Unapologetically Influential

Atlanta’s most influential Black women in television, radio, print, and digital media reflected on leadership, legacy, and mentorship during the “Unapologetally Influential” panel discussion.

The Women Who Built Atlanta’s Black Media Legacy

By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | July 7, 2026

Atlanta’s rise as the nation’s capital of Black culture did not happen by chance. While the city’s influence is often measured through politics, business, music, film, and professional sports, another force quietly helped shape its identity for generations: Black women in media.

Long before podcasts, livestreams, and social media influencers, pioneering women walked into television stations, radio studios, and newspaper offices where few people looked like them and even fewer expected them to succeed. They earned the public’s trust one broadcast, one headline, and one interview at a time. In doing so, they helped transform not only Atlanta’s media landscape but also the way an entire city saw itself.

That extraordinary legacy came into focus during the Atlanta Cultural Exchange’s “Unapologetically Influential” panel discussion, a gathering that celebrated the women whose careers helped define Atlanta’s media culture while inspiring those who will carry it into the future.

The panel brought together legendary broadcaster Monica Kaufman Pearson, veteran radio personality Joyce Littel, multimedia journalist Rashan Ali, Atlanta Voice Publisher Janis L. Ware, media strategist and journalist Dawn Montgomery, and award-winning broadcaster Liz Smith, who served as moderator.

Although each woman followed a different professional path, together they represented more than two centuries of journalism, broadcasting, publishing, entrepreneurship, and community leadership.

The conversation quickly became about something much larger than careers.

It became a conversation about legacy.

Building Atlanta’s Media Legacy

Throughout the afternoon, panelists reflected on how dramatically Atlanta has changed during their careers.

Today’s Atlanta is home to nationally recognized news organizations, influential Black-owned media companies, syndicated radio personalities, digital content creators, filmmakers, and cultural commentators whose work reaches audiences across the country.

But those opportunities were built by pioneers who entered an industry where few opportunities existed for women, particularly Black women.

Rather than focusing on personal accomplishments, the discussion repeatedly returned to a common theme: every generation has a responsibility to leave the profession stronger than it found it.

Atlanta’s Media Trailblazers

Monica Kaufman Pearson – Broke barriers in 1975 as the first woman and first African American to anchor the evening news at WSB-TV, becoming one of Georgia’s most trusted journalists over a 37-year career.

Jocelyn Dorsey – One of Atlanta television’s pioneering Black journalists whose work helped open newsroom doors for future generations while setting a standard for public affairs reporting and community engagement.

Joyce Littel – A respected Atlanta radio personality whose decades behind the microphone have informed, entertained, and mentored aspiring broadcasters.

Janis L. Ware – Publisher of The Atlanta Voice, preserving one of the nation’s historic Black-owned newspapers while leading its transformation into the digital age and championing community development throughout Atlanta.

Rashan Ali – A multimedia journalist whose career spans sports broadcasting, television, radio, acting, and digital media, reflecting the versatility of today’s media professionals.

Dawn Montgomery – A journalist, strategist, and cultural commentator whose work demonstrates the expanding role of storytelling across journalism, marketing, podcasting, and social commentary.

Liz Smith – An award-winning multimedia journalist and executive producer representing Atlanta’s next generation of influential media leadership across radio, television, streaming, and live events.

Jovita Moore – Remembered as one of Atlanta’s most beloved television anchors, whose professionalism, compassion, and community commitment inspired viewers and young journalists alike.

Remembering Those Who Opened the Door

One of the afternoon’s most meaningful moments came when Monica Kaufman Pearson reminded the audience that history is never created by one person alone.

She acknowledged veteran journalist Jocelyn Dorsey as the first Black news anchor in the Atlanta television market, recognizing one of the women whose groundbreaking work helped expand opportunities for those who followed.

It was a fitting reminder that Atlanta’s media story has always been one of shared progress rather than individual achievement.

The recognition also underscored an important truth often overlooked in conversations about success: every trailblazer once followed another pioneer.

“When I Started, I Didn’t See Black Anchors”

Following the panel discussion, The Truth Seekers Journal spoke with Pearson about the remarkable gathering of women whose careers collectively span nearly every chapter of modern Black media in Atlanta.

Reflecting on the beginning of her own career, Pearson recalled entering an industry where representation was almost nonexistent.

“When I started, I didn’t see Black anchors,” she said.

Rather than accepting those limitations, she chose to become the example she never had.

In 1975, Pearson made history when she became the first woman and the first African American to anchor the evening news at WSB-TV, beginning a remarkable 37-year career that would earn the trust of viewers throughout Georgia.

Her success demonstrated that excellence has the power to change institutions.

Knowing When to Go

Pearson also shared one of the most profound lessons she learned during her decades behind the anchor desk.

“Know when to go.”

The audience grew quiet.

Her advice was not about retirement.

It was about leadership.

Pearson explained that truly effective leaders understand that their responsibility extends beyond personal success. They must also create opportunities for those who follow.

By recognizing when it was time to leave the anchor desk, Pearson helped create space for another respected journalist to become a familiar face in Atlanta homes.

That opportunity allowed viewers to embrace the late Emmy Award-winning anchor Jovita Moore, whose warmth, professionalism, and deep commitment to community made her one of Atlanta’s most beloved broadcasters before her passing in 2021.

Pearson’s lesson extended far beyond journalism.

Leadership is measured not only by the barriers we break, but by the doors we leave open for others.

Every Platform, One Purpose

Although their careers developed in different decades and across different media, each panelist illustrated how journalism continues evolving while remaining grounded in the same core values.

Joyce Littel built one of Atlanta’s most respected careers in radio, using her voice to entertain audiences while encouraging and mentoring young broadcasters.

Janis L. Ware demonstrated that community journalism remains one of democracy’s most important institutions. Under her leadership, The Atlanta Voice has successfully evolved from a traditional newspaper into a modern multimedia news organization while remaining deeply rooted in serving Atlanta’s Black community. Her work in affordable housing, economic development, healthcare, and civic leadership reflects the belief that publishers should help strengthen the communities they cover.

Rashan Ali showed how modern journalists successfully move between television, sports broadcasting, acting, podcasting, and digital media without sacrificing credibility. Her career reflects the versatility demanded of today’s media professionals.

Dawn Montgomery offered another example of journalism’s evolution. Her career has crossed modeling, sports journalism, marketing, strategic communications, podcasting, and cultural commentary. Throughout those transitions, she has remained committed to authentic storytelling and using media as a vehicle for meaningful conversation.

Moderating the discussion was Liz Smith, whose own career represents the next chapter of Atlanta media. As an executive producer, radio personality, television host, and multimedia journalist, Smith embodies an industry where storytellers increasingly move seamlessly across radio, television, streaming platforms, podcasts, and live events.

Together, the women demonstrated that while technology changes, the mission of journalism remains remarkably consistent.

Serve the audience.

Tell the truth.

Earn trust.

More Than Media Personalities

One of the strongest themes to emerge from the discussion was that influence is not measured solely by ratings, readership, or followers.

Each woman described careers deeply connected to community service, mentorship, nonprofit leadership, civic engagement, and advocacy.

Their influence extends well beyond the newsroom.

Collectively, they have served on nonprofit boards, supported educational initiatives, championed healthcare awareness, mentored aspiring journalists, promoted economic development, strengthened neighborhoods, and used their platforms to elevate voices often overlooked by mainstream media.

For these women, journalism has never been simply a profession.

It has been public service.

The Legacy Reached Beyond the Stage

The conversation resonated just as strongly among those seated in the audience.

As attendees gathered following the discussion, many reflected on lessons that reached beyond media careers.

Taylor Dunn summed up the afternoon simply.

“It was an amazing panel, and I really enjoyed it.”

For Atlanta licensed esthetician Tasha, one lesson stood above all the others.

“Know when it’s time to go. Know when it’s your time to leave.”

Moments earlier, Pearson had offered nearly identical advice while describing her own career.

For Tasha, the message applied as much to business and life as it did to broadcasting.

Great leaders do not simply achieve success.

They prepare others to succeed after them.

A Legacy Still Being Written

Looking across the stage, it became clear that this was far more than another panel discussion.

These were not simply accomplished broadcasters, publishers, radio personalities, journalists, and media strategists.

They were women who helped shape how Atlanta tells its own story.

Individually, each forged a unique path through television, newspapers, radio, and digital media.

Collectively, they built something much larger than themselves.

They helped establish Atlanta as one of America’s most influential centers of Black journalism and media excellence.

The applause that filled the room at the close of “Unapologetically Influential” was not merely recognition of distinguished careers.

It was gratitude for doors opened.

Barriers broken.

Communities served.

And generations inspired.

As Atlanta’s media landscape continues to evolve, the technology will change. New platforms will emerge. Different voices will capture public attention.

But the standard established by these pioneering women remains unchanged.

Tell the truth.

Serve the community.

And never forget to leave the door open for the woman coming behind you.

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The Real AI Revolution: How Technology Is Rewriting Daily Life

AI is no longer a distant technology. It’s quietly reshaping daily life—guiding choices, filtering information, influencing work, learning, shopping, and trust. The real revolution is happening in ordinary routines, not futuristic labs.

By Florita Bell Griffin | Houston, TX | July 7, 2026

The real AI revolution is unfolding in a far more intimate way than many people first expected. Early public imagination placed artificial intelligence in laboratories, robotic machines, futuristic factories, and distant corporate research centers. Today its reach is far closer, quieter, and more powerful. AI is entering the spaces where ordinary life happens every day. It is shaping how people search for information, buy products, receive recommendations, complete paperwork, communicate with institutions, manage schedules, learn new things, and move through the digital systems that now surround almost every part of modern life.

