Closer Look with Rose Scott

Agriculture is the oldest and number 1 industry in Georgia. Its economic impact is more than $74 billion every year, employing more than 399,000 Georgians. For the May installment of “Coffee Conversations”, the “Closer Look” team headed to Community Grounds Coffee Shop. The conversation focused on Georgia’s agriculture industry, exploring what’s thriving and the challenges facing Georgia’s producers and growers. Rose talked with guests about the importance of supporting local farmers, how the economy is encouraging more Georgians to grow their own food, as well as everything you need to know about urban farming in Georgia. Guests include: Jeff Delp, the director of economic development for FSC Ministries & Community Grounds Coffee Shop Doug Deveaux, the CEO and co-founder of AgriUnity Robert Chappelle, a fifth-generation farmer and the founder of Moby’s Maters Henry Ostaszewski, a co-founder of Blue 42 Market Kashi Sehgal, the founder and CEO of Retaaza Katie Kissel, a co-chair for the board of directors for Unearthing Farm & Market See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2026 gubernatorial race is taking shape with confirmed and potential candidates. Rose talks with Atlanta-based political strategist and analyst Fred Hicks about who we could see on the campaign trail. He also shares his thoughts about President Donald Trump’s low approval rating in Georgia. Plus, Wednesday marks 100 days into President Donald Trump’s second term, and it’s an uncertain time for the free press – especially public media. Concern about partisan oversight by Paramount Global led 60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens to resign from the news program. Longtime Correspondent Scott Pelley followed that with a rebuke of their parent company. “Closer Look” revisits Rose’s 2019 conversation with Pelley. The award-winning journalist reflected on press freedom, democracy and the role of today’s news outlets. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

April marks National Autism Awareness Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s latest data, 1 in 31 children in the U.S. have been identified with autism spectrum disorder. Rose talks with Georgia Tech associate professor Jennifer Singh. She discusses autism symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment while highlighting inequities in services through her documentary “Navigating Autism in Communities of Color.” Parents Dr. Bernadette Kilo and Natasha Nelson also share personal stories of raising children with autism and advocate for better support systems. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Georgia Interfaith Power & Light (GIPL) is an organization that aims to empower people of faith to engage in issues such as environmental injustices, pollution, climate change and more. Marqus Cole, who serves as the organizing director for GIPL, talks more about the organization’s work and impact. He also shares his thoughts about how faith intersects with climate activism. Plus, Wanona Satcher is on a mission to address the housing crisis. She is the CEO and founder of Mākhers Studio. The East Point-based construction and management firm specializes in transforming shipping containers into housing and retail solutions. As we spotlight “Closer Look’s” most memorable conversations, we revisit Rose’s conversation with Satcher. She talks about her vision to use micro-housing as a sustainable and viable option to solve the home affordability problem. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Residents spoke out about the poor conditions of the Chelsea Gardens apartments in College Park. Now, they must find a new place to live. The City of College Park has reportedly condemned the complex due to its deplorable state, giving residents short notice to move. Shakira Fortson with the Party for Socialism and Liberation, outgoing resident Andre Harris and former resident Cassandra Meenaghan share their experience at Chelsea Gardens, what’s next for them, and the actions they want the property owner and city officials to take. Plus, the final prom event in Cobb County for the 2025 season is happening on Saturday. The goal is to make sure Cobb County students with special needs, affectionally known as “rockstars,” feel seen, celebrated, and supported. For 15 years, Superior Plumbing and the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office have partnered together to make sure prom night is an unforgettable experience for these students. Randi Okray, the communication and public relations specialist for Cobb County Sheriff's Office, and Jay Cunningham, founder of Superior Plumbing who launched the initiative, talk more about the annual tradition that coincides with Autism Awareness Month. Cunningham also talks about the initiative’s impact and the inspiration behind it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University is hosting the Arts and Wellbeing Summit: Artistic Expression and Processing Grief on April 25-26. Rose talks with Katie Ericson-Baskin, the Ingram director of education at the Michael C. Carlos Museum, and Laney Castle, an administrative coordinator for the education department at the Michael C. Carlos Museum. They talk more about the summit and how art can be used to help process grief. Plus, the Arts and Wellbeing Summit features support and participation from organizations such as The Grief House. The nonprofit says it’s a space for community-led support for grief and all kinds of loss. The “Closer Look” team recently visited The Grief House at Legacy Park in Decatur. We revisit Rose’s conversation with the executive director and co-founder Sascha Demerjian, Shonali Banerjee, a yoga teacher and musician, who works at the Grief House, and Kelly Yates, a mother who is dealing with grief after her son died in 2022. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An energy audit can help new homeowners save money — not just through energy efficiency but with tax credits and more. However, an energy audit is not a required step in the homebuying process. Data also reveals that low-income households spend a larger share of their income on energy costs when compared to other households and that Georgia ranks in the top 5 for states with the highest energy burden. Cosco Jones, the owner and a consultant at Jones Sustainable Solutions Group, discusses what a proper "energy audit" should look like, and how poor energy efficiency has long-term consequences for a homeowner's budget and wellbeing. Plus, a chain-link fence separates a community garden from I-20. Mozley Park residents who are members of the Five Mile Project (5MP) have been advocating for the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDPT) to install noise barriers in their neighborhood. As we feature some of “Closer Look’s” most memorable conversations, we revisit Rose’s conversation with 5MP members Mia Pennington and Keith Palmer. They talk more about the noise concerns and efforts to beautify their neighborhood. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This year marks the 56th Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race. Rich Kenah, who serves as the race director and the CEO of the Atlanta Track Club, returns to “Closer Look” to talk more about this year's expanded race experience, which includes the return of a cherished tradition. Plus, Flying Change Equine Therapy fosters emotional healing and wellness through equine-assisted therapy and learning. As we feature some of “Closer Look’s” most memorable conversations, we revisit Rose’s conversation with Lissa Corcoran, the founder and executive director for Flying Change. Corcoran tells the backstory of what led her to start the nonprofit and explains how rescued horses are helping both children and adults heal from trauma. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Youth Villages is expanding its family support, mental and behavioral health services to reach more Georgia communities. The Intercept program is beginning in Rockdale, Douglas, and Paulding Counties. Tanya Anderson, the executive director of Youth Villages Georgia, and Jameta Wheeler, the state manager for In-Home Services at Youth Villages, talk more about Intercept and Youth Villages’ new pilot contract with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Development Disabilities. Also, on the evening of June 15, 1930, a mob lynched Morehouse student Dennis Hubert. This May, Hubert will be posthumously awarded an honorary bachelor of arts degree during the commencement ceremony. Ann Hill Bond, an Atlanta-based journalist and chair of the Fulton County Remembrance Coalition, and Imam Plemon T. El-Amin, Hubert’s nephew, talk more about Hubert’s life, and the legacy of Hubert’s mother, an educator, who served as a principal of the Crogmsn School, where Hubert was lynched. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s special edition of "Closer Look," Rose and the team take listeners out into the community. First, we begin with a climate gentrification tour in Atlanta's Old Fourth Ward neighborhood. Rose talks with Adrienne Rice, the executive director of Sustainable Georgia Futures, about the nonprofit’s mission to help specific communities grow and thrive in the green industry. We also hear from Genesis Tilman, Drew Barnes and Liyahh Rocha who participated in the walking tour. Plus, Edgewood Garden is a place for community. The urban greenspace, operated by the Wylde Center, was once the site of an apartment building. It was transformed into a community garden back in 2012, part of a revitalization effort to serve residents of the area. It now has a playground, picnic benches, honeybees, butterflies, fruit trees, vegetable beds and more. But one of the garden’s most popular attributes is its chickens. Rose talks with Jennifer Gerndt, Matty Garrett, Gordon Dyker of the Wylde Center to learn more about Edgewood Garden and its nature center. We also hear from Heath Ward, the co-founder of City Chick, who discusses people’s growing interest in raising their own chickens as egg prices rise. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Donald Trump’s 100-day mark for his second term is fast approaching. Since taking office, the Trump administration has already taken several executive actions on education, immigration and more. Today’s special edition of “Closer Look” focused on the potential economic and social challenges the Atlanta region could face within the next four years. The conversation allowed guests to share their concerns and thoughts about the local response and mobilization to federal actions. Guests include: Staci Fox, the president and CEO of the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute Fallon McClure, the deputy southeast regional director for Working Families Power Fred A. Jones, the senior director of public policy and advocacy at the Southern Education Foundation Nathaniel Smith, the founder and chief equity officer of the Atlanta-based Partnership for Southern Equity See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Beyond democratic freedoms, what factors into how Black Americans thrive socially and economically? It’s a theme that’s explored in the new book, “BLACK POWER SCORECARD: Measuring the Racial Gap and What We Can Do to Close It.” The book’s author, Professor Andre M. Perry is a nationally recognized expert on race, structural inequality, economic inclusion, and education. In his book, he studies the life expectancy for Black Americans across multiple cities. He also rates their power based on quality and access to property, business, wealth, education, health, and social mobility. Perry talks more about how each of these factors are linked to the social and economic power of Black People. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Georgia-based Appen Media and Decaturish.com have launched a new print edition, Decaturish Ink. Dan Whisenhunt, the founder and editor of the online community news outlet, talked more about the new print component. He also shared details about the publication’s goals of providing deeper, more narrative-driven content that seeks to capture the spirit and unique voices of Decatur and surrounding areas like Avondale Estates, Clarkston, Tucker, Chamblee, Kirkwood and Stone Mountain. Plus, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), recognizes April as Fair Housing Month. The Fair Housing Act prohibits housing discrimination. Richard Rothstein, a housing scholar and author of 'The Color of Law' and co-author of 'Just Action,' returns to “Closer Look” to assess the Trump administration’s housing policy and the historical context of unequal housing practices in the U.S. