Category: Atlanta, Georgia Local News

“I turned the world to the A,” Usher yelled into the mic during the closing moments of his spectacular Super Bowl Halftime Show. 

In the days leading up his performance, the Atlanta native give hints on how his hometown would play a major role in the aesthetics of the show. 

“That was the influence that Atlanta has had on me,” Usher shared during a press conference days before the big game. “So much so that I collected everything that I experienced and I’ve benefited from in Atlanta. And I brought that culture to Las Vegas. And now to the rest of the world with the Super Bowl Halftime Show.”

Usher didn’t disappoint as he shed a light on Atlanta and its embrace of Black culture. Here’s a breakdown of how Atlanta played a role during Usher’s Super Bowl Halftime Show.

Roller Skating In The A

Usher and his team of dancers brought out the roller skates during the performance of “OMG.” Rolling skating culture has remained an intricate part of what it means to come of age in Atlanta. Skating rinks such as Jellybeans in Ben Hill, Skate Town on Old National Road, Screaming Wheels on Stewart Avenue and Golden Glide on Wesley Chapel Road were locations where youth would gather on weekends to get their “first little taste of the nightlife.” Cascade continues the tradition and served as the featured skating rink in the 2006 film, “ATL.” 

The Divine Nine and AUC 

While performing “Love In This Club,” Usher was joined on stage by members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity who strolled while twirling their signature canes. The Divine Nine is an intricate aspect of HBCU life and Atlanta which is home to Morehouse, Spelman, Clark Atlanta University and Morris Brown. During homecoming season, you can find members of the Divine Nine strolling on the yard, similar to what was displayed at the Super Bowl. 

HBCU Marching Bands 

Usher recruited the Jackson State University marching band to help him perform. Although JSU is based in Jackson, Mississippi, it highlights HBCU culture which is prominent in the Atlanta area. JSU also performs at the annual Battle of the Bands (a competition of HBCU bands) which is held every year in Atlanta. 

Crunk Music and Bass Music 

Lil Jon joined Usher on stage for the songs, “Turn Down for What” and “Yeah.” Interestingly, Lil Jon produced Usher’s biggest hit single “Yeah” which is a fusion of R&B and Crunk. But Crunk music derives from Bass music, another sub-genre of rap that was prominent in Atlanta. Atlanta-based artists such as Kilo Ali, Raheem The Dream, MC Shy D, Hitman Sammy Sam, DJ Smurf, and DJ Kizzy Rock are considered Bass music legends. While working as a music executive for Jermaine Dupri’s So So Def label, Lil Jon helped to highlight Bass music with the “So So Def Bass All-Stars” compilation album in 1996. 

A-Town Stomp and the Atlanta Dance Movement 

During the performance of “Yeah,” Lil Jon yelled, “Do the A-Town Stomp.” The dance was popular in Atlanta during the early 2000s. Dance is also a major aspect of Atlanta culture which spawned dances such as the Yeek, Bankhead Bounce, Poole Palace and Rag Top. 

Magic City 

Usher’s Super Bowl Halftime show featured go-go dancers and poles that paid homage to Atlanta’s strip clubs. Night spots  such as Magic City and Blue Flame Lounge played a role in the city’s music scene. When there wasn’t a hip-hop radio station in Atlanta during the early 1990s, DJs at strip clubs would often release new music from artists on the rise. Outside of the featured dancers, the strip clubs in Atlanta served as places where artists could test new music and eventually gain traction. With enough momentum, artists could gain the attention of an A&R or record label executive.  

Overall, Usher’s performance will be remembered as one of the most exciting moments in Super Bowl history. Within 13 minutes, he gave the world Atlanta’s culture while solidifying himself as an all-time great. 

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The NFL’s Rooney Rule is facing a lawsuit spearheaded by a former Trump adviser. Created as a rule to help increase the potential hiring of more Black coaches in the NFL, the “Rooney Rule” states that all NFL teams must interview a Black candidate when a head coaching vacancy becomes open. 

However, America First Legal, headed by Stephen Miller, filed a lawsuit that claims the “Rooney Rule” is in violation of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. It’s another attack on DEI initiatives that seek to increase diversity. 