That is why the real revolution is larger than a story about technical progress. It is a story about daily life being rewritten in real time. AI changes the way people encounter choices, the way they receive guidance, the way they spend attention, and the way they experience convenience. Its influence is spreading through routines that seem familiar, which makes the change easy to underestimate. Yet the most powerful shifts in society often arrive through ordinary habits rather than dramatic announcements.

One of the clearest signs of this rewrite appears in the way people now receive information. In an earlier digital world, users often had to search, compare, read, and sort through large volumes of material on their own. That process could be tedious, yet it kept people closer to the raw act of evaluating what they found. AI increasingly changes that relationship. It summarizes, ranks, recommends, predicts, and frames. Instead of simply opening a door to information, it begins arranging the room. It decides what rises to the top, what appears relevant, what seems urgent, and what fades into the background.

That shift matters because daily decisions grow out of the environments people see. When the environment is increasingly curated by predictive systems, the character of human judgment begins to change. A person still chooses, yet the shape of that choice is influenced by an intelligence layer working quietly in the background. This is one of the deepest ways AI is rewriting life. It changes the conditions under which thought takes place.

Work offers another powerful example. Across offices, schools, logistics systems, creative industries, customer service channels, financial operations, and research environments, AI is accelerating tasks that once required more time and labor. It drafts messages, organizes notes, summarizes meetings, analyzes documents, answers routine questions, and supports decision workflows. For many workers, this feels like a gain in speed and relief. Yet every gain in speed also changes expectations. Once a task can be completed faster, institutions begin recalibrating what counts as normal productivity. The result is that AI shapes work by changing pace, pressure, and standards as much as output itself.

That transformation reaches beyond professional settings. Family life is also being rewritten. AI now influences what children watch, what parents are shown online, what products families are encouraged to buy, and what kinds of answers emerge from search tools and digital assistants. Recommendation systems shape household routines with remarkable subtlety. Entertainment choices, educational prompts, shopping patterns, and even emotional tone can all be influenced by algorithmic systems tuned to predict what will hold attention. A household may feel as though it is simply enjoying convenience, while a far more complex process of behavioral shaping is taking place underneath.

Education is changing in similar ways. Students now live in a world where AI can explain concepts, generate practice material, summarize readings, offer writing assistance, and serve as a constant academic companion. This brings real benefits, especially for learners who need quick support or another pathway into a difficult idea. At the same time, education is about more than receiving answers. It is about building concentration, reasoning, memory, authorship, patience, and confidence. When AI enters learning environments, it changes the relationship between effort and outcome. That means the revolution touches the formation of the mind itself.

Consumer life may be the area where the rewrite is most visible. AI helps determine which products appear first, which prices are shown, which ads are served, which promotions feel personal, and which paths lead most smoothly toward a purchase. Shopping becomes more tailored, more responsive, and more predictive. A person may feel seen by the system because the system seems to understand preferences so quickly. Yet the deeper reality is that the marketplace is evolving from a place of display into a place of dynamic behavioral influence. AI is helping transform commerce into a living environment that learns, adjusts, and persuades continuously.

Healthcare, banking, transportation, and public services are also experiencing this shift. AI supports scheduling, triage, fraud detection, record management, route suggestions, screening systems, and prioritization tools. Many of these applications improve responsiveness and efficiency. Yet they also show how deeply the rewrite reaches. AI is entering the back-end structures that shape how people are processed, flagged, assisted, routed, or delayed. A person may never see the full system, yet the system may already be shaping the pace and quality of their experience.

Trust sits at the center of all of this. As AI becomes more fluent, polished, and responsive, it becomes easier for people to accept its outputs as authoritative. A system that speaks clearly and smoothly can feel competent even when its reasoning is partial or its perspective is narrow. That dynamic matters because everyday life depends on trust. People trust information systems, financial systems, educational systems, medical systems, and communication systems every single day. As AI becomes more embedded within them, the question of what deserves trust grows more urgent.

The real revolution, then, is about more than automation. It is about mediation. AI sits between people and information, between consumers and markets, between workers and institutions, between students and knowledge, between citizens and systems. It increasingly helps shape what is visible, what is recommended, what is rewarded, and what is treated as meaningful. Once a technology reaches that level of influence, it becomes part of the architecture of social life.

This is why public understanding matters so deeply. Many people still speak about AI as though it were mainly a future issue. In truth, it is already part of the lived present. It is reorganizing routines through search, media, shopping, learning, work, and administration. Its effects often feel incremental because they arrive through convenience rather than disruption. Yet accumulation has power. Hundreds of small changes across ordinary life can produce a profound social transformation.

The word revolution usually suggests spectacle. In the case of AI, the more accurate image is restructuring. Daily life is being reorganized by systems that predict, guide, rank, personalize, and respond at scale. Human beings still make choices, yet those choices increasingly arise inside environments shaped by machine intelligence. That is a major civilizational development because it changes how people encounter reality itself.

The real AI revolution deserves serious attention for that reason. It is rewriting daily life through tools that feel useful, familiar, and ordinary. It is changing how people work, learn, buy, trust, communicate, and decide. It is shifting influence into the hidden layers of modern systems, where guidance can shape behavior long before people realize how much has changed. That is the true scale of this moment. AI is rewriting daily life from the inside, and the future will be shaped by how clearly society understands the depth of that rewrite.

© 2026 Truth Seekers Journal. Published with permission from the author. All rights reserved.

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Kaiser Permanente Expands ‘Building for Impact’ in Atlanta, Connecting Minority Contractors to Growing Healthcare Projects

Kaiser Permanente’s “Building for Impact” initiative is reshaping Georgia’s construction market, signaling major healthcare expansion and new opportunities. Industry leaders stress that strategic preparation, strong relationships, and operational excellence will determine which contractors are ready to compete as demand and investment accelerate across the region. themselves for long term success.

By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | July 6, 2026

Earlier this spring, at The Gathering Spot in Atlanta, Kaiser Permanente convened contractors, developers, business leaders, and community partners to discuss what it will take to compete for more than $70 million in current and projected investments across Georgia. Although the meeting has ended, the message remains timely as healthcare construction and supplier opportunities continue to expand across the state.

As Kaiser Permanente grows its footprint in Georgia, its Building for Impact initiative is preparing businesses for more than the next construction project. It is challenging contractors to think strategically, strengthen their operations and position themselves for long-term success in one of the state’s fastest-growing sectors.

The central question echoed throughout the program was straightforward: Who will be ready when opportunity arrives?

According to speakers, the answer depends less on access and more on preparation.

A Growing Market with Real Stakes

Marc A. Love, Vice President of National Contracting Strategy for Kaiser Permanente, outlined more than $70 million in active and projected investments tied to construction, supplier development and facility expansion throughout the Atlanta region.

With more than 466,000 members in Georgia and continued growth expected, Kaiser Permanente signaled a steady pipeline of work tied to healthcare infrastructure and modernization. The organization is now serving the largest membership base in its Georgia history, driven by continued demand for its integrated model of care.

But speakers emphasized that access to those opportunities is not automatic.

“People buy from people,” consultant Reggie Williams told attendees. “They buy from those who bring value and meet performance expectations.”

Strategy, Not Just Survival

Earnest Ellis – Todd Gray – Jamila Veasley

Keynote speaker Earnest Ellis, president of the National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC) and CEO of FS360, challenged attendees to rethink how they approach the construction business.

Ellis grounded his message in personal experience -growing up in an entrepreneurial family shaped by resilience and work ethic. His father, who lost his right arm in a farming accident and could not read or write, still outworked everyone around him. That example, Ellis said, removed any excuse to avoid hard challenges.

After careers at IBM, Verizon, and MCI, Ellis founded FS360 in 2008, his sixth entrepreneurial venture. Today, the firm operates in Atlanta, GA and Dallas, TX, generating $35 million in net revenue in 2025 and delivering more than $270 million in completed work.

“Too many small businesses think tactically, just chasing the next contract,” Ellis said. “You have to think strategically. Pick your markets. Build expertise. Develop relationships that last.”

He underscored the urgency with industry realities:

  • 50% of businesses fail within five years
  • 65% fail within ten years
  • Underrepresented firms account for just 21% of construction companies despite representing 42% of the population

Still, Ellis framed the moment as one of opportunity.

“This is a $1.3 trillion industry,” he said. “And right now, it’s short more than 500,000 workers. There is more work than people to do it.”

He also emphasized purpose over pay, sharing that his Yale-educated son turned down a high-paying corporate career in favor of work he found meaningful.

“Excellence is what keeps us in business,” Ellis said.

Healthcare Construction Requires Precision

Elise Webster, Preconstruction Manager, WEBMyers Construction emphasized that healthcare construction carries a higher level of complexity than traditional projects.

“You’re building while people are being treated,” she explained. “That changes everything your schedule, your safety protocols, your coordination.”

Firms that can manage phased construction, infection control standards, and off-hour work schedules are better positioned for long-term opportunities in the healthcare sector.

Relationships Still Drive Opportunity

Despite formal initiatives like Building for Impact, speakers repeatedly stressed that relationships remain the foundation of the industry.

“It takes seven interactions to make an impression,” Ellis said. “One meeting won’t do it.”

