Portraits of Atlanta

It’s more important to understand someone than to judge them. We think the first step to understanding someone is asking them the fundamental questions about who they are and how they became the person they are today. Understanding and empathy are essential building blocks for a better, more compassionate world. We’re incredibly fortunate to be able to ask these questions each week through our interview series. Below you’ll find inspiring interviews from in and around Atlanta.

Tonya Menefee

Before I started my business, Thrive Care Home Consulting, I worked in the media, city and county government management, and a Fortune 500 corporation. Read more>>

Joi A Pearson

I was born and raised in Hampton, Virginia, and I am a proud graduate of Hampton University, where I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing. After graduation, I relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, where I currently reside. My early career included work in sales, management, modeling, and as a personal assistant, but I ultimately decided to pursue my lifelong passion for photography full time. Read more>>

camilo parody

My name is Camilo Parody, I was born in Bogota, Colombia. My family immigrated to the U.S. in 2000 when I was 4 years old to Miami, Florida. In Florida the beach, ocean, and swimming became a huge part of my life. I did however spend my formative years in Houston, Texas, where we move to after Hurricane Katrina. Read more>>

Cameron Stribling Martin’s Garden

The Martin’s purchased the land from the estate of Mr. Ora Coleman. The extended Coleman family once owned over 125 acres in the historic district of Roswell. For over 66 years, Ora managed his 7-acre portion of land and shared his spirit, animals and vegetables generously with his neighbors, until he passed in 2012. Read more>>

Danielle Hargrove

I am a recent graduate of Savannah State University. I was offered an internship with Alexis Williams as a Social Media Manager for her hair clinic, HeadQuarters Trichology Clinic, where I supported content creation, brand strategy, and audience engagement. I also assisted with her podcast, Energy Is Currency. Read more>>

Dhati Lewis

I began my journey over 25 years ago with a deep conviction to be the last generation to leave the urban context for sound discipleship. What started as a local college ministry at the University of North Texas in Denton with grassroots discipleship grew into church planting, leadership development, and national influence. Read more>>

SK Basu

When I wrote my first article for Voyage ATL in 2023, I was in a season of growth that looked impressive from the outside. My books were full, my business was thriving, and by most standards, I was “doing everything right.” But life has a way of continuing to teach you lessons long after you think you’ve arrived. Read more>>

Jonathan Weaver

The year is 2017 and I have a pretty free summer and have been loving playing all the hobby board games as they rise into prominence in American hobby due to success of Catan, Pandemic, Carcassonne, and others. I decided to try to make my own board game about a medieval historic period and the design fever caught my mind and passion alight. Read more>>

Kelly Yabsley

My journey with Messy Baby Co. started the same way many ideas do… with a real problem and no good solution. When I had my firstborn, diaper blowouts quickly became a constant battle, and nothing on the market seemed to help. Out of equal parts frustration and determination, I started cutting up onesies, experimenting with absorbent pads and closures, and testing ideas at home. Read more>>

Pamela Whitfield

I am Executive Chef Pamela Whitfield, owner/operate of Buy Your Side Catering Co in Acworth Ga. With always a love for food and world traveling (sometimes just to eat) I decided to merge the my loves into one and become a licensed Chef. I must admit I stepped away from a corporate job during covid and was all in. Read more>>

Jay Conze

I often say my career had a late but auspicious start. After taking the wrong path as an adolescent and being forced to navigate complex legal and financial realities far too early, I learned that adversity can be a powerful education. My professional foundation was built at North Carolina A&T State University. Read more>>

Maksym Polishchuk

Great Taste Caviar was founded eight years ago by entrepreneur Maksym Polishchuk with a clear belief that caviar is more than a product — it is a culture and an experience. What began as a passion for exceptional food grew organically into a respected gourmet brand, built on quality, trust, and personal connection with customers. Read more>>

Zunaira Kanwal

I create refined, meaningful experiences through thoughtful event design and celebration styling. My professional journey began in corporate finance, where I worked as an Oracle Functional Financial Consultant. Around a decade ago, I made the intentional decision to step away from my career to become a stay-at-home mother, prioritizing our children’s intellectual growth, core values, and moral foundation during their formative years. Read more>>

