SIMPLY BUCKHEAD — They say necessity is the mother of invention, which certainly holds true for Genevieve LeDoux. The chief imagination officer, as she jokingly refers to herself, of Silver Comet Productions, LeDoux is an award-winning producer whose current pet project centers around an animated rock band called Star Forest.

The aha moment for her newest venture took place during the pandemic, when, to get out of the house, she and her two sons would get in the car and drive around with the windows rolled down and the music cranked up. Her oldest son, Hudson, who was 5 at the time, wasn’t a fan of his 3-year-old brother Dempsey’s music because it was too babyish. So LeDoux went looking for music for kids Hudson’s age and found it didn’t exist.

“Everything that was made for the 5 to 9 age group was still very immature and not well produced, so they weren’t into it,” LeDoux says. “I joke it goes from CoComelon to Cardi B, because there’s nothing in the middle.”

It was then she saw a niche that needed to be filled. For inspiration, LeDoux drew upon her years in Los Angeles working on children’s TV shows like “Yo Gabba Gabba!,” “My Little Pony” and a stop-motion series called “Tumble Leaf” that won her an Emmy for Outstanding Preschool Children’s Animated Program. She and her husband, Chris LeDoux, who founded the visual effects company Crafty Apes, had since relocated to Atlanta when he decided to open an office here in 2014. “He was working a lot for Tyler Perry and was going back and forth to Atlanta, and he came home one day and said, ‘You know what, there’s something really happening there,’” she explains. [MORE]

ESPORT INSIDER — According to a release, the 2025 edition of the*gamehers Awards will highlight 100 women across a total of 10 categories.

To acknowledge their achievements, the platform will offer award winners exclusive digital features alongside streams highlighting each winner taking place throughout March 2025. In addition, the winners will also receive cash prizes. The exact amount for each award was not disclosed.

The revamp follows the*gamehers’ September announcement that its ceremony is returning in 2025 following a successful 2024. The platform noted that its 2024 ceremony generated over 10m impressions in addition to over 155,000 viewers across various streaming platforms.

Outside of the awards ceremony, the platform has continued to grow and attract investment. In August, it received an undisclosed investment from Dunhill Ventures to accelerate growth by improving its in-app offerings.

Rebecca Dixon, CEO of the*gamehers, spoke on the news: “the*gamehers Awards have always been about more than just recognition—they’re about inspiring change and creating opportunities.

“In 2025, we’re amplifying that mission by celebrating winners not just for one night, but all year long, showcasing their stories and achievements on a global stage. We’re excited to partner with brands, organizations, and our incredible community to make this a truly transformative moment for women and femme-identifying individuals in gaming.” [MORE]

ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, ‘Opinion’

By Jennifer Bauer-Lyons

Every year, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving brings a powerful reminder of what matters most: giving. Following the frenzied shopping of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, GivingTuesday invites us to pause and redirect our attention to the causes that build stronger, more connected communities. It is a global movement of generosity. Here in Georgia, it’s also an opportunity to reflect on the values that unite us: collaboration, creativity and compassion.

As the executive director of South Fulton Arts (SFA), I see daily how the arts embody those values. Yet, the arts are often overlooked when it comes to charitable giving. This GivingTuesday, I urge Georgians to recognize the arts not just as a source of inspiration and joy, but also as a vital force that shapes our identity, strengthens our economy and brings us closer as a community.

The arts sector in Georgia is a powerhouse. It generates more than $49 million in local, county and state tax revenue for Georgia, and supports more than 10,000 jobs, according to the Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 national study conducted by Americans for the Arts and facilitated by Georgia Council for the Arts. But these numbers only scratch the surface of what the arts mean to our communities.

The arts foster empathy, bridge divides and inspire innovation … [MORE]

Jennifer Bauer-Lyons is executive director of South Fulton Arts.

POCKETGAMER — With the 30th anniversary of its kingmaking franchise Warcraft, Blizzard has been rightfully saturating its fans with all manner of in-game events and rewards. But for the rest of us, it's going to be hard to ignore the legacy of this monolithic franchise. And that's because, of all things, Warcraft is set to team up with hit match-3 puzzler Candy Crush Saga!