Contractors were encouraged to stay engaged, complete Kaiser’s prequalification process, and remain visible even when contracts are not immediately awarded.

Persistence, not proximity, often determines success.

Community Impact Beyond Contracts

Kaiser leaders emphasized that the initiative extends beyond construction projects to broader community outcomes.

Jamila Veasley, Senior Director of Program Management and Strategy Execution, reinforced that vision.

“Who we build with and who we work with matters,” Veasley said. “What we do with Building for Impact supports more than individual projects – it supports economic empowerment, workforce development, and stronger communities.”

One example highlighted a project where a construction team used a local church as its operations base, renovating the space and paying above-market rent, leaving lasting value behind.

“This is what building for impact means,” Todd Gray said. “Not just projects, but community investment.”

Be Ready or Be Left Behind

The closing message was consistent across speakers: opportunity is expanding, but readiness will determine who benefits.

Contractors were urged to:

  • Strengthen internal systems and financial controls
  • Focus on specific market segments
  • Build relationships intentionally
  • Deliver consistent, high-quality work

Kaiser’s long-standing partnership with NAMC—spanning more than 15 years reflects a continued commitment to building capacity among minority contractors through training, networking, and strategic development.

As Georgia’s healthcare sector continues to grow, speakers agreed that success will belong to contractors who invest in relationships, build strong internal systems, and prepare long before opportunities arrive. For minority-owned businesses, the message was clear: the next major project may already be on the horizon, but readiness begins today.

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America at 250: The Distance Between Promise and Practice

By Richard Rose, President of Communities United for Justice | Atlanta, GA | July 6, 2026

As much of America celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, racial oppression of sub-Saharan Africa and Native descendants continues. The president leads a revival of hate with white evangelicals constituting the amen corner.   Although the bigotry-fueled oppressive conditions that have been systematically enforced upon black and brown American citizenry have diminished, “making progress” means that the destination of full citizenship has not been reached.

Even if “all men are created equal,” equal treatment under the law is yet a poet’s dream in the United States of America. Not only is the 250th American milestone celebrated without a commitment to fulfill the lofty words enshrined in the declarative document of 1776, the current White House occupant, assisted by a collection of sycophants, is intent on sharpening the swords of repression by usurping established policy and regulation that have slowly bent toward justice. 

The destruction of the Federal civil service system will allow a bigoted bloodbath of HBCU graduates who had more limited corporate opportunities in previous generations. Policies and regulations that denied Native Americans promised relief from 400 years of post-invasion genocidal conditions can be expected to be discarded. Treaties between the USA and various Native Tribes, not worth the paper written on, will remain empty promises of equity and respect. 

The welcoming nation described in Emma Lazarus’ sonnet is but a figment of righteous imagination.  Instead, we are the nation of my baby boomer childhood that was infested with declarations of white supremacy proclaiming,  “whites only” and “colored entrance.”  Executive orders have declared that neither poor nor huddled masses can find freedom on our shores. We are still that nation, without apology.

The states of the former Confederacy lead the way. Gerrymandering of legislative districts uses race flimsily disguised as political differentiation to reduce the voting power of non-whites with Black Americans as the bullseye. Redlining by banks, insurance companies and local councils maintain limited access to healthcare and other life essentials. Southern attitudes see no conflict with American patriotism and waving flags that celebrate the failed insurrection against America, commemorated with assembly-line Confederate soldiers in front of southern courthouses.

 Georgia is home to the largest shrine to white supremacy in the history of the world, yet thousands of Black men and women visit the surrounding park daily, having been acclimated to racial oppression through subliminal messaging such that obvious signs of hate and oppression have been normalized. The Civil War has not ended.  It’s cornerstone that “the negro is not equal to the white man” is still a presumption. 

Knowledge of our true American history can save us. Neither Columbus or anyone else could have discovered a land where millions already lived and thrived.  This fable supports the current myth that America belongs to the paleskins, that there was no American genocide that continues in a modified version, that the enslavement of stolen Africans does not have bearing on the poverty that infects Black communities and that our governments are not currently invested in bigotry. We can do better if we face the realities of America today.

The Declaration of Independence gave America its words. The next 250 years will reveal whether we have the courage to live them.

Dream Fall to Valkyries Despite Strong Individual Performances

Allisha Gray scored 22 points and Angel Reese posted her 14th double-double, but the Atlanta Dream fell 88-83 to the Golden State Valkyries on July 4.

Gray Scores 22, Reese Records 14th Double-Double as Atlanta Drops Season Series

By Milton Kirby | College Park, GA | July 4, 2026

The Atlanta Dream battled until the final buzzer Saturday afternoon but came up just short, falling 88-83 to the Golden State Valkyries at Gateway Center Arena @ College Park.

The loss completed a season sweep for the expansion Valkyries, who improved to 4-2 all-time against Atlanta. The Dream dropped to 2-4 in the series despite another strong afternoon from Allisha Gray, Angel Reese and Rhyne Howard.

Atlanta also unveiled a new starting lineup featuring Jordin Canada, Gray, Howard, Isobel Borlase and Reese. The game marked the first WNBA career start for Borlase as Head Coach Karl Smesko continued evaluating new lineup combinations entering the second half of the season.

Turning Point

The Dream stayed within striking distance throughout much of the afternoon, but Golden State delivered the game’s biggest plays in the closing minutes. Every time Atlanta threatened to erase the deficit, the Valkyries answered with timely baskets and defensive stops to preserve the victory.

Gray Continues Her All-Star Campaign

Gray once again led Atlanta offensively, scoring a game-high 22 points while adding four rebounds, three assists and a steal. The performance marked her eighth game this season with at least 20 points, continuing one of the most consistent scoring seasons in the WNBA.

Howard provided another steady performance with 19 points, five rebounds and three assists, giving the Dream a reliable scoring option throughout the contest.

Rhyne Howard 10 drives against Kaila Charles 6 – Courtesy photo

Reese Keeps Making History

Angel Reese continued her remarkable sophomore season by recording her 14th double-double of the year with 17 points and 13 rebounds. She also contributed three assists and two steals while controlling the glass and creating second-chance opportunities for Atlanta.

Reese’s relentless rebounding and defensive energy kept the Dream within reach throughout the afternoon, even as Golden State maintained its lead late in the game.

Okot Provides the Spark

Center Madina Okot delivered one of Atlanta’s most efficient performances of the season.

Okot scored 11 points while shooting a perfect 4-for-4 from the field and 3-for-3 from the free-throw line, providing an important offensive lift off the bench.

Canada continued directing Atlanta’s offense with poise, finishing with seven points, four rebounds, eight assists and two steals. The performance marked her 18th game this season with at least five assists.

A New Lineup Takes Shape

Saturday’s game offered Atlanta its first extended look at a new starting five.

Although the lineup fell to 0-1 together, Borlase’s first career start and the continued production from Gray, Howard, Reese and Canada provided encouraging signs as the Dream continue searching for the right combinations heading into the second half of the season.

What It Means

While the loss was disappointing, Atlanta’s core continues to produce at a high level. Gray remains one of the league’s most dependable scorers, Reese continues to pile up double-doubles, Howard delivers consistent two-way production, and Canada remains the catalyst for the Dream offense.

If the new starting lineup develops chemistry over the coming weeks, Saturday’s performance could prove to be an important step in Atlanta’s evolution.

Looking Ahead

The Dream will look to regroup and return to the win column as they continue their push through the second half of the WNBA season.

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A Celebration of Hope Inspires Birmingham’s Community Conversation on Lung Cancer

By Milton Kirby | Birmingham, AL | July 4, 2026

When Francina Morales rang the celebration bell at Birmingham’s Kirkland Clinic, the sound marked more than the end of her final chemotherapy treatment. It celebrated another milestone in an ongoing fight against lung cancer and offered hope to others facing the same uncertain road.

Surrounded by members of her medical team, family and friends, Morales celebrated completing chemotherapy just four months after surgeons removed most of her right lung because of lung cancer. While her treatment journey continues with twelve months of immunotherapy, she chose to share her experience publicly to encourage others to recognize symptoms early, seek medical attention and never lose hope.

Since recording that message, Morales has completed her immunotherapy, marking another significant milestone in her cancer journey.

“This is me at Kirkland Clinic in Birmingham, Alabama, ringing the Celebration Bell,” Morales said in a video shared following her final chemotherapy treatment. “I just finished my last round of chemo, and it is cause for celebration.”

Her story reflects the message organizers hope will resonate throughout Lung Cancer Screening to Treatment 2.0: A Community Conversation on Lung Cancer, a free educational forum scheduled for Saturday, July 18, from 10 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at The Purpose Center at Dannon, 2324 Fifth Avenue North in Birmingham.

Hosted by HEAL Collaborative in partnership with Antioch Missionary Baptist Church and supported by Amgen, the event will bring together physicians, researchers, patients, caregivers and community advocates to discuss lung cancer screening, advances in treatment and resources available to families throughout Alabama.

A Diagnosis She Never Expected

Morales says one of the biggest misconceptions about lung cancer is that it only affects smokers.

She never smoked.

Yet she found herself confronting a diagnosis that required major surgery, chemotherapy and ongoing immunotherapy.

Before doctors discovered the cancer, Morales experienced several symptoms that she now encourages others not to ignore, including extreme shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting, pain in her leg, loss of appetite and pain in her side.

“I was never a smoker,” she said. “I am sharing this now to encourage smokers to stop smoking because your odds are greater than a non-smoker like me. Believe me. You do not want this.”

