Jacinta Howard

Classic Atlanta
Westside
For storied locales, visit the Atlanta University Center on the city’s west side. It’s the world’s largest consortium of African American private institutions of higher education and includes Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, Morris Brown College, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine and the Interdenominational Theological Center. Walk the sprawling campuses and soak the lively atmosphere brought by its students and notable alumni such as Martin Lu...

A muralist is making an indelible mark on his home away from home
BY JACINTA HOWARD
When Wylie Caudill was tapped to create a mural in the Beach Village, commemorating the 75th anniversary of Jekyll Island becoming a state park, his initial thoughts were selfish.
“I was really excited to have my own mark on the island and be a part of it in that way, and to be a permanent part of Jekyll Island,” he says with a laugh.
Caudill’s mural sits oceanside on a north-facing wall in the Beach Village, ...

If we’ve learned anything over the last few years, it’s that working in a hospital is never routine. Here, stories from the metro’s most respected physicians.

WhenWhen NBA star Lou Williams made national news in 2020 for breaking the league’s quarantine bubble to visit the world-famous Atlanta strip club Magic City — not for the performers but for the food — people scoffed in disbelief.
“I remember watching ESPN the next day, and it kind of really annoyed me at one point,” says Nick Love, who served as the club’s brand manager from 2017 until early 2020 when the pandemic hit. “All the pundits were like, ‘Yeah, right, wink-wink. He went to the club ...

By now, you’ve heard of the Great Reshuffle, the Great Resignation, the Great Reprioritization, the Take This Job and Shove It economy. Whatever you call it, the best description comes from Time: “If April 2020 was the month of pink slips, as the rapid spread of Covid-19 resulted in the loss of 20.5 million jobs, then Fall 2021 [was] the dawn of their revenge.”

Derek Lewis was happy in his role as president of PepsiCo Beverages North America's South Division. He’d been with the company for more than three decades and spent the last 10 years content in his position. Then, the summer of 2020 happened and, like many people, Lewis was compelled by what he saw playing out in the streets of various communities where social justice was at the top of everyone’s mind. It changed things for him, and he began asking himself tough questions, ultimately deciding...

Mary J. Blige kicked off her inaugural Strength Of A Woman Festival & Summit in Atlanta over Mother’s Day weekend and turned the three-day, star-studded event into 72 hours of pure, female empowerment. Presented in partnership with Pepsi and Live Nation Urban, the festival derived its name from Blige’s 2017 released album, and featured a number of sold out events, including two concerts, a comedy night, a Food Truck Village, and a summit packed with celebrity panelists.
Prior to the festival,...

In 2020, it’s easy to feel like we’re living in a dystopian tale, and many of us are in survival mode. We naturally look to food, water, safety, clean air, masks, jobs, and healthcare for sustenance. But we also look to stories to keep us going. We at Shondaland understand the power of storytelling because that’s what we do. We also know the power of a good book. Now more than ever, we realize their importance to help us feel connected and comforted during trying times. With that in mind, we ...

Gilmer County Calendar

Augusta has emerged as a hidden jewel of the Southeast—not least because of its proximity to Atlanta, or because it’s the home of the pristine Augusta National Golf Course, where the Masters Tournament is played each year. Augusta’s gorgeous natural terrain has long made it the preferred destination for presidents and other high-society types, because the Savannah River literally runs through it, adding to its unique charms. But the city has also been active in celebrating its public art thro...

More women are making major moves and pushing for much needed change in the music industry.

Rubi Rose
It’s a few days after hip-hop magazine XXL announced its popular Freshman Class of 2021, a list highlighting rap newbies to watch, and 23-year-old Rubi Rose has mixed emotions. On the one hand, she’s thankful to be included among artists she respects on a lineup that includes more women than ever before; on the other, she’s agitated because with the announcement came a lot of negativity—namely, claims that she only made the list because of her looks and past affiliations with male r...

Fish Scales, one-fourth of the southern rap group, Nappy Roots, is standing behind the bar, pouring a beer. It isn’t just any beer though, it’s the group’s signature stout, Kentucky Mud, crafted in collaboration with Atlanta’s Arches Brewery.
And it isn’t just any bar he’s standing behind, either; it’s Atlantucky Brewing— Nappy Roots’ sprawling new 6,000-foot brewery and taproom located in Atlanta not far from Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, and Morehouse Col...

IT’S A SUNNY SUMMER DAY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, AND BRANDY NORWOOD IS GLOWING.
She laughs and smiles easily. The sun glints off her smooth, cocoa-colored skin when she tilts her head. The carefree beauty she radiates on days like these goes deeper than her sunny exterior. It’s soul-deep, stemming from the peaceful space she currently occupies. At 42 years old, Brandy is more comfortable with herself than she’s ever been. And it shows.

According to a 2020 study by the Kauffman Foundation and MaC Venture Capital, ethnically diverse founding teams provide higher returns when cash is returned to investors. “Historically, they have earned a 3.26x median realized multiple on IPOs and acquisitions, compared to a 2.50x realized multiple for white founding teams, a 30% increase,” the study states.
Bottom line? When diverse startups have access to cash, they excel.
It’s an issue that Kevin D. Johnson, founder of a few tech companies...