Yes, you read that right, the poster child of hardcore RTS and MMORPGs is taking a walk on the sweet side as it collabs with King's own regal candy-based puzzler. Running from November 22nd (that's today) through to December 6th, you'll be able to leap into iconic team-vs-team challenges between the Orc and Human factions to win exclusive rewards.

As part of the event, you'll pick a side between Team Tiffi (representing Humans) and Team Yeti (representing Orcs). The Warcraft Games is a competitive event, complete with qualifiers, knockouts and finals, as you'll duke it out for the chance at amazing rewards including 200 (in-game) gold bars for winning participants! [MORE]

BLEEDING COOL — Mobile developer and publisher King Games have launched a brand new event for Candy Crush Soda Saga, as they are celebrating the game's 10th Anniversary. Starting today and running over the next few weeks, the game will be running a special celebration involving special bears and cakes, as well as an 11 Days of Gifting event that will have players popping in daily for challenges and rewards. Plus some extra goodies happening throughout the month of November you have to play to see. We have more details about what you can play below, along with a trailer above, as the content is now live.

The 11 Days of Gifting event is designed to thank players around the world for playing the game during the 10th anniversary. From November 19th – 29th, players will receive daily rewards, such as boosters, gold bars or lives, with a special gift on the 11th day for those who log in each day, as a gesture of appreciation for their loyalty. Players will also have the chance to compete in the most generous Soda Cup to date. The Soda Cup is a month-long, in-game tournament where players compete for exclusive rewards and a spot on the leaderboard by collecting reskinned yellow whistle candies. This year's Soda Cup offers the biggest rewards ever, with around 50,000 winners receiving 500 in-game gold bars each.

To mark the anniversary, King revamped the Candy Crush Soda Saga soundscape, introducing a captivating new audio experience into the game. This unique funk-inspired audio identity draws on influences from different cultures and geographies around the world including Latin America, Africa and Europe. Recorded with more than 30 musicians in a live studio, the new audio includes a mix of traditional and water-inspired custom-made instruments to create a distinct and immersive Soda-inspired sound.

ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION — This weekend, tens of thousands of gamers will crowd the Georgia World Congress Center, many clad in esports jerseys and costumes, for DreamHack Atlanta.

Some of them are fighting for $1.1 million in prize money in esports competitions. Others are looking to network with gaming companies to land jobs or internships, introduce games they have developed or purely connect with enthusiasts of their favorite franchises.

DreamHack, which spans three days starting Friday, is one of the largest gaming and esports events held in Georgia every year, attracting both professional and amateur players of console, PC, virtual reality and tabletop games, along with developers, artists and other media personalities.

There are areas for attendees to connect their devices to a local-area network to play games together, manufacturers to showcase new hardware and independent game studios to showcase their titles. Many of the spoils associated with these types of conventions are also found at DreamHack, such as cosplay competitions, meet and greets with creators in the gaming world and performances. Shaboozey, whose song “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” entered its 12th week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week, is the headliner.

In essence, it’s the gaming version of a music festival, said Todd Harris, the president of Atlanta esports live event and production company Skillshot Media.

“Picture multiple stages. Some have major competitions going on, some are small with just a 6-foot table and everything in between. There’s definitely some sensory overload,” Harris said.

DreamHack is the final event in Games Week Georgia, a weeklong affair of business, networking and professional development events for the gaming industry. [MORE]

METRO ATLANTA CEO — Executive Director of Georgia's Path2College 529 Plan Mitch Seabaugh talks about the top five things to know about Georgia's Path2College 529 Plan and the importance of investing in your child's future education.

After more than 20 years dancing in Atlanta, the formidable artist will perform as a member of Terminus Modern Ballet Theatre for the last time Sept. 14-22, before stepping out to a new life in Houston.

ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION | ArtsATL.com — When dancer Rachel Van Buskirk performed in Terminus Modern Ballet Theatre’s “Out of the Box” program in September 2023, she was visibly pregnant with her first child and gave a beautiful performance in the world premiere of Darian Kane’s “Adoption of Faith.” This year, “Out of the Box: Series II” will mark another life-changing event as she leaves the company she cofounded with four other former Atlanta Ballet dancers and relocates to Houston, where her husband is starting a tenure-track job at the University of Houston.

The move means leaving behind the city and community where, over the last 20 years, she has grown from a talented young ballerina into a formidable artist at the top of her game. Van Buskirk still vividly recalls the first time she saw Terminus Artistic Director John Welker, another original “Terminator” and co-founder, dance. She was a 15-year-old student in the Atlanta Ballet school, and he was in the company. “When I saw John in class, my jaw was on the floor. It was just incredible the crazy things he could do.”

She also remembers watching Terminus co-founder Tara Lee perform the lead role in Atlanta Ballet’s production of “Madame Butterfly.” “I stood in the wings with tears streaming down my face,” Van Buskirk said. “It was the most beautiful, soulful thing I’d ever seen.”

When she joined Atlanta Ballet and took on more challenging roles, she went from admiring her future Terminus colleagues from afar to counting Lee, John and Christine Welker, Heath Gill and Christian Clark among her most trusted artistic collaborators and friends.

At Terminus, they continued to hone this partnership in countless ways in multiple ballets. “Rachel is a singular force of artistry and passion,” Clark said recently. “Our longtime partnership on stage has been a major highlight of my career, and I will miss dancing with her dearly.” [MORE]

SAPORTA REPORT — Star Forest, a multi-platform project spanning musical albums, music videos, animated content, podcasts, and a mobile video game, will premiere at DragonCon and is set to roll out over the coming months.

In an era where children are increasingly disconnected from nature and overwhelmed by technology, Star Forest offers a bridge between digital engagement and real-world wonder. It’s designed to combat “nature deficit disorder” by inspiring kids to explore, create and connect with the world around them. 

At its heart is a virtual band of lovable misfits whose music transcends entertainment, becoming a gateway to imagination and self-discovery targeted for children aged 5 to 9, but may appeal to a range of music lovers.

“Star Forest isn’t just an album, a show, or a game — it’s an entire universe designed to captivate, educate, and inspire,” said Genevieve LeDoux, Star Forest creator and co-founder. “We noticed a significant gap in content for children who have outgrown preschool programming but aren’t ready for teen-oriented material. Star Forest fills this void with rich, multi-layered content that grows with the child.”

WORLD SCREEN / KIDSTV.com — Star Forest, a multiplatform project spanning musical albums, music videos, animated content, podcasts and a mobile video game, is set to roll out over the coming months.

From Emmy Award-winning producer Genevieve LeDoux and targeted to 5- to 9-year-olds, the Star Forest universe aims to bridge digital engagement and real-world wonder. September will see the new podcast and album debut, while the mobile video game is slated to drop later in 2024.

The full Star Forest project will also officially launch at Dragon Con, which is taking place from August 29 to September 2.

The virtual band includes Fawn Velvette (vocalist/keytar), performed by Lynzee Fraye; Twig Leifort (vocalist/guitar), performed by Pete Mitchell; Sluuth Marbles (bass/vocalist/rhymes), performed by Christopher “Caz” Downing; and Rocktapus “Rocky” Blueblood VII (drums/tambourine), performed by Jake Griffitts. Podcast host Phineas Fawk is performed by Garrett Braun.

“Star Forest isn’t just an album, a show, or a game—it’s an entire universe designed to captivate, educate and inspire,” said LeDoux, Star Forest creator and co-founder. “We noticed a significant gap in content for children who have outgrown preschool programming but aren’t ready for teen-oriented material. Star Forest fills this void with rich, multi-layered content that grows with the child.”