Her experience reinforces one of the central messages physicians and patient advocates have emphasized throughout HEAL Collaborative’s educational campaign: anyone with lungs can develop lung cancer.

Although smoking remains the leading risk factor, doctors say lung cancer can also occur in people who have never smoked, making awareness of symptoms and appropriate screening critically important.

Turning Experience Into Education

Howard Mosby, chief operating officer of HEAL Collaborative, said community conversations like the July 18 forum are designed to connect medical expertise with the real-life experiences of patients and families.

“Far too many lives are lost because lung cancer is diagnosed too late,” Mosby said. “This community conversation is about bringing trusted experts and lived experiences together to help people understand their risk, navigate available resources and ultimately save lives.”

Throughout the morning, nationally recognized physicians, researchers and patient advocates will discuss lung cancer screening, biomarker testing, precision medicine, artificial intelligence, mental health, veterans’ lung health and financial resources available to patients and families.

Organizers hope participants leave with practical information, greater confidence and a better understanding of how early detection and informed decision-making can improve outcomes.

Finding Strength in the Journey

Morales acknowledges that cancer affects far more than the body.

“It is the master of stress, anxiety and depression,” she said. “Knowing that there is something inside your body trying to kill you.”

Even so, her message remains one of gratitude and hope.

She thanked God for guiding her surgeons through a successful operation and expressed appreciation for the healthcare professionals, friends and family members who have supported her throughout treatment, including her son, Joseph Bryant, her sister Carolyn Bailey-Fain, cousin Willie Fedrick, Cynthia Davis-Lockhart and Dorothy Baxter.

Having completed immunotherapy and rung the bell, Morales hopes others will listen carefully when their bodies signal that something may be wrong.

“Early detection can make all the difference,” she said.

Stories That Save Lives

Joseph Bryant, Morales’ son and one of the community leaders participating in the July 18 forum, believes personal experiences often reach people more deeply than statistics alone.

“You can talk about clinical facts all day, but nothing reaches people like hearing from those who’ve actually lived through cancer and found a way to overcome it,” Bryant said. “Seeing real people who’ve been touched by cancer and are still living their lives to the fullest is the strongest message we can give the community.”

For Morales, ringing the celebration bell marked the completion of one important chapter.

The next chapter of Morales’ journey has already begun. Having completed surgery, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, she now hopes her experience will encourage others to pay attention to their health, seek medical care when symptoms appear, and remember that a lung cancer diagnosis is not the end of the story.

The July 18 Community Conversation on Lung Cancer is free and open to the public. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m., and lunch will be provided. Organizers encourage residents, caregivers and families to attend, ask questions and learn more about the resources available to help prevent, detect and treat lung cancer.

Related articles

Part I – “Anyone With Lungs”: Understanding the Hidden Realities of Lung Cancer

Part II – “Your Lungs Are Talking”: How the Respiratory System Works – and What It Tells Us

Part III – “From Awareness to Action”: Communities Confront Lung Cancer Together

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Are African American Millennials and Gen Zers Too Busy Partying While Democracy Burns?

By Lola Renegade | Atlanta, GA | June 25, 2026

Too many Black Millennials and Gen Zers are partying, twerking, and shopping us back into slavery all while being distracted by an endless parade of entertainment, celebrity culture, social media validation, consumerism, and moments of performative outrage when another Black man or woman is gunned down by the police. Seemingly, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery are long forgotten.

And it’s not just them. Many older African Americans are also sleepwalking through one of the most consequential political, economic, and social moments in modern American history. They are so afraid of white folks they will not embrace messages of liberation. Those that are doing nothing now did not do anything earlier in their lives. Once an activist, always an activist.

While our ancestors risked their lives to learn to read, register to vote, own property, attend school, challenge segregation, and secure opportunities for future generations, many of our young are being encouraged to invest their time, attention, and resources elsewhere. Social media algorithms reward spectacle over substance. Celebrity culture celebrates consumption over joining those of us who continue the fight. Influencers teach them how to go viral but rarely how to build institutions, organize communities, create businesses,  acquire political power, or defend democracy.

At the very moment when voting rights are under attack, economic inequality is widening, public education is being politicized, healthcare remains unevenly accessible, and democratic institutions face mounting challenges, millions are being sold a different vision of success. They are encouraged to pursue likes, followers, luxury brands, designer labels, sports betting, slave chains around their necks, expensive vacations, strip clubs, and temporary fame. They are taught to consume, react, and entertain rather than take on and disrupt the negative forces shaping all of our futures.

Too many African Americans of all ages have become spectators in a struggle that demands participants. While powerful interests debate voting rights, criminal justice reform, economic opportunity, public education, and the future of democracy itself, voter turnout remains inconsistent, particularly in local elections where decisions affecting schools, housing, policing, economic development, healthcare, and public safety are actually made. So many of our young people know the lyrics to every trending song but cannot name their city council member, county commissioner, state representative, state senator, school board member, or congressional representative.  They know who is dating whom, who is feuding with whom, and who released the latest album, yet remain uninformed about legislation that directly affects our communities, our children, and our economic futures.

This conversation must also include the influence of portions of modern rap culture. Not all hip-hop is destructive. Hip-hop has produced extraordinary artists, scholars, entrepreneurs, activists, storytellers, and visionaries who have illuminated the Black experience with honesty, creativity, and brilliance. However, it is equally true that some of the most celebrated figures in popular culture built their brands glorifying drug dealing, violence, misogyny, hyper-materialism, and self-destruction. Many proudly recount how they sold drugs in Black neighborhoods to anyone willing to buy them, helping fuel addiction, family instability, incarceration, and despair in communities already struggling under the weight of poverty, discrimination, and disinvestment. The very activities that damaged neighborhoods became the foundation of entertainment empires worth millions and billions of dollars. Meanwhile, the communities left behind continue to bear the social and economic consequences. They helped the colonizers destroy our families and communities. 

The irony is painful. Previous generations marched so that we could vote. They risked their lives so that we could attend integrated schools, go through the front doors of establishments, sit in whatever seats were available, use any bathrooms, and stay in any hotel. They endured beatings, arrests, police dogs, fire hoses, bombings, economic retaliation, imprisonment, and even death so that future generations would have opportunities they never enjoyed.

Yet too often our younger generations behave as though freedom is permanent, democracy is on auto-renewal and is self-sustaining, and that progress is inevitable. Many consume the sacrifices of our ancestors without investing in the future of our descendants. They enjoy rights they did not earn while failing to protect them for those who will come after them. They spend billions of dollars each year on entertainment and consumption while too many schools struggle, too many worthy Black-founded nonprofits close for lack of funding, too many neighborhoods decline, too many young people lack mentors, and too many families remain economically vulnerable.

There is nothing wrong with partying and enjoying the life you have built. There is nothing wrong with enjoying music, fashion, sports, nightlife, or entertainment. Black joy has always been a form of resistance and survival. Our music, humor, creativity, and culture have sustained us through slavery, segregation, Jim and Jane Crow, discrimination, and injustice. The danger arises when entertainment becomes your primary identity, when consumption replaces solid citizenship, when celebrity replaces leadership, and when distraction becomes a substitute for civic engagement.

History has never been changed by those who were merely entertained by it. History is changed by those willing to organize, vote, build institutions, create businesses, educate children, mentor youth, challenge injustice, and make sacrifices for causes greater than themselves. Frederick Douglass did not free himself and speak out against slavery through entertainment. Harriet Tubman did not lead enslaved people to freedom through social media influence or how many likes she received from the plantations’ cottonfields. The Freedom Riders did not board buses headed into danger because it was convenient. All of them acted because history called and they unselfishly answered.

The question before Black Millennials and Generation Z is not whether they deserve to party. The question is whether they will party and still answer history’s call. The question is whether they can enjoy life while remaining committed to protecting democracy, strengthening communities, building wealth, educating children, supporting institutions, and defending freedoms won through the sacrifices of those who came before them.

One day, future generations will read about what all of us did with the freedom we inherited. They will not ask how many followers were accumulated, how many luxury vehicles owned, how many concerts attended, how many viral videos created, how many nights spent in clubs, or how many designer labels filled closets.

They will ask whether we strengthened democracy or weakened it. They will ask whether we expanded opportunity or merely consumed it. They will ask whether we invested in future generations or focused exclusively on ourselves.

Perhaps the most haunting and powerful question they will ask is, “What were you all doing when democracy was whipped beyond recognition, burned on a cross, and hung on a tree?” 

Dream Rally Falls Short as Valkyries End Atlanta’s Four-Game Winning Streak

The Atlanta Dream erased a 26-point deficit before falling to the Golden State Valkyries. Madina Okot and Angel Reese led Atlanta’s determined fourth-quarter comeback.

By Milton Kirby | San Francisco, CA. | June 25, 2026

The Atlanta Dream nearly turned one of their toughest nights of the season into one of their most memorable comebacks.

After trailing by as many as 26 points, Atlanta mounted a determined fourth-quarter rally before falling 77-66 to the Golden State Valkyries Wednesday night at Chase Center. The loss snapped the Dream’s four-game winning streak and evened the season series between the teams at 2-2.

For much of the night, the Dream struggled to find their offensive rhythm. But a spirited comeback led by Atlanta’s bench nearly erased what once looked like an insurmountable deficit.