Kawanna Ellis

My story is rooted in purpose, not perfection. When I started Ready Set Learn, I didn’t have all the answers. I didn’t have investors, fancy marketing, or a blueprint handed to me. What I had was a vision and a deep conviction that scholars deserve more than babysitting — they deserve love, structure, and a foundation strong enough to follow them for life. Read more>>

Marlis Cornett

Marlis Cornett purchased and reopened Color Wheel Studio in 2022 after it closed during the pandemic. She moved the studio to a new location and revived its community presence, bringing back its popular After School Program and Summer Camps. Color Wheel has long been a beacon of creativity for young artists in its after school classes as well as school break and summer camps. Read more>>

Jamecia Ledgister

Atlanta’s Baby Consultant was born out of both passion and personal experience. Before I ever became a doula or business owner, my first position in maternal health was as a nursing assistant in the mother-baby unit at Northside Hospital in Atlanta. That role changed my life. Read more>>

Lenora Bailey

My journey into the hair industry began long before I ever thought about becoming a natural hair stylist. It started in my childhood- growing up as youngest of six – two brother and four girls and the girls were raised that natural hair was not only accepted but expected. Read more>>

Susan Hohla

Born in Ireland and raised in a close-knit family with my parents, brother, and three sisters, I grew up grounded in the values of hard work, connection, and community. As a teenager, I came to the United States through a summer camp counselor program, a decision that would quietly shape the rest of my life. Read more>>

Stuart Hasson

After graduating from Brooks Institute of Photography in 1988, I moved to Atlanta to begin my career. Initially assisting for other photographers, I accepted a job with Staging Techniques as a multi-image programmer. The job was thrilling but it wasn’t the creative or artistic life that I needed. Read more>>

Dr Maja Durant

A friend of mine reached out to me with a business opportunity that she thought I would be perfect for. My love for travel and people, she thought, would make a perfect combination in owning my own travel business. Read more>>

Malaysya Giselle

I’m Malaysya Giselle, and my story is really about resilience, creativity, and finding my voice. I started out in Chicago, grew up facing challenges that taught me to be strong and independent, and I’ve always had a passion for music and self-expression. I used to be a hairstylist, which helped me understand people, style, and presentation, but my heart was always in music. Read more>>

Jennifer Dickenson

About 15 years ago I was a busy lawyer and co-owner of my firm. It was the largest female owned real estate law firm in the southeast. But, I was experiencing a lot of stress managing the firm. Then I got very sick. I was diagnosed with a deadly illness, brain cancer, grade 4, glioblastoma. I was only 44 at that time. Shocked and saddened. Read more>>

Ventavis Sullivan

Hey my name is Ventavis Sullivan aka Ratchet Rabbit born and raised in Atlanta Georgia a Grady baby is what they like to call us lol! Grew up in the East Atlanta area right off glenwood rd. Read more>>

Anthony Rice

Hi, I’m Anthony Rice, a father of four children, and a man who has worn many hats — Artist, former basketball athlete, Harlem Globe Trotter, art teacher, coach, basketball trainer , and AT&T wire technician. For years, I’ve lived a vibrant and active life, committed to my family, community, and health. But two years ago, everything changed. Read more>>

Tregaye Wright

My journey began with a deep love for food, culture, and storytelling, which led me to pursue formal culinary training as a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu. From the very beginning, I understood that I wanted my career to extend beyond the kitchen — I wanted to inspire, educate, and create representation in spaces where it was often missing. Read more>>

Miki Miller Montfort

Crafting was my way of finding calm and managing the stress of everyday life, and I never imagined it would become a business. It was simply my quiet, creative outlet. As I began making pieces for others, that outlet grew into a gift shop, and that’s when the space began to evolve into something I hadn’t expected. Read more>>

Dominique Davis

My name is Dominique Renee Davis. I’m 29 years old and from Springfield, Massachusetts. In 2020, I was let go from my job. For an entire year, I was unemployed, stuck in bed most days, feeling hopeless and unsure of my next steps in life. I was depressed and honestly just letting the days pass by. Read more>>

