem nestled in Midtown, the fine-dining African restaurant brings life to Atlanta with its lush decor and flavorful cuisine that tells a crafted story of the continent’s culture. Verdure recently celebrated its two-year anniversary, and executive chef Jean Louis-Sangare has been painting a picture of a place he calls home through farmto-table ingredients, unique spices, triedand-true techniques, and culinary fusion.
Hailing from Côte d’Ivoire, Sangare’s love of food began in the comfort of his home, watching his mother, Adele, as she hovered over stoves and handled kitchen knives to cook Sangare’s favorite Ivorian dishes. Those memories planted the seed for him to pursue a culinary education in Paris. He went on to earn the title of chef de cuisine at Le Bilboquet’s New York outpost for 15 years before traveling down south to take the helm as executive chef of the French bistro’s Atlanta location.
When the idea of Verdure began to come to life in July 2023 with restaurateurs Aïda Lemma and Jacob Ilkner, he knew it was his chance to shine a light on African cuisine in a way that brought more eyes and stomachs to what the cuisine is and could be.
“It’s a blessing to see that the first African fine dining opening in Atlanta has success. And it means a lot to me, because it’s something that I’ve been thinking about for many years, even when I was working in the French kitchen. So, I’ve been thinking about one day elevating African cuisine to the same level as French cuisine,” Sangare said as he sat in a chair dimly-lit by warm, ambient lighting.
He’d taken a short break from the kitchen, where he’d been slicing, dicing, sautéing,
and plating dishes for the guests who regularly come through the restaurant’s doors. It’s become a popular selection for date nights, birthdays, and large social gatherings, which are often serenaded by a live saxophonist playing renditions of Afrobeats hits.
“I’m so proud to represent the continent of Africa in the culinary industry, and it means a lot to me because I always want to show other people who have never been in Africa how much Africa has beautiful food, beautiful cuisine, and also using the same technique to bring African dishes to the new level.”
Atlanta and its surrounding neighborhoods are teeming with African cuisine, from the continent’s east coast to the west. These restaurants boast some of Africa’s most popular dishes, such as pounded yams, egusi soup, attieke, thieboudienne, waakye, doro wat, and jollof rice in all its iterations. For Sangare, his focus was on highlighting the ingredients and dishes from countries such as the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Zanzibar, Kenya, South Africa, and Morocco, and fusing them with Western and other cultural cuisines in a less casual setting.
A big part of what makes African cuisine so distinct is its fresh and bold ingredients and spices, which are, more often than not, tied to its local landscape. Every dish has similarities, yet are all still distinct and made with a diverse set of culinary techniques that can be traced to its own cultural heritage and traditions. Sangare is taking those beloved dishes a“I use all the ingredients that we have in Africa, and also the cuisine that is expanding in different regions in Africa, to bring that to fine dining. For example, we use dried okra, make it as a powder, and do a sauce with that,” Sangare said. “What makes that special is the ingredients we don’t find everywhere. And secondly, the colorfulness
of the ingredients.
“Each ingredient has unique flavors from different regions, but most regions have a similar cuisine; the flavor and aroma are just different. We do something that nobody has tried before. There’s a cultural band because each region of Africa has this unique culture that goes with their food.”
The menu is a melting pot, with dinner and brunch menus that feature dishes such as shrimp and avocado plantain bites, Nigerian spiced crab cakes, chicken yassa lollipops, roasted egusi hummus, Ethiopian honey-glazed sea bass, grilled pri-pri chicken, tiger shrimp and garri grits, and shakshuka, to name a few. It’s a culinary adventure that isn’t afraid to embrace and reinvent.
It’s made even more exciting by its craft cocktails and upscale yet warm setting, which transports you to your own personal garden. In the years to come, Sangare said he hopes to expand Verdure to cities such as Miami, New York, and D.C.
“We want to represent Africa in different states.”
“I use all the ingredients that we have in Africa, as well as the cuisine that is expanding in different regions in Africa, to bring that to fine dining,” Sangare (above) said.
Verdure Kitchen and Cocktails executive chef Jean Louis-Sangare (above) helped open Midtown’s only fine-dining African restaurant. Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
Verdure Kitchen and Cocktails executive chef Jean Louis-Sangare (above) prepares spinach for a dish. Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
Photo by Tabius McCoy/The Atlanta Voice
Real Estate Life
Atlanta Rents remain among Top 25 most expensive in the country
By DONNELL SUGGS
Zumper, a national digital marketplace for renters, has published its latest National Rent Report, and rents in Atlanta remain among the top 25 most expensive in the country. One-bedroom and two-bedroom units in the city proper, not to be confused with metro Atlanta, are above the national average despite rents falling over the past 90 days. Atlanta is 25th on a list that includes the usual suspects, New York City (1st), San Francisco (2nd), Boston (3rd), and Miami (6th).
“National rent prices have now been flat or falling for three straight months, which signals a real shift in the market,” said Zumper’s Crystal Chen, one of the two authors of the report along
with Quentin Proctor. “A mix of cooling renter demand, last year’s record wave of new supply, and softer conditions in the job market has taken some heat out of rents.”
Zumper’s National Rent Index revealed that national rent prices were either flat or declining for the third consecutive month. In September, one-bedroom rent units held steady at $1,517 per month, while rents for two-bedroom units dipped 0.2% to $1,894. The good news: Year-over-year, both unit types are down 1%.