“The band is virtual, and the music is real! Star Forest is The Gorillaz for kids and the story of a band trying to make it,” said Tammy Hurt, head of music strategy and industry relations for Star Forest. “It is a world that mirrors the challenges and triumphs of real life, offering a metaphorical landscape where the band members learn invaluable lessons about friendship, resilience and the pursuit of their dreams. Through their shared experiences, the band members discover the true power of music to connect hearts, inspire change and create a sense of belonging.”

“We’re not just creating content, we’re crafting experiences that allow children to tune out the noise and tune into their own incredible potential,” LeDoux continued. “In Star Forest, kids don’t just listen to music—they become part of it, entering a world where imagination flows freely, and creativity knows no bounds. Our goal is to create content that not only entertains but also enriches but inspires a new generation of thinkers, dreamers and doers who understand the power of imagination and the importance of our connection to nature.” [MORE]

ARTSATL.COM | ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION — Terminus Modern Ballet Theatre’s fall 2024 season includes four world premieres and a bittersweet farewell to one of the company’s co-founders, Rachel Van Buskirk. Two programs will be presented in two multi-weekend runs — one at TULA Art Center, the company’s Buckhead location, and one at the Pavilion at Serenbe.

Terminus Artistic Director John Welker said the programming is all about “new dancers, new voices.”

Terminus’ new recruits include Amalie Chase, who was a company protégé during the 2023-24 season; Alex Gonzaga, who has appeared several times as a guest artist; and Lenai Wilkerson, who made her way to Atlanta from Washington, D.C., by way of Ballet Hispánico and Cincinnati Ballet. Georgia Dalton and Elizabeth Labovitz, who were themselves new faces just last year, are returning.

Van Buskirk will perform on the ”Out of the Box II” program at Terminus’ intimate, immersive white-box space at TULA, taking her final bows with the company on September 22. After her departure, Christian Clark will be the only one of the five co-founders still performing with the company. [MORE]

SAPORTA REPORT — Celebrating 20 years of serving its community, South Fulton Arts (SFA) recently announced the kickoff of its $10 ‘Power of 10’ crowdfunding campaign to help support its “Pay What You Want” ticket structure and ongoing arts programming. SFA is also opening its annual applications for the 2025 CREATE Partner Program.  

Each year, SFA’s strategic partnerships increase access to high-quality, free arts programming for South Fulton County and Metro Atlanta residents and communities. Through these successful, annual partnerships — including artists, teaching artists, schools, and nonprofits — SFA collaborates, connects, and provides seed funding to bring artist-inspired projects to life. These initiatives include free live theater and music performances, festivals, art exhibits, workshops, and more, which all take place at participating partner venues throughout South Fulton County.  

“Our CREATE partners are at the heart of what we do. Their extraordinary, and often unsung, talent is what fuels our mission of ‘connecting and engaging communities through the arts,” South Fulton Arts Executive Director Jennifer Bauer-Lyons said. “Each year at this time we open applications for the next generation of creatives to engage and thrive through our unique partnership program. In tandem, we are inviting the community to give with a simple, single $10 donation for a lifetime of arts and entertainment in return.”

ATLANTA BUSINESS CHRONICLE — The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) and Georgia’s Path2College 529 Plan launched its “We Care, Child Care Sweepstakes.” It will award funds at both ends of a child’s educational journey. The contest gives $1,529 in college scholarships to one winner each from north, south and southeast Georgia as well as metro Atlanta. The winners will also receive $1,529 to go to their child’s early learning center.

For the past 10 years, the two organizations have collaborated on a chance for Georgia families to win money for education.

“DECAL begins laying the academic foundation for a child’s educational career, and Georgia’s Path2College529 Plan lays a financial foundation on which that child’s future educational dreams can be built,” Amy Jacobs, Commissioner for DECAL, said in a statement about the partnership.

The Path2College 529 Plan is the state’s official college savings plan. Earnings are 100% free from federal and state income taxes when used for qualified education expenses such as tuition.

The sweepstakes is open to Georgia families with children who are 13 and younger who attend a DECAL-licensed child care program. The partnership has awarded more than $75,000 to 34 future college-bound students and has helped inform families about saving for college through Georgia’s Path2College 529 Plan. Entries may be submitted through the end of the month.

ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION — For Joshua Chari and his two sisters, music was an integral part of their family life in Ohio.“By the time we were 3 or 4, we were all playing instruments,” he said. “We grew up going to concerts, playing, performing and taking lessons. It was a part of the way we lived.”In 2002, the Roswell resident and his siblings launched Music by Tritone, a music school with the goal of exposing students across the Northside to a lifestyle infused with sound.“We were all doing music independently, giving lessons and performing in the Atlanta area,” he said.

“But we weren’t happy with the options available for classical lessons. A lot of teaching methods were either boring, tedious or unstructured. We set out to inspire and motivate students while they were learning the fundamentals.” Fast forward to 2024, and the school has flourished with yearround ensembles, musical theater programs, a youth orchestra and camps that cover genres from rock band to orchestra. [MORE]

ATLANTA MAGAZINE — If you’re the type who wonders why the Cosmo ever went out of style, a new Dunwoody bar might satisfy all your 1990s urges. Okay Anny’s, the sequel to Colony Square’s hidden ’70s lounge JoJo’s Beloved, opens Friday at 5 p.m. in the new Politan Road food hall that was very briefly the Hall at Ashford Lane. In addition to Okay Anny’s, the 17,000-square-foot, 220-seat Politan Row at Ashford Lane will feature nine food stalls, a full-service Cuban restaurant, and a central bar.

Parking is free and plentiful, and all of the opening food businesses are female- and/or minority-owned. For opening weekend, Politan Row will donate a portion of the proceeds to Malachi’s Storehouse—a local food pantry—and Giving Kitchen, which provides emergency assistance to food service workers. [MORE]

Dunwoody hall will be home to nine food stalls, full-service Cuban restaurant and two cocktail bars.

ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION — Politan Row at Ashford Lane food hall is set to make its debut in Dunwoody next week.

Located at 4500 Olde Perimeter Way in the Ashford Lane retail development, the 17,000-square-foot food hall will open at 5 p.m. Feb. 2., with a slate of cuisines from around the world.

The project comes from Politan Group, the company behind the Politan Row at Colony Square food hall in Midtown and a forthcoming food hall at Forum Peachtree Corners.

Politan Group CEO Will Donaldson told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in an interview in August 2023 that the company targeted local vendors who are seeking to expand and grow their brands. Seven of the eateries are women-owned, and 100% of the food businesses are owned by women, people of color, or both.

Like the food hall at Colony Square, the Ashford Lane food hall will have a central bar called Bar Politan as well as a themed cocktail lounge. The latter, called Okay Anny’s, is a sequel to the ‘70s-themed hidden Colony Square bar Jojo’s Beloved Cocktail Lounge and will be overseen by Jojo’s co-creator and Politan’s director of operations Benton Bourgeois. [MORE]

FOX 5 ATLANTA — On Saturday, the Georgia World Congress Center witnessed the takeover of the annual DreamHack Gaming Festival, with rapper T-Pain, who is also the founder of Nappy Boy Gaming, stepping into the gaming spotlight. The event, a celebration of the gaming community, featured T-Pain and his gaming team on the main stage, where they engaged in the "Dungeons and Dragons" tournament. T-Pain's family occupied the front row to support him during the competition.

The Georgia World Congress Center was abuzz with excitement as several e-gaming organizations competed in their respective tournaments, culminating in the crowning of champions. The three-day event, known for its diverse competitions and interactive gaming experiences, successfully concluded with the recognition of winners in various gaming categories.

Post-competition, T-Pain extended his involvement beyond the gaming arena, partnering with Toys for Tots to bring joy to local foster kids and their families. The rapper actively participated in handing out toys, adding a charitable dimension to the event.

CBS 46 WANF — Gaming has come a long way since the days of “Doom” and Super Mario Bros.”

As Guy Blomberg eloquently puts it, gaming used to have a stereotype.

