Morning, y’all! Programming note: A.M. ATL is off tomorrow and Friday. Sending good food energy to my fellow hosts in charge of cooking, and peaceful thoughts to those processing their family-related stress through suspiciously meticulous yard work.
True story: My husband, a king among men, once politely excused himself from a mid-Christmas Day family klatch. A few minutes later, we hear a mechanical roar, and there he is in the front yard, pruning a crepe myrtle with a chainsaw. We all do what we can to keep it together.
Let’s get to it. I’m feeling festive, so here’s a story for every facet of Thanksgiving.
THE GIVING: 2 CHAINZ GIVES BACK
Atlanta rapper 2 Chainz partnered with Walmart to feed more than 100 families for Thanksgiving. The “Greens and Things” giveaway was hosted by 2 Chainz’s Tru Foundation, a nonprofit that provides resources to underserved communities.
- The Tru Foundation was first established in 2011 to assist domestic violence victims. Kesha Ward, the rapper’s wife, is also the co-founder of the nonprofit.
- After the event, the couple surprised a few shoppers inside Walmart and helped pay for their items.
🔎 READ MORE: How the rapper empowers Atlanta communities
Another fun fact: 2 Chainz is a big Atlanta Hawks supporter, and when his son, Halo, was young, they’d wear coordinating outfits to games sometimes. It was adorable. Father and son are still regular attendees, from what I understand.
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THE FOOD: A PLACE TO PICK
Did you know unauthorized foraging in Georgia could cost you up to $1,000? It’s also banned in state parks.
- The Urban Food Forest at Browns Mill, however, offers a rare legal space to forage for fruits, nuts and herbs.
- Urban forests like this help fight food insecurity in some of the most underserved regions in the U.S.
🎥 WATCH: How urban food forests work
THE TRAVEL: AIRPORT CHAPELS
Whether you want a place to pray, meditate, or have a quiet moment to yourself, airport chapels are an underrated but precious resource for interfaith travelers.
I know two clergypeople who have served as airport chaplains, one right here in Atlanta. They say it’s humbling to be able to serve a literal worldwide congregation.
🔎 READ MORE: A cool write-up of their history and diverse purposes
THE DINNERTIME ARGUMENT WITH THE FAMILY MEMBER YOU’RE STARTING TO WORRY ABOUT: SCAM SENSE
Have you thought about how the age of AI will affect cybersecurity? The AJC business team has, and it’s grim.
Generative AI can now produce convincing text, images, audio and video that make normal scam attempts much harder to spot.
🔎 READ MORE: What businesses need to do to stay safe
- Now, that’s a real problem for aging family members who aren’t used to questioning everything they see, hear or read.
- The reality is, a lot of scams specifically prey on older adults because they’re not technology natives. Education and skepticism are the first lines of defense.
- The Fulton County Department of Senior Services has a free online course called Avoid Cyber Threats (ACT) Cybersecurity Program to help arm older adults.
🔎 READ MORE: Senior services experts explain why it’s important
MORE THINGS TO KNOW
“Hate” may be a strong word. Also strong: both teams. UGA’s 10-1, and Tech’s 9-2.
🤢 Why you should never wash your turkey
New food safety anxiety unlocked!
📈 Atlanta retailers will be merry this holiday shopping season, experts forecast
That possible record spending comes with an uncomfortable class divide. Higher-income spending has grown much faster recently than lower-income spending.
🦃 More families are adopting turkeys instead of eating them
Farm animal sanctuaries are promoting this wholesome new take on Thanksgiving. I wouldn’t put it past a full-grown turkey to try and eat a child, though.
ON THIS DATE
Nov. 26, 1884
Thanksgiving Day: Recounting the blessings of the year past. We should not forget the blessings for which we of Atlanta should be especially thankful. … Within the past year nearly two hundred thousand dollars have been spent on her streets and sewers … The new State capitol, and which is to be erected at a cost of one million dollars, has just begun and the people of the State, as well as those of Atlanta, regard the undertaking with no small degree of pride and will watch its progress with interest.
This week, I’ve given thanks for A.M. ATL readers and for local Atlanta journalism. Finally, I’m thankful for my fellow AJC journalists who produce work that is both essential and a joy to read.
I made a list of names, but it was so long and didn’t even cover half of the people worth mentioning. Just trust me, it’s all of them.
ONE MORE THING
Did you know the man who dreamed up the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons was a legendary puppeteer? Balloons are kind of like upside-down marionettes after all, and that’s exactly what Tony Sarg saw. He was one of the first artistic directors of the parade and introduced the now-iconic giant balloons in 1927. These are the things you learn at Atlanta’s Center for Puppetry Arts!
Have a lovely holiday. See y’all Monday!
Thanks for reading to the very bottom of A.M. ATL. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact us at AMATL@ajc.com.
Until next time.
About the Author
AJ Willingham is an National Emmy, NABJ and Webby award-winning journalist who loves talking culture, religion, sports, social justice, infrastructure and the arts. She lives in beautiful Smyrna-Mableton and went to Syracuse University.
