(ATLANTA, GA.) – The Atlanta City Council held its regular meeting on Apr. 20, celebrating Earth Day and 65 years of the Atlanta Magazine, while adopting a proclamation that reaffirmed Atlanta’s goal of 100% clean energy by 2030.
“We are honored to accept this proclamation,” said Dawn Brown, senior manager of Stadium Tours & Education Programs Sustainability at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. “We believe that Earth Day is everyday and you can do little things in your everyday life to hopefully reduce your environmental footprint and coexist with our beautiful city here.”
The council also celebrated literacy excellence during the meeting, in which they celebrated the retirement of Nia Damali, the founder of Medu Bookstore, who, for years, has served as a pillar of Black literacy and cultural life in Southwest Atlanta. Her bookstore stood inside of Greenbrier Mall for almost 35 years, and hosted notable names such as Jesse Jackson, Suzanne Taylor, and Bishop TD Jakes.
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“This moment is amazing,” Damali said, “And I just want to thank each and every one of you for all of your support that you’ve given and all of your prayers for my journey. I will continue to stay in this area of literature and I want to return to writing. A lot of you often ask me what Medu means, it means the power of the word.”
The power of the written word continued with the council honoring Superbowl champion turned literacy advocate Malcom Mitchell, who was recognized for his ‘Share the Magic Foundation’ and its impact on reading in the state of Georgia.
Mitchell said that his inspiration to advocate for literacy began when he attended the University of Georgia, where he witnessed the power of reading and education firsthand.
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“I grew up in Valdosta, Georgia, and remember thinking football was the most important thing in the world,” Mitchell said. “I didn’t see many other options. There was no one walking up and down our street touting the power of reading. Sports are great and they provide an amazing platform but reading is the most self-empowering tool a human being could possess. I learned that those who read are more likely to find financial stability .. to break the cycle of poverty. Whatever you do, under all circumstances, please keep reading.”
The celebratory tone shifted as citizens shared their concerns on the city’s plans to allocate resources and increase law enforcement measures in preparation for the FIFA World Cup, which included talks of a $52.2 million FEMA grant, with 83% of those funds allocated for overtime for Atlanta Police Department and Atlanta Fire Rescue Department.
“I feel like I live in the twilight zone in this city,” said Devon Barrington, one of the community members at the meeting. “There was a time when this administration said public safety was the number one priority. In fact, we had a big fight over $130 million taxpayer-funded public safety training centers because of how much we valued public safety officials in this city.”
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Barrington noted that the city as a whole is not ready to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, citing gun violence and concerns about firefighter pay and resources.
“Why are we dicking around with a contract for firefighters ahead of the World Cup? Barrington said. “We are not ready for the World Cup. Teenagers are being gunned down in the street and we don’t have violence interrupter organizations being fully funded by the city. I am unclear as to how we are ready for the World Cup. The math ain't mathing.”
Please email mia.s@lead4earth.com for questions, concerns or comments.
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