“We brought in players off the bench, and that gave us a lot of energy,” Dream Head Coach Karl Smesko said. “We made a run that got us back in the game and gave us a chance to try to pull something off. Give the Valkyries credit. They hit a couple of 3-pointers to close it out.”

Slow Start Creates a Steep Climb

Atlanta Dream Reese helps Canada to her feet -Courtesy photo

Atlanta’s starting lineup of Jordin Canada, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Naz Hillmon, and Angel Reese entered the game with an impressive 12-4 record together. Early on, however, the offense never found its usual rhythm.

The Dream scored on their first three possessions before cooling off dramatically. Atlanta finished the first half with just 27 points while shooting 30.3 percent from the field and making only one of its first 10 attempts from three-point range.

Golden State took advantage, connecting on 55.2 percent of its shots and 53.3 percent from beyond the arc to build a lead that eventually reached 26 points.

Atlanta’s challenge became even greater in the third quarter when Allisha Gray left the game with an upper-body injury after scoring eight points. The team did not immediately provide an update on her condition.

“We got the shots we wanted,” Angel Reese said. “We just didn’t hit them tonight.”

Bench Provides the Spark

Just when the game appeared out of reach, Atlanta’s reserves breathed life back into the contest.

Opening the fourth quarter with fresh energy, the Dream held Golden State scoreless for more than five minutes while putting together a 21-6 run that trimmed the deficit to 10 points. Atlanta shot an efficient 10-for-15 during the quarter while scoring 26 points, its highest output of the night.

The bench contributed 22 points and supplied the defensive intensity that fueled the comeback. Indya Nivar and Sika Kone each finished with a team-best plus-14 rating, the only positive plus-minus performances for Atlanta.

Although the comeback ultimately fell short, it showcased the resilience that has become a trademark of this Dream team.

Okot Continues to Grow

Center Madina Okot continued her impressive stretch of play, leading Atlanta with 16 points while adding five rebounds and one assist. It marked her second consecutive double-digit scoring performance.

“It’s just staying ready and being ready whenever my team needs me,” Okot said. “Bringing whatever I have to help my team win.”

Her play helped Atlanta dominate several key statistical categories despite the loss.

The Dream outscored Golden State 42-22 in the paint, won the rebounding battle 34-32, and held an 18-2 advantage in fast-break points. Those efforts were not enough to overcome the Dream’s cold shooting and the Valkyries’ hot hand from long distance.

Reese Extends Double-Double Streak

Atlanta Dream Jordin Canada defended by Golden State Valkyries Gabby Willians – Courtesy photo

Angel Reese continued another remarkable chapter in her rookie season by recording her 11th double-double with 10 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and one steal.

Rhyne Howard added 12 points, five rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block while playing a team-high 31 minutes.

Canada finished with eight points, four rebounds, and two assists before the final horn.

The loss leaves Atlanta 2-2 all-time against Golden State, including a 1-1 record on the road.

Quick Opportunity to Respond

The Dream will not have to wait long for another opportunity.

Atlanta returns to Chase Center on Friday night for an immediate rematch with the Valkyries, giving the Dream a chance to split the two-game road series and regain the momentum that fueled its recent four-game winning streak.

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The Unfinished Journey: Why We Commemorate Juneteenth—NOT THE FOURTH OF JULY

Dr. Marilyn Barnett Waters | Atlanta, GA | June 25, 2026 |

To truly understand why we must speak directly to our truth today, we have to look back to July 4, 1776. While the founders of this nation penned grand words about unalienable rights and liberty, those words rang hollow for the hundreds of thousands of African Americans held in brutal, systemic bondage. We were enslaved people.  (Listen to Frederick Douglas’ Speech on the Fourth of July)

The American Revolution was not a war for black liberation; in fact, the promise of freedom often wore a British uniform. Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation of 1775 and the Philipsburg Proclamation of 1779 offered liberty to any enslaved person who fled their rebel masters to fight for the Crown. Estimates suggest that tens of thousands of African Americans risked everything to escape behind British lines, seeking the freedom America denied them. For our ancestors, the Fourth of July was a day that marked the birth of a nation built on their unrequited labor.

True freedom did not arrive with a single declaration, nor did it end when the last enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, finally learned of their emancipation on June 19, 1865—two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Because of this long, painful delay, Juneteenth is not a holiday for simple celebration; it is a sacred day of commemoration. It is a time to remember that freedom was delayed then, just as justice is delayed now.

From the broken promises of Reconstruction and the terror of Jim Crow lynchings, to the systemic barriers we still confront in 2026, our struggle for true equality has never ceased. Today, we are witnessing a profound cultural and political pushback—an intentional effort to rewrite our history, ban our books, stop us from voting, and silence our truths. By choosing to commemorate Juneteenth, we honor the resilient spirits of those who fought before us, we acknowledge the chains that were broken, and we fiercely confront the modern struggles we still face as America works even now to celebrate its 250-year Anniversary.  We speak directly to this truth because a community that remembers its past cannot be stripped of its future.  We must wake up to this truth.

The New Digital Power: How AI Is Changing Trust, Control, and Choice

AI now shapes trust, control, and choice in daily life, redefining power by filtering information, steering decisions, and influencing how people navigate modern reality.

By Florita Bell Griffin | Houston, TX | June 23, 2026

Artificial intelligence has moved from the margins of public awareness into the center of modern life. For years, many people treated AI as a distant technical subject, something associated with laboratories, venture capital, futuristic devices, or highly specialized industries. That era has passed. AI now shapes the environment in which ordinary people work, search, communicate, shop, learn, travel, receive recommendations, and make decisions. It is becoming part of the invisible structure behind daily life, and that shift carries far greater meaning than many realize.

What makes this moment so significant is that AI changes more than speed or convenience. It changes power. It changes who influences perception, who shapes options, who sets priorities, and who quietly governs the pathways through which people move. In earlier digital eras, public discussion often centered on access to information. Today the deeper issue is control over how information is filtered, ranked, interpreted, and presented. That is where trust, control, and choice begin to converge.

Trust has always been one of the foundations of social life. People trust institutions, professionals, brands, schools, financial systems, public agencies, and communication networks because trust allows action to move forward. Without it, every decision becomes heavy, slow, and uncertain. In the digital age, trust gradually shifted from familiar human intermediaries toward platforms. Search engines, maps, retail systems, social networks, and recommendation engines became the quiet guides of everyday behavior. People came to rely on these systems because they appeared efficient, accessible, and consistent.

AI deepens that reliance while also making it more complex. A platform that once delivered information now interprets it. A system that once indexed choices now steers them. A tool that once responded to commands now anticipates, predicts, summarizes, ranks, and frames. This evolution matters because trust in a system grows when its outputs feel smooth and useful, even when its internal logic remains hidden from view. That hidden layer is where a new kind of digital power is taking shape.

The power of AI lies partly in its ability to compress complexity. Human beings live inside overwhelming volumes of information. AI promises relief from that burden. It can summarize long documents, draft messages, compare products, detect patterns, personalize feeds, suggest routes, screen candidates, flag anomalies, and forecast behavior. These capabilities create genuine value. They can save time, reduce friction, and help people manage demands that would otherwise consume their attention. Yet every act of compression also carries a quiet consequence: when a system decides what matters most, it shapes the user’s field of vision.

That influence over vision is central. In many settings, AI does more than offer answers. It defines relevance. It decides what appears first, what becomes visible, what receives emphasis, and what fades into the background. Once that process enters hiring, lending, insurance, education, health communication, customer service, media distribution, and civic information, AI becomes a force that helps organize reality for millions of people at once. That is why the discussion can never remain limited to technical performance alone. The real question is how societies will live with systems that increasingly mediate judgment.

Control becomes the next issue. Many consumers still imagine control in narrow terms, such as whether they can turn a feature on or off, accept a setting, or click past a recommendation. That is only one layer. Real control involves something deeper: the power to understand how a system is influencing options in the first place. It involves knowing whether recommendations serve the user, the platform, an advertiser, a hidden optimization target, or some mixture of all three. It involves understanding whether the system is helping a person choose or quietly narrowing the path.

This matters because AI can create the feeling of empowerment while simultaneously increasing dependence. A person may feel more capable with a digital assistant, more efficient with automated tools, and more informed with AI-generated summaries. All of that may be true. At the same time, the surrounding system may be collecting signals, refining behavioral models, and guiding future actions in ways the user never fully sees. That is where the language of convenience becomes too small for the reality unfolding. The issue is governance over decision environments.

Choice, in this context, becomes more fragile than it first appears. Modern consumers often assume that having many options means having meaningful freedom. Yet meaningful choice depends on the quality of the environment in which decisions are made. If the menu is curated by opaque systems, if some alternatives are elevated while others are buried, if pricing is personalized, if persuasion is dynamically adjusted, and if recommendations are tailored to known vulnerabilities or habits, then choice begins to change form. It still exists, but it exists within an engineered field.

This does challenge one of the most comfortable assumptions of digital culture: the idea that more intelligence in the system automatically benefits the user. Intelligence can help. It can also persuade more effectively, classify more aggressively, and influence more subtly. That dual character makes AI one of the defining governance questions of this era. The issue reaches beyond whether the technology works. The issue is whose interests it serves, how accountability is structured, and whether human beings remain able to recognize when they are being guided.