During Super Bowl week, former NFL player Malcolm Jenkins and Milton H. Jones, Jr. of 100 Black Men of America held a fireside chat at Analog Dope bookstore where they discussed social justice issues. 

They also shared their thoughts on the recent lawsuit that increases to dismantle the “Rooney Rule.”

Malcom Jenkins: 

We’ve seen the same thing in the venture capital space. They’re looking to pass legislation to dismantle those things. There’s no time to waste. We can’t act like we don’t see what’s happening right now. They’re trying to pull back as much as they possibly can. And if we don’t pay attention to that and come up with some alternative strategies that are of our own to protect our own economic advancement, they will fall. I don’t think that’s enough conversations in our community about this. 

Milton H. Jones, Jr.

Decades ago, Regents of the University of California v. Bakke came along and everybody thought that would end the  integration of African American students at majority colleges. It got in the way, but it didn’t stop it. The Supreme Court decision that came out last summer certainly struck a blow. But frankly, the beauty of our people is that we’re really creative. And when you try and close one door, we find another way or we go through the roof. But we use so much time and energy in the process of doing that. We have to be aware. People have even made ‘woke’ a bad word. Why? Because they don’t want us to be aware. We are woke and we are awake and we are aware. And we are going to vote and we will change outcomes. And when we do that, we’ll create a better pathway for our community and the people in our community.

 

 

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Innovation has been embedded in the very DNA of Black people everywhere for centuries. From making light shine to creating more efficient processes and a variety of gadgets that have revolutionized how we live life, Black people have forged many inventions using the fortitude found throughout our history. 

Often in our past, the deficit of representation, ongoing oppression, and sheer genius have conjured inspiration to make things that had not previously existed. There have also been times when our creations have gone uncredited or without proper recognition. 

In recent years, the patent system in the US started tackling the striking underrepresentation of Black inventors in patent ownership. The racist roots of the system stem back to the 1850s when slave owners could receive patent ownership on behalf of the enslaved person who actually made the invention, building a pipeline of erasure. The racist practices of the system continued well into the 1900s when Jim Crow-era laws prevented Black inventors from obtaining patents from all-white attorneys’ offices. 

The result of this institutionalized racism is the absence of Black inventors in patent ownership now. Barriers such as the cost of obtaining a patent, lack of access to the process of obtaining a patent, and a lack of representation among science, math, information, engineering, and technology fields have all contributed to the decline in Black patent ownership. 

Despite the setbacks and erasure, history remembers some of the inventors who changed all of our lives.  

These are 10 inventions created by Black investors we all use every day. 

Carbon Filament for the Incandescent Light Bulb invented by Lewis Latimer

Lewis Latimer was born in 1848 in Massachusetts to parents who’d escaped slavery in Virginia. He taught himself mechanical drawing and landed a position at the Crosby and Gould patent law office, where his talent was recognized. As a result of his work, Latimer consulted on several major projects, including helping to draw the plans for the telephone. Latimer’s invention, the carbon filament for an incandescent lightbulb, made electricity affordable and efficient for households.

Home Security System co-invented by Marie Van Brittan Brown 

A resident of New York City, Marie Van Brittan Brown, was working as a nurse when she co-created the home security system with her husband. Her invention included a recording camera she rigged to project on a TV and a two-way communication system to speak with visitors without having to go to the door. In 1966, she filed for a patent for a closed-circuit TV security system, which was approved three years later.

Electrical Resistor System for Pacemakers, Computers, And More invented by Otis Boykin

Otis Boykin has over 20 patents to his name. One of his most famous is the electric resistor, which has been used to make pacemakers, computers, televisions, and other technologies operate more efficiently and affordably. A graduate of Fisk University, Boykin received his patent for the electric resistor in 1959.

Traffic Light invented by Garrett Morgan

Born in 1877, Garrett Morgan was the son of formerly enslaved parents. After moving to Cleveland in the late 1890s, Morgan saw the changing world and the increase in car traffic needed some direction. So, he invented the traffic light in 1923. Morgan is also credited with inventing the gas mask, which he put to the test following a pipeline explosion that left construction workers trapped. He saved several workers’ lives and his own thanks to his invention.

