In commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and mission, on January 15th, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, both clients and employees of Smith & Young Talent came together at the Alpha Bonding parking lot to distribute goods to the less fortunate.

The agency distributed yogurt packs, socks, and an assortment of goods. Established in 2017, Smith & Young Talent, an Atlanta-based agency, initiated the project as a philanthropic mission in collaboration with New York Times bestselling author of “I’m not Dying With You Tonight,” and Community Activist Kimberly Latrice Jones, along with Smith & Young co-founder Chris Young. The intention was to give back to a community that had given so much to them, said Jones. “God’s given me so much and he requires so much for what he’s given me,” she said. “I’ve done so much as a creative writer and now what am I doing for my people.’

Jones, a writer signed to Smith Young Talent, revealed the idea of the MLK Sock Drive was born during discussions with her agent, Chris Young. “If we couldn’t provide shoes, the least that we felt like we could do is run out and find providers of socks or just simply purchase them ourselves,” Young said. Recognizing the need for more community engagement, the pair brainstormed ideas for impactful projects. Jones drew inspiration from a conversation with a family friend, an emergency room doctor at Grady Memorial Hospital, who shed light on the critical need for socks among the less fortunate. “People don’t realize the significance of having dry feet,” Jones explained. “Without proper footwear, individuals are susceptible to infections that can affect their overall health.” This led to the inception of the MLK Sock Drive, a project aimed at providing a basic yet often overlooked necessity to those in need.

Individuals facing homelessness frequently navigate the streets for extended durations, at times wearing ill-fitting shoes and worn-out socks. Dr. Hwang cited in a 2015 report written by Homeless Hub highlighted that foot-related disorders, including onychomycosis, tinea pedis, corns, callouses, and immersion foot, often stem from inadequate footwear, prolonged exposure to moisture, extensive walking and standing, and repetitive minor trauma. Moreover, Dr. Hwang’s research also states that those living on the streets are particularly susceptible to skin diseases such as cellulitis, impetigo, venous stasis disease, scabies, and body lice. The challenges of limited access to showers and maintaining proper hygiene further compound existing health issues in this vulnerable population.

Growing up in Chicago, Jones attributes much of her inspiration to the legacy of the Black Panther Party, which she believed went unnoticed for the community development work that they provided to the community, such as their breakfast program, housing initiatives, and efforts in providing for the community’s basic needs. “One of the things that people don’t talk about enough, or they do talk about it but not sufficiently, was all of their community engagement,” Jones told The Atlanta Voice.

Accompanying Young and Jones were several of their neighbors, family members, and community members. This includes Kenneth Reddick II and his son 6-year-old Kenneth Reddick III, along with his daughter Cameron Reddick, who is a graduate of Hampton University and member of A.K.A. “Part of my organization is sisterhood, scholarship, and service. Service is very important to me. It’s not just something that I’m required to do,” Cameron Reddick said of why she chose to volunteer. “It’s something I enjoy doing. So I just wanted to make sure that on today, Founders Day, as well as MLK Day, I was able to recognize that.”

The volunteers walked around the downtown area, meeting individuals living in encampments under the expressway, as well as on the streets.

John Elvis Tindall, also known as “Hustle,” an Atlanta resident of sixteen years, and a recipient of the drive has seen MLK Day evolve for the better. Born in South Carolina, Tindall moved to Atlanta to pursue a career in the emerging film and television industry. A resident of the Welcome House near Memorial Avenue, Tindall praises the evolution of community efforts since being in Atlanta. “People are coming out here giving out stuff to people. They are helping out the elderly, helping older people, and giving them clothes. I think it’s great. It’s lovely,” Tindall told The Atlanta Voice.

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The City of Sandy Springs hosted a free interactive learning experience at City Springs on Monday afternoon honoring civil rights icon and Atlanta native Martin Luther King, Jr. on what would have been his 95th birthday.

The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Art and Film Celebration brought together parents, grandparents, and children of all ages to participate in a variety of King-themed arts and crafts and to view a private screening of the 1999 Emmy-nominated classic, “Our Friend, Martin.”

