Tackling income inequality and building another 10,000 affordable housing units are two of Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens’ goals for a second term in office. The 51-year-old Dickens outlined his vision for a second term on Tuesday after formally qualifying to put his name on the ballot in November. He told dozens of supporters gathered on […]
Andre Dickens
Posted inLGBTQ, Politics & Policy
‘I’m Leading With Hope’: Atlanta’s New LGBTQ Affairs Lead Champions Trans People and Health Equity
Just over one month into his new role as Atlanta’s head of LGBTQ Affairs, Dewayne R. Queen is developing a vision that supports various groups by working with city partners and local organizations. But he knows it won’t be easy. While Atlanta is often viewed as a welcoming and progressive place, many are grappling with […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Public Safety
After Mass Shooting, Atlanta Launches New Safety Measures in Sweet Auburn
Last Monday, a mass shooting on Edgewood Avenue left 11 people injured, one man dead, and Atlanta’s Sweet Auburn neighborhood reeling. In response to increased pressure from the neighborhood planning unit, the city on Aug. 4 released its Coordinated Safety & Compliance Measures on Edgewood Avenue plan with a list of actions to address safety […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Atlanta Mass Shooting Highlights Need for More Violence Intervention Work
A mass shooting on Edgewood Avenue early Monday morning left Atlanta reeling and increased calls for more violence intervention work from grassroots organizations working in schools and neighborhoods across the city. At 1:27 a.m. Monday, Atlanta police received reports that multiple people were shot near the Edgewood at Hilliard streetcar station in Sweet Auburn, according […]
Posted inBlack Businesses, Local Politics
Tattoo and Art Space in Atlanta to Reopen Following Mayor’s Intervention in Zoning Fight
Miya Bailey was in a celebratory mood Wednesday evening after receiving word from an Atlanta official he declined to name that his beloved tattoo studio and art gallery, City of Ink, is “no longer in violation” of city zoning laws. “I really appreciate everybody who had a hand in helping out in this situation,” Bailey, […]
Posted inCity Politics, Politics & Policy
Atlanta Budget a Safeguard Against Potential Trump Cuts, Lawmakers Say
Atlanta City Council members say proposed cuts to federal aid programs many Black Atlantans count on and concerns about a national recession were on their minds last week when they approved another record-setting fiscal year budget. “Everyone seems to assume we’re going to have a recession,” council member Howard Shook told Capital B Atlanta on […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Incarceration
Overcrowded, Understaffed and Unsafe: One Woman’s Night in Atlanta’s City Jail
Dominique Grant said she was in the middle of a mental health crisis when she was pulled over driving on Moreland Avenue by a Georgia State Trooper the Friday before Mother’s Day. Arrested under suspicion of DUI, the 32-year-old mother was booked into the Atlanta City Detention Center (ACDC) around 11 p.m. that night. Grant […]
Posted inCity Politics, Housing
If Atlanta Is a Black Mecca, Why Are 8 Out of 10 Homeless People Black?
Forty-seven percent of Atlanta residents are Black, but the city commonly referred to as the Black Mecca had a homeless population in January that was 80% Black, according to the latest Point-In-Time homelessness census count released on Monday. Of equal concern, on Jan. 27, the city logged 131 homeless families, an 18% rise from the […]
Posted inCity Politics, Cop City, Policing, Public Safety
Inside ‘Cop City’: What Atlanta’s Controversial Training Center Looks Like
The Atlanta Public Safety Training Center — the southern DeKalb County facility colloquially known as “Cop City” — officially opened its doors Tuesday after four contentious years of development. The 85-acre campus will serve as the training grounds for the city’s police and firefighters, yet it has received strong pushback due to its environmental impact, $67 million […]
Posted inCity Politics, Politics & Policy
Is a Second Andre Dickens Term Inevitable?
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens officially launched his reelection bid on Tuesday, but even he’s not sure who’s running against him. “Without any opponents yet, is this all for show?” Dickens told hundreds of supporters early Tuesday evening at a campaign kickoff party inside the Monday Night Brewing location in the West End. The 50-year-old former […]