Sanitary Belt, Toilet Tissue Holder, Carrying Pouch For a Walker invented by Mary Kenner

The multifaceted Mary Kenner was born into a family of creative minds in 1912. Her father, Sidney Nathaniel Davidson, received a patent in 1914 for a clothes presser that could fit into a traveler’s suitcase. Her sister Mildred Davidson Smith, even patented the family’s board game. In the 1920s, Mary invented the sanitary belt which was designed to help keep sanitary products in place since disposable pads hadn’t been invented just yet. Mary’s idea sparked some interest in companies who turned her down when they found out she was a Black woman. Mary finally received the patent in 1957 after saving enough money. She went on to receive four other patents, holding more than any other Black woman. She and Mildred received the patent for the toilet roll holder in 1982. After Mildred was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Mary invented a carrying pouch to attach to Mildred’s walker so she could carry items on her own. Mary was also a well-known florist and federal employee. She died in 2006.

Automatic Gear Shift, Beer Tap invented by Richard Spikes

Richard Spikes was born in 1878 in Texas. He has over a dozen patents to his name, including the beer tap, which he created while running a saloon. His patent, awarded in 1908, was purchased by the Milwaukee Brewing Company and is still in use today. Spikes also modified the automotive directional signals, which some drivers use on the roads today. He also created the automatic gear shift, among other timeless inventions, including the billiard cue rack and automatic braking systems used by buses and schools.

Laser Cataract Removal Surgery Probe, invented by Patricia Bath

In 1986, Dr. Patricia Bath created the Laserphaco Probe used to treat and remove cataracts in the eyes. Dr. Bath was also the first African American to complete an ophthalmology residency in 1973 and received a patent for medical innovation in 1988. Her invention helped restore sight to people who had been blind for decades. Dr. Path died in 2019.

Air Conditioning invented by David Crosthwait, And the Central Heating Furnace invented by Alice H. Parker

We have two Black inventors to thank for the comfort of air conditioning and heating throughout the year. David Crosthwait Jr. and Alice H. Parker innovated the technology we use to keep us warm and cool in the winter and summer months. Crosthwait has over 39 patents in the US, including one for thermostat control, which he developed throughout the 1920s and 30s.

Alice Parker attended the Howard University Academy, graduating in 1910. She was awarded the patent for her natural gas central heating furnace in 1919.

Dry Cleaning Method invented by Thomas Jennings

In 1821, Thomas Jennings became the first African American to receive a patent. His invention, dry scouring, was a predecessor to dry cleaning. He was working as a tailor in New York City when he applied for his patent, paving the way for African Americans to patent their creations.

Color Computer Monitor co-invented by Mark Dean

Computer scientist and innovator Mark Dean was on the team of 12 engineers who created IBM’s first personal computer in the 1980s. He then developed a color monitor used in computers and screens that blazed the trail for the technology we know and use today. Dean also led the team that created the first gigahertz processor in 1999, leading to faster computer speeds. Dean went on to be a leader in the company’s research and development strategy.

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When it comes to major moments in sports, it’s a great chance that Gregory Eaton was in the building. Eaton was present when Muhammad Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) “shook up the world” in 1964 at the Miami Beach Convention Hall and defeated Sonny Liston. He was in Mexico City for the 1968 Olympics when Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists with Black pride. And since 1967, Eaton has attended every single Super Bowl. 

With the 2024 Super Bowl being held in Las Vegas, Eaton, 84, continues to carry on the tradition of witnessing the greatest moments in sports. 

“It’s going to be the largest Super Bowl we’ve ever had, in terms of the crowd and people watching on TV,” Eaton said days before the big game. 

But even as the Super Bowl stands as a massive event on the field and in terms of economics, Eaton, a native of Lansing, Michigan, recalls a simpler time for the big game when tickets were less than $20 for the first match-up between the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs.

“I was excited because Green Bay won and Herb Adderley who went to Michigan State was good friend of mine,” Eaton said. “He’s the one who invited me. And then the second Super Bowl was in Miami, Florida. And I was there for that one. And then the third one was back in Miami.”

Eaton has also recognized the change in the Super Bowl Halftime Show. This year, Usher will take the stage. But during the first Super Bowl, HBCU’s Grambling State’s marching band was the halftime show. Eaton said the biggest change came after the performance of Michael Jackson in 1993. 

“When Michael Jackson stepped on stage, it changed everything,” Eaton said. “The halftime show is now as big as the game. These are multimillionaire stars who aren’t being paid directly, but they just want to be a part of the Super Bowl. It’s become the biggest show in the world.”

