Today’s moderator: Rick Badie

Rick Badie joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution as an education reporter in 1997. A South Georgia native, he’s covered the region’s immigrant communities, was a feature obituary writer and opinion columnist for the AJC’s Gwinnett edition.

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A cry erupted from many, notably in the black community, following the not-guilty verdict of George Zimmerman, who shot and killed Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old black boy. Some activists, pundits, moms and dads suggested that blacks in general — and our community as a whole — should address a potentially highly charged topic: black-on-black crime. Today, we introduce what we hope becomes an ongoing Atlanta Forward discussion on such unrelenting killings in our city.

Guest columnists:

Starting a tough conversation by Rick Badie

'Black Slack' symptom of a disease by Melody T. McCloud

Subculture disregards life by Jerome Hudson

About the Author

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A rendering of the columbarium memorial that is estimated to be completed by next summer or fall in the southeast part of Oakland Cemetery, officials said. (Courtesy of Historic Oakland Foundation)

Credit: Historic Oakland Foundation