Closer Look with Rose Scott

For Thursday’s special edition of “Closer Look,” which focuses on genealogy, Rose first talks with Althea Sumpter, a researcher and scholar, about her decades-long work in documenting and studying the Gullah Geechee culture and how to go about tracing one’s family history. We then revisit Rose’s conversation with Tammy Ozier, president of the  Atlanta chapter of the Afro-American Histori...

State Senator Dr. Michelle Au discusses the creation of the new Georgia Legislative Asian American Pacific Islander Caucus and its top priorities for the 2023 legislative session. Plus, Jennifer Lester , a licensed psychotherapist and life coach, discusses managing mental health and setting and achieving goals in the new year. Lastly, Atlanta City Councilmember Jason Dozier , representing&nbs...

George Bragues , an associate vice-provost at the University of Guelph-Humber in Canada, discusses  FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried’s fraud case and the future of cryptocurrency. Kristy Klein Davis, the president and CEO of the Healthcare Georgia Foundation, discusses how a $9 million donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott will be used to improve and advance the health and well-being...

Crews in DeKalb County have been working around the clock to fix several water main breaks . DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond discusses the latest . 2022 marked a big year for Georgia politics. Fred Hicks , an Atlanta-based political strategist and analyst, reflects on some of the most notable moments in Georgia politics. Dan Whisenhunt, the founder, publisher and editor of Decaturish.com , disc...

Illya Davis, a philosophy professor at Morehouse College and the director of the New Students & Transition Program and Dr.  Maurice Hobson, an associate professor of Africana Studies and historian at Georgia State University, talk with Rose about the state of democracy and the role of social media in distributing divisive information that challenges the true definition of a democratic sta...

With smartphones, tablets, and other tech devices being readily available, research suggests almost all children under 12 are now internet users. Angie Boy, a child protection expert and the program manager of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Stephanie V. Blank Center for Safe and Healthy Children , discusses how parents can protect their children online. Christmas is just a few days away. We re...

Amid skyrocketing inflation and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, many Americans are struggling financially. Christine Channels, Bank of America’s head of Community Banking, discusses the expansion of HOPE Inside , a free financial counseling program. Plus,Ashley Pearce, a hearing care professional at HearUSA in Atlanta, discusses tips to make the holidays enjoyable for people who are h...

Blair Beasley, the director of climate strategies at the Ray C. Anderson Foundation, and Lejla Prljaca, the executive director of the Lawrenceville Housing Authority and CEO of the Gwinnett Housing Corporation, discuss the Drawdown Georgia Climate Solutions & Equity Grants. Plus, Post 2 at-large councilmember Matt Westmoreland discusses proposed legislation that, if passed, would start an e-bi...

Rob Lockett, the National Housing Stability Leader for Rocket Community Fund and Rob Brawner, the executive director of the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership, talk with Rose about a new initiative that aims to preserve affordable housing for Atlanta residents . Plus, Lindsay Hamrick, director of Shelter Outreach and Engagement for the Humane Society of the United States, discusses holiday safety tips f...

Meagan Whitehead, the program and affiliate support manager at the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation, discusses her foundation's statewide Christmas tree recycling program and the importance of having a more sustainable holiday season. Dr. Barbara Mahon, the deputy chief of the Enteric Diseases Epidemiology Branch at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), discusses the latest COVID...

Amid the pandemic, Christmas trees were in short supply last year. But what about this year? Matt Bowman, the owner of Tradition Trees in Little Five Points , talks about how his business is fairing this holiday season. From the “Closer Look” archives, we revisit one of our listeners’ favorites: Rose’s conversation with Crystal Freeman, the daughter of Barbara Pace Hunt. Freeman’s mother was one o...

On this edition of Closer Look: Youth voter turnout in this year’s midterm elections was the second highest in almost 30 years. Atlanta Young Republicans is an organization hoping to persuade more of those young voters to consider joining the Republican Party. President Allen English details their strategy. The Georgia Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled is offering a new resource to...

For the last Coffee Conversation of 2022, Rose and the “Closer Look” team head to Community Grounds Coffee Shop in south Atlanta. Rose talks with Jeff Delp, the director of economic development at Focused Community Strategies (which operates Carver Market), District 1 Councilmember Jason Winston and Malcolm Benson, co-founder of Grape Roots . The guests discuss several topics, including public saf...

