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.

Nathanael Rush

I’ve been in the fitness industry for over 10 years, and my journey really started with my own passion for health and performance. Read more>>

David L David

David L David | Entrepreneur • DJ • Producer • Creative Visionary • Booking Agent David L David is a multifaceted entrepreneur and creative force whose work spans fashion, music, media, and entertainment. Born in Brooklyn and raised in Queens, New York, his journey reflects reinvention, cultural influence, and bold creative direction. Read more>>

Terri Marie Gleaton

I’m bi-racial and a proud member of the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma. I grew up in foster care, appearing on Wednesday’s Child before being adopted. These experiences taught me early that ‘home’ isn’t just four walls. It’s belonging. It’s permanence. It’s wealth that transcends money. After serving in the U.S. Read more>>

Brielle Smith

Hey there! My name is Voice of Brielle. I am from the westside of Indianapolis, Indiana & moved to ATL in 2021. I came here to pursue my dream as a singer/songwriter. I spent so much time not taking my talents serious and eventually realized I wouldn’t feel fulfilled until I tried. Read more>>

Kodwo Ewusi

Over two decades ago, at fourteen years old, I arrived in the United States believing it was the land of milk and honey with streets paved with gold. Like so many immigrant families, we came carrying hope, sacrifice, and an unshakable belief in opportunity. The reality we encountered was far more difficult. Read more>>

Aaron Heine

I’ve been fascinated by the internet and how you could make something and anyone in the world could see it. That is when I began learning to build websites(like 20 years ago). I don’t really have a coder’s brain; I’m an artist, so that was really difficult. Read more>>

Kristen Butler

Last year was our first year growing and selling cut flowers. The idea came from a good friend in Ohio who runs a successful U-pick flower farm. But the idea of growing things and living the farm life was something I’ve longed for as long as I can remember. Read more>>

Deja Tomlinson

My journey into resume writing and career coaching began long before I ever turned it into a business. I’ve always had a natural love for helping people articulate who they are—what they’ve accomplished, what they’re capable of, and where they want to go next. Read more>>

Amanda Wilbanks

Southern Baked Pie Company is a Premium Southern Bakery known for homemade sweet and savory pies that bring people together. Our pies are shared as gifts, used to celebrate milestones and achievements, and gathered around the table for weeknight dinners made from scratch. From the beginning, our purpose has been simple: to help people show up for one another through food. Read more>>

Ja’Lise Victor

I am an educator at heart! I am the girl who played ‘teacher’ with her cousins, stuffed animals, baby dolls, and whoever else would listen. As time progressed, my passion grew into profession. I have been in early childhood education for over 9 years. I earned my Bachelor in Education at UWG and Master of Education (Curriculum and Instruction) at Georgia Southern University. Read more>>

Kenneth McRae

Grew up in a family with a healthcare background. Family owns dental practices in Athens, GA. Was originally going into dentistry, started under graduate education at Morehouse College, transferred to The University of Georgia to work in the family dental office before going to dental school, and realized I couldn’t get motivated to work in peoples mouth everyday. Read more>>

Shaquille Thomas

I grew up carrying a deep void after my dad left. At the time, I didn’t know how to process that loss, so I looked to people to fill it—friends, relationships, attention. I confused lust for love and found myself compromising who I was just to feel accepted. Read more>>

Cindy Gaskins

I founded Jay’s HOPE in 2006 after the death of my 5 year old son Jay. Jay battled a pediatric brain tumor for almost 3 years. Read more>>

Rebecca Nye

I’ve always been artistic. I’ve always been somewhat obsessed with love and all things wedding. I have been happily married to my best friend for 27 years, which definitely plays a role in my love for weddings. So, in 2020 I started dreaming of a way to combine my artistic talent with my love for weddings. I am a mom of 4. Read more>>

Monique Pierre-Louis

My journey into counseling began while I was working as a Life Skills Coach in the county school system. I was struck by how many children were missing large amounts of school without clear explanations, and that curiosity led me to look deeper into the emotional and environmental challenges they were facing. Read more>>

Tameka Shearer

Greetings, My name is Tameka Shearer, the owner of Kreative Kids Family Daycare, a licensed home daycare and a graduate of Kaplan University with a Associate and Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education. I graduated summa cum laude with a 4.0 GPA in 2017.I am the mother of 6 children ages 20-31, and the grandmother of 1 granddaughter, and welcoming another granddaughter in April. Read more>>