But while Eaton has attended every Super Bowl, the ones that stand out feature the progression of Black athletes and coaches. He recalls Doug Williams breaking barriers as the first Black quarterback to win the Super Bowl in 1988. The match-up between the first Black head coaches with Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith in 2007. And last year when two Black quarterbacks (Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts) faced-off for the first time. 

“Doug Williams was the first Black quarterback to win the Super Bowl and the first to start,” Eaton said. “Now, look at how many Black quarterbacks we have in today’s game.”

In terms of a prediction for this year’s big game between the Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers, Eaton shared his thoughts on the winner by singing the old blues tune, “I’m going to Kansas City, Kansas City here I come.”

In 2025, Eaton will be going to the Big Easy to watch the big game as the Super Bowl will be played in New Orleans, his favorite host city. 

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Family, friends and Ebenezer Baptist Church congregants held a special Candlelight service on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, to mark the passing of and celebrate the life of Dexter Scott King, 62, and youngest son of Dr. Martin Luther and Coretta Scott King. Scott King succumbed to prostate cancer after a three-and-half-year battle with the disease and only one week after the national celebration of his famed father’s birthday on Jan. 15.

The younger King’s remarkable life and legacy has been marked worldwide by local, national and global leaders since his death on Jan. 22 and supporters took part in a special ceremony for the “Keeper of the Dream” at the church located on historic Auburn Avenue in Atlanta. Lead by the remaining King children, Martin lll and Dr. Berniece King, and Scott King’s wife Leah, a host of celebrants including Ambassador Andrew, Sen. Ralph Warnock and entertainment legend Stevie Wonder, marked the event with an outpouring of remembrances and tributes.

“Dexter King was 62 years old when he passed and he was seven when his father passed,” explained former Atlanta mayor, U.S. Ambassador Andrew Young. “It really is rough growing up not only without a father, but with the expectations that your father was … a political savior of this nation, and we don’t want to do it, but we always look to the children to what their fathers did,” said Young. “It didn’t happen with the Kennedy’s it didn’t happen with anybody, but Dr. King’s children have done extremely well in following in his footsteps … Dexter took it upon himself as he grew older to be responsible for that legacy. … He took it upon himself to protect the right to use his [father’s] name respectfully at a very young age,” Young continued noting that the King Children, Dexter, Martin lll, Berniece and Yolanda King who died in 2007, had done a remarkable job of protecting and securing the slain civil rights leader’s papers documenting his contribution to human rights.

King’s sister, Dr. Berniece King, CEO of the King Center in Atlanta noted that her brother’s passing had profoundly impacted the surviving members of the King family. “Dexter had an inquisitive mind … and he wasn’t satisfied with surface answers. Dexter was searching for something deeper and those were the only seeds of him becoming an analytical and brilliant and consummate strategist par excellence,” Rev. Berneice King said of her younger brother who she admits frequently engaged in lengthy discussions with family members and Kingian Non-Violence practitioners about the importance of continuing the fight for justice without hesitation or pause.

Leah King, the activist and author’s widow delivered a poignant tribute to her husband before iconic singer and songwriter performed his hit song, They Won’t’ Go When I Go.” Wonder has been an ardent supporter of the King family and its efforts to realize the dream of Dr. King, frequently lending his celebrity and international influence to advance the civil rights movement including helping to get Dr. M.L. King’s birthday recognized as a federal holiday.

Photo credit: Michele Fling

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Shariah Harris has made history in women’s polo.

According to USA Today, Harris became the first Black woman to play in the U.S. Open Women’s Polo Championship on Sunday (February 4) at Port Mayaca Polo Club in Florida.

In a close match, Harris’ Work To Ride/Grand Champions defeated Iconica 6-5. Harris scored two goals including the game-winner in overtime.

“If I had it my way, it wouldn’t have been that interesting,” Harris said as she laughed. “We would have sealed it away and not have to go to overtime. Hopefully, my guardian angel will carry me through the whole tournament.”

Harris recognized her history-making achievement.

“I think I am always going to get a second look because I’m Black,” she said. “I’ve been given the label ‘trailblazer,’ so if that means me opening doors for other Black women, or women of color, or women who didn’t think they could do it, and I am the one that’s able to break barriers for them to make it through, then that’s good enough for me.”