“Your stereotypical, pasty white fat nerds in their parents’ basement,” said Blomberg, the Event Director of DreamHack Festivals in North America.

“It was kinda the geeks and the nerds, honestly,” said Todd Harris, the Chair of the Atlanta Esports Alliance. “We played dungeons & dragons, and we gamed.”

But now, gaming isn’t just cool; it’s an economic driver.

“Now, quietly, gaming is a bigger industry than film and TV,” Harris said.

This is why the DreamHack Festival at the Georgia World Congress Center is expected to pull in 40,000 people over the weekend.

“Atlanta is really the capital in the United States for these large Esports events. Console, PC, VR, handheld mobile gaming, and tabletop gaming, card games, board games, RPGs, miniatures … This is actually the longest North American show we’ve been running,” Blomberg said. [MORE]

ROUGH DRAFT — Tori Bradford grew up dancing at her mothers studios in Brooklyn and Atlanta. But she didn’t start out wanting to be a ballerina. “I grew up doing jazz and modern,” Bradford said. “I wasn’t focused on ballet at all. I really wanted to do musical theater.”

Even when she started out at Terminus Modern Ballet Theatre, she wasn’t all that excited at the prospect of dancing ballet. But as she continued on, she began to realize that ballet could be just as expressive as jazz, or modern dance, and started taking more of an active interest in the art form. Not only that, but she was really good at it. So, when she was around 12 years old, John Welker and Angela Harris approached her and her mother about joining the Catalyst Program. 

The Catalyst Program’s mission is to support Black dance students, and members of Catalyst are instructed in the art of ballet on full scholarship. Black dancers have long been underrepresented in the world of ballet, with some sources putting the number as low as 4% of ballerinas in the United States. The program arose out of a partnership between Terminus and Dance Canvas, a nonprofit that aims to increase awareness of professional dance and help diversify the voices in the medium. Welker, who is the director of Terminus, said the idea for Catalyst started growing in 2020 just after the murder of George Floyd. 

“There was an opportunity to take a step back and say, ‘Okay, this is not business as usual,’” Welker said. “What are we doing to help bring representation to our field that we love so much? Are we doing enough?’”[MORE]

90.1FM WABE (NPR), “Closer Look” — During a conversation with “Closer Look” host Rose Scott, Maddow spoke candidly about the state of democracy and her research for the book. Rachel Maddow is expected to stop in Atlanta for her book tour on Friday, Oct. 20, at the Fox Theatre.

In her new book, “Prequel: An American Fight Against Fascism,” Maddow explores the fight to preserve American democracy in the World War II era, when German agents, Nazi supporters, theocratic leaders, and others plotted to steer the United States toward an alliance with the Nazis and overthrow President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

She also explained why she doesn’t think a specific person, leader or personality can put democracy at risk.

“The risk is the movement and fascist and authoritarian ideation—and that afflicts a lot of people,” said Maddow. “And it is driven by dynamics, and it is driven by structural things—and you need to think about it as a mass of people who want that. Not just a person who is mesmerizing a population and driving them toward something that they don’t want.”  

ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION — The lineup of stalls and a full-service restaurant set to open later this year in the Politan Row at Ashford Lane food hall in Dunwoody will offer foods from around the world.

The food hall, located at 4500 Olde Perimeter Way in the Ashford Lane retail development, comes from Politan Group, the company behind the Politan Row at Colony Square food hall in Midtown and a forthcoming food hall at Forum Peachtree Corners.

Newly announced food vendors for the 17,000-square-foot Politan Row at Ashford Lane, which is slated to debut in December, include … [MORE]

WANF CBS46 — ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Games Week Georgia was just announced. There are competitions, conferences and summits planned for people interested in the gaming industry or playing games.

Games Week Georgia will include:

• Plaza Theater, set for Dec. 11, there will be a special screening (film to be announced) and gaming panel with leadership from the film, music and gaming industry in Georgia

• GirlGamer Atlanta, set for Dec.13, will feature women’s teams competing in Rocket League with a chance to represent the USA at the international finals

• Esports Summit, set for Dec. 14, is returning for a full day’s programming, punctuating the thriving esports industry in Georgia and beyond

• VIP Creative Industry Mixer event, set for Dec 14, will host the who’s who of film, music, and gaming around the theme of gaming, esports and digital entertainment.

