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The Environment of a City

Aidan Parsa and Josh Meighan

Atlanta Child Murders

How Far It Went:

The Atlanta Child Murders happened between 1979 and 1981 when African American children began to disappear in the Atlanta area. It was a gruesome event that claimed the lives of 30 people, most of them being children.

 

Law enforcement was slow on the uptake. The police were almost in denial that it was indeed a serial killer, and thus did not take the murders as seriously as they should have. A task force of the Atlanta police department and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation was only formed after 8 children have been found dead. The FBI would later join in on November 6th, 1980.

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How It Went So Far:

As Camille Bell, mother of the victim Youssef Bell, put it, there were “black and poor” aspects to the case, people barely batted an eye when a member of a minority group died, even if they were a child. The entire event is seated in racial discourse.

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The Zombie Apocalypse 

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The Origins: 

The concept of zombies have been around since ancient times with both a fear of reanimation of the dead, as well as rebirth, such as in the bible (with Jesus)

The more contemporary idea of zombies began in 1932 with The White Zombie, a film that was not particularly popular, but allowed zombie films to be “seen as viable projects”. The genre would bounce around with the occasional hit such as Night of the Living Dead in 1968.

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Atlanta's Place:

With the rising popularity of the genre, It was only a matter of time until most large US cities had been the location of a Zombie apocalypse as the genre accelerated, but despite these facts, Atlanta was never featured until 2010

The Walking Dead was set in Atlanta to show "Ordinary people … in the thick of it" according to Robert Kirkman. Despite Atlanta being an urban center, it is an uncommon city setting for TV, making the show more relatable than just any other city. Perhaps this “any other city” aspect is why when people talk of The Walking Dead, they do not speak of Atlanta.

 

The show was not about Atlanta, but Atlanta adopted Zombies into its quirky culture, the show has moved on, but Atlanta has not.

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Techlanta

Growing Tech Hub of the South:

Ranked the eighth best city to find tech jobs. Many traditional silicon valley companies are moving to Atlanta and investing in the city i.e opening offices, etc.

  • Nicknamed "The Silicon Peach"

  • Google, Microsoft, Airbnb, Visa offices.

  • 15% growth in tech jobs in the last 5 years (San Francisco's 16% and Austin's 10%)

  • TECHLANTA

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Over a dozen Atlanta based startups have become "unicorns"

  • Have a market capitalization of over one billion dollars.

Startup incubators and investing

  • Tech Square, Atlanta Tech Village, and Propel

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Large Source of Black Talent:

Not only is Atlanta around 50% African American, but it ranks as one of the cities with the largest concentration of African Americans with a college degree. Following the Black Lives Matter protests, many tech companies pledged to improve diversity in their companies – Atlanta serves as a center to find talented underrepresented people to hire.

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"We know that our customer base at all levels includes the Black community, and we are not shy about wanting the Black community in our workforce" - Visa's Chief of Diversity

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“People are walking around Silicon Valley and other cities trying to solve diversity, but those aren’t diverse cities to begin with, right?” - Paul Judge

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Diversity and Inclusion in STEM Universities:

Atlanta has many colleges. 

  • Historically black universities

  • Unique position of having some of the most diverse schools.

  • Georgia State graduates the most black students out of any college.

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 Local universities work hard to retain their diverse student body 

  • Georgia Tech Society of Black Engineers: Aims to provide a support network and provides resources to its members.

Other initiatives to support underrepresented groups

  • Georgia Tech Society of Women Engineers

  • Girls Who Code.

 

These programs are also a pull factor for tech companies because the highest number of women graduating with engineering degrees come out of Georgia tech.

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Blockhead

Sad Stove

Public Art Scene

Support for Public Art:

The Atlanta government website promotes public art under the "Arts and Culture" tab.

  • Links to an online archive of public artwork

  • Hosts free public art tours

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The Atlanta government allocates 1.5 percent of its "capital improvement" funding toward creating public art. Atlanta Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs seeks artists to paint murals, electrical boxes, and work on other visual projects.

  • Aims to "position Atlanta as an international leader in the arts community".

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Agent for Social Change:

"Living Walls"

  • Atlanta non-profit organization aims to "create intentional, thought provoking, public art to inspire social change".

