Marking Juneteenth
Friday, June 19 — Today is the annual observance of Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the U.S. It’s a federal and state holiday, so expect government offices, post offices, banks, and the stock markets to be closed. There are also plenty of celebrations happening today and tomorrow around Metro Atlanta, so be sure to check our event guide.
☁️ Cloudy with stray thunderstorms and 83° today. Father’s Day weekend will have a mix of clouds and rain with highs in the mid-80s.
🏛️ The federal government abandoned plans to convert a warehouse in Social Circle into a 10,000-bed immigration detention center.
⏸️ Georgia lawmakers advanced a bill on Thursday that would pause the mandatory voting machine changes they previously required for this year.
✍️ The Sandy Springs City Council extended a contract for school-zone speed cameras and signed another for housing inmates at the Alpharetta Detention Center.
🎤 Elementary students from across DeKalb County will be traveling to New York City this weekend to perform at Carnegie Hall.
💬 Rough Draft spoke with The Breman’s outgoing executive director, Leslie Gordon, about her tenure and the Jewish cultural center and museum’s legacy.
ELSEWHERE
🇺🇸🇮🇷🇮🇱🇱🇧 U.S.-Iran talks in Switzerland, including a scheduled trip by Vice President JD Vance, were postponed after Iran demanded guarantees that fighting in Lebanon would stop first. Follow live updates.
🪖 Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth berated NATO allies for denying the U.S. access to bases to strike Iran, calling it “shameful,” and announced a review of American forces in Europe.⚖️ The Supreme Court ruled that the prosecution of a Texas marijuana user for owning guns violated their Second Amendment rights.
🏛️ The Obama Presidential Center opens to the public today in Chicago. Former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Joe Biden attended yesterday’s dedication.
🕖 Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter:
• Killamari! + Beltline Fest
• Movie Review: ‘Girls Like Girls’
• FIFA at Cosm
• The Sports Section
AND
• Top Stories of the Week
🏫 Ben Franklin Academy is a learning community that activates mastery. How? By offering 47 AP and honors-level courses, individualized instruction and demonstrated proficiency with subject matter before moving on! And it’s not too late to enroll for next school year. At Ben Franklin Academy, the learning is built to last. Learn more here.
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1. Killamari! showcases signature style at Atlanta Beltline Fest
VIA SKETCHBOOK, A WEEKLY NEWSLETTER ABOUT ART | SUBSCRIBE
🎨 Atlanta illustrator and designer Killamari! is bringing his signature world of wacky characters and vibrant layered compositions to the Atlanta Beltline Fest this weekend as part of ABV Gallery’s Kickstart series, a live-painting activation featuring eight artists across eight locations, now through July 11.
Killamari! grew up the son of Asian refugees in a community where every wall, shelf, and storefront told a story. Carrying that visual density into his artwork took him from street artist status to collaborations with Nike, Marvel Entertainment, and Coca-Cola, and shows at Kai Lin Gallery and Cat Eye Creative, among others.
🛼 Rough Draft contributor Sherri Daye Scott caught up with the artist on his influences, his process, and the one art supply store in town that has a hold on him. Check out their conversation here.
Dinosaur Summer. It’s here.
SPONSORED BY THE FERNBANK MUSEUM
🦖 They ruled the Earth for millions of years. This summer, they rule Atlanta.
Always a favorite dinosaur destination, Fernbank has even more ways to satisfy your inner paleontologist with exhibits, cinema, programs and more this summer! Come face-to-jaws with the Tyrannosaurus rex in the new exhibit, T. rex: The Ultimate Predator. Learn about the iconic dinosaur through life-sized models, specimens, and interactives.
Also, Museum Nights gets a Jurassic twist during LATER: Rex Factor. It’s casual, curious, and the best way to kick off the weekend to connect, discover, and unwind in a come-and-go atmosphere for all ages, with a grown-up vibe.
➞ Experience it all this summer at Fernbank.
2. ‘Girls Like Girls’ is a charmingly flawed debut with heart
WEEKLY FILM REVIEW | BY SAMMIE PURCELL
☀️ Right off the bat, “Girls Like Girls” deals in the familiar conventions of coming-of-age stories.
We meet our protagonist, Coley (Maya da Costa), riding her bike through the wooded streets of rural Oregon – wind softly tousling her hair, the breeze only a slight reprieve from the oppressive heat of summer. Immediately, the film has all the trappings of a sun-drenched, indie film about growing up and falling in love.