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Mo’Nique says she’s teaming up with Katt Williams on tour after their interviews on the “Club Shay Shay” podcast went viral.

On Thursday (February 8), Mo’Nique took to Instagram with her husband, Sidney Hicks, to announce that she was joining Williams on his Dark Matter stand-up tour.

The comedian called Williams her non-biological “twin brother” before making the announcement.

“And I want to talk to them about our brother Katt Williams,” Mo’Nique said on social media. “Now y’all know that that’s my fraternal twin brother, non-biological, okay? And I wanna tell y’all about my twin brother Katt Williams, baby. Guess what? I’m gonna be joining my brother—my twin brother—Katt Williams on the Dark Matter Tour.”

“So I’m excited, we are excited. I cannot wait to see y’all, Connecticut,” she continued. “I’ll see y’all tomorrow night with our brother, Katt Williams. All over New York with our brother Katt Williams. And I’ll say this, too—and I told him this: I said for as funny and as talented as you are, your heart is far bigger.”

The announcement came after Mo’Nique appeared on the latest episode of Shannon Sharpe’s podcast. The Oscar winner took aim at Tyler Perry, Oprah Winfrey, D.L. Hughley, Tiffany Haddish, and more, similarly to how Williams called out several Black comedians in his viral interview with Sharpe.

Kevin Hart’s ex-wife, Torrei Hart, is also set to join Williams on tour as an opener for select dates. Torrei Hart said she’s staying out of the “beef” between her ex-husband and Williams.

“Whatever’s going on between him and Katt, that’s not my beef,” she told TMZ last month. “I have beef with no one, okay?”

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Oprah Winfrey is facing backlash over a resurfaced clip of her interviewing Mo’Nique’s brother days after she won her first Academy Award.

In the resurfaced clip, Winfrey sat down with Gerald Imes, Mo’Nique’s older brother who sexually assaulted her as a child, for an interview in 2010. Imes admitted during the interview that he began sexually abusing Mo’Nique when he was 13 and said he was molested as a child.

The clip resurfaced after Mo’Nique’s recent appearance on Shannon Sharpe’s “Club Shay Shay” podcast. During the podcast, the comedian explained the reason behind her issues with Winfrey, Tyler Perry, D.L. Hughley, Tiffany Haddish, and more.

Mo’Nique noted that Winfrey informed her that she was interviewing her brother ahead of time. The comedian recalled being appreciative of the heads up, and she told Winfrey that she “wanted no part of it.”

However, Mo’Nique said she was blindsided after she saw more of her family members being featured in promos for the episode with her brother.

“I start seeing commercials with my mother and my father and my other brother who used to be my manager who knew the fear I had with the brother onstage, right? We never talked about my mother being there,” Mo’Nique told Sharpe on the “Club Shay Shay” podcast this week.

Mo’Nique’s parents and brother, Stephen, also appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in 2010, discussing how “heartbreaking” Gerald’s actions were.

When asked if she felt betrayed by Winfrey, Mo’Nique said: “That is exactly who I felt and how I feel.”

“I understand it,” she added, “But you betrayed me sis.”

The Oscar winner said she tried to reach out to Winfrey about the situation, but efforts to communicate “went dead.” Mo’Nique said she confronted the talk show host three years after the interview at a celebration party for Lupita Nyong’o’s Academy Award nomination.

“Oprah Winfrey was sitting on my right. And then I turned to her and said, ‘Now I need to talk to you.’ There were some phenomenal Black women there. You could hear a pin drop,” Mo’Nique recalled. “I said, ‘Since you didn’t want to return my calls, for whatever reason, I’m going to say this right here.’”

When asked why she invited Mo’Nique’s parents on the show, Winfrey allegedly said she didn’t know other family members were showing up.

“I didn’t know anything about that.” Winfrey allegedly told Mo’Nique. “If I had done anything to offend you, I apologize.”

Several social media users called out Winfrey for interviewing the comedian’s abusive brother days after she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Precious.

See their reactions below.

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by Joshua F.J. Inwood, Penn State and Derek H. Alderman, University of Tennessee

When historian Carter Woodson created “Negro History Week” in 1926, which became “Black History Month” in 1976, he sought not to just celebrate prominent Black historical figures but to transform how white America saw and valued all African Americans.