Jessica Davis Conner

I was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, and from an early age I knew I wanted a career that blended science, artistry, and service. I attended Spelman College for undergrad and later earned my Doctorate of Dental Medicine from Dental College of Georgia at Augusta University. Read more>>

Mohammed / Mohd Firoj / Islam

Mohammed: I started out in America by working for Chilis for 10 years and eventually becoming their corporate trainer, but I was always interested to start my own business. A friend of mine brought to my attention that there was an Italian store for sale, so we went there to negotiate and take over the store sometime in the spring of 1999. Read more>>

A’Zhari Alexander

I’m Azhari Alexander, a 27-year-old fashion designer based in Atlanta. I’ve always been drawn to creating in some form modeling, photography, anything that allowed me to express myself but it wasn’t until I started modeling that I realized something was missing. Read more>>

Alyssa Rives

I started my business after navigating two very different birth and postpartum experiences of my own. My second birth was empowered and peaceful because I finally had the right education, support, and care—and it completely shifted how I viewed women’s health. It showed me just how much outcomes change when women are given time, information, and individualized support. Read more>>

Rachel Platner

I grew up in a household that really valued creativity, spending my childhood dabbling in everything from clay to collage to photography. Read more>>

Tommy Bottoms

At the heart of my story, I’m just a small town kid from Indiana living out my big city dreams. And spoken word has the been my vehicle of choice for this journey. I landed in Atlanta in the fall of 2002, hungry to hone my craft in a city pulsing with culture, music, and that unmistakable “you can do it too” energy. Read more>>

Lisa Anders

My career is truly an example of getting your foot in the door, and climbing the ladder! i began my destination marketing career in 1996, not long out of college and the year of Atlanta Olympics. i followed a professional mentor to Atlanta, and he gave me the sage advice. Read more>>

Nesia (SunShine) Whitehead

My name is Nesia Whitehead, known in the community as SunShine. In 2019 I saw a need to change our society and challenge the norm. I decided to make that change by creating a nonprofit called NOMO which stands for Not On My Own. Intended to teach the youth about financial literacy, homeownership, credit building and overall wellbeing. Read more>>

Yakou N’guessan

I was born into a world where rhythm was more than music—it was a language, a way of understanding people and culture. Growing up in Côte d’Ivoire, percussion was my first teacher. It taught me discipline, community, and the power of storytelling without words. Those early experiences shaped everything that came after. Read more>>

Sara Dover

Our partnership began in 2017 at Emory University’s Treatment-Resistant Depression Clinic, where we worked side by side evaluating patients, collaborating on research initiatives, and developing a shared commitment to thoughtful, comprehensive mental health care. Over the years, our professional paths evolved. Sara pursued further training as a physician associate, while Dr. Crowell continued her clinical and academic work at Emory as a psychiatrist. Read more>>

Stacy Epps

I’ve always lived at the intersection of creativity, learning, and service. I grew up as an army child and lived in over fourteen places, which gave me a distinct worldview early on. Moving so often taught me how to adapt, how to listen, and how to move comfortably between different worlds and ways of thinking. Read more>>

Gabrielle Hay

Battle Dress Apparel started as a side hustle to help pay for college expenses in 2018. I bought a heat press and some heat transfer vinyl and a few shirts. I was making shirts for friends, family, and small businesses in my college town of Statesboro. Read more>>https://voyageatl.com/interview/community-highlights-meet-gabrielle-hay-of-battle-dress-apparel

London Wheeler

I started Dr. London Calling in 2020 during a time when trust in medicine was wavering and misinformation was everywhere. People didn’t know who to turn to for reliable health information, and I also noticed something deeper which was many minorities didn’t see themselves represented in medicine. That lack of visibility can make healthcare feel distant and unattainable. Read more>>

TaMisha Tene’

My journey into fashion started on the luxury retail side, working with brands like Dolce & Gabbana and Vertigo Paris, where I developed a deep understanding of styling, client experience, and the power of elevated presentation. That foundation taught me how luxury brands think, sell, and build desire. Read more>>

Christian Colbert

My business was started organically out of family and friends needs of constant assistance and information and different and various business situations. Not only do I possess a large amount of knowledge and various fields and industries, but I also naturally have a gift of gab putting the two together. Speaking with my wife, it was kind of a no-brainer to start Cloc Consulting. Read more>>

Antoinette Elliott

My name is Antoinette Elliott. I am the founder of All Our Children Elite Childcare Academy. I entered the childcare arena after careful reflection upon my life’s careers and experiences. Childcare took top priority on many levels. My childcare experience has spanned over 4 years caring for family, friends, tutoring, volunteering and substitute teaching grades Pre-k to 12th grade. Read more>>