Sandy Springs mayor Rusty Paul said that the city has put on MLK-themed events for the community every year since 2005, making it the longest-running continuous celebration that Sandy Springs has hosted.

“It’s always been oriented toward the kids,” Paul said. “We want them to learn, and we figured that having a more tactile learning experience… would be the best way for kids to learn, because if you want to defeat hate, you have to start early.”

The mayor also said that it’s important to continue organizing community events that bring to light one of the darkest time periods of America’s history, even as critical figures of the era begin to pass away.

“It’s very important that we learn from our history — the good and the bad,” Paul said.

Each of Monday’s activities centered around specific elements of King’s legacy and mission: dream, justice, love, liberty, equality, and freedom. Kids designed keepsake bookmarks featuring quotes from King, completed MLK-themed word searches based on details of the civil rights leader’s life, and went home with a certificate of completion after finishing all six objectives.

Latoya Morgan brought her daughter, Serenity, to Monday’s event to help her grasp the significance of King’s actions and the sacrifices made in the hope of a better future.

“I’ve always loved Dr. King — since I was 11 years old,” Morgan said. “So, I want to make sure she understands the legacy of the impact that his life had on the next generation to continue the work.”

Morgan said she brings Serenity to MLK-related events often, as a way to teach her about her ancestry and as a result of Morgan’s passion for civil rights.

“She needs to understand the elders that came before her and that the privileges that she now is afforded, like the life that she lives, didn’t come easy. It was with a price,” Morgan said. “There were people who laid their lives down for us to be able to have these freedoms.”

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In honor of Martin Luther King Day, NEXT Steps, a youth entrepreneur program, held a MLK day community cleanup and BBQ fundraiser at the Smith Family Ranch in Stockbridge.  

The Smith Family Ranch is a family-owned and operated entity. Centrally located in the city of Stockbridge, it’s home to a variety of furry friends that wait in excitement to be treated by the new visitors. The ranch also serves as the grounds for community events and gatherings where they are thrilled to share all the wonders mother nature has to offer. 

At their first community cleanup event at the Smith Family Ranch, Dana Jewel Harris, executive director of Next Steps Youth Entrepreneur program, said one of her mentees brought her to the ranch because she helps farmers and new beginning ranchers design their spaces and turn them into agritourism states.  

“This ranch is 42 acres, and I will be developing a supply chain management system as well, but it’ll be rooted in education and training. With agritourism, it involves education but also involves hospitality, tourism, outdoor recreation, and entertainment,” Harris said. “So, we’ve done Easter egg hunts where we get about 400 people here. We did a jazz festival last October, where we had 150 people here, so this place lends for a lot of community outreach and engagement, but it’s also an outdoor venue.” 

At the community cleanup, Harris said they are starting the beautification process. 

The entire area of the ranch is going to be beautified over the course of the year. We have petting farms, so we have a lot of field trips and we do birthday parties and family reunions,” she said. “People get to feed the animals as part of the experience, we have a seven-mile walking trail, and have pocket gardens throughout the area, and we also have a three-acre pond in the back where we teach fishing and ultimately want to do concerts around the pond.” 

At some point this year, Harris said, they will be holding garden parties and teaching how to grow all kinds of things in the area.  

“We’re going to expand on that to include a greenhouse, have an outdoor kitchen, and really make it engaging and inviting to get more people outdoors to do this part of therapy,” she said. “I’m beginning my journey to be licensed in horticulture therapy. The kids that are shoveling looks like work, but that’s a therapy activity because collaboration and doing something that is bigger than yourself for someone else. So, for people that’s feeling depressed or something like that, it helps them, and we do equine therapy where every second Saturday, we teach people how to ride horses.” 

Harris said she chose to do the cleanup and BBQ fundraiser on MLK day because MLK day has always been an amazing day of service. 

Also, she used to have an old farm in west Atlanta called Atwood Community Gardens and was one of the top community partners with Hands On Atlanta.  

