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What does Black Lives Matter want in Atlanta?

Inside Atlanta's Black Lives Matter movement
By
Sept 23, 2016

What is Black Lives Matter in Atlanta? It’s not what you think.

The movement is dozens of groups. Its organizers have no official titles. Anyone can join, anyone can lead, and within a matter of days, it can mobilize thousands to march in the streets.

The movement has been criticized as being disorganized, disrespectful, or thugs. But in Atlanta, activists have spent the past two years building a broad and ambitious coalition that aims to move beyond protest towards political and social reform.

There’s proof that they’re starting to make that happen.

AJC investigative reporter Willoughby Mariano spent many weeks with members of Atlanta's Black Lives Matter movement. Read what she found out about this group at myAJC.com.

About the Author

Willoughby Mariano is an investigative reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where she focuses on housing and criminal justice issues. She previously worked for the AJC's PolitiFact Georgia, where she fact checked the claims of elected officials, and at the Orlando Sentinel, where she covered crime and breaking news.

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