Mary Stone

Our wedding day was the happiest day of my life. I have never smiled so much or felt so complete. In 1993 we purchased land and built our home in Ball Ground, Georgia. Through the years, my husband, Robert, has lovingly landscaped the property and has gained his greatest joy from sharing it. Read more>>

Jessamine Starr

I’ve been in the catering business for the past 16 years. Starting with Good Food Truck, which is still going strong and has since evolved into a catering company (though plenty of meals are still served from the truck). I was also the owner of Ett, a one-seat restaurant tucked away in the woods during the pandemic, which was voted Atlanta’s oddest restaurant in 2020. Read more>>

Spree Wilson

My story, like all great stories, starts at the beginning. I was born in East Nashville, the only son of a dentist and a dental lab owner. My mom says I came into the world making a lot of noise, which feels fitting now. Music was always around me—my great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother all played piano. Read more>>

Erika Thomas

I started in the Health field as a Respiratory Therapist in 2005. I worked at the Medical Center in Macon for 9 years and then as a Respiratory Supervisor at Houston Health Care for 8 years, In 2019, I decided to start a Home Care Agency right at the peak of Covid. I started the home care agency because of the relationship with my grandmother. Read more>>

Shymara Medina

I am an author and literacy advocate proudly working here in Georgia, where I am dedicated to promoting literacy and meaningful connections through storytelling. I began writing children’s books a few years ago after noticing a growing need for stories that support literacy development, family bonding,especially within blended families,and lessons around responsibility and courage. Read more>>

Shannendoah Gallagher

In 2010, I graduated from Design School. I got an opportunity working as an intern at a post-production company in Albuquerque, working on commercial shoots and helping the editors set up footage in the production workflow. One of my projects was taking over the website project after their original designer ghosted. Read more>>

Tabitha Nelson

I started being interested in photography way back in elementary school! I was always taking pictures and loved looking back on the memories. I was the one out of all of my friends that always had a camera with me. Fast forward to 2015 I was pursuing a hobby and wanted something that would push me creatively and challenge me. Read more>>

Dionna Kirk

I’ve had a passion for children my whole life. My first experience started while working at a daycare center that my own son went to while I was in college working on my bachelors degree. After graduation, I went back to school to get my Masters in School Counseling with the hope to become an elementary or high school counselor. Read more>>

Alivia Armstrong

I was inspired to begin cosplaying in 2016 after experiencing Anime Weekend Atlanta for the first time. What truly lit a fire under me was seeing the immense level of creativity from other cosplayers and the sense of community that I got from it. As far as streaming I started, like some, during the pandemic. Read more>>

Sam Haskins

I started with nothing fancy, just an obsession. I was the type of kid to replay the same song over and over, not just because I liked it, but because I wanted to understand it. Why did one record feel impactful and alive, like it could move a whole generation, while another one felt thin even if the artist had talent? Read more>>

Courtney Bryson

Dogs have shaped my life in a really literal way. They’ve been my bridge to community, my reason to show up, and the thing that makes everything feel meaningful when the world gets loud. I actually started learning photography in the early 2000s, learning how to photograph prom dresses for a national prom marketing magazine—images designed to make high school girls want the dress. Read more>>

Cole Huggins

After spending 30 years in Appalachia digging holes for my landscape company, I decided it was time to find something more meaningful for myself. My brother encouraged me to move in with him in Athens to attend college. So with no real clue what I was going to do, I packed my bags left my home of 30 years and moved to Athens, Ga. Read more>>

Sadie Winter

My journey into business wasn’t linear. I was in a professional position that ended abruptly, which forced me to step away from chiropractic for several years. During that time, I became a mother and underwent open heart surgery – two life-altering experiences that completely reshaped my perspective. Read more>>

Zayah Riley

I am from Florida but I do a lot of my business in Atlanta. I started my journey with a deep passion for music, performance, and storytelling. Growing up around music I was always drawn to creativity—writing, performing, and expressing real-life experiences through art. Read more>>

Anthony Taylor

I fell in love with photography by accident, and it all started with the birth of my oldest daughter. When she was born, I was constantly sending cellphone photos to my parents back in Ohio. Read more>>

Michael Augustine III

Michael Augustine of Rebel Conscious Films is a writer, director and cinematographer from New Orleans, Louisiana based in Decatur, Georgia. Relocating to Atlanta during the Hurricane, he found a second home in Marietta, graduating from Joseph Wheeler High School before returning to home to multi-major at Louisiana State University. Read more>>

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>>