“I would serve about 1,500 people a year. Every MLK day I’d have about 1,500 a day and MLK day is when people are off and then is called the day of service. So, people would look out for things to do that they could do with their family,” she said. “Not only is it helping the community, but it’s something that you come back to, so MLK day has always been an amazing day of service, and finding people is a great marketing tool to get people to come to your property. It helps the business, the community, and the kids get to learn and stay out of trouble.” 

For more information, visit https://www.thesmithfamilyranch.com. 

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Equipped with gloves and masks, volunteers gathered on Sunday, January 14, 2024, to participate in the “Spin The Block” event. A community service project aimed at cleaning the streets of downtown beginning at the Forsyth and Brotherton intersection, “Spin the Block,” began that morning. 

“Before I had the studio, I was just a photographer,” said founder and owner of Cam Kirk Studios,  Cam Kirk. “But when I opened up the studio six and a half years ago, I just met so many young creators, I met so many real people from the city, and it just inspired me to want to build a community around our business.”

“Spin the Block” serves as a predecessor to the studio’s “Yesterday’s Tomorrow” conference on MLK Day, which has featured comedian D.C Youngfly, Ryan Wilson, CEO & Co-Founder of The Gathering Spot, and artist-musician J.I.D. Entry to the conference is now facilitated through community cleanup participation. 

Spin The Block first came into action in 2019 and has been a regularly recurring event happening every quarter since, with Cam Kirk adopting Forsyth and Brotherton streets. “All the blue and black trash cans and recycling bins, we put those out there. We put 25 different recycling bins and trash cans. The first recycling to exist on the street, just encouraging people to know the difference between trash and going green,” said Kirk.

Volunteers, including Ebony Watson from Stone Mountain, a psych coordinator from the Sync Community Learning Center in Decatur, who decided to volunteer after seeing Shelly Nicole Andrews’ Instagram post, the president of the Cam Kirk Foundation. “I love cleaning up our community, cleaning up trash. People live on the streets and if we make it cleaner for them, it’ll do something to make the world a better place,” said Watson.

Larger groups, such as the “New Look” Leadership Academy, Usher’s youth-oriented leadership organization, also engaged with the community. DeniséAnn Malcolm, assistant program coordinator for the New Look Foundation, emphasized the importance of disconnecting from technology and fostering a sense of ownership in the city through activities like cleaning up trash. Malcolm praised Cam Kirk’s unique impact on the community, stating, “There’s something special about Cam Kirk, something special about what he’s doing in the city. That’s why we chose this particular event to come to.”

Reflecting on the significance of community leaders giving back, Malcolm expressed appreciation for Kirk’s humility and involvement, “It’s great to see when people like Cam Kirk are doing something positive in the community. He’s super connected with the community. He’s super humble, really big about connecting and making sure that people get opportunities,” said Malcolm. 

The event, sponsored by Athlete’s Foot, was attended by executive Darius Billings, Vice President of Marketing and Community Engagement, who spoke about the company’s commitment to community involvement. “Athletes Foot is all about being a part of something bigger than sneakers, participating in initiatives like ‘Spin The Block,’ and keeping our communities clean aligns with our values,” said Billings. He continued by stating what sets Athlete’s Foot apart from other corporations is their tangible commitment to action and emphasizing that community care goes beyond mere sponsorship, “People think philanthropy, you have to be rich, right? It’s not about that. It’s about time, it’s just as important as money. So for these young people to be out here and donating their time, all the while, wanting to do better in the community and wanting to do things,” said Billings.

Billings, accompanied by his 8-year-old son, Baker, expressed the desire to set an example, “I want my son to see everything I do because that’s how we develop young men,” Billings told The Atlanta Voice.

Speaking on the importance of taking ownership in the community, Kirk further stated, “This is our community. This is our home. It’s important for me to ensure when people come here and when they create at our studio, that they feel welcomed by the environment, the atmosphere, and they feel warm. I can’t wait for anybody else to do it. It’s our community, we get together and we do it ourselves,” Kirk told The Atlanta Voice.