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s special edition of Closer Look with Rose Scott, we’re joined by a roundtable of former employees of the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since taking office for a second time, the Trump Administration has reportedly committed to cutting 10,000 federal employees from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The mass layoffs began April 1st, with a projected reduction of 2,400 workers at the CDC. That’s about 18% of the staff, reportedly impacting some of the agency’s vital research and health provisions. Today, we ask our panel of professionals about the mass layoffs and how it could impact the work of the CDC and your health. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s Closer Look with Rose Scott: Over the weekend, a reported 3 million people in the U.S., and even some abroad, joined more than 1,200 demonstrations to protest the Trump administration’s wave of executive orders and other policies. Organizers for the Atlanta Hands Off! protest, Laura Judge, a communications official with Hands Off! and Indivisible North Metro Atlanta, and John Morris, the secretary and treasurer for 50501 Georgia, Inc., talk more about the protest, the unifying message they want to send and what’s next. Also, as the Atlanta baseball season gets underway, the local fan club Bravest ATL is renewing its push for the Atlanta Braves to change its name and branding. Brothers and Bravest ATL founders Marty and Chris Buccafusco talk more about their mission. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2025 Georgia legislative session has come to an end. Hundreds of debated bills await Governor Brian Kemp’s signature, while many more missed out on a vote. That includes a stack of controversial Senate priorities that went unpassed by the House. WABE politics reporters Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali return to ‘Closer Look,’ to discuss the state budget, the themes they noticed this legislative session and some of the most talked about bills this session. Some of the measures they discussed involved school safety, restrictions on puberty blockers for minors, and efforts to reduce civil litigation, also known as tort reform. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this day, 57 years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated while standing on the balcony of his motel room at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. Friday’s special edition of "Closer Look with Rose Scott" focuses on the life and legacy of King, specifically his efforts to lead with courage and integrity and to inspire others to be moral leaders. We revisit Rose’s conversations with the now-late Memphis attorney Michael W. Cody and Dr. Robert Michael Franklin Jr., an author, theologian and Emory University’s James T. and Berta R. Laney Professor in Moral Leadership. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sine Dine is fast approaching as the 2025 Georgia legislative session nears an end. WABE politics reporters Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali return to ‘Closer Look,’ to discuss the status of some of the most talked about bills. Plus, with more corporations turning away from diversity, equity and inclusion programs, the NAACP is empowering Black consumers to shop with companies that value their dollars and their rights. Gerald Griggs, the president of the NAACP Georgia State Conference, discusses the newly launched Black Consumer Advisory. Lastly, we continue our two-part series looking at the benefits and the harm of using AI in the job hiring process. Data suggests by the end of the year, nearly 70% of businesses are expected to use AI for reviewing resumes, rejecting candidates or even conducting entire interviews. Hilke Schellmann, an investigative journalist and professor at New York University, is the author of the book, "The Algorithm." Schellemann says AI has invaded the workplace, calling the evolving phenomenon "the next civil rights issue of our time.” Previously, Rose talked with Dan Beck, the president and chief product officer at SAP SuccessFactors, about what he says are some of the pros of AI being used in the workplace. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mableton Mayor Michael Owens is approaching the two-year mark into his term as leader of the largest city in Cobb County. Mayor Owens returns to “Closer Look,” to talk more about how the relatively new city is fairing and his top priorities. He also shares details about how city leaders are addressing urban development, affordable housing, education and more. Plus, the White House has announced plans to cut more than 80,000 employees from Veterans Affairs, many of whom are veterans themselves. The cuts would come to an already reportedly understaffed VA System, adding to concerns about slower access to healthcare for veterans. Kyle Bibby, the co-CEO of the Black Veterans Project, and Lindsay Church, the executive director of Minority Veterans of America, respond to the potential cuts, the Pentagon purge of archives that documented diversity in the military, as well as the recent national security mishap when plans for an upcoming military strike in Yemen were shared with a journalist using Signal. Lastly, Wednesday marks what would have been soul singer Marvin Gaye’s 86th birthday. In celebration of his life and legacy, his sister Zeola Gaye and the Elite Success Talent Group have put together the musical production “The Evolution of My Brother Marvin Tribute.” The show will be at The Buckhead Theatre on Thursday, April 3. Rose talks with Zeola Gaye and Chae Stephen, who portrays the timeless artist. They talk more about the production and discuss their efforts to preserve Marvin’s legacy by ensuring that his music continues to inspire generations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens recently appointed Judge LaDawn Blackett to be Atlanta's interim inspector general. Her appointment comes in the aftermath of Shannon Manigault’s resignation over alleged interference and harassment. Interim IG Blackett joins “Closer Look” to discuss leading the OIG and her top priorities while assigned to lead the office. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.