Cullen Smith takes an HIV preventative medication every day for “added security” and “peace of mind” after he thought he may have contracted the disease from a partner last year. “Once that situation came up, if I wanted to keep my current health, I needed to take other actions,” said Smith, an Atlanta resident. “I […]
Alyssa Johnson
Alyssa Johnson is Capital B Atlanta's enterprise reporter.
Posted inCapital B Atlanta, Health, Mental Health, Public Services
Staffing Cuts at Atlanta VA Raise Concerns for Black Veterans Who Rely on It Most
When Ed Anderson walks into the Atlanta VA Medical Center, he doesn’t just see a hospital. He sees the place that once saved his life. “I can say with no shame in my voice that the VA mental health care saved my life more than 20, 25 years ago,” said the 71-year-old Air Force veteran. […]
Posted inHealth, Mental Health
Former Falcon Rondale Moore’s Death Highlights Suicide Crisis Among Black Men
When news broke last week that Rondale Moore, a 25-year-old former Atlanta Falcons player, died by a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound, it stunned fans and coaches while raising alarm with mental health professionals. Authorities in New Albany, Indiana, said Moore was found dead in the garage of a property in the area and that his […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice, Health
Toxic Air From Sterilizer Plant Sparked Cancer Fears. Now Black Families Are Fighting Back.
Iffat Walker didn’t realize how close a facility that had been emitting a toxic chemical shown to cause lymphoma and breast cancer was to her family until she pulled up a map. Her mother’s home in Covington, where Walker spends time regularly, sits roughly 10 miles from a sterilizer plant that uses ethylene oxide, a […]
Posted inCommunity
From Swimming to Camping, an Atlanta Group Is Reclaiming Nature for Black Folks
On any given weekend in Atlanta, you might find dozens of Black residents hiking Arabia Mountain, kayaking along the Chattahoochee River, or gathered around a campfire sharing stories. At the center of it all is Taylor Crenshaw and her organization Peace in the Wild, which she started to get Black people into the outdoors. “Peace […]
Posted inCommunity, Culture, Events
Atlanta Valentine’s Day Events to Celebrate All Kinds of Love
This year for Valentine’s Day, Atlanta’s restaurants, museums and performance venues are rolling out an array of events to get you in the mood. Whether you’re looking to dance the night away or share a romantic experience with a loved one, Atlanta’s 2026 Valentine’s lineup promises a weekend full of unforgettable experiences. Thursday, Feb. 12 […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice
15,000 Gallons of Jet Fuel Spill Into Atlanta River, Raising Drinking Water Concerns
After Lynesia Denson heard on the news that thousands of gallons of jet fuel spilled into the Flint River, a body of water that flows through her community and at times provides some of their drinking water, she said she wasn’t shocked. “It’s really disappointing, but not surprising, that industry at the headwaters continues to […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice, Politics & Policy
The Data Center Atlanta Thought Was Dead Is Back on the Table
A data center proposal that was previously shot down has resurfaced in southwest Atlanta along with the debate over land use, equity, and who benefits from development in historically disinvested communities. The project, planned for a site near the West End MARTA station and bordering communities like Adair Park, Pittsburgh, and Mechanicsville, has been hotly […]
Posted inArts, Community
Mural Meant to Honor Black History Divided South Atlanta, but Now It’s Being Changed
Work has begun on revisions to the mural commemorating the 1906 Atlanta Race Massacre in South Atlanta, following months of intense community debate over its imagery and the process by which it was created. The 1906 Atlanta Race Massacre was a four-day wave of racial terror when white mobs attacked Black communities throughout Atlanta, leaving […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Atlanta’s Black Veterans See a Warning in the Killing of VA Nurse Alex Pretti
When Alex Pretti was killed by U.S. Border Patrol agents last week, the shock rippled far beyond Minneapolis, where the Veterans Affairs nurse worked. Black veterans and nurses in Atlanta say his death has forced a reckoning, not only with the federal government’s expanding use of force, but with what it means to serve a […]