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The pews inside historic Ebenezer Baptist Church were filling fast as the rain fell outside Friday, Jan. 12. The crowd assembled inside was there for the 3 p.m. “Church Talk,” a discussion about the history of the church and the men and women that helped build it.

Hosting that afternoon’s talk was National Park Service park ranger Doug Coyle. Having worked there for the past 21 years Coyle was well versed in the history of the church, which is part of The Martin Luther King, Jr. Historic Site.

During the talk, which ended with guests asking questions and taking photos, Coyle told stories about the pastors of Ebenezer, including the first two pastoral leaders of the church, reverends John A. Parker and A.D. Williams.

A chronological history of the church includes the installation of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Sr., who’s image is forever part of the church by way of a stain glass window. King, Sr., the father of Civil Rights era icon Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., allowed a 17-year-old Martin to deliver a trial sermon from the very pulpit inside the church today. Upon learning this fact many of the people inside for the “Church Talk” whipped out their phones to get pictures of the wooden pulpit with the tithe box in front (as seen below). The news that Dr. King, the younger, had never been senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church, and was solely a co-pastor, elicited looks of wonder from a couple of the people in the pews. King was well on his way to becoming a national figure for his work as the first president of the Student Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) while his brother A.D. Williams King was co-pastoring alongside their father.

“Dr. King did not just happen in a vacuum, history just builds and builds upon itself,” said Coyle while explaining the King family lineage within the church.

Asked why he enjoys giving these talks the past two decades, Coyle said, “Because people need to know history. You know what they say about history. If you don’t know you are doomed to repeat it.”

Ebenezer was finished being built in 1922 and was the church home for many Atlantans for 76 years until the new church was built across the street in 1999. The new building seats 1,700, nearly three times as much as the original.

Looking around at the crowd following his talk, Coyle quipped, “This is as close as we get to a service these days.”

The “Church Talks” were free and are a part of the tours given throughout the year at the King Center.

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Dr. Martin Luther King Day is celebrated nationally on Monday, Jan. 15. The Atlanta Voice curated seven events to help celebrate the iconic legacy of MLK. Here are the following seven events: 

1.     MLK Day Community Cleanup & BBQ Fundraiser at The Smith Family Ranch (Jan. 15 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.) 

• Location: 1950 East Atlanta Road, Stockbridge.  
• For more information, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mlk-day-community-cleanup-bbq-fundraiser-at-the-smith-family-ranch-tickets-761495602847.  
  
   

2.     Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Art & Film Celebration (Jan. 15, 1 p.m.) 

• Location: 1 Galambos Way, Sandy Springs.  
• For more information, visit https://www.sandyspringsga.gov/mlk. 
  
   

3.     MLK Day – Drum Run (Jan. 15, 8 a.m. – Noon) 

• Location: First Baptist Church of Doraville (5935 New Peachtree Road, Doraville) 
• For more information, visit https://www.handsonatlanta.org/upcoming-events/mlk-day-5k-drum-run-1. 

4.     Americorps MLK Day of Service (Jan. 15, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.) 

• Location: Hands On Atlanta (600 Means Street Northwest, Atlanta) 
• For more information, visit https://www.handsonatlanta.org/upcoming-events/americorps-mlk-day-of-service. 
  
   

5.     Atlanta History Center presents: Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration (Jan. 16 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.)  

• Location: 130 West Paces Ferry Road Northwest, Atlanta.  
• For more information, visit https://www.atlantahistorycenter.com.
  
   

6.     MLK Annual Commemorative Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church (Jan. 16 Noon) 

– Location: 101 Jackson Street, Atlanta  

– For more information, visit https://www.ebenezeratl.org/. 

 

7.     Atlanta Outdoor Escape Game: Martin Luther King Jr. Unwrap His Life & Legacy (All January)  

• Location: 501 Auburn Ave NE, Atlanta
• For more information, visit https://www.unation.com/event/atlanta-outdoor-escape-game-martin-luther-king-jr-unwrap-his-life-and-legacy-46865528/.

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Winter Wonderland at Trilith welcomed guests to its inaugural event, a grand opening that took place Monday, Dec. 18, 2023.

