31 Ways 31 Days Atlanta

Aug. 1 -- Buy products of black food manufacturers in grocery stores such as Sylvia's, Glory and Home-Style; if you don't see a section of such products, ask the manager why not. Purchase the wines of African-American vintners.  See the list at africanamericanvintner.org. Join the African-American Wine Tasting Society in Atlanta.  Eat at an African-American restaurant. We will feature one local restaurant each day of August. Find detailed information in Say Grace and Wipe Yo' Hands: BlackRestaurant.NET Guide to America's Black Restaurants.  Many people eat out at least once per day.  Let that be your way to generate jobs.    Today's featured eatery is Paschals in the concourse of the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, a property of Concessions International.

Aug. 2 -- Invest in African-American owned businesses to reduce the capital access gap they face. Fast growing companies like Sciberus, a software company with the contract for Florida's C-PALM public education interface, need capital.  New laws allow even small amounts to be invested with startups through "crowdfunding." Angel investing, often through investment clubs, is another source of business capital. Citizens Trust Bank is publicly-traded, giving the ability to generate business lending capital by purchasing stock.  Today's featured eatery is Justin's, 2200 Peachtree, Sean Combs' celebrity hangout.

Aug. 3 -- Support the vitality of African-American business districts such as Auburn Avenue.  Atlanta Life, Citizens Trust, and Gourmet Services anchor the Piedmont Ave. end of the district with the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site on the other end.   Project Hope is building a location near Ebenezer Baptist Church to bring its strategies to the area.   Today's featured eatery is Gladys Knight and Ron Winans Chicken and Waffles, 529 Peachtree St. NE

Aug. 4 - Subscribe to the seasons or attend performances of African-American theatre companies by subscribing to the Atlanta Black Theater Festival set for Oct. 4-7.  The National Black Arts Festival presents Hale Woodruff's Talladega College murals at the High Museum of Art through Sept. 2; Vivian Schuyler Key at the Hammonds House Museum, and Todd Gray at the Hagedorn Foundation Gallery.  Today's featured eatery is The Busy Bee Cafe, 810 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SW. 

Aug. 5 - Attend, volunteer and contribute to the work of African-American churches like Ebenezer Baptist Church and Big Bethel A.M.E. Church on historic Auburn Ave.  Today's featured eateries are the seven locations of This Is It Barbecue in Lithonia, College Park, Smyrna, Decatur, East Point and Fayetteville.

Aug. 6 - Contracting Accountability Day.  The Georgia NAACP has filed a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Dept. of Justice regarding the utilization of African-American businesses by the Georgia Dept. of Transportation. According to Job Creation and Innovation: State of Black Business, 9th edition, only $14 million in 2011 completed work went to black firms from Georgia DOT.  Call, e-mail or write your councilmember or state assemblymember or senator to insist that projects financed with federal funds comply with federal business equity regulations and laws.   Today's featured eatery is Thelma's Kitchen Rib Shack, 302 Auburn Ave. Atlanta.

Aug. 7 - Spotlight on Uncle Sam.  Federal agencies spent $315.9 million with black-owned businesses in Georgia during the first six months of the 2012-13 fiscal year, according to Job Creation and Innovation: State of Black Business, 9th edition.   Ask your congressional representatives to provide you with lists of local federal procurement officers and small business liaison officers.  Visit the area office of the Small Business Administration to learn how to become a federal contractor.  The Honorable David Hinson heads the Minority Business Development Agency in the U.S. Dept. of Commerce.  Today's featured eatery is Q Time, 1120 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd. SW Atlanta.

Aug. 8 - Higher Education and Health Focus. The Morehouse School of Medicine has become an international leader in public health thanks to pacesetters like Drs. Louis Sullivan and David Satcher with alumnus Dr. Regina Benjamin now serving as Surgeon General.  The Atlanta University Center campuses -- Morehouse, Spelman, Clark Atlanta, Morris Brown and Interdenominational Theological Center--are a bedrock of the community.   Today's featured eatery is the main Paschal's, 180-B Northside Drive in Atlanta. 

Aug. 9 - Utility and Energy Focus. AGL Resources is the largest investor utility in Georgia. Its supplier diversity program works with the Atlanta Business League and Association of Blacks in Energy to develop new vendors.  Today's featured eatery is Gladys Knight and Ron Winans' Chicken and Waffles, 7301 Stonecrest Concourse in Lithonia.