This is all stuff we’ve seen before, and “Girls Like Girls” does not shy away from being exactly what it is. Sometimes it gets a little lost in those conventions, feeling a little unsure of itself – but its heart is undeniable. “Girls Like Girls” is a little cliché at times, with hints of awkwardness that don’t quite hit the teenage sensibility the film is going for. But even the moments that don’t quite congeal are bolstered by the film’s sweetness and wonderful chemistry between its two leads.
🚲 Click here to read Sammie’s review. You can also read her review of “Undeniable” here.
🍿 Stay in the picture with Scene by Rough Draft, our weekly newsletter about Georgia’s film industry. Subscribe for free.
3. FIFA World Cup™ Comes Alive at Cosm Atlanta
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COSM ATLANTA
⚽ The world is coming to Cosm Atlanta. The excitement of the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ reaches new levels as fans are transported pitchside in Shared Reality.
When countries from around the globe compete to be crowned world champions, there’s one way to witness it all pitchside without leaving Atlanta. The massive, ultra-high-definition dome inside Cosm Atlanta puts fans inside the stadiums for the biggest event in the world.
🎷 Celebrate Black Music Month at The Jazz Xchange at 8 p.m. on Thurs., June 25, featuring acclaimed trumpeter Tiffany Goode & The Goode Stuff Experience. Guests can expect an electrifying evening of jazz fusion, with a surprise guest. Get tickets here.
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4. US vs. Australia today; Decatur FC tries to find its footing
SPONSORED BY COSM ATLANTA
⚽ There are four World Cup matches today, beginning with the US vs. Australia in Seattle at 3 p.m. (FOX). In yesterday’s action:
- South Africa and Czechia drew 1-1
- Mexico beat South Korea and became the first team to advance to the Round of 32
- Canada beat Qatar 6-0
- Switzerland beat Bosnia-Herzegovina 4-1
⚽ Watch upcoming FIFA World Cup™ matches at Cosm:
- USA vs. Australia – Today @ 3 p.m.
- Argentina vs. Austria – Mon., June 22, @ 1 p.m.
- England vs. Ghana – Tues., June 23, @ 4 p.m.
- Scotland vs. Brazil – Wed., June 24, @ 6 p.m.
- Czechia vs. Mexico – Wed., June 24, @ 9 p.m.
- Türkiye vs. USA – Thurs., June 25, @ 10 p.m.
📍 Visit our FIFA World Cup guide, which now includes an interactive map to help you find a watch party near you. ♀️ History was made in Atlanta yesterday, when referee Tori Penso and assistants Brooke Mayo and Kathryn Nesbitt became the first all-woman trio at a men’s FIFA World Cup match, officiating the game between Czechia and South Africa.
⛳ Wyndham Clark leads the suspended first round of the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills at 6-under par, four shots clear of the field. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler shot 2-over 72. Watch today’s action now on Peacock, with coverage beginning on NBC at 1:30 p.m.
🏀 The Atlanta Dream beat Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever last night to improve to 9-4. The two teams will play again tomorrow at State Farm Arena at 1 p.m. (Tickets).
⚽ After dominating the WPSL in its first two seasons, Decatur FC is facing the reality of stronger opposition this season, as our Matthew Auchincloss explains in this piece after the team’s 2-2-1 start. Decatur hosts Chattanooga FC on Tuesday.
🎊 The New York Knicks held a ticker-tape parade through lower Manhattan yesterday, drawing more than a million fans to celebrate the franchise’s first NBA championship in 53 years.
🎾 Wimbledon begins Monday, with defending champion Jannik Sinner as the men’s favorite after Carlos Alcaraz was sidelined with a wrist injury. Serena and Venus Williams will reunite in women’s doubles as wild card entrants, with Serena making her first Grand Slam appearance in four years.
5. Top stories of the Week
A look back at this week’s most-read stories from our website. Follow @RoughDraftATL on Instagram for regular updates.
① New generation of Livaditis family members positioning Zesto for an Atlanta comeback (Pictured)
② Georgia runoff election results for June 16
③ Atlanta Police shut down Streamer University event by Kai Cenat
④ FIFA World Cup Atlanta party guide: watch parties, fan fests, and soccer events
⑤ Tracking the 2026-2027 downtown Atlanta restaurant openings
🏫 Ben Franklin Academy is a learning community that activates mastery. How? By offering 47 AP and honors-level courses, individualized instruction and demonstrated proficiency with subject matter before moving on! And it’s not too late to enroll for next school year. At Ben Franklin Academy, the learning is built to last. Learn more here.
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💭 Test your knowledge of the week’s news in tomorrow’s News Quiz. Keep an eye out for our email at 8 a.m. or bookmark this page!
🔤 Play News Word Atlanta, our daily word game.
🎟️ The first Rough Draft Dinner Club was a huge success. Register now for our next dinner on July 21.
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