The Winter Wonderland experience, which will take place through Dec. 23, makes it the perfect destination for creating unforgettable memories with loved ones. Guests also can capture picture-perfect moments at designated photo spots throughout the wonderland. 

The event offered four thrilling experiences that are sure to put anyone in the holiday spirit: Tinsel-Tastic Holiday Celebrations, Festive & Fun Selfie Experience, Outdoor Igloo Experience, and Frosty’s Frozen Lounge. 

The Tinsel-Tastic holiday celebrations change daily, making each visit unique and exciting. In addition, guests can enjoy their favorite cocktails at Frosty’s Frozen Lounge, which is adorned with holiday decorations. For a cozy and intimate experience, guests can retreat to the Outdoor Igloo Experience. 

Winter Wonderland is a one-stop shop for everything you might imagine you want to do for the holidays, according to the director of the event Octavia Samuels. 

“This event is so important because when you consider being south of Atlanta, things we would normally like to do, let’s say outdoor igloos are very hard to find as an option,” she said. 

Samuels said she is proud to offer a variety of experiences that cater to all ages and ensure there is something for everyone. She also said her personal favorite of the four experiences is the enchanting Outdoor Igloo Experience, where guests can cozy up and enjoy the winter wonderland atmosphere. 

Additionally, Samuels said she is very intentional about the representation of black performers on her roster and includes a Black Santa and Mrs. Claus in the Winter Wonderland experience.  

“It’s important because when you think about the entire reasoning behind Winter Wonderland, it’s so people can come to a place and are reminded to believe in their dreams and that anything’s possible,” she said. “When you combine that with having black representation of performers and a Black Santa that looks like the people in the audience, it reminds them there are no doors or walls or anything closed to them as far as believing in their dreams.” 

Samuels said as a child growing up, she loved Christmas.  

“Each time, either with friends or family, we had a chance to have a Santa at our school or take a photo with Santa or even as young. I remember my day here. Santa will come, and it was never black. Santa didn’t look like me. And it helped in my mind reinforce the belief that everything positive, it looks white, even when it comes to the holidays. And I didn’t even want that to be the case when given the opportunity. I wanted every person, no matter their color or age, to be able to celebrate the holidays and see it reflected in them.  

As part of their “Pose for a Purpose initiative”, 50% of ticket sales from the Festive & Fun Selfie Experience will be donated to cause-based organizations. 

“One of the things I really love about Winter Wonderland is the commitment to family, so we have programing created just for families to connect and engage with each other like Carol-okie and also the diversity and inclusion focuses on intention,” she said.  

With their community outreach, Samuels said, they have Santa Andre for their “Brunch with Santa” and “Pink Christmas” events as well. Additionally, Samuels said they have partnered with an organization called Southside Support, where they are hosting families who have children with special needs for a sensory-friendly experience. 

“We’ve planned this with the idea in mind of being mindful of making sure that they can access Santa, it’s inclusive and meets the sensory guideline,” she said.  

Through the event, Samuels will be supporting 15 local small businesses. As a Black business owner herself, she said the importance of supporting small businesses is crucial. 

“It was important to me when having the opportunity to choose different vendors like catering or entertainment, to choose small businesses that have been extremely impacted by some of that, especially those based in Charlotte that relied heavily on the entertainment audience,” Samuels said. 

She also said during the event week, they are running a promo code that gives you $20 off all the “simple-sensory celebration and in some cases brings down ticket prices to $25.” 

Samuels said she wants everyone at the grand opening to have an amazing time during the event week. 

“I want them to have a small experience of what it will be like for the entire week. I want guests to share the idea; The entire setup of how we split a building made up of shipping containers into a winter wonderland,” she said. “I want people throughout the week to know the space was created for them and was built within their minds so they could foster great memories for the holidays and spend time with their friends and families.” 

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://playspacesus.com.  

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The Jonesboro Majestic Marching Band made its way off the quartet of school buses parked next door to Cascade Family Skating on a cool Monday evening. A long line of parents, grandparents, and children waiting outside watched as the band, fresh off a trip to New York City and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, warmed up with a couple of Christmas classics.

