Atlanta: The City that Inspires
Arya Bhargava and Srijan Ponnala
ZOMBIES?!
The CDC is responsible for fighting and uncovering new diseases, including the fabled zombie apocalypse. The thought of fighting a zombie apocalypse seems crazy, but in reality, if people were prepared for the worst, then they can easily prepare for something less catastrophic (Iyer, 2021). In this sense, the CDC is showing how it is capable of handling zombie apocalypse and this can inspire many others to fight and prepare for epidemics on their own. Evidence from different pandemics such as influenza and the coronavirus suggests that Atlanta is pretty sufficient in its ability to defend against a virus, contain a virus within a certain area, find a cure for the virus, and have an abundant food
supply for residents (Gross, 2016). This shows that Atlanta’s placement in a zombie apocalypse would not be fatal and it will stand up way better than cities like Miami, Los Angeles, and Tampa when a zombie apocalypse were to theoretically occur (Gross, 2016). These statistics are why Atlanta could be the center of attention for all the talk about a potential zombie apocalypse. Additionally, the show “The Walking Dead” was filmed it Atlanta because of the “woods and wilds” (shown to the left) that the state of Georgia boasts. This serves to go perfectly along with the mysterious nature of the show and is why the show is filmed in a place like Atlanta.
ATLANTA'S FREE ART
With murals around Georgia Tech’s campus (like the one pictured to the left), it is obvious that the vibrant art all around Atlanta is inspired by its roots, free art. For years, multiple artists such as Michi Meko and Sam Parker have been making and placing free art such as blockheads, stones, locks, and murals around the city of Atlanta for people to find. Their intention was to weave in the characteristics of scavenger hunt with their mode of art so that anyone in Atlanta could come across one of their works. This serves to inspire and motivate any given resident of Atlanta to create their own forms of art to share with society. This movement
all started at Atlanta’s Inman Park when one artist painted an image on a piece of wood and posted on social media asking if anyone could find it (Godwin, 2018). Nowadays, the Inman Park’s Instagram account is still active, displaying the unique pieces of art of many developing artists. The Instagram posts consist of cryptic messages and clues as to where these pieces of art can be found. In the post to the left, the Inman Park account displays many rocks with paintings on them. Each rock has a uplifting messages. One example is “we fall, we break, we fail, but then we rise, we heal and we overcome.” These rocks, along with their messages, can inspire the people who find them to create art and use their arts’ messages to find elusive goodness in everyone.
THE NEW SILICON VALLEY!
Atlanta is often described as a city that is booming in terms of both people and jobs. This can be mostly attributed to the emergence of Atlanta as a major tech hub in the United States. This rapid growth has earned Atlanta the nickname “The Silicon Valley of the South”. The city has always prioritized business and industry dating all the way back to the 1960s, when the civil rights movement was making major strides in other cities. As we discussed earlier on in this class, the city was given the slogan “the city too busy to hate”, due to its continued emphasis on business and entrepreneurship especially during times of struggle. Additionally, due to relatively low taxes and living costs, it is a very attractive city to set up shop in for major companies. Atlanta actually “ranks third in Fortune Global 500 headquarters” (McClinton). Another major reason for the city’s growth is the abundance of young talent through the pipeline of top colleges and universities such as Georgia Tech and Emory. Atlanta has grown so much technologically over the past 5 years that it has seen a “15% growth in tech jobs” (Holland), which is only 1% less than San Francisco. Tech incubators such as the Atlanta Tech Village also provide an opportunity for residents to pursue their dreams of a startup.
SIGHTS, SOUNDS, AND TASTES OF ATLANTA
One especially compelling aspect of Atlanta is the strong culture of the city. From food to music to art, the city is vibrant and filled with different sights, sounds, and tastes that define the city. One specific example of this is the Buford Highway Farmer's Market. It can be described as a cultural melting pot promoting the spread of different cuisines and the unity of all people. It differs from typical farmer's markets in the way that one can find any sort of ingredients from any sort of cuisines ranging from Asian to African. What is particularly interesting is the scale of its influence across the area. It is perhaps one of the most interesting places in Atlanta as it is a place where people from
all cultures can feel at home with a plethora of different stalls serving very niche food and products. It is even mentioned in a popular article that “If you eat kosher or halal or follow a vegan diet, there’s something for you” (Pintavorn), which only perpetuates the idea that the farmer’s market is highly inclusive. Another popular gathering spot in Atlanta is the Ponce City Market. It is certainly a conglomerate of different sights, sounds, and tastes. From. Carnival on the roof to a massive outdoor area with food stalls, Ponce has it all. A well-respected reviewer even highlights “the Central Food Hall is a daily gathering place and culinary destination, year-round” (Discover), showing its vast influence on Atlanta culture.
Work Cited
McClinton, Dream. “Is Atlanta the New Silicon Valley?” Thomasnet, 16 Sept. 2020, https://www.thomasnet.com/insights/is-atlanta-the-new-
Holland, Frank. “Atlanta Is a Growing Hub for Top Tech Companies like Apple and Microsoft to Find Black Talent.” CNBC, CNBC, 4 Feb.
Pintavorn, Trisha. “Buford Highway Farmers Market Is Atlanta's Best Kept Secret.” Best Places to Eat in Atlanta, GA | Atlanta Eats, 18 Jan.
2022, https://www.atlantaeats.com/blog/buford-highway-farmers-market-guide/.
“Ponce City Market Atlanta - Skyline Park, Shopping, Dining & More.” Discover Atlanta, 28 Feb. 2022, https://discoveratlanta.com/things-to-