Contested Primary Elections. Facebook Marketplace Shooting. Hey Black Girl Affirmations#TheBreakdown

Black District Attorneys from five metro Atlanta counties (Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett) have filed a state lawsuit against Georgia House Bill 369. The law converts some local elections in these counties to nonpartisan races. The DAs, all Black women, argue this is a calculated move by the Republican-controlled General Assembly to obscure party affiliations from voters and gain power in counties predominantly held by Democrats with large Black voter populations. Their lawsuit cites violations of Georgia's uniformity clause, equal protection clauses (state and U.S.), and the rejected bills clause, as the bill was allegedly passed by 'gutting' a food truck bill after an identical nonpartisan election bill failed.

DeKalb District Attorney Sherry Boston detailed the lawsuit, stating the law targets counties with large Black voter populations and elected Black female DAs, and that the justification (presence of medical examiners) has no connection to nonpartisan elections. She also noted the bill's legislative history, where Senate Bill 573, an almost identical nonpartisan bill, was voted down, only to reappear as an amendment to House Bill 369, a food truck bill.

Medina Jet, a Black developer, along with her daughters Sydney and Taylor, are leading the Rosewood Bridge project, a 52-home subdivision across 46 acres in South Fulton, Georgia. The project is named after a thriving Black community that was destroyed in 1923. It emphasizes building community spaces like a clubhouse and pickleball courts. The innovative aspect is its funding model: TDS Capital, the investment arm, allows nearly 100 community investors to participate, democratizing access to real estate wealth building for Black families. This model began when Medina's initial eight-lot project garnered interest from friends and colleagues, with nine wiring funds within a week.

Claire Adamson from Urban Geeks explained that Medina Jet's TDS Capital and TDS Builders are behind the project, which had its groundbreaking in April 2026. She highlighted the intentional community design and the historical significance of the name. Adamson detailed how Medina's initial success with an eight-lot project, funded by close contacts, led to the creation of TDS Capital to expand investment opportunities for the Black community.

The Harvest Initiative, founded by Ariel Morgan in Indianapolis, addresses the observed lack of Black leadership in grassroots community organizing and the common exploitation of Black women's trauma without their inclusion in strategic solutions. The organization focuses on 'heart-to-hearts' to connect with individual Black women, fostering shared understanding and collective action. Its pillars include spiritual alignment, healing, and mental health, believing that 'a broken person creates more broken people.' They partner with organizations like Common Cause and the Indianapolis Pastors Coalition to drive voter engagement, education, and long-term policy changes, rather than just crisis response.

Ariel Morgan explained that the initiative was birthed from observing that most community organizing entities in Indianapolis were not led by people who looked like the communities they served, and that Black women were used for their stories but excluded from strategy. She described their 'heart-to-hearts,' monthly virtual meetings, and quarterly outings for voter engagement and education. Morgan emphasized the importance of spiritual alignment and mental health, and their partnerships with 22 local churches to achieve 100% voter turnout.

Whitney Barkley authored 'Hey Black Girl,' a children's book designed to inspire confidence, self-love, and a sense of limitless possibilities in Black girls. Inspired by her own personal struggles, Barkley created the book as a 'love letter' to help girls define themselves positively before the world does. The book is structured to counter negative societal messages with affirmations. Barkley emphasizes the critical importance of positive representation, allowing Black children to see themselves as main characters in stories, and the power of affirmations to build a strong internal 'armor' of self-worth. She has also partnered to create 'Hey Black Boy' to extend this message to boys.

Whitney Barkley stated her inspiration came from a personal divorce during the global pandemic, leading her to create the book as an affirmation she wished she had growing up. She highlighted the book's structure, which 'fights back' against negative messages with encouragement. Barkley stressed that representation matters for children to see themselves reflected positively and as main characters, and explained how affirmations create positive habits and 'armor' for self-awareness. She also mentioned the intergenerational impact, fostering conversations within families.