Asked why the band was miles away from Clayton County on the first Monday of Christmas break, Jonesboro High School Director of Bands Lynel Goodwin said, “Because we understand the responsibility that we have that comes with the huge platform we have. We know we have to give back to the community whenever we can.”

The 4th annual Nouveau holiday toy drive brought a large crowd to the popular skating rink with a week to go before Christmas Day. Hosted by Nouveau owner Ebony Austin, the event aims to serve the community’s families by distributing gifts to children. Austin believes getting a few gifts off a family’s list can help with the many financial burdens that can feel heightened this time of year.

“When we think of communities and all of the increases in costs going on right now, the kids don’t always understand how expensive things have gotten,” Austin said.

Over 5,000 toys were distributed to more than 2,500 children Monday night. Austin said there was an express goal of having every child get something they want for Christmas. Hours before the children and their families arrived there were dozens of volunteers, including Nouveau staffers, friends, and family unboxing toys and staging stations around the rink. The toys included Spider-Man mini motorbikes, scooters, bicycles, doll houses, trampolines, and baby toys. 

There were also educational toys that included toddler laptops and science kits. A little bit of everything for everyone, said Austin. “We want to do it really big to show our appreciation,” she said. 

The event did not only cater to children, with a special surprise skate party scheduled for educators and a gift card giveaway to seniors in attendance. “Sometimes it is important to look out for the people that look out for us,” said Austin. 

Regarding the seniors, some of whom waited outside in folding chairs and on walkers, Austin added, “We want to make sure we also serve people that may be overlooked at times.” 

Participants had the opportunity to register online, with the promise of getting at least one toy per child. Austin made a number of television appearances in the lead-up to the event, including on Good Morning America back in October and on local television earlier this month. 

“I’m in alignment with God’s plan and it’s important to give back,” Austin said.

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This holiday season the Atlanta Hawks, in collaboration with the Lady Hawks, orchestrated a festive day for over 60 students at the Boyce L. Ansley School, a tuition-free private institution catering to children experiencing homelessness in Atlanta.

The Lady Hawks, a collective of wives, significant others, and mothers of Hawks players and staff, actively engaged in the festivities alongside volunteers from the Hawks organization. The day’s activities included arts and crafts sessions and a photo booth for the students’ enjoyment.

In preparation for the event, students were entrusted with creating wish lists, which were later displayed on a tree at the Hawks’ corporate office with the organization ensuring each student received a personalized holiday gift from their lists.

Johnny Ray James, a seasoned educator with 15 years of experience and the current Head of School, expressed his gratitude for the Hawks’ support of the school and students. “I understand the Hawks’ slogan is ‘True to The A,’ but the A, whether in terms of Ansley or Atlanta, truly resonates because they brought in a substantial number of people, including staff and volunteers,” James said. “The kids can genuinely feel the joy.” 

James, an alumnus of Teach for America with an MBA in education from LSU, stressed the importance of exposing students, not just to players but to everyone behind the scenes who came and volunteered. “I’m glad that the students were able to see the operation team of the Hawks to see truly what makes the engine go because a lot of kids only see the dreams that we give them, and this has given them some new dreams,” James said.

Further elaborating on the significance of the Hawks’ involvement during the holiday season, James empathized with the challenges faced by the students. “Our kiddos, unfortunately, have nightmares both day and night. By seeing that they were brought so many gifts from their wish lists, the Hawks are making literal Christmas dreams come true,” James told The Atlanta Voice.

In addressing the critical need for comprehensive education support, James emphasized the approach that the institution takes compared to many public schools—highlighting the challenge faced by public schools attempting to provide wraparound services, often falling short due to overwhelming student versus staff numbers. The Boyce L. Ansley School maintains low class sizes, capped at around 15 students, enabling a more personalized and effective approach.

