Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Dunn.
Hi Laura, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My journey as the Founder of (CCA) Community Atlanta & (ATG) Atlanta Transit Girl began with a childhood fascination with urban life and a deep desire to understand what brings people happiness. In the tumultuous year of 2020, amidst the weight of adult responsibilities and global uncertainty, I found myself searching for meaning and a way out of the pervasive sense of despair.
Realizing that living in a constant state of panic, immersed in social media outrage and news overload, was not genuine living, I decided to break away from the chaos. I spent more time outdoors, exploring the natural beauty of my neighborhood through activities like sunset runs and film photography, a hobby I embraced during the pandemic. It was during these excursions that I stumbled upon the hidden gem of Memorial Drive Greenway Park.
Inspired by the underutilized potential of this lush space, I envisioned it as a haven for community connection and reconnection with nature. Thus, the concept of CCA was born, with the creation of Sunday Circle as its flagship initiative. CCA serves as a community-building model designed to establish social infrastructure in green public spaces.
Our mission is to transform these spaces into vibrant hubs for wellness, recreation, socialization, and cultural exchange, while also providing support to local organizations, businesses, and government initiatives. Public transportation, particularly MARTA, has been integral in shaping my perspective since childhood. Making MARTA my primary mode of transportation in 2023, I established ATG to challenge negative stereotypes surrounding public transit.
Through MARTA, I’ve connected with diverse individuals and experienced the city intimately, especially during the pandemic when such connections were scarce. Through reels, interviews, and stories, I’ve shared the essence of my daily experiences, resonating with fellow mobility enthusiasts in Atlanta who share the dream of mobility freedom and connection. ATG has become a platform for expressing my love & optimism for MARTA and Atlanta.
My childhood dream of a connected world fuels my creative pursuits today. Atlanta’s strong community-centric foundation serves as a fertile ground for my innovative approaches, aimed at bridging people, communities, public spaces, and utilities such as parks and MARTA. Through these endeavors, I hope to foster deeper human connections and create a more inclusive and vibrant city for all.
Recently, I began my dream role as an Intergenerational Program Coordinator for the Clayton County Board of Commissioners, working at the Flint River Community Center. I’m grateful for the support and love within my department and team. I am focused on refining our programming and developing new programming to be more community-centric and diverse.
I’m dedicated to helping the community shape new world views while fostering stronger connections among each other. I feel incredibly fortunate to have a career where I can be authentic, contribute my talents, and enjoy the continuous support of amazing, loving, and extraordinary individuals.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My journey has been far from smooth. Much of my work is experiential, requiring people to engage with it directly. Those who do interact with and experience my work often love, cherish, and resonate with my design approaches, philosophies, and creative perspectives.
However, I’ve found that my journey involves numerous moving parts and requires precise timing for things to align. As a deeply passionate, detail-oriented, and strategic individual, I am constantly seeking ways to refine and advance my work, making it more accessible and garnering greater support for my talents.
I understand that it will take time for government agencies, organizations, and companies to recognize the value of my work and understand how it can enhance their initiatives for public health, safety, and overall city design. Designing and implementing visionary ideas while striving to establish a genuine foundation to thrive can be internally challenging.
Like anyone with an extraordinary idea that can change the world, it can be frustrating when progress doesn’t happen as quickly as envisioned. Additionally, both CCA and ATG have been deeply informed by my own mental and physical health journeys, which have sometimes left voids in the areas of connection, pleasure, community, joy, and the celebration of life.
Things have begun to improve as I’ve focused on fostering kindness, self-compassion, and care for myself. I make it a practice to cultivate this positive energy within myself and extend it to everyone I encounter. This shift has brought more positivity into my life, and even more confidence in the process of creating and designing CCA.
While struggles may still arise, I no longer devalue my work, myself, or my actions. I have bid farewell to self-deprecation for good, recognizing that challenges and changes are simply part of the journey to get where I truly desire as a creative.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I identify as a Creative Community Builder and Curator, but if I were to create my own authentic identity, I would dub myself a “Creative Human Explorer.” Constantly observing and interacting with the world around me, I allow these experiences to inform my work. I delve into various concepts, history, current events, science, psychology, and the arts, weaving them together to create masterful creations aimed at catalyzing change through creative and interactive approaches.
Within my organization, CCA, I wear many hats as a curator, facilitator, and wellness instructor consultant. My roles revolve around leveraging my superpower: creating warmth, trust, and transparency within groups or individuals. Guiding people through various concepts or information, my aim is to help them achieve the best outcomes.
