The Rev. Timothy McDonald was a 10-year-old fifth-grader at Perry Elementary School in Brunswick, Georgia, when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the 1965 Voting Rights Act into law. Prior to its passage, election officials in the South routinely used blatant discriminatory practices like jelly bean counts and literacy tests to deny Black voters access to […]
Politics & Policy
Posted inPolitics & Policy, State Politics
How to Get Your $500 Georgia Tax Rebate Check
Some good news could be coming to your mailbox or via direct deposit. The Georgia Department of Revenue announced in March that it will begin issuing rebate checks to all eligible taxpayers in the state. Eligible taxpayers who filed their 2024 and 2025 returns before the filing deadline can expect to receive their refund within […]
Posted inIncarceration, Politics & Policy
After Over a Year in ICE Detention, Double Amputee Rodney Taylor Released
After over a year in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention, Rodney Taylor has been released from the Stewart Detention Center in Stewart County. The Georgia barber’s family shared the news of his release on social media over the weekend. “Thank you to everyone who protested, called, emailed, shared and donated, your collective efforts made […]
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy, State Politics
Georgia AG Candidate’s Plan to Lower Rent, Grocery Bills, and Battle Trump’s Policies
Prosecuting violent criminals, gang members, and human traffickers has been the mission of Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr over the past 10 years. But candidate Tanya Miller said she wants to use the office to improve affordability and push back against President Donald Trump’s policies. The cuts to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Keisha Lance Bottoms Targeted in Attack Ad by Republican Billionaire
Rick Jackson hasn’t closed the deal yet in his bid to become the successor to Gov. Brian Kemp, but he’s already set his general election sights on Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms. The Republican gubernatorial candidate questions the former Atlanta mayor’s decision to rein in aggressive police tactics in the wake of the police killing of […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy, Reproductive Health
Billboards Offer Veterans a Lifeline After VA Abortion Care Ends
In a state that has one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the country, Georgia veterans were left with few options until the billboards showed up. Vet Voice Foundation, a veterans advocacy group, and The Brigid Alliance, an abortion support organization, are fighting to get information about abortion care to veterans and their families […]
Posted inIncarceration, Politics & Policy
With Police Help, There Are 41 Arrests of Immigrants Per Day in Georgia
There were 41 arrests of immigrants per day in Georgia in February. The state currently ranks fifth in number of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests nationwide. This 85% year-over-year increase in daily arrests represent the latest figures on immigrant detentions according to the Deportation Data Project. Aiding the rise is the number of sheriff’s […]
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy
Georgia Rep. David Scott Dies at 80
Georgia U.S. Rep. David Scott, whose political career in the Peach State spanned more than 50 years, has died. His death was confirmed to the media by his office. A cause of death wasn’t immediately disclosed. Rumors of Scott suffering from an unconfirmed illness began circulating earlier this year before and after he officially qualified […]
Posted inClimate Change, Criminal Justice, Economic Development, Environmental Justice, Policing, Politics & Policy
Atlanta’s ‘Cop City’ Makes a Black Neighborhood a Testing Lab for AI Policing
This story was published in partnership with Counterstream Media for The AI issue of Peace & Riot. ATLANTA — When he drives through his neighborhood now, Brian Page passes rows of police cars and AI‑powered cameras that track nearly every movement. For most of his life, Page, who goes by “Scapegoat Jones,” felt safest in […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy
U.S. House Votes to Extend Protected Status for Haitians, but Concerns Remain
A resolution to extend Temporary Protected Status for Haitian migrants through 2029 successfully passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, but the bill still faces considerable obstacles. The measure now goes to the majority-Republican Senate. Should it clear that chamber, the White House has already told reporters that President Donald Trump will veto it. […]