James further cited that while public schools might have a social worker catering to about 300 students, The Boyce L. Ansley School’s two social workers on staff maintain a ratio of one to 32, ensuring more individualized attention and care. The inclusion of licensed therapists further enhances the support system, offering therapeutic sessions for students and one-to-one assistance for their families, “We provide holistic support to make sure that we can provide an outlet to economic mobility,” James told The Atlanta Voice.

Alexis Roe, Vice President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Strategic Initiatives, now in her third season with the Hawks, shared her commitment to helping the students of Boyce L. Ansley School. Born in the Lone Star state of Texas, but raised in Decatur, Georgia, Roe cites her passion for positive change stemming from her upbringing, while attending the Dekalb School of the Arts in DeKalb County. “I grew up knowing that I was going to change what Atlanta looked like in terms of decreasing barriers, tearing down barriers, making more access for people. At my core, that’s who I am,” said Roe.

With a diverse professional background, including teaching in China and marketing for Home Depot, Roe’s journey led her to her current role with the Hawks. In her position, Roe cites striving to make individuals “feel seen, heard, valued, supported, and respected,” while emphasizing the importance of fostering a sense of belonging.

Reflecting on the Hawks’ engagement with The Boyce L. Ansley School, Roe emphasized, “The Ansley school is such an amazing school that’s six minutes from State Farm Arena. When we look at our city and see different challenges, we recognize that as an organization, we want to help lift our community. We are true to Atlanta and a civic asset to the community,” Roe told The Atlanta Voice.

A poignant moment during the event included students taking the stage to declare their aspirations, as recounted by Morgan Walsh, a Lady Hawk of 15 years. Describing seeing the excitement of a young girl in a Hawks jersey, Walsh said, “It almost brought tears to a lot of people’s eyes because she just came out running and screaming.”

Walsh, married to Hawks director of team operations Zac Walsh for nearly 15 years, highlighted the organization’s positive impact on mental health. “This organization has been great for the city of Atlanta for doing activities, but also just for the mental health of the wives, girlfriends of the coaches and players,” Walsh said.

Charting the evolution of the Lady Hawks, Walsh credited the guidance of Jami Gertz (co-owner of the Hawks along with her husband businessman Tony Ressler) citing that the organization has grown substantially, actively participating in numerous service activities throughout the year.

Originally from South Carolina, Walsh, an Emory graduate in Political Science, now works in the clerk’s office at the Georgia State Capitol. Reflecting on the joy of giving back during the holiday season, she described the experience as invigorating. “I just want to say how thankful that we are that we’re able to help out an amazing organization and these kids. We’re decorating cards and ornaments right now, and it reminds you of the epitome of Christmas – that you’re around people and seeing the kids’ faces, smiling and their eyes shining. That’s what’s important,” said Walsh.

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Live event ticket exchange and resale company StubHub released its live experiences report and sporting events are among the top five events that took place in Atlanta this year. The 27-page annual report breaks down the top live experiences around the country.

At the top of the list of Atlanta-based events are the three dates the Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour had inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium during the summer. Swift’s tour dates in Atlanta brought capacity crowds downtown, which directly affected restaurants, retail businesses, and hotels. The same could be said for travel as three Eras tour stops, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Detroit, were among StubHub’s top U.S. events for international buyers, according to the report.

Atlanta ranks eighth among the top U.S. destinations for out-of-towners, according to the report. Las Vegas, Kansas City, Nashville, Denver, and Detroit hold the top five spots.

The top five live events that took place in Atlanta this year after Swift’s tour stops were the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl between the University of Georgia and The Ohio State University, Morgan Whalen’s two concerts at Truist Park, Beyonce’s Renaissance Tour dates at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and the most recent SEC championship game between Georgia and Alabama.

Atlanta failed to make the list of the top 10 in-demand global sporting experiences, with the World Series between the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros ranking first followed by the Super Bowls (Chiefs/Eagles), Las Vegas Grand F1 event, NBA Finals (Denver/Miami), and College Football Playoffs National Championship. The latter was between the eventual two-time national champion Georgia Bulldogs and Texas Christian University and took place in Los Angeles in January 2023.

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