From yesterday’s Chomp & Stomp in Cabbagetown to today’s Día de Muertos at Oakland Cemetery, I know it’s a busy weekend for all of us, so hopefully that extra hour of sleep came in handy last night.
(You did remember to set your clocks back one hour, didn’t you?)
As always, feel free to send me your thoughts about Rough Draft, and please use the link at the bottom to share it with at least one friend today.
Have a great Sunday,
Keith
Staying sane in stressful times
🔮 For many of us, the past four weeks have been tremendously stressful. It’s impossible to wrap one’s head around the brutal images coming out of Israel and Gaza, not to mention the senseless murders in Maine, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and the partisan dysfunction in Washington.
It’s hard to find hope sometimes, but I wanted to focus today’s newsletter on some bright spots that you may have missed recently.
I write this fully aware that millions of people around the world don’t have the luxury to “take a break and read some good news,” so I send this email knowing that we will probably soon return to reading heartbreaking stories of kidnapped relatives and senseless deaths.
☪️ Last night, I had the honor of attending the Islamic Speakers Bureau of Atlanta’s annual gala that honored former Mayor Shirley Franklin, community leader Curley Dossman, and Georgia-Pacific for their contributions to promoting civic cooperation in our city.
As he accepted his company’s award, GP CEO Christian Fischer acknowledged that the events of the last month would have made it easy to cancel the event. Rather, he praised the ISB for moving forward and assembling a room of local leaders who seem committed to a respectful and productive dialogue.
🗣️ In her invocation, Rabbi Lydia Medwin of The Temple said, “We can slip backwards as if we are strangers or we can move forward together, trying our best to lean into longstanding relationships of mutual respect and appreciation, leaning into our history of standing together as people of faith who want a better Atlanta, continuing to search for things that bind us and not giving up on what we’ve built for so many years.
“It’s never been more important to reinforce the bridges we’ve built and come together as a model for the world, as Atlantans have always done,” she said.
🙏🏽 Mr. Fischer and Rabbi Medwin’s comments were encouraging to me after what’s been a very long and stressful four weeks.
There is some other good news
📽️ Our friends and partners at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution have released their first feature-length documentary under the AJC Films. “The South Got Something to Say” is wonderful, and if you care about music or Atlanta, it’s worth your time to watch it over on their website where it’s streaming.
📸 Thursday’s premiere at Center Stage was a star-studded event that featured U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, former Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Arrested Development’s Fareedah Aleem, and rapper Pastor Troy just to name a few.
➡ Last week, Sammie Purcell chatted with the talented brothers, Ryon and Tyson Horne (pictured), who directed the film.
🎞️ Sammie and our colleague Julie E. Bloemeke also got to interview Ethan Hawke about his new film “Wildcat,” which screened at the Rome (Ga.) International Film Festival. The film, which featured Hawke’s daughter, Maya, is about Georgia author Flannery O’Connor and her struggle to publish her first novel, “Wise Blood.”
🚶🏾 The Atlanta BeltLine opened its newest segment which connects Piedmont Park with Armour Yards. The Northeast Trail – Segment 2 is 1.2 miles long and runs behind Ansley Mall.
🗳️ Tues., Nov. 7 is Election Day in several local municipalities. Early voting turnout was very low, so if you did not vote, please make a plan to vote on Tuesday. Our voter guides are online.
🌞 Oh, and the weather. Today will be another Chamber of Commerce day, with sun and a high of 74°.
Step into the enchanting world of Peter Rabbit at the High Museum
SPONSORED BY THE HIGH MUSEUM OF ART
🐰 Beatrix Potter’s timeless characters have charmed generations worldwide in beloved stories like The Tale of Peter Rabbit™, The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, and The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin. Dive deep into this captivating universe through sketches, watercolors, seldom-seen letters, and personal artifacts.
Potter’s insatiable curiosity and love for nature led to remarkable achievements in both art and science, leaving an enduring legacy. At the exhibition, you’ll unravel the life of this British author not just as a storyteller, but as a natural scientist, farmer, and preservationist.
Visitors of all ages are invited to explore the places and creatures that inspired these iconic tales, forever etching Beatrix Potter’s name into households worldwide!