    • Created 150 murals so far.

    • Artists paint neglected areas in the city.

    • Celebrate diversity, inclusiveness, and promote underrepresented groups in the community.

Atlanta's government paid for ($200k) the creation of a rainbow crosswalk in midtown.

  • Express support for Atlanta's LGBTQ+ community.

  • Example of how public art is used to foster kindness and social change.

Art is heavily intertwined with the history of the civil rights movement

  • "Journey to Freedom" piece was created in order to honor the many women of the civil rights era. 

  • Atlanta's public art is unique because it is not simply meant for the "look of it", but it provides a social commentary and is used to commemorate the city's complex past.

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Center of Creativity & Free Art Scene:

Growing population of street artists

  • Cabbagetown "Wallkeepers"

    • Group of volunteers who actively do street art along the public spaces.

  • Annual street art festival in Cabbage town called "Forward Warrior" that promotes artists at individual booths.​

Active Free Art Scene in Atlanta

  • Artists create a piece and hide it in the city landscape.

    • People try to find it in order to keep it.

  • Provides connectivity within the city

    • Gets people out into the city.

    • Serves as a way for artists to give to their community and meet each other.

  • Creates a positive atmosphere in the city and spreads the spirit of giving.

Art is heavily intertwined with the history of the civil rights movement

  • "Journey to Freedom" piece was created in order to honor the many women of the civil rights era. 

  • Atlanta's public art is unique because it is not simply meant for the "look of it", but it provides a social commentary and is used to commemorate the city's complex past.

Work Cited

“Atlanta Child Murders.” FBI, FBI, 30 Nov. 2010,  https://vault.fbi.gov/Atlanta%20Child%20Murders.
“Atlanta's Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children - Timeline of Events.” HBO, 
          https://www.hbo.com/atlantas-missing-and-murdered-the-lost-children/timeline-of-events.

Foundation, Inc., 4 Mar. 2022, https://en.wiki.hereiszyn.com/wiki/Atlanta_murders_of_1979%E2%80%931981.
Jones, Tayari. Leaving Atlanta. Ediciones El Cobre, 2006. projects, Contributors to Wikimedia. “Atlanta Murders of 1979–1981.” Wikipedia,                                        Wikimedia 
Sharpe, Joshua. “Frank Ski, Victims' Kin Planning Atlanta Child Murders Memorial.” Ajc, The 
         https://www.ajc.com/news/crime--law/frank-ski-victims-kin-planning-atlanta-child-murders memorial/2ZHAkWt0rO8aPMPgrCo00M/. 
“Wayne Williams - 28 Victims Serial Killer: The Atlanta Child Murders (Crime Documentary).” YouTube, YouTube, 8 Nov. 2016,                                                         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXvpFYxwQFY&t=1126s. 
Zombie Apocalypses
“A Brief History of Zombies in Pop Culture.” Kerrang!, 30 Nov. 2021, https://www.kerrang.com/a-brief-history-of-zombies-in-pop-culture.
History.com Editors. “Zombies.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 13 Sept. 2017,

        https://www.history.com/topics/folklore/history-of-zombies.
Justin Heckert, et al. “Zombies Are so Hot Right Now.” Atlanta Magazine, 12 July 2018, 
        https://www.atlantamagazine.com/great-reads/zombies-the-walking-dead/.
“Preparedness 101; Zombie Pandemic.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,                                                        https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/6023. 
Rawden, Jessica. “Why the Walking Dead Is Set in Georgia, According to Robert Kirkman.” CINEMABLEND, Cinemablend, 15 Aug. 2016,                                        https://www.cinemablend.com/television/1545969/why-the-walking-dead-is-set-in-georgia-according-to-robert-kirkman.
“White Zombie (Film).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 10 Feb. 2022, 
        https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Zombie_(film). 
Techlanta
“Black Tech Matters: The Future of Tech Talent in Atlanta.” Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business, 21 Feb. 2022,                                                                               https://www.scheller.gatech.edu/news-events/latest-news/2022/articles/black-tech-matters-the-future-of-tech-talent-in-Atlanta.html.
“Diversity and Inclusivity.” College of Engineering | Georgia Institute of Technology - Atlanta, GA, 
       https://coe.gatech.edu/about/diversity-and-inclusivity.

