A new mural commemorating the 1906 Atlanta Race Massacre in South Atlanta is drawing criticism from residents and historians, who say the artwork was developed with limited community input and misrepresents the historical trauma it seeks to address. The mural, located on the side of a building managed by Focused Community Strategies and across the […]
Alyssa Johnson
Alyssa Johnson is Capital B Atlanta's enterprise reporter.
Posted inEnvironmental Justice
How One Woman Turned a Polluted River Into a Protected Community Treasure
In the new series From Harm to Healing, Capital B is putting a spotlight on how pollution and environmental dangers are threatening Black communities, and the people who are working to fight back against these threats to health. In 2010, DeKalb County officials actively discouraged residents from getting too close to the South River. Signs were […]
Posted inHealth
Atlanta’s 2025 Breast Cancer Awareness Month Events: Walks, Talks, and Testing
October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and across metro Atlanta, the community is stepping up with walks, wellness events, educational panels, and fundraising galas — many of them created with Black women in mind. Black women have the lowest survival rate for every known stage of breast cancer across racial demographics, according to the American […]
Posted inCOVID-19
New COVID Vaccine Guidance Could Hit Black Georgians Hardest
A recent change in how federal officials are recommending the COVID-19 vaccine may have far-reaching implications for health equity in Georgia — especially for Black residents, who were among the hardest hit during the pandemic. Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices shifted its recommendation for the COVID […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice, Politics & Policy
Black Community in South Fulton Fights Georgia’s Data Center Boom
When Yvonne Cole Boone bought her home in South Fulton in 2018, she envisioned a peaceful retirement surrounded by family and friends, spending her days planting new flowers and fruit in her front-yard garden. Her house, nestled in an expansive residential community called Oakley Township, is in a neighborhood Boone says her family naturally fits […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
‘We Don’t Want Anyone to Lose Benefits’: Advocates Urge Black Georgians to Prepare for SNAP Changes
Georgia residents who receive food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program could begin seeing significant changes as soon as this fall, and local advocates warn SNAP recipients should prepare for these updates as soon as possible. Among the most significant changes are expanded work requirements for adults receiving benefits, and restrictions on immigrant eligibility. […]
Posted inHealth
Florida Vaccine Rollback Sparks Concerns for Black Families in Georgia
As Florida’s surgeon general announced earlier this week that the state plans to roll back vaccine mandates, some are wondering whether similar efforts could advance in Georgia. While there have been no formal proposals or public conversations from Georgia officials about ending vaccine mandates, health experts warn that the ripple effects from Florida could influence […]
Posted inHealth, Mental Health
Youth Suicide Is on the Rise in Georgia. For Black Teens, the Risk Is Even Higher.
A recent report from the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities revealed that suicide remains a leading cause of death among young people in the state, with Black youth experiencing the highest death rates. According to WJBF, which references the state’s report, cited that African American youth experienced the highest suicide death rate […]
Posted inEnvironmental Justice, Health, Politics & Policy
Atlanta Neighborhood Says City Failed to Protect Them From Unwanted Gas Station
When Amber Burks became the first person to move into Aviary Park, a new townhome complex on Greenbriar Parkway, she was excited to see how the community would transform and grow over time. But what she didn’t expect three years ago was for the neighborhood to be in an ongoing feud with the city over […]
Posted inHealth, Public Services
Where to Find Free HIV Testing in Atlanta as the South Faces a Crisis
As the South marks Southern HIV/AIDS Awareness Day today, local health organizations are sounding the alarm on a persistent public health crisis often overshadowed. “We’re still very much in an HIV epidemic,” Justin Smith, director of the Campaign to End AIDS at Positive Impact Health Centers, told Capital B Atlanta. “A lot of people assume […]