Aug. 10 - School the Administrators.  Raising the achievement of African-American students is a national priority, thanks to an executive order by President Obama.  The National Black Education Agenda also meets in Chicago in October.   Attend school board meetings to ask how contracts are awarded; ask for small business utilization plans on major federal grants like School Improvement Grants, Title 1, and IDEA. Insist that local firms be used for professional development.   Seek use of the new African-American educational channel ReUNION: Education-Arts-Heritage. Today's featured eatery is K&K Soul Food, 881 Bankhead SW in Atlanta.

Aug. 11 - Visit local museums like the Auburn Avenue Research Library, King Center for Non-Violent Change and the MLK National Historic Site which extends up the block to include King's birth home.  Today's featured eatery is Walter's Express Soul Food, 394 Cleveland Ave. SW in Atlanta.

Aug. 12 - Support an African-American non-profit organization such as 100 Black Men, with a national headquarters on Auburn Ave. Today's featured eatery is Flavaz Soul Cafe and Lounge, 725 Donald Lee Hollowell Blvd. SW in Atlanta.

Aug. 13-  Open an account with the African-American financial institutions like Citizens Bank and Trust, which has nine Georgia locations and one in Eutaw, AL.   Today's featured eateries are the two locations of Who's Got Soul, 3818 Covington Highway, Decatur, GA and Lawrenceville.

Aug. 14 -  Utilize an African-American contractor, architect or construction manager. Visit the National Association of Minority Contractors for listings. Today's featured eatery is Soul Vegetarian, 785 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd. in Atlanta.

Aug. 15 - Book a stay or an event with a member hotel of the National Association of Black Hotel Owners Operators and Developers (NABHOOD).  Concessions International's Castleberry Inn is a convenient suites hotel adjacent to Paschals at 180 Northside Drive SW near the Atlanta University Center and the Georgia Dome. Today's featured eatery is Amai Bar and Dessert Lounge, which is in the Paschal's complex.

Aug. 16 - African-American doctors and dentists have been community leaders, entrepreneurs as well as healers.  The  National Medical Assocation has a gallery of its physician members as does the National Dental Association. Today's featured eatery is The Beautiful Restaurant, 2260 Cascade Rd. SW in Atlanta.

Aug. 17 - The lack of information about property has led to such events as the shrinkage of black farm land and the predatory lending epidemic of the past ten years.  Members of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers live in our communities and are part of an organization which has sought to make black consumers aware of their rights as consumers.  Today's featured eatery is A-1 Soul Food, 2797 Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway, SW in Atlanta.

Aug. 18 - The 65th anniversary of beauty products manufacturer Bronner Bros is a continuing sign of the presence of black businesses in the sector.  The company has two manufacturing plants in Atlanta.  Look for the Proud Lady symbol of the American Health and Beauty Aids Institute, the trade association of black beauty products manufacturers, when shopping. The Black Owned Beauty Supply Association promotes the development of black retailers for the $9 billion industry. Today's featured eatery are the Atlanta and Decatur locations of  Q-Time, 1120 Ralph David Abernathy Drive and 3607 Memorial Drive, respectively.

Aug. 19 - The environmentally conscious Bay Area is a good launch pad for African-American environmentally-friendly manufacturers like Encap Systems Inc.,which makes cementitious remediation materials for asbestos.  When doing remodeling or repair work in old buildings, one can ask for Encap brand.  San Diego-based ChloroFill is making biodegradable building panels to meet the EPA's new standard for removing carcinogenic materials.  Auto battery maker Dr. Lonnie Johnson of Excellatron Solid State presented his scientific findings at PARC, a Xerox company in Palo Alto.  Today's featured venue is Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery, 6025 Old National Highway in College Park.

Aug. 20 - Think about what you drink.  Pioneering African-American beverage makers such as United Beverage are making such products as NuSouth flavored lemonades, available in Big Lots and other retailers. Heritage Link Brands is importing wines from South Africa and elsewhere on the continent. Today's featured venue is Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery and Grill, 231 Peachtree St. in Atlanta.