Find Black Talent.” CNBC, CNBC, 4 Feb. 2022, https://www.cnbc.com/2022/02/04/atlanta-is-a-growing-hub-for-top-tech-companies-like-apple-and-                     microsoft-to-find-black-talent.html.
FrankCNBC. “Atlanta Is a Growing Hub for Top Tech Companies like Apple and Microsoft to 
“Home: Georgia Tech Society of Black Engineers.” GTSBE, https://www.gtsbe.org/.
Peters, Andy. “West Coast Heads East: Atlanta's Black Talent Lures Tech Titans.” Ajc, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 5 Mar. 2021,                                               https://www.ajc.com/news/west-coast-heads-east-atlantas-black-talent-lures-tech-titans/TTOKO3AH6RGNLITODD2VVY6MJU/.
Peterson, Latoya. “What Atlanta Can Teach Tech about Cultivating Black Talent.” Wired, Conde 
Nast, 16 Jan. 2020, https://www.wired.com/story/what-atlanta-can-teach-tech-about-cultivating-black-talent/. 
Public Art Scene
“Atlanta, GA.” Arts & Culture | Atlanta, GA, https://www.atlantaga.gov/residents/arts-culture. AtlantaPlanIt, director. YouTube, YouTube, 25 Mar.                          2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEh557drxW8. Accessed 29 Mar. 2022.
“Best Atlanta Street Art by Neighborhood.” Discover Atlanta, 19 July 2021, 
        https://discoveratlanta.com/stories/arts-culture/best-atlanta-street-art-by-neighborhood/.
Cabbagetown, Atlanta, https://cabbagetown.com/. “Cabbagetown, Atlanta.” Wikiwand, https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Cabbagetown,_Atlanta.
“City of Atlanta Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs.” City of Atlanta Mayors Office of Cultural 
        Affairs Homepage Comments, https://www.ocaatlanta.com/.
Cox, Caroline. “The Best Places to See Free Public Art in Atlanta.” Thrillist, 
        https://www.thrillist.com/lifestyle/atlanta/the-best-public-places-to-see-free-art-in-atlanta.
“Living Walls, the City Speaks.” Living Walls, The City Speaks, https://www.livingwallsatl.com/. RikiProsper, director. YouTube, YouTube, 9 Dec. 2016, 
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty5RzdStr-U. Accessed 29 Mar. 2022. 
Other
A Tour of Zoo Atlanta - Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XQm5WQzQWc. 
“An Image of the Atlanta Tech Village Building.” Atlanta: The Tech Mecca of the Southeast, KNOWAtlanta,                                                                                          https://www.knowatlanta.com/features/atlanta-the-tech-mecca-of-the-southeast. 
“Atlanta, Georgia | 4K Drone Footage.” YouTube, YouTube, 27 Nov. 2020, 
       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6QML6yQUy0. 
Centennial Olympic Park || Walking Tour || Atlanta Ga ... 
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H074hyMnmw. 
CNN Tour in Atlanta (CNN Center & Studio) (HD) - Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR4iiq9Whd8. 
Georgia Aquarium Tour & Review with the Legend - Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXYZs4XW1lQ. 
Girtman, Jenni. “An Image of the Coda Building Sign.” Cisco Becomes Latest Tech 
Greens87. “Atlanta Georgia Skyline Silhouette.” Istockphoto, Istock, 
       https://www.istockphoto.com/vector/atlanta-georgia-skyline-silhouette-black-atlanta-city-design-isolated-on-white-gm1294469797-388456142. 

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Company to Flock to Atlanta’s Midtown, https://www.ajc.com/news/cisco-becomes-latest-tech-company-to-flock-                     to-atlantas-midtown/JPRRCXHWDVCCDMRQ3YFHZZ3PVA/. 
“Top 10: Things to Do in Atlanta.” TOP 10: Things To Do In Atlanta - YouTube, https://youtubu.tv/watch?v=2OrsVRfFY-w. 
Vexento. “We Are One.” Youtube, Audio Library — Music for Content Creators, 
       https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ssvu2yncgWU. 
World of Coca Cola in Atlanta - Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAYw33G6dWA. 

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