Trust becomes more difficult when systems speak with increasing fluency. People have historically associated confidence, coherence, and responsiveness with competence. AI can produce all three at scale. It can sound informed, calm, polished, and immediate. That creates a powerful psychological effect. Users may assign authority to outputs because they feel complete and well-formed. Yet surface fluency and deep reliability are separate matters. A system can appear trustworthy while carrying gaps in reasoning, weak sourcing, or embedded bias. As AI becomes more conversational and more integrated into daily routines, the distinction between persuasive delivery and justified trust grows more important.

This is where digital literacy must mature. Earlier conversations about literacy focused on access, search skills, and basic skepticism toward online content. The present moment demands a more advanced public understanding. People need to recognize when they are interacting with a predictive system, when they are receiving generated output, when personalization is shaping what they see, and when convenience may be trading against autonomy. They need to understand that AI systems operate within economic structures, organizational priorities, and design incentives. These systems do emerge from nowhere. They are made, trained, tuned, deployed, and governed by institutions.

The workplace offers one of the clearest examples of this shift. AI tools are entering offices, classrooms, call centers, logistics systems, creative environments, legal workflows, and financial operations. In some settings they expand productivity. In others they alter expectations around pace, output, surveillance, and evaluation. Workers may gain assistance while also facing new forms of measurement. Managers may gain dashboards while also relying more heavily on algorithmic interpretation. The resulting change is cultural as much as technical. It affects how judgment is valued, how responsibility is assigned, and how much discretion people retain within their roles.

Families and communities are also being drawn into this transformation. Parents are raising children in environments where AI increasingly shapes search, entertainment, school tools, communication habits, and social media exposure. Communities receive information through feeds that are filtered, amplified, and ranked by algorithmic systems. Public trust, already strained in many settings, becomes harder to sustain when people live inside increasingly personalized information worlds. Shared reality becomes more difficult to maintain when digital systems fragment attention into individualized streams of relevance.

At the level of institutions, the rise of AI raises a central democratic question: what kind of authority should these systems hold? A healthy society can use advanced tools while still insisting on transparency, oversight, recourse, and human accountability. A weaker society drifts toward silent dependence, allowing technical systems to exercise broad influence without adequate visibility into how decisions are made. The difference between those paths will shape the character of public life in the years ahead.

This is why AI should be understood as a power issue, not merely a product issue. It redistributes influence across companies, governments, platforms, and infrastructures. It changes who can see patterns, predict behavior, and scale decision-making across large populations. It changes how quickly institutions can act and how deeply they can reach into the micro-structures of everyday life. Once that reality becomes clear, the public conversation grows sharper. The central question turns into something more serious than whether AI is exciting or useful. The question becomes whether its growing power will remain aligned with human dignity, public accountability, and genuine choice.

The future of AI will depend in large part on whether people, institutions, and policymakers develop the courage to ask better questions. Who benefits from this system’s design? What assumptions are being encoded into recommendations and rankings? Where is human review still essential? What forms of explanation and appeal should be required? How should trust be earned in environments where synthetic fluency is cheap and scalable? These are enduring civic questions, and they will shape the moral architecture of the digital age.

AI is becoming part of the operating environment of modern life. That alone makes it one of the most important public issues of our time. Its significance lies in the fact that it changes how trust is formed, how control is exercised, and how choice is experienced. The systems arriving now will influence far more than screens and software. They will help define the terms on which people navigate reality itself. That is why the rise of AI deserves more than fascination. It deserves careful attention to power, because wherever power moves, the future moves with it.

© 2026 Truth Seekers Journal. Published with permission from the author. All rights reserved.

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Warnock’s Private Equity Housing Ban Clears Congress, Offering Working Families Long-Awaited Relief

Congress approves a housing package limiting large corporate purchases of single-family homes, a move supporters say could help working families achieve homeownership.

By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | June 23, 2026

For years, many Georgia families have felt as though the dream of homeownership has been slipping further out of reach.

They worked overtime, paid down debt, improved their credit scores, and saved for down payments. Yet when they finally found a home they could afford, they often discovered they were not competing against another family. Instead, they were competing against corporations with billions of dollars in capital and the ability to make immediate cash offers.

The result was a growing sense of frustration among working-class families who believed the housing market had become stacked against them.

Now, supporters say Congress has taken a significant step toward changing that reality.

The U.S. Congress has approved Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock’s proposal to restrict large corporate investors from purchasing additional single-family homes. The measure is included in the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, a sweeping housing package that now heads to President Donald Trump’s desk.

If signed into law, the legislation would mark one of the most significant federal housing reforms in decades and could have a particularly large impact in Georgia, where corporate ownership of single-family homes has reached some of the highest levels in the nation.

A Housing Market That Changed Rapidly

The transformation did not happen overnight.

Following the Great Recession, large investment firms increasingly viewed single-family homes as attractive assets. Companies purchased thousands of homes, often in growing Sun Belt markets such as Atlanta, and converted them into rental properties.

Over time, the practice expanded.

Entire neighborhoods that once consisted primarily of owner-occupied homes began to see an increasing number of investor-owned properties. Families searching for starter homes found themselves competing against buyers capable of purchasing multiple homes at a time.

For many would-be homeowners, the experience became familiar: find a home, submit an offer, and lose to a corporate bidder willing to pay more and close faster.

Supporters of the legislation argue that those conditions have contributed to rising home prices and declining opportunities for first-time buyers.

“For years, dreams have been deferred because too many are finding themselves in fierce competition with private equity,” Warnock said after Congress approved the measure. “This bill will give families, not Wall Street investors, a fair shot at homeownership.”

The Metro Atlanta Effect

Few places illustrate the issue more clearly than metro Atlanta.

According to statistics cited by Warnock’s office, more than one in four single-family rental homes in the region is owned by large corporations. Those investors collectively control more than 70,000 homes.

That concentration has made metro Atlanta a national case study in the debate over corporate ownership of residential housing.

Residents across the region have reported concerns about rising rents, absentee landlords, and fewer opportunities to purchase homes in the communities where they live and work.

The issue has attracted attention from local leaders as well. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has endorsed efforts to address excessive corporate ownership, particularly in neighborhoods where investors have acquired large numbers of properties.

What the Ban Would Do

The legislation targets the largest corporate landlords.

Under Warnock’s provision, companies that own more than 350 single-family homes would be prohibited from purchasing additional single-family properties.

Violations would trigger substantial penalties. Companies could be fined the greater of either $1 million or three times the purchase price of the property acquired.

Supporters say the goal is not to eliminate rental housing or punish responsible landlords. Instead, they argue the measure prevents the largest investors from continuing to expand their already significant share of the housing market.

The proposal seeks to preserve opportunities for families attempting to purchase homes while slowing the concentration of ownership among a relatively small number of corporate entities.

Turning Penalties Into Opportunity

One of the bill’s most notable features is what happens to the penalty money.

Rather than simply flowing into general government accounts, fines collected under the legislation would be directed toward housing-related initiatives.

The funds would help finance new housing construction, support local housing innovation efforts, and provide financial assistance to first-time homebuyers.

For working families struggling to save for a down payment, those programs could provide meaningful support.

Housing advocates have long argued that increasing supply and helping first-time buyers enter the market are essential pieces of any long-term affordability strategy.

The Broader Housing Package

The private equity ban has generated the most headlines, but it is only one component of the larger housing package.

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act includes several provisions championed by Warnock over the years.

Among them are appraisal modernization reforms intended to improve fairness and consistency in the home valuation process. The package also encourages local governments to increase housing production and includes reforms to federal housing programs that supporters say have become outdated.

Additional provisions would establish grants and forgivable loans to help homeowners repair aging homes, complete weatherization improvements, and lower energy costs.

The legislation also contains reforms aimed at strengthening housing opportunities in rural communities, where affordable housing shortages often receive less attention than those in major metropolitan areas.

Taken together, supporters describe the package as a comprehensive effort to address housing affordability from multiple angles.

The View From Georgia Communities

Earlier this year, Warnock traveled to Paulding County to highlight the growing impact of institutional investors.

According to his office, investors now own nearly 4,000 single-family rental homes in the county.

Residents described concerns that have become increasingly common across fast-growing Georgia communities. Some spoke about rising rents. Others expressed frustration with absentee ownership and the difficulty of finding homes available for purchase.

Their experiences mirror concerns voiced throughout the state.

For many families, the debate is not simply about economics. It is about stability, community investment, and the ability to build wealth through homeownership.

For generations, owning a home has represented one of the primary ways American families create financial security and pass wealth to future generations.

When fewer homes are available for purchase, many families worry those opportunities become more difficult to achieve.

A First Step Toward a Larger Solution

Even supporters acknowledge that the legislation alone will not solve America’s housing affordability crisis.

Housing experts point to a nationwide shortage of homes, rising construction costs, restrictive zoning regulations, labor shortages, and population growth as factors contributing to today’s market conditions.

Most agree that increasing the overall housing supply remains essential.

Still, many advocates view congressional approval of the legislation as an important milestone.

Rather than accepting the growing dominance of institutional investors as inevitable, lawmakers have chosen to intervene on behalf of prospective homeowners.

Warnock described the legislation as “a major win for ordinary Americans” and “a great first step toward addressing the housing crisis that plagues our country.”

For Georgia families who have spent years losing bidding wars to investors and watching starter homes disappear from the market, that first step may feel significant.

The bill’s ultimate impact will depend on implementation, enforcement, and broader efforts to increase housing supply. Yet for thousands of working families across Georgia, the legislation represents something they have not seen in years: the possibility that the next home listed for sale might actually be within reach.

Whether that possibility becomes reality now rests with the President’s signature and the policies that follow.