However, many issues in the history of Black Americans can get lost in a focus on well-known historical figures or other important events.

Our research looks at how African American communities struggling for freedom have long used maps to protest and survive racism while affirming the value of Black life.

We have been working on the “Living Black Atlas,” an educational initiative that highlights the neglected history of Black mapmaking in America. It shows the creative ways in which Black people have historically used mapping to document their stories. Today, communities are using “restorative mapping” as a way to tell stories of Black Americans.

Maps as a visual storytelling technique

While most people think of maps as a useful tool to get from point A to point B, or use maps to look up places or plan trips, the reality is all maps tell stories. Traditionally, most maps did not accurately reflect the stories of Black people and places: Interstate highway maps, for example, do not reflect the realities that in most U.S. cities the building of major roads was accompanied by the displacement of thousands of Black people from cities.

Like many marginalized groups, Black people have used maps as a visual story-telling technique for “talking back” against their oppression. They have also used maps for enlivening and giving dignity to Black experiences and histories.

An example of this is the NAACP’s campaign to lobby for anti-lynching federal legislation in the early 20th century. The NAACP mapped the location and frequency of lynching to show how widespread racial terror was to the American public.

Another example is the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee’s efforts to document racism in the American South in the 1960s. The SNCC research department’s maps and research on racism played a pivotal role in planning civil rights protests. SNCC produced conventional-looking county-level maps of income and education inequalities, which were issued to activists in the field. The organization also developed creative “network maps,” which exposed how power structures and institutions supported racial discrimination in economic and political ways. These maps and reports could then identify urgent areas of protest.

More recently, artist-activist Tonika Lewis Johnson created the “Folded Map Project,” in which she brought together corresponding addresses on racially separated sides of the same street, to show how racism remade the city of Chicago. She photographed the “map twins” and interviewed individuals living at paired addresses to show the disparities. The project brought residents from north and south sides of Chicago to meet and talk to each other.

Maps for restorative justice

Restorative mapping is an important part of the Living Black Atlas: It helps bring visibility to Black experiences that have been marginalized or forgotten.

An important example of restorative mapping work comes from the Honey Pot Performance, a collective of Black feminists who helped create the Chicago Black Social Culture Map, or the CBSCM. This digital map traces Black Chicagoans’ experiences from the Great Migration to the rise of electronic dance music in the city . The map includes historical records and music posters as well as descriptions of important people and venues for that music.

While engaging Black Americans in the effort, the CBSCM map tells the story of Chicago through a series of artistic movements that highlight African Americans’ connection with the city.

After years of gentrification and urban renewal programs that displaced Black people from the city, this project is helping remember those neighborhoods digitally. It is also inviting a broader discussion about the history of Black Chicago.

Restoring a sense of place

An important idea behind restorative mapping is the act of returning something to a former owner or condition. This connects with the broader restorative justice movement that seeks to address historic wrongs by documenting past and present injustices through perspectives that are often ignored or forgotten.

The CBSCM map is not a conventional paper map. While it includes many things you would find in such a map, such as road networks and political boundaries, the map also includes links to fiction writing and the Chicago Renaissance, art and music, as well as expressions of food, family life, education and politics that document a hidden history of Black life in the city. The map provides links to specific historic documents, socially meaningful sites, and to the lives of people that tell the story of Black Chicago.

Thus, the map helps highlight how this geography is still present in Chicago in archives and people’s memories. Through this digital representation of Black Chicagoans’ deep cultural roots in the city, the mapping aims to restore a sense of place. Such work embodies what Black History Month is about.

Joshua F.J. Inwood, Professor of Geography and Senior Research Associate in the Rock Ethics Institute, Penn State and Derek H. Alderman, Professor of Geography, University of Tennessee

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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A Florida school is making parents sign permission slips if they want their children to participate in several educational events for Black History Month.

According to Local 10, parents at IPrep Academy must sign off for their kids to engage in “…class and school wide presentations showcasing the achievements and recognizing the rich and diverse traditions, histories, and innumerable contributions of the Black communities.”

“I was shocked,” parent Jill Peeling said, noting she thought she misunderstood the document “I’m concerned. I’m concerned as a citizen.”

