Georgia Tech President Shares His Vision For The Institute Amid COVID-19

Rivian Automotive is pausing the construction of its $5 billion manufacturing plant in Georgia. Rivian’s CEO Robert Scaringe says the company decided to halt plans for the factory to move production of new models to an Illinois facility. Tom Smith, a professor in the practice of finance at Emory University, gives his analysis of the potential economic impact of Rivian’s stalled development.

Plus, in celebration of National Impact Day of Service, the Black Family Wellness Expo is being held on March 16, at Greenbriar Mall. Dr. Nicole Martin Franks, who serves as a professor of Emergency Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine and the interim chief quality officer at Emory Healthcare, discusses the importance of specific annual health assessments and screenings.

Also, GBH News political reporter Saraya Wintersmith discusses her new podcast, “What Is Owed.” The podcast explores what reparations might look like in one of the oldest cities in America that enslaved Africans, Boston Massachusetts.

Lastly, attorney Giselle Carson, who practices business immigration and compliance at Marks Gray reveals how complex the United States’ immigration compliance process is to navigate and how an increase in processing fees is supposed to solve some problems.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Morehouse School of Medicine recently launched the Institute of Translational Genomic Medicine. Dr. Melissa Davis, who serves as the institute’s director, discusses how it will serve as a national hub for genetic information on people of African descent. Davis also discusses a new $25 million grant that she received to address cancer disparities in populations of African ancestry.

Hip-hop producer Corey Dennard and environmentalist Michael Hawthorne Jr. are the co-creators of Klean Energy Kulture. Their mission is to make the clean energy lifestyle accessible to communities of color and the world by 2035. They argue that Black and Brown communities are suffering the brunt of environmental injustice. They talk with Rose about their efforts to bring swagger to fighting climate change. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Keisha Sean Waites is stepping down from her seat as the Post 3 At-Large member of the Atlanta City Council. Waites talks with Rose Scott about her decision to now run for the Fulton County Clerk of Superior and Magistrate Courts. She also discusses the highlights of her time in office, as well as her frustrations.

Rose recently talked with organizers of the "Leave it Blank" campaign from the Listen to Georgia Coalition. The new coalition is asking for Democratic primary voters to leave their ballot blank when they head to the polls. Coalition representatives say it’s an attempt to put pressure on President Joe Biden for a permanent ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. Now, GSU Clinical Assistant Professor Tammy Greer returns to “Closer Look,” to give political analysis on whether a protest vote can be effective. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Listen to Georgia Coalition is leading its own “Leave It Blank” Campaign for the Georgia Primary. Clara Green, an organizer with Jewish Voice for Peace Action and Georgia State Rep. Ruwa Romman discuss their effort to "warn President Biden that he must stop enabling the genocide in Gaza or risk losing the 2024 presidential election."

Clark Atlanta University will host The Black Women and Public Policy in the South Symposium. Black women from several different sectors will gather to discuss issues that impact them and formulate possible solutions. Nykia Greene-Young, a Domestic Policy Coordinator & Adjunct Professor of Political Science previews Wednesday’s event.

State Senator Sonya Halpern discusses SB 235, an effort to grow and support Historically Black Colleges and Universities by establishing a commission focused on innovation and economic prosperity.  

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Taylor Shelton, a geographer and an assistant professor at Georgia State University, discusses new research from GSU and Rutgers University that reveals three companies own more than 19,000 rental homes in metro Atlanta.

Plus, Wendell Griffen, a retired Arkansas Court of Appeals & Circuit Court Judge, discusses the potential impact of the Alabama Supreme Court’s recent ruling that frozen embryos can be considered children, therefore they are protected under Alabama’s Wrongful Death of a Minor Act.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Thursday marked Crossover Day and there are only 12 more days left in the 2024 legislative session. Lawmakers have rushed to advance proposed bills in the State House and Senate. On today’s special edition of “Closer Look,” Rose talks with guests about some of the bills that are closer to becoming law, such as the Religious Liberty Bill, a measure opponents describe as anti-LGBTQ. Also advancing are pieces of legislation focused on first responders with PTSD, immigration and Georgia’s film tax credit. Guests will also discuss legislation that has struggled to advance, such as an effort to eliminate taxes on women’s menstrual products.

Guest include:

WABE’s politics reporter Rahul Bali

Gwinnett County Police Sergeant Ashley Wilson

Claire Cox, the Chair of Georgia STOMP

Jeff Graham, the executive director of Georgia Equality

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Closer Look team heads to The Ke’nekt Cooperative in the historic Westview neighborhood in southwest Atlanta for the February installmentof “Coffee Conversations.”  Maynard Jackson, Atlanta’s first Black mayor, believed in community participation. In 1974, he established the Neighborhood Planning Units system. The NPU system consists of 25 citizen advisory councils that represent communities throughout Atlanta. Rose talks with panelists about the power of community as it relates to economic development, housing, transit, community safety, etc. 

Guests include:                   

Kiyomi Rollins, the co-founder of The Ke'nekt Cooperative

Atlanta City Councilmember Jason Dozier 

Rohit Malhotra, the executive director of the Center for Civic Innovation

Terry Ross, the parliamentarian for NPU-T  

Kyle Lamont, chair of NPU-S

Mrs. Catherine, Westview legacy resident

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With time ticking away until Crossover Day, WABE’s politics reporter Rahul Bali gives an update on the latest bills to advance through the legislature, including sports betting. He also discussed the recent retirement announcement of Democratic Georgia State Senate Minority Leader Gloria Butler.

Plus, the ATL Action for Racial Equity initiative was created to provide a blueprint for local companies aiming to create more equitable, diverse, and inclusive organizations. The initiative is now in its third year. Michael Baptiste, who serves as the Metro Atlanta Chamber's vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion, returns to “Closer Look” to discuss the results of the ATL Action for Racial Equity 2024 Assessment Report.

Lastly, preparations are underway for the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. According to the recently released schedule, Georgia’s capital city will host eight soccer matches, including a semifinal. The event is expected to draw massive crowds. Dan Corso, the president of the Atlanta Sports Council, discussed how Atlanta is gearing up for one of the largest sporting events in the world. He also shared how Atlanta is courting the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.  

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Crossover Day is fast approaching. WABE politics reporter Rahul Bali joins “Closer Look” to highlight some of the most notable bills, including legislation on the certificate of need, swatting, and whether white shrimp should be the official state crustacean.

Plus, We preview a snippet of Rose’s conversation with Cynthia Parlow Cone, the president of the United States Soccer Federation. The soccer executive discusses the possibility of Atlanta hosting the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Lastly, Georgia legislators are considering House Bill 1180, which would put new requirements in place for the state's film tax credit program. Ken Goldwasser is an Atlanta-based picture car coordinator for movie productions. He has worked for various studios, including Marvel and Tyler Perry. Goldwasser discusses his opposition to the bill. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The U.S. is on a mission to lead the world in the production of electric vehicles and batteries. This all comes as Georgia Governor Brian Kemp is pushing the Peach State to be a frontrunner, by becoming the electric mobility capital of the U.S. On today’s edition of “Closer Look,” Rose talks with guests about the current state of EV production and adoption in the U.S. and what’s being done to increase the EV workforce. Guests include:

Mark Phelan, an auto critic and columnist for the Detroit Free Press

Jim Burness, and the CEO of National Car Charging

Dr. Jessica Hutcheson, the vice president of learning and development for ChargerHelp!

Jenny Taylor, the vice president of career services and the chief mission officer for Goodwill of North Georgia

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.