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Dream Shatter Franchise Scoring Record, Reese Makes History in 113–96 Win Over Fever

Atlanta set a franchise scoring record with a 113-96 win over Indiana as Angel Reese became the fastest player in WNBA history to 1,000 rebounds.

By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | June 21, 2026

The Atlanta Dream didn’t just win Saturday afternoon; they rewrote their own record book, tightened their grip on the Eastern Conference race, and watched Angel Reese make WNBA history in front of a roaring, sold‑out State Farm Arena.

Behind a blistering offensive performance and a dominant second half, the Dream (11–4) overpowered the Indiana Fever 113–96, breaking the franchise record for most points scored in a single game and posting their third straight 100‑point victory. The win also nudged Atlanta ahead in its all‑time series with Indiana, now 36–34 overall and 21–12 at home.

“We have really good offensive players, that combined with playing with a lot more pace, it’s starting to catch on,” Dream Head Coach Karl Smesko said.

Reese Reaches 1,000 Rebounds Faster Than Anyone in League History

Angel Reese, already the league’s most punishing rebounder this season, added another milestone to her meteoric rise. With her sixth rebound of the night — and a put‑back layup moments later — the two‑time All‑Star became the fastest player in WNBA history to reach 1,000 career rebounds, doing so in just 79 games. She shattered the record held by Tina Charles by 10 games.

Reese finished with 18 points, eight rebounds, two steals, and a growing case for postseason hardware.

“Just being able to come out and do what I do every single night shows my consistency,” Reese said. “Sometimes I’m really hard on myself, but I’m learning to appreciate the great things I’ve done  and still want more.”

Starting Five Makes Franchise History, Again

For the second straight game, all five Dream starters scored in double figures – the first time in franchise history the feat has happened in back‑to‑back contests. The lineup of Jordin Canada, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Naz Hillmon, and Reese improved to 11–3 when starting together.

Howard led the Dream with 24 points, continuing her MVP‑level campaign. Gray added 22 points, five rebounds, one assist and three steals. Hillmon delivered her best outing of the season with 19 points and six rebounds, including a career‑high 13‑point first quarter. Canada orchestrated the offense with a masterful 12‑point, 12‑assist, zero‑turnover performance.

A Shootout Early, a Shutdown Late

The first half was a track meet. Indiana shot the lights out, scoring 37 points in the opening quarter; the most Atlanta has allowed in any period this season. Hillmon matched Caitlin Clark shot‑for‑shot with 13 first‑quarter points, keeping Atlanta within striking distance.

Indiana carried a 59–56 lead into halftime, the most points the Dream have surrendered in a half this year.

Atlanta shot 50 percent from the field and scored 54 points in the paint. The Dream also forced 19 Indiana turnovers that led to 18 points.

But the third quarter belonged entirely to Atlanta.

With Indiana’s Aliyah Boston and Monique Billings saddled with foul trouble, the Dream attacked relentlessly. A Reese layup gave Atlanta a 66–65 lead with 6:08 left in the quarter, and the Dream never trailed again. Howard’s three capped a 13–0 run, and Atlanta outscored Indiana 28–15 in the period.

The defensive clamps tightened, too. Kelsey Mitchell was held scoreless in the third. Clark scored eight, but no other Fever player managed more than three.

“We took our matchups personally,” Reese said. “We fixed the mistakes from the first half and locked in.”

Offense at Full Throttle

Atlanta’s offensive numbers were staggering:

  • 50% shooting from the field
  • 113 points — new franchise record
  • 54 points in the paint
  • 19 forced turnovers leading to 18 points
  • Five starters in double figures for the second straight game

Head coach Karl Smesko credited the team’s pace and poise.

“We have really good offensive players, and we’re playing faster,” Smesko said. “At halftime, we regrouped, made adjustments, and you could see the difference. That’s maturity.”

STAT LEADERS — ATLANTA DREAM

  • Rhyne Howard: 24 pts, 4 reb, 3 ast
  • Allisha Gray: 22 pts, 5 reb, 1 ast, 3 stl
  • Naz Hillmon: 19 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast
  • Angel Reese: 18 pts, 8 reb, 1 ast, 2 stl
  • Jordin Canada: 12 pts, 7 reb, 12 ast, 3 stl, 0 TO

A Statement Weekend

Saturday’s win completed a two‑game sweep of the Fever, following Thursday’s 108–101 victory in Indianapolis. Atlanta outscored Indiana 113–96 and 108–101 in the span of 48 hours, a combined 221 points that underscore the Dream’s offensive evolution. With momentum building, records falling, and their stars ascending, the Dream are no longer just one of the East’s best teams. They’re becoming one of the league’s most dangerous

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How a Town of 5,000 Stopped a 10,000-Bed Detention Center

Sen. Raphael Warnock celebrates the Trump administration’s decision to abandon planned ICE detention centers in Social Circle and Oakwood after months of local opposition.

By Milton Kirby | Social Circle, GA | June 20, 2026

For months, residents of Social Circle feared their small town would become home to one of the largest immigration detention facilities in the nation.

Now, after a sustained campaign by local officials, community members, and U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock, those plans appear to be dead.

The Department of Homeland Security has reportedly abandoned plans to convert warehouses in Social Circle and Oakwood into massive immigration detention centers and instead plans to sell or give away the properties. The decision marks the end of a months-long battle that pitted two small Georgia communities against a federal proposal they believed would overwhelm local infrastructure, strain public services, and fundamentally change the character of their towns.

For Social Circle, a city of roughly 5,000 residents, the stakes could hardly have been higher. Federal officials had planned to convert a one million square foot warehouse on East Hightower Trail into a detention center capable of housing as many as 10,000 detainees, effectively creating a population larger than the town itself.

“Today is a victory for the people of Georgia,” Warnock said following reports that DHS had reversed course. “When we stand up and speak out, the power of the people is more powerful than the people in power.”

The victory did not come easily.

A Plan Discovered After the Fact

One of the most controversial aspects of the proposal was how local leaders learned about it.

According to Warnock, even Social Circle’s mayor first learned of the project through a newspaper article rather than direct communication from federal officials.

“They tried to do this quietly,” Warnock said during a Friday press conference. “Imagine being the mayor of a city of 5,000 and learning the federal government is about to double the size of your town without telling you.”

The proposal immediately raised concerns among residents and local officials who questioned how a small community could absorb a detention center of such magnitude.

Those concerns intensified when ICE purchased the warehouse and surrounding 235 acres for $128 million.

Warnock said the federal government paid approximately twice the property’s market value.

“The Trump-Vance administration likes to talk about waste, fraud and abuse,” Warnock said. “Well, they paid twice the market rate for this facility. They wasted $128 million of taxpayers’ dollars. And now they have an empty building. This is what I call waste, fraud and abuse.”

Infrastructure Concerns Spark Resistance

As details of the project emerged, city officials began sounding alarms about Social Circle’s limited infrastructure capacity.

In March, Warnock traveled to Social Circle to meet with Mayor David Keener, City Manager Eric Taylor, school officials, and concerned residents. During the visit, local leaders outlined the challenges the city would face if the detention center became operational.

According to city officials, Social Circle is permitted to use one million gallons of water per day. During the hottest months of the year, residents already consume between 80 and 90 percent of that capacity.

The city’s wastewater system also operates near its limits, processing about 660,000 gallons per day. Officials estimated that the proposed detention center could require an additional one million gallons daily.

Local leaders warned that the project could lead to boil-water advisories, sewer overflows, and costly infrastructure upgrades that the city was not prepared to fund.

The location of the proposed facility also raised concerns among parents because the warehouse sits near Social Circle Elementary School.

“Folks in Social Circle voted for this president overwhelmingly,” Warnock said during his March visit. “But they didn’t vote for a 10,000-person detention center that will triple the size of their town. They didn’t vote for potential boil-water advisories or sewer overflows because this administration has overstrained their city’s resources.”

Local Voices Reach Washington

As opposition grew, Warnock brought the concerns of Social Circle and Oakwood to Washington.

In February, he filed an amendment that would have prohibited federal funds from being used to acquire, construct, renovate, or expand detention facilities in the two communities. He also sent letters to DHS officials, publicly challenged the proposal, and met with local leaders to highlight their concerns.

At Friday’s press conference, Warnock said he would continue pushing for safeguards to prevent similar situations in the future.

“I offered an amendment during the continuing resolution that would have halted this kind of construction,” he said. “And I’ll continue to make that case.”

The senator repeatedly emphasized that his opposition was driven by the concerns of local residents rather than partisan politics.

“The people of Georgia want secure borders; they do not want massive immigration detention centers in their backyards,” Warnock said earlier this year.

“The Trump-Vance administration likes to talk about waste, fraud and abuse,” Warnock said. “Well, they paid twice the market rate for this facility. They wasted $128 million of taxpayers’ dollars. And now they have an empty building. This is what I call waste, fraud and abuse.”

Relief for Social Circle and Oakwood

The reported DHS decision to dispose of the warehouses effectively ends plans for both detention centers.

For Social Circle, the reversal also preserves future economic opportunities. Local officials had worried that dedicating the property to a detention center would remove valuable commercial land from future development and reduce potential tax revenue for the city.

“This would have taken a whole lot of opportunity off of a potential tax revenue for that very small town,” Warnock said.

Questions remain about what DHS will ultimately do with the properties, but local leaders have expressed hope that the sites can now return to productive commercial use.

For many residents, however, the larger significance lies in the outcome itself.