Miami-Dade School Board Member Steve Gallon defended the permission slip, saying it has to do with a new state board rule that requires parental consent when individuals come on campus.

“This is a policy that’s an extension of a new state board rule,” Gallon said.

The policy was enacted in November as an extension of the Parental Bill Of Rights.

“We have to follow the law,” Gallon continued. “We have to implement the rules that are adopted by the State Board of Education, but we cannot throw the baby out with the bath water and we have to square some obligations we have to academic freedom.”

Florida International University Professor Marvin Dunn said giving kids the ability to opt in or out of learning Black history will have reverberating effects on the next generation.

“When parents become involved in making that decision, keeping some kids out, some kids in, you have unequal learning,” said Dunn.

Dunn noted how the Desantis administration is interfering in the classroom.

“The intent of the DeSantis attack on education is to make schools more cautious, to make teachers more cautious about what they teach, and it’s working,” he said. “It’s not about banning books necessarily, it’s about banning ideas.”

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The kids are in school, and spring break is still a couple of months away, but there’s a way for parents to travel without having to pack their bags.

Winter Chalet on the Green by Citizens Market, located in the heart of Buckhead, is a way to mix exclusivity and outdoor dining. The chalet bubble zips open and inside are four chairs, comfy blankets, small tables, and, on one Friday night, a board game to play.

The express purpose of the chalets is to get away without having to go far. Starting on Feb. 1 and running through Feb. 25, the chalets are available to book for a $50 rental fee on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. There is a $100 per person (with a minimum of two people per reservation) cost, but a 90-minute reservation includes food, drinks, and most uniquely a private dinner despite being stationed outside of Citizens Market and next door to the Nobu Hotel Atlanta, one of the city’s newest luxury hotels. 

Photograph courtesy of Rinne Allen

Hunt Revell realized that oysters are more than just slurpable happy hour treats when he taught high school in New York City. A Georgia boy, he remarked to his coworkers that he grew up eating oysters all the time, to which they replied, “‘Yeah, but we like them because they filter 50 gallons of water a day, and they’re good for the marine habitat, and oyster reefs can help with storm surge, flooding, and erosion, and we think they’re a great sustainable food source,’” recalls Revell. “I was like, Whoa, okay, that’s a whole ’nother level of love for oysters.” This stuck with him when he moved back home, and in 2021 he cofounded Shell to Shore, an oyster shell recycling nonprofit, in hopes of restoring Georgia’s shorelines.

The opportunity to found Shell to Shore presented itself to Revell and a few folks he worked with at Seabear Oyster Bar in Athens when he came across a grant through the Nature Conservancy’s SOAR (Supporting Oyster Aquaculture and Restoration) program. “It was enough to get us going, which was basically to buy a truck and get enough people who were interested to use the truck to pick up shells from the restaurant,” says Revell.

Revell turned to his neighbor Nik Heynen, a geography professor at the University of Georgia, to get the organization off the ground. Heynen facilitated a collaboration between Shell to Shore and Save Our Legacy Ourself (SOLO), which preserves the Saltwater Geechee culture on Sapelo Island through agriculture. The oyster shells collected from restaurants are cured (i.e., left in the sun to kill off any biological matter they harbor) for six months on a farm in Athens before they’re transported to Sapelo Island. There, they bolster Sapelo’s shoreline in flood-prone areas.

Shell to Shore’s roster of restaurant sources includes Kimball House, Miller Union, and Steamhouse Lounge, in addition to restaurants in Athens. “We kind of go to restaurants with the attitude of ‘What can we do to make this the smallest lift possible for you? How do we set this up so it’s not a pain in your neck, so you’ll keep doing it?’” says Revell. They haul about 2,000 pounds of oyster shells every other week, and they’re hoping to increase their frequency this year. Additionally, they aim to broaden their reach along the coast.

Working on this project has brought Heynen a new appreciation for oysters. He had only ever eaten a handful, but working with Shell to Shore and SOLO piqued his interest in the bivalves. He even volunteered at Seabear to improve his shucking skills. “Yeah, I’ve had a very intense growth curve with oysters,” says Heynen. “I love eating them and love being around them now in a way that I didn’t ever imagine.”

This article appears in our February 2024 issue.

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