Two Georgia district attorneys who promised criminal justice reforms are facing reelection races that will test whether progressive prosecutors in liberal pockets of the swing state can survive intense blowback from state Republicans and some prominent local Democrats. Shalena Cook Jones of Chatham County and Deborah Gonzalez of Athens-Clarke and Oconee counties were elected in 2020 in the wake of nationwide protests against racial injustice. They, like dozens of other progressive prosecutors elected to office over the past decade, promised a holistic approach to prosecuting that offers diversion

In 14 years of working at Invest Atlanta, the organization's CEO Dr. Eloisa Klementich has led tremendous gains. Klementich and the Invest Atlanta team has produced the creation of 11,383 affordable housing units, 66,900 jobs created or retained, and supported $7.1 million of small business funding and $8 billion dollars of new capital investment in the city. Klementich recently spoke with with ADW to share insight on her journey with Invest Atlanta and its overall impact. How were you originally introduced to Invest Atlanta? It has been an amazing, almost 14

Gocha Hawkins is somewhat of an anomaly; she is both enigmatic and relatively guarded at the same time. The gourmet restaurateur and winner of the 2024 Golden Spatula Award wasn’t born with a silver spoon. Her refined tastes for high-end, but down-home culinary dishes however, is attracting Atlanta foodies in droves. The accomplished beautician and reality show star is now a thriving restaurant owner, making a mark in Atlanta's highly competitive dining space. The plain-spoken star of WE tv's “Bold and the Bougie” makes it clear that a

Estate planning is a concept that many people, particularly in communities of color, tend to overlook. However, as Attorney Amber C. Saunders explains, the implications of not planning for the future can be devastating.  In an exclusive interview with ADW, Saunders shared her personal story of how she transitioned into estate planning and the significant role it plays in preserving wealth for future generations. "I thought I was going to do criminal law, but when my grandmother got diagnosed with dementia and she was the only person who did

In a historic move, Benedict College has announced the extension of Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis’s contract, ensuring her tenure as the first female president of the institution through June 2031. This decision not only underscores the impact Dr. Artis has had since assuming the role in 2017 but also marks a significant moment in the college’s storied history as an HBCU in South Carolina. Dr. Artis’s tenure has been marked by remarkable achievements, including the completion of Benedict College’s The B.E.S.T. five-year strategic plan in just three years, a

The Atlanta Public Schools officials will officially swear in new school superintendent Dr. Bryan Johnson this Monday morning, Aug. 5. Johnson will waste no time taking the reigns of the sometimes embattled school district when he swings into action as 50,000 students return to the classroom for the 2024-2025 school year. Dr. Bryan Johnson was unanimously approved as the next superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools (APS) on July 8, 2024, and will begin his three-year contract. Johnson, who was previously the executive vice chancellor and chief strategy officer

Blessings in a Backpack, the only national organization solely dedicated to feeding kids on the weekend, has appointed Tiffany Brown of Atlanta, managing director of Alvarez & Marsal’s Corporate Performance Improvement division, as the board’s newest member. “I envision a world where no child ever goes to bed hungry,” said Brown. “This isn't just a dream—it's a commitment that aligns perfectly with the mission of Blessings. I'm incredibly excited to partner with Blessings to transform this vision into reality. Together, we aim to amplify our impact nationwide, increasing the number of food-insecure

Angel Onuoha, CEO of BLK Capital Management, founded the not-for-profit hedge fund as a Freshman at Harvard University.  The 24-year-old business mogul's goal is to help guide African-American students to the field of active investment management, giving them a real-time education while they dive head-first into managing an invested pool of money. BLK Capital Management maintains members from across the nation who manage a long/short equity fund that invests capital across the globe and constantly seek to deliver absolute returns, outperforming industry standards.  The Conference will host over 80 students

Diriki T. Geuka is an Associate in the Atlanta office of Townsend & Lockett in the transactional practice group. Diriki works on a team focusing on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, and general corporate law.  Diriki was previously a Pinellas Assistant County Attorney where he represented County agencies run by locally elected and appointed officials. Diriki began his career as federal staff attorney for the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, where he served for a year, and was an intern for the Honorable