• SIEGE conference, which will be from Dec. 14-17, is the largest professional game development conference in the south and will take place as part of DreamHack Atlanta.

• DreamHack Atlanta, which will be from Dec. 15-17, is the week that will culminate with the return of the global gaming lifestyle festival, offering the ultimate weekend of everything gaming and esports under one roof

According to the Georgia Department of Economic Development, digital entertainment is a $550 million industry in the state and is responsible for more than 12,000 jobs. [READ MORE]

ESPORTS INSIDER — Games Week Georgia, a week-long event celebrating Georgia’s esports and gaming industries, has unveiled a slate of events taking place in the state from December 11th to 17th. The events include DreamHack Atlanta and the GirlGamer Esports Festival in addition to the Esports Summit and SIEGE conference.

Kicking off Games Week Georgia, on December 11th the Plaza Theater will have a special screening of a yet-to-be-announced film as well as host a gaming panel.

Taking place on December 13th, GirlGamer Atlanta will feature women’s teams competing in Rocket League for a chance to represent the United States at the international finals. Atlanta is one of five locations that form part of the GirlGamer Esports Festival World Circuit.

On December 14th, the Esports Summit features a range of presentations from industry leaders in addition to workshops operated by companies within the esports and scholastic esports sectors.

From December 15th to 17th, DreamHack returns to Atlanta for the first time since November 2022. The 2023 event sees a $100,000 (~£82,049) Fortnite tournament taking place alongside the Call of Duty Mobile World Championship and the ESL Challenger CS:GO competition.

Over the years, the United States has continued to develop itself as an esports destination through new esports venues, hosting major events and its sizeable collegiate ecosystem.

Within the US, the state of Georgia in particular has become a popular location for gaming and esports events. Most recently, in June 202 tournament organiser BLAST and game developer Ubisoft announced the second Rainbow Six Major will take place in Atlanta. [READ MORE]

ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION — Almost 30 years ago, former Atlanta Journal-Constitution journalist Douglas Blackmon published an op-ed in the Sunday edition on May 31, 1992, with the headline “The death of a dream.”

The article found Blackmon revisiting his hometown of Leland, Mississippi, on the 10th anniversary of his graduating class (although he moved away before he could graduate with them). Blackmon expected to return to his hometown 10 years later to write an article about how integration was going.

“Of course,” Blackmon said, “[I] discovered that it was the opposite, that integration had already begun to start falling apart.”

After the Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional in 1954, most southern schools made no effort to integrate. It wasn’t until 1969, when the Supreme Court ordered southern schools to desegregate immediately, that schools truly began integrating. When Blackmon entered first grade, he would be part of Leland’s first class of Black and white students to attend school together for all 12 years.

After the Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional in 1954, most southern schools made no effort to integrate. It wasn’t until 1969, when the Supreme Court ordered southern schools to desegregate immediately, that schools truly began integrating. When Blackmon entered first grade, he would be part of Leland’s first class of Black and white students to attend school together for all 12 years. [MORE]

ATLANTA MAGAZINE — In the fall of 1970, Douglas A. Blackmon’s first grade class was the first in Leland, Mississippi, to have both Black and white students. For a time, it looked like a civil rights success, but the documentary illustrates the many ways that new forms of segregation in public schools were created.

Atlanta journalist and Douglas A. Blackmon has a distinguished career working at the Wall Street Journal and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. In 2009, he won a Pulitzer Prize for his book Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II. Now, the Georgia State University professor is tackling a story very close to home as writer and producer of a new documentary, The Harvest.

Debuting September 12 on PBS’s American Experience, The Harvest explores the story of first integrated public school class in Leland, Mississippi, of which Blackmon was a part of. The film is produced by prolific Oscar-nominated filmmaker and producer Sam Pollard (Citizen Ashe, Black Art: In the Absence of Light), who also worked on the documentary adaptation of Slavery by Another Name.