Aug. 21 - Utilize African-American software and technology companies like Business Computer Applications, a digital health records pioneer founded by Albert Woodard.  BCA is the largest African-American software developer.  Today's featured venue is  Footprings Jamaican Restaurant and Lounge in Underground Atlanta. 

Aug. 22 - Visit Shrine of the Black Madonna Bookstore at 946 Ralph D. Abernathy Blvd SW
Atlanta, GA Today's featured eatery is Jamaica Jamaica Authentic Restaurant, 50 Upper Alabama St.

Aug. 23 - WCLK-FM serves the market with jazz and public affairs programming. Clark Atlanta University also operates a cable television channel. Today's featured eatery is Goldie Lock's Soul Food, 3280 Flat Shoals Road in Atlanta.

Aug. 24 -- The black press is the authoritative record of our legacy.  Subscribe to a black newspaper like the Atlanta Daily World for the stories you'll never see in the daily press.  Black Money Atlanta adds a new spark to business news coverage.  Today's featured eatery is Big Mama's Soul Food, 5731 Trammell Road.

Aug. 25 - Purchase a video or buy a seat for a black filmmakers work.  The Peachtree Village International Film Festival is Aug. 16-19 at the W Hotel in midtown Atlanta. Highlights from this year’s festival will include a special 20th anniversary celebration of “Boomerang,” featuring rooftop party, film screening and award brunch with its director Reggie Hudlin. PVIFF’s opening night film will be “The Obama Effect” starring Charles S. Dutton, Katt Williams, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Megan Good and more. A live Q&A will follow this opening night feature. The PVIFF2012’s Casting Workshop will be conducted by noted Casting Director, Nancy Klopper (“Ray,” “Fantastic Four”). The always popular pre-festival, PVIFF CONVERSATION SERIES will again offer intimate discussions with leading Hollywood executives. This year’s series will feature Klopper, director Reggie Hudlin (“House Party,” “Boomerang”), Nikkole Denson-Randolph, VP, Specialty & Alternative Content for theatre giant AMC, and screenwriter Herschel Weingrod (“Brewster’s Millions”). The afterparties are Black Hollywood Weekend 2012 Aug. 17-19 Today's featured eatery is do restaurant, 955 W. Marietta in Atlanta.

Aug. 26 - Support black musicians such as LaFace Records.   Buy music produced by African-American companies.  Help musicians by hiring them to train young people.  Today's featured eatery is Pemberton Cafe, 121 Baker St. adjacent to the Georgia Aquarium and World of Coca-Cola.

Aug. 27 -- Select an African-American independent school.  Georgia State University's Dr. Joyce King is operating the Songhay Club for Atlanta youth to connect them with the language and culture of West Africa.  Ask your school to subscribe to ReUNION: Education-Arts-Heritage instructional network to provide culturally-responsive content for your child's classroom; urge principals to hire African-American educators and historically-black colleges and universities for professional development. Today's featured eatery is Abena's Home Taste, 4841 Old National Highway, College Park.

Aug. 28 - Purchase back to school items such as clothes and paper goods from African-American retailers like Morehouse or Spelman College Bookstores.  Form buying clubs through churches or organizations to purchase goods in bulk directly from wholesalers or manufacturers.  Today's featured eatery is Cafe Circa, 464 Edgewood Ave. Atlanta.

Aug. 29 -  Purchase automobiles from an African-American dealer. Check the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers at http://www.namad.org  Today's featured eatery is Rare, 454 Piedmont Ave. in Atlanta.

Aug. 30 -  Utlilze African-American lawyers.  The National Bar Association has a directory of lawyers.    Today's featured eatery is Food for Life, 880 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Aug. 31 -  Make a political contribution to the African-American candidate of your choice.  It should be obvious that there is an African-American candidate running for President for the second election in a row. However, that should not be a reason for complacency. The history of black political achievement is that such milestones can be followed by backlashes if vigilance is not maintained.  By reading Job Creation and Innovation: State of Black Business, 9th edition, one will see the critical role of public policy at all levels of government to the success of black businesses.  One of the objectives of National Black Business Month is that the entire African-American community be considered in economic decision-making.  Today's featured eateries is Daddy D'z Barbecue Joint, 264 Memorial Drive, SE in Atlanta.