But not in Atlanta—at least not yet. According to Zumper data, one-bedroom units in Atlanta average $1650 per month, while two-bedroom units average $2,010, more than $100 above the
national average.
“We’ll likely see prices temper a bit further through the winter if typical seasonality patterns hold true, but with fewer new units being built this year, rent prices will likely increase again as we move into the spring months of 2026,” Chen said.
Those numbers are still better than those in San Francisco, for example, where a one-bedroom unit averages $3,500 and a two-bedroom unit is breaking the $5,000 mark.
Rents in the mountain region are down. For example, one-bedroom units in Salt Lake City are down 11% yearover-year. Desert cities such as Las Vegas (-3.3%) and Phoenix (-3.8%) have also seen rent prices fall.
Street Lines: 2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E
By DENNIS MALCOLM ByRON AKA ALE SHARPTON
When it comes to electric cars, I have been waiting to experience this one: The 2025 Ford Mustang Mach-E promises to be the real deal when it comes to an electric crossover channeled through the rich legacy of the iconic American sports car. Presented in the Premium trim, Ford ultimately delivers.
Initially, the customized Molten Magenta accomplished the mission of capturing the eyes, complemented by black grille, rear spoiler, LED lighting package, and roomy, drainable “frunk” for more cargo accessibility. The recommended Sport Appearance Package ($2,995) takes the exterior to another level, including the front and rear lower fascia; 19inch gloss black wheels; and active grille shutters; and power liftgate. Of course, the signature pony badge stamp completes the look.
Power comes from an 88 kWh usable extended-range NCM battery paired with a single-speed transmission and e-AWD. With up to 150 kW DC fast-charge capability and an 11 kW onboard charger, the Mach-E makes quick road-trip recharging a reality. The estimated driving range rivals other competing electric SUVs averaging 104 miles combined, resulting in an impressive 300-mile range. There is a 10.2-hour standard charging time, but with the included fast-charging adapter (NACS), drivers could do a 10% to 80% power boost in about an impressive 40-minute time span. When using regenerative braking and one-pedal driving, efficiency gets a boost. Reportedly, Mach-e
owners would save $5,750 in fuel costs over five years alongside zero emissions to show Mother Earth some love.
When it comes to muscle, this Mustang doesn’t disappoint. The 262-horsepower rear-wheel-drive version sets things off, while the 480-horsepower all-wheel-drive version puts pretty much all others in the segment to shame.
The Premium trim delivers a luxurious cabin highlighted by black perforated ActiveX seats that are heated and ventilated up front. A 15.5-inch touchscreen running Ford’s signature SYNC 4A dominates the dash, backed by a theateresque 10-speaker B&O sound system and wireless charging pad. A
10.2-inch digital instrument cluster keeps vital information clear and easy to program.
Other outstanding perks include dual-zone climate control, a panoramic fixed-glass roof for optimal stargazing, and power-folding mirrors with pony projection lamps to flex a little more regarding amenities.
Driver assistance is equally advanced.
Ford Co-Pilot360™ Active 2.0 with BlueCruise (one-year plan included) which enables hands-free highway driving on compatible roads. A 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise, and advanced stability control raises a driver’s confidence whether it’s a quick trip to the grocery store or excursion to the mountains. To further ease the mind, Ford
backs the Mach-E with an 8-year/100,000mile battery warranty and a comprehensive 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain and roadside assistance plan. That’ll work especially for first-time EV buyers.
Starting at $42,995 and tested here at $55,930 with all the options, the 2025 Mustang Mach-E Premium does an impressive job of blending performance, technology, and sustainability into this latest head-turning, all-electric crossover.
Price: $42,995 MSRP and $55,930 with all options totaling $10,935 including paint, glass roof, 88 kW exterior battery, fast-charging adapter, and Sport Appearance Package. For more information, visit Ford.com.
Zumper’s latest National Rent Report has Atlanta among the top 25 most expensive cities in the country to rent a one or two-bedroom unit. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
Preproduction model with optional equipment and extra cost color option shown. Photo courtesy of Ford
OF PARENTAL RIGHTS, DOCKET NUMBER24CP0219SP, Trial Court of Massachusetts, Juvenile Court Department, COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS, Hampden County Juvenile Court, 80 State Street, Springfield, MA 01103. 413-748-7714. TO: The father of Carly Farrah Eli, born on 09/09/2013 in Atlanta, GA to Peaches Eli: A petition has been presented to this court by Department of Children & Families Springfield, seeking, as to the following child: Carly Farrah Eli, that said child be found in need of care and protection and committed to the Department of Children and Families. The court may dispense the rights of the person(s) named herein to receive notice of or to consent to any legal proceeding affecting the adoption, custody, or guardianship or any other disposition of the child named herein, if it finds that the child is in need of care and protection and that the best interests of the child would be served by said disposition. You are hereby ORDERED to appear in this court, at the court address set forth above, on the following date and time: 10/27/2025 at 09:00 AM Permanency Hearing You may bring an attorney with you. If you have a right to an attorney and if the court determines that you are indigent, the court will appoint an attorney to represent you. If you fail to appear, the court may proceed on that date and any date thereafter to a trial on the merits and adjudication of this matter. For further information call the Office of the Clerk-Magistrate at 413-322-6700.WITNESS: Hon. David B. Paradis, FIRST JUSTICE, DATE ISSUED: 09/04/2025, Paul R Viets, Clerk-Magistrate.