ARTSATL — Two world premieres, the inauguration of a White Box Theatre and the debut of three new company members will highlight Terminus Modern Ballet Theatre’s recently announced fall season.

The contemporary ensemble will premiere new works by Atlanta Ballet dancer-choreographer Darian Kane and Terminus’ own Rachel Van Buskirk when it kicks off the season over two weekends, September 23 and 24 and September 30 and October 1. These will be the company’s first performances in the White Box Theatre it has developed at the Tula Art Center in Buckhead. Also on that program will be a new work-in-progress by dancer-choreographer Shane Urton.

Urton graduated in 2009 from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and began his professional career with the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago. In 2014, he left the United States to dance with the Royal New Zealand Ballet, then the Den Norske Opera & Ballett in Oslo before joining the Royal Ballet of Flanders. [MORE}

ATLANTA MAGAZINE — After three years of talk, development, and construction, Dunwoody’s first food hall, the Hall at Ashford Lane, opened in late May. Then, just over a month later, the Hall abruptly closed in a bizarre story that involved several employees accusing the owner of failing to pay owed wages, among other accusations. Will Donaldson, CEO of food hall operator Politan Row had been following the Hall’s progress as a competitor and now, the 17,000-square-foot space will not stay empty for long. Slated to reopen in October as Politan Row, the Ashford Lane location (4500 Olde Perimeter Way) will feature some of the same vendors as the Colony Square location, as well as some new options.

“The mission of our company is to support these entrepreneurs,” Donaldsons says. “Food halls are fertile testing ground for a chef.

This is the first time Politan Row is moving into an existing food hall space rather than designing from scratch. As such, Donaldson says the company is working with most of the infrastructure put in place by the Hall but adding signage and new decor. They’re removing the center walls in the Hall to create clean sight lines for diners to stalls. They’ll build a banquette around the center, similar to that at Colony Square, repaint the ceiling (which is currently painted black), add rugs and sconce lighting, and remove the ornate chandeliers. An enclosed patio will be created near the garage-style doors to create an area for Bar Politan, which will sell drinks to the whole food hall. [MORE]

WANF CBS46 (Atlanta News First) — Georgia’s film industry has grown since the Georgia film tax credit was put in place in 2008. The $4 billion industry employs more than 46,000 people in Georgia.

Moonshine Post-Production puts the final touches on pictures and videos. Owner Drew Sawyer said Georgia’s film tax credit changed the industry forever, attracting bigger productions to support thousands of people in the film industry who wanted to live and work in Georgia.

“I’m just some kid running the student news program up in northwest Georgia. That turned a hobby into, you know, a trade and then provided opportunities for others. we have the largest equipped filmmaking army in the United States. It’s astounding,” said Sawyer.

While the strike is taking away most of his work, Sawyer is channeling his energy to make sure that the tax credit doesn’t change. He made this video “Made WITH Georgia: The Rise of Georgia Post Production,” which features some of the people he works with, including graphic designers, colorists, and composers.

The film tax credit has grown from $669.4 million in 2016 to $961.0 million in 2019, which is a 44% increase.

ATLANTA MAGAZINE — Another immersive experience for children has launched—this one in Dunwoody. Located in the Ashford Lane development on Olde Perimeter Way (near the Perimeter Target), Camp is a new store, play space, and interactive show with eight locations across the country. The “Canteen” or lobby area is free to enter; the themed “behind the Magic Door” area requires paid admission. Camp locations feature different themes. In Dunwoody, Camp partnered with Disney for The Little Mermaid experience. Elsewhere, Camp boasts Encanto, Paw Patrol, and Nike-branded experiences, among others. Themes rotate every four to six months.

“Camp is about play and happy, teachable moments,” says Kirk Larsen, Camp’s chief creative officer. “We’re a destination for families. It’s a place to go and have fun.” [MORE]