Parker Sack

Born and raised in Atlanta, I started acting at the age of 12. Encouraged by my loving family and early success in the role of “David Parton” in the Coat of Many Colors franchise, acting became my main focus at this early age. Read more>>

Cierra Person

I’m a Military Brat from Richmond, Va, but have been lucky enough to call Georgia home for most of my life. I am the oldest of 4, a devoted wife, and mother to the most precious 3 year old. I have achieved 3 degrees with the most recent mastering in Human Resources Management. Read more>>

Yaa Astar

My journey into life coaching started the way many real transformations do, through pressure. For years, I was the high-achieving woman who looked like she had everything under control. I was ambitious, career-driven, and constantly pushing myself to reach the next level. I knew how to perform, produce, and succeed. Read more>>

Kwēn Dizzy

Kwēn Dizzy started making her mark at a young age back in Brooklyn during the age of A Tribe Called Quest, Queen Latifah, MC Lyte , Wu-Tang Clan, Biggie Smalls; influenced by them and so many of the other sounds of New York. Read more>>

Vincent Williams

My story started in Griffin, Georgia, where I graduated in 1985. I was raised by two hardworking parents who believed deeply in serving others. My father was a carpenter who often worked on homes for the elderly without ever expecting payment. My mother cleaned rooms at the hospital, caring for people during some of their most vulnerable moments. Read more>>

William Williams

I’m the middle child of 5 and the only one of my siblings that grew up without a father. I was an all around athlete growing up starting with football transitioning to basketball in high school where I got kicked off the basketball team in March of 2013 months before graduation concluding my basketball dreams. Read more>>

Savannah Ezema

Hailo™ is a relationship-based, ongoing support service that tackles the weekly to-do list in your home. The traditional household is changing- wives and moms are taking pride in their careers, dads are taking on more of the home workload, and individuals are focusing on their health and their communities. Several households struggle with keeping up with the day-to-day tasks. Read more>>

Alex Turner

I’m Alex: a millennial husband, father, self-made millionaire, and future multi-millionaire. Ten years ago, I was completely broke and struggling to make ends meet due to poor spending habits and a lack of any financial knowledge. I was a twenty-something-year-old bachelor in New York City trying to find a way to balance my lifestyle and my bills. Read more>>

Hamaria Crockett

I’ve always been what I call a people watcher—not in a creepy way, but in a curious one. As a workplace psychologist, I pay attention to patterns: how people behave, what they say out loud, and what they quietly carry with them into work. As I moved up in my career, I kept noticing the same pattern show up again and again. Different organizations. Read more>>

Danithea Ward

100 Girls of Code began in 2015 as a local chapter in Conyers, Georgia, operating under the umbrella of the Upper Cumberland Entrepreneurial Foundation in Crossville, Tennessee. What started as a chapter quickly became a labor of love and purpose. As Chapter Organizer, I immersed myself fully—researching every aspect of coding, STEM, and esports to ensure our programming was both relevant and impactful. Read more>>

Abundance Stephens

We continue to learn and honor each other strengths, <b>stay in our lanes-we both swerve sometimes (lol)</b> – and trust one another’s leadership. Even when we challenge each other, we genuinely enjoy growing and building this business together. Read more>>

Kierra Ki” Colston”

My path hasn’t been a straight line; it’s been an adventure fueled by ‘grit.’ At 16, I moved to Atlanta to pursue music, which led to a period of being homeless for seven months. Even after earning three degrees—an AS in Audio Engineering, a BS in Entertainment Business, and an MFA in Film Production—I felt like a number in the ‘American Matrix’. Read more>>

Olivia Frasco

My name is Olivia Frasco, an Independent producer based in Atlanta! My love of reading and writing poetry fueled my passion for cinema. Reading poetry feels like solving a puzzle, like peeling back layers of meaning, metaphors, and feeling. I felt a drive to find that same thrill visually. Read more>>

Charlotte Ramberg

My path to where I am today has been shaped by both professional training and deeply personal experience. I’m a licensed therapist and certified perinatal mental health clinician, and for the past several years I’ve specialized in supporting individuals and families through pregnancy, postpartum, loss, infertility, and the many identity shifts that come with becoming a parent. Read more>>