The battle over the detention center became a test of whether a small community could influence decisions being made hundreds of miles away in Washington.

In the end, Social Circle’s residents proved that they could.

“The people of Social Circle and Oakwood didn’t vote for me,” Warnock said. “But I still fought for them because I was elected to serve all Georgians.”

As the controversy comes to a close, the outcome stands as a reminder that local voices can still shape national decisions, even when those decisions originate at the highest levels of government.

As Warnock put it, “When the people raised their voices, the administration backed down.”

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Reese Records 10th Double-Double as Dream Win in Indiana

Angel Reese recorded a double-double and all five Atlanta starters scored at least 15 points as the Dream defeated Indiana 108-101 in Indianapolis.

By Milton Kirby | Indianapolis, IN | June 19, 2026

The Atlanta Dream delivered one of their most complete offensive performances of the season Thursday night, defeating the Indiana Fever 108-101 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse and avenging a frustrating loss earlier this month.

Just two weeks after being held to a season-low 71 points by Indiana on June 4, Atlanta responded with its second-highest scoring output of the season and showed why it remains one of the WNBA’s top contenders.

The victory improved Atlanta’s record against Indiana to 36-34 all-time and set the stage for an anticipated rematch on Saturday at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

“I thought it was a high-level basketball game,” Dream Head Coach Karl Smesko said. “Both teams played and executed, especially offensively, at a super-high level.”

Atlanta’s balanced attack was led by Angel Reese, who recorded her 10th double-double of the season with 21 points and 11 rebounds despite battling foul trouble throughout the game. The performance marked the 59th double-double of Reese’s WNBA career.

“It was a collective win,” Reese said. “Everyone came in and did their jobs.”

Rhyne Howard shoots over Lexie Hull – Photo by Sarah Sachs/Atlanta Dream

The Dream received major contributions throughout the lineup. Jordin Canada scored 18 points while adding five assists and four steals. Naz Hillmon delivered a season-high 17 points and knocked down a team-leading three three-pointers. Allisha Gray also scored 17 points, while Rhyne Howard added 16 points, five rebounds and six assists.

For only the fourth time in franchise history, all five Atlanta starters scored at least 15 points.

The Dream’s starting lineup of Canada, Gray, Howard, Hillmon, and Reese improved to 10-3 when they played together.

Atlanta’s offense looked dramatically different from the unit that struggled against Indiana earlier this month. After scoring only 29 first-half points in the June 4 loss, the Dream exploded for 58 first-half points Thursday, shooting 23-for-38 from the field.

The Dream also controlled the paint, scoring 60 points inside while forcing 17 turnovers that led to 20 points. Atlanta’s bench added 19 points and eight rebounds, helping maintain pressure throughout the contest.

Smesko said the team focused on playing faster and more aggressively after reviewing the previous matchup.

“The things that we emphasized that we said we really wanted to do, I think the team took it to heart,” he said.

Indiana kept the game close behind standout performances from Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell, who each scored 26 points. Aliyah Boston added 23 points as the Fever shot 56.3 percent from the field and connected on 60 percent of their three-point attempts.

Despite Indiana’s efficient shooting, Atlanta carried a 58-49 lead into halftime.

Allisha Gray drives to basket – Photo by Sarah Sachs/Atlanta Dream

One of Atlanta’s biggest concerns came when Reese picked up her fourth foul with 5:45 remaining in the second quarter. Rather than changing her approach, Smesko encouraged his star forward to remain composed.

He later said he trusted Reese to play smart basketball despite the foul trouble, and she rewarded that confidence by staying aggressive while avoiding a fifth foul until late in the game.

The teams matched each other point-for-point during the third quarter, each scoring 29 points. Clark scored nine points in the period for Indiana, while Hillmon answered with a strong offensive quarter for Atlanta.

The Fever made their move midway through the fourth quarter, using a 13-3 run to erase Atlanta’s lead and tie the game at 93 with just over five minutes remaining.

Smesko’s message during the tense stretch was simple.

“We played so hard and played so well for the first 35 minutes, let’s just win the last five,” he said. “We win the last five, and all of it was worth it.”

Atlanta responded immediately.

Reese used a spinning move in the post to regain the lead at 95-93. After Mitchell tied the game again, the Dream took control for good.

Gray converted two free throws and a layup to put Atlanta ahead by four. Howard followed with consecutive baskets that stretched the lead to 103-97 with 48 seconds remaining.

Reese completed a three-point play in the closing moments, and Atlanta converted enough free throws down the stretch to secure the seven-point victory.

The Dream finished the game with 17 fast-break points and scored 34 points in the second quarter for the second consecutive game, matching a season high.

Smesko believes games like Thursday’s can help prepare Atlanta for the intensity of the postseason.

“The more you play in playoff intensity-like games that have this type of edge to it, and when both teams are playing at that level, I think the more you can be in that environment and be in those situations, the more comfortable you’ll be,” he said.

With the season series now tied and another matchup looming Saturday in Atlanta, the growing rivalry between the Dream and Fever appears far from settled.

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Georgia Voters Shake Up Political Landscape, Setting Stage for High-Stakes November Elections

Georgia voters set the stage for November as Keisha Lance Bottoms, Mike Collins and Mo Ivory secured pivotal victories in races with statewide implications.

By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | June 17, 2026

Georgia voters delivered a series of political surprises Tuesday night, reshaping the state’s political landscape and setting up high-profile contests that will dominate the November ballot.

Billionaire healthcare executive Rick Jackson defeated Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in the Republican gubernatorial runoff, while Congressman Mike Collins secured the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate. In Fulton County, former Commissioner Mo Ivory unseated longtime Chairman Robb Pitts in a result that could significantly alter the direction of government in Georgia’s largest county.

The outcomes signal a changing political environment, with outsiders and challengers scoring major victories against better-known opponents and incumbents.

Rick Jackson Scores Stunning Upset

Rick Jackson – Courtesy photo

The night’s biggest statewide surprise came in the Republican race for governor, where Jackson defeated Jones despite entering the race as a political newcomer.

Jackson reportedly spent more than $100 million of his own money during the campaign, helping fuel one of the most expensive gubernatorial primary contests in Georgia history. His victory came against a candidate who entered the runoff with endorsements from both President Donald Trump and Gov. Brian Kemp.

Jackson built his campaign around his personal story, describing himself as a businessman who rose from poverty to build a successful healthcare staffing company. His message resonated with Republican voters seeking a candidate from outside traditional political circles.

The victory sets up a November showdown with former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who secured the Democratic nomination earlier this year.

Bottoms is seeking to become Georgia’s first woman governor and the first African American woman elected governor in the state’s history.

The two candidates are expected to offer sharply different visions on healthcare, education, economic development, public safety, and the future direction of state government.

Major Leadership Change Coming to Fulton County

While the governor’s race drew statewide attention, one of the most consequential local results occurred in Fulton County.

Former Commissioner Mo Ivory defeated incumbent Chairman Robb Pitts in the Democratic runoff for Fulton County Commission Chair, ending the tenure of one of metro Atlanta’s most recognizable local political leaders.

The result marks a significant shift for Georgia’s largest county and signals what many observers view as a generational change in leadership.

Ivory and Pitts were once political allies. Pitts supported Ivory during her successful 2024 campaign for the Fulton County Commission. However, the relationship deteriorated as the two clashed over property tax increases, budget priorities, program funding, and broader policy issues throughout 2025.

Earlier this year, Ivory resigned from her District 4 commission seat to pursue the chairmanship.

Her victory is expected to have implications beyond the chairman’s office. Several commissioners either lost reelection bids, sought higher office, or left their positions during this election cycle. As a result, the Fulton County Board of Commissioners is expected to include at least four new members next year.

“Based upon what they have said, significant changes may be in store,” Pitts said following the election.

Ivory now advances to face Republican Eric Tatum in November. Given Fulton County’s Democratic voting history, she enters the general election as the favorite.

Senate Race Draws National Attention

Mike Collins – Courtesy photo

In the Republican runoff for U.S. Senate, Congressman Mike Collins defeated former football coach Derek Dooley by a margin of approximately 55.5 percent to 44.5 percent.

The contest became a closely watched battle within the Republican Party. Trump endorsed Collins during the final days of the campaign, while Kemp supported Dooley.

Collins’ victory is being viewed by many political observers as a win for the party’s populist wing and sets the stage for a high-profile general election contest against Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff.

National political strategists have identified Georgia as one of the key battleground states in the fight for control of the U.S. Senate.

Ossoff quickly turned his attention to the general election, criticizing Collins in a statement released after the results became clear. Republicans, meanwhile, are expected to focus their campaign on border security, inflation, economic issues, and support for President Trump’s agenda.

The Senate race is expected to attract millions of dollars in campaign spending and substantial national media attention over the coming months.

Looking Ahead

With the primary season largely complete, Georgia voters now have a clearer picture of the choices they will face in November.

At the top of the ballot, Bottoms and Jackson will compete to succeed term-limited Gov. Brian Kemp. In the Senate race, Ossoff will seek another term while facing a challenge from Collins.

Closer to home, Fulton County voters will decide whether Ivory’s victory in the Democratic runoff will translate into a new era of county leadership.

Taken together, Tuesday night’s results demonstrated that Georgia voters remain willing to challenge political expectations. The campaigns that emerge over the next several months will help determine not only the future of Georgia, but potentially the balance of political power nationwide.

More June 16th Runoff Election Results

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