Dr. Barbara Mahon, the deputy chief of the Enteric Diseases Epidemiology Branch at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), discusses the latest COVID news and her agency’s winter outlook for the virus. Senator Raphael Warnock defeated Republican challenger Herschel Walker in Georgia's U.S. Senate runoff on Tuesday. Julianne Thompson , a Republican strategist and the president of Main...

Dr. Glenn Lightsey, a professor at the Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering and co-principal investigator for the Lunar Flashlight project, and student researchers Michael Hauge and Mason Starr discuss  their partnership with NASA and upcoming mission to study ice on the moon. Meteorologist Glenn Burns recently retired from WSB-TV after more than 40 years. He talks with Rose a...

The pandemic and inflation have played a major role in the state of the U.S. economy.  Dr. Rajeev Dhawan , the director of Georgia State University’s Economic Forecasting Center, discusses the latest. Plus, Jordan Tucker, a freelance sports analyst and former UNC offensive lineman, discusses what he thinks will happen when the  Georgia Bulldogs  take on the  LSU Tigers  th...

The theme for this year's World AIDS Day is “Putting Ourselves to the Test: Achieving Equity to End HIV.” Vincent Guilamo-Ramos, the dean and professor of the Duke University School of Nursing and vice chancellor for Nursing Affairs, talks about the history of HIV/AIDS, combating stigma and ongoing testing, treatment and prevention efforts. Rose then talks with Dr. Bambi W. Gaddist, the...

New leadership and lawmakers for the G eorgia General Assembl y. WABE politics reporter Rahul Bali discusses the upcoming legislative session. Rose talks to Mark Mathews, the National Retail Federation's Vice President of Research Development and Industry Analysis, about shopping trends amid the pandemic and skyrocketing inflation. Atlanta City Councilwoman Keisha Sean Waites  is proposing a...

Atlanta City Councilwoman Keisha Sean Waites  discusses combating youth violence through a city-wide curfew.   John Haber, the chief strategy officer for Transportation Insight at  Spend Management Experts , talks about the latest supply chain news and the state of the shipping industry amid skyrocketing inflation. Lastly,   Dr. Omar Asensio, an assistant professor in the Schoo...

Julianne Thompson , a Republican strategist and the president of Main Street Network Strategies, and  Fred Hicks , an Atlanta-based political strategist and analyst, discuss early voting for Georgia's U.S. Senate runoff.  Plus, “Closer Look” revisits conversations regarding curbing youth violence and the holistic approach to minimizing systemic barriers that promote youth viole...

People across Georgia are paying their respect today to Georgia House Speaker David Ralston . His body is lying in state at the Georgia State Capitol. WABE politics reporter Rahul Bali reports on the latest. Plus, Dr. Andi Shane, discusses the rise in flu and respiratory syncytial virus ( RSV ) cases in Georgia amid the holiday season. Just in time for Thanksgiving, Chef Terrel joins “Closer Look”...

Moki Macias, the executive director of Policing Alternatives and Diversion Initiative (PAD) , discusses the findings of the Justice Policy Board's analysis of Fulton County's jail population that calls for more diversion work to reduce overcrowding. MaryAnn Romski, a regents’ professor in Georgia State’s Department of Communication and Department of Psychology, discusses a new web-based...

Dr. Tasha Innis, an associate provost for research at Spelman College, and Melonie Parker, Google’s chief diversity officer, discuss how a $5 million grant from Google.org, will be used to support Spelman’s Center of Excellence for Minority Women in STEM. Tonya Cureton Curry, the deputy commissioner for the GA Dept. of Community Affairs, discusses why the state recently suspended applications for...

In honor of World Pancreatic Cancer Day, Rose talks with Barbara Washburn, a National Pancreatic Foundation Elise Tedeschi, a co-affiliate chair of PanCAN's Atlanta Affiliate of volunteers. Both women share details about their battle with the disease and discuss efforts to spread awareness. Plus, Danny Shoy, the managing director for Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation's Westside portfolio, discusse...

Andrea Young, the executive director of the ACLU of Georgia , discusses Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney's ruling to overturn the state's ban on abortion starting around six weeks into a pregnancy. Plus, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens recently named Darin Schierbaum as Atlanta's 26th Chief of Police . Chief Schierbaum talks with Rose about his new role, his top priorities and t...