My proudest achievement is CCA, where I’ve witnessed its transformative power in humanizing people, fostering a connection with others and oneself, and instilling optimism about living in harmony with nature through reimagined community-building ideals for the future. CCA is an experimental space where I design frameworks, curate experiences, and lead facilitation, allowing people to independently journey through programs and shape the community’s culture and frequency they desire.
As Atlanta Transit Girl, I’m a content creator embedded in mobility and transportation advocacy for Atlantans. Through my platform, I expressively amplify optimistic content narratives, educating people about community-oriented lifestyles, slow living, and the pivotal role transit plays in our freedom of movement and well-being.
I’m known as a community-lover, deeply compassionate neighbor, and advocate for radical joy and optimism. Atlanta, to me, is like my Sesame Street—a place brimming with excitement and potential. People recognize me as someone who naturally pulls out untapped potential through creative ideas, fostering optimism about ourselves as Atlantans and our shared love for community and connection as we collectively shape the city’s future.
What sets me apart is my unwavering passion to witness humanity thrive. I firmly believe in the possibility of living in new ways that foster healthy and meaningful interdependence. Through my work, I’ve seen the innate human craving for this state of being because it aligns with our fundamental nature.
My self-acceptance, coupled with nurturing my heart, and creativity, and maintaining an open-minded optimism and empathy towards others, distinguishes me. I boldly embrace my love for the world and human beings, recognizing the unlimited potential for us to connect deeply and live in a more humanized way. This unapologetic approach fuels my mission to inspire positive change and cultivate a brighter future for all.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Everyone that I’ve connected to through my journey has been instrumental. My sister B. & brother-in-law C. have played the biggest role in making sure I have a foundation to keep myself going. Along with my brilliant. empathic and loving nieces. They have been my grounding in various way. My friends have been the ones who have constantly affirmed me, supported me, and helped push things like CCA forward.
Shoutout to Tazh, Aja, Gretchen & Ryan. Without them I wouldn’t be here, CCA and ATG would not exist without the magic of my friends and community at large. I would also have to give credit to my boss Brittany Brown. This woman is phenomenal she granted me my dream role at Clayton County and has allowed me to soar as myself and share my talents openly without limiting me. My entire team is incredible they allow me to be human and be loved as family.
For organizations and companies that have helped me, I would love to say thank you to Amanda at MARTA the best social media specialist ever The MARTA Art bound Team, Perimeter Atlanta, Adriana and Veroncia the Patagonia Beltline Team, Camric, and the entire team at MFBS, Kupcakeire, Nedra Deadwyler, Kiya & Detrick Stanford Maya Ingraham my extraordinary friend and CCA’s photographer, Evolation Yoga Studio, Demetri and Carlton at the High Museum and countless of other people that have supported me in my work.
Without community where would? Not here even to those I didn’t list I have deep thanks and gratitude for how everyone has played a major role in my success. Countless individuals and organizations have played pivotal roles in my journey and the success of my endeavors. Foremost, my sister B., brother-in-law C., and my loving nieces have provided unwavering support and served as my grounding force. Their presence has been foundational to my perseverance.
My circle of friends—Tazh, Aja, Gretchen, and Ryan—have been steadfast cheerleaders, affirming and supporting me through every step. Their encouragement has propelled initiatives like CCA and ATG forward, shaping them into what they are today. I owe a debt of gratitude to Brittany Brown, my boss at Clayton County, whose belief in me granted me my dream role and the freedom to express my talents openly. The entire team at Clayton County has embraced me as family, fostering an environment where I can thrive as my authentic self.
Numerous organizations and individuals have also contributed significantly to my journey. Special thanks to Amanda and the MARTA Artbound Team, Adriana, and Veronica at Patagonia Beltline, Tre and The OutdoorVoices Team on the Beltline, Naj Austin from Somewhere Good, Topicals Skincare, Camric and the team at MFBS, Kupcakeire, Brianna Blackwell, Nedra Deadwyler, Kiya and Detrick Stanford, Maya Ingraham, Will at Evolation Yoga Studio & all the incredible teachers, Demetri and Carlton at the High Museum, and many others too numerous to list.
Pricing:
- CCA Activations & Consulting starts at $2,500
- Yin & Qigong Instruction for Group Sessions $250
- ATG Content Creation & Partnership, please reach out for pricing
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @communitycircleatlanta and @atlantatransitgirl
Image Credits
Maya Ingraham, Tazh Simmons, Kiara Webster, and Caiya McCreary
