Inspire Atlanta

We recognize a big part of our journalistic mission is to shine a spotlight on wrongdoings and to hold our public officials accountable. But we also understand the importance of celebrating our region’s moments, milestones and people. That’s exactly what we hope to accomplish with Inspire Atlanta. Each week, Inspire Atlanta will profile a person that makes metro Atlanta a better place in which to live.

Of course, we can’t do this alone: We need your help in finding extraordinary people and identifying inspiring stories across our region. Know someone who inspires you or makes metro Atlanta a better place for others? Email us at AJC-InspireAtlanta@ajc.com.

James "Rhyan" Lloyd looks at the new air conditioner in the window of his Oxford home with his dog Trinity nearby. He went to the hospital for eye surgery and was graced with a new window air conditioner after the staff learned he was living without air conditioning in the oppressive heat. PHIL SKINNER FOR THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION.

Credit: AJC

Nurse gives Newton County man help, hope

This organization is intent on creating the future through arts education.

Credit: Special to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

ArtsBridge Foundation

Volunteers help feed the needy. Courtesy of Meals by Grace

Credit: Photo courtesy of Meals by Grace

Joan White developed the chronic and painful condition lymphedema after she had surgery in the 1980s. That sparked her to create Lighthouse Lymphedema Network, to shine the light on the condition and help those who have it. Here she is vacationing at ached a picture taken today of me here at Lake Cadillac in her home state of Michigan. Courtesy of Douglas White

Credit: Courtesy of Douglas White

80-year-old advocates for lymphedema patients

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Special needs camper, Banks, takes a victory lap after learning how to ride a two-wheel bike without adaptations during the iCan Bike Alpharetta camp at The Cooler in Alpharetta. PHIL SKINNER FOR THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION.

Credit: AJC

iCan Bike Alpharetta for special-needs kids is ‘labor of love’

Grandmama's House

Credit: spe

Grandmama’s House

Portrait of Asanshay Gupta who developed an app to help hospitals keep up with their oxygen supplies, at the Atlanta International School. PHIL SKINNER FOR THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION.

Credit: AJC

Young Atlantan creates app to help the world of medicine

Nela Vintrlikova and Suann Kim formed a nonprofit, SUNE Translate, to help underserved communities where non-English speakers are experiencing language barriers. Picture here, they provided on-site intrepretation services at a large community event for Reclaim Gwinnett Place Mall. Photo courtesy of Suann Kim

Credit: spe

Bilingual students help immigrants overcome language barriers

Atlanta Solidarity Fund

Credit: spe

Atlanta Solidarity Fund

Emory University Tri Delta chapter looks forward to its fall event, Trihop. The annual pancake breakfast raises a lot of money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Pictured from left: Sofia Sarmiento, Danielle Jacoby and Natalia Szalay. Courtesy of Emory Tri Delta

Credit: spe

Tri Delta pushes through pandemic to raise record amount for St. Jude

Atlanta Birth Center

Credit: spe

Atlanta Birth Center

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Emory University Tri Delta chapter looks forward to its fall event, Trihop. The annual pancake breakfast raises a lot of money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Pictured from left: Sofia Sarmiento, Danielle Jacoby and Natalia Szalay. Courtesy of Emory Tri Delta

Credit: spe

Tri Delta pushes through pandemic to raise record amount for St. Jude

Atlanta Birth Center

Credit: spe

Atlanta Birth Center

Brandon Brando (left) talks with Reginald Driskell, a man living in southwest Atlanta whom he befriended. He constructed a 7-by-3-foot wooden structure for Driskell, to get him out of an old cardboard box he had been living in. Brando would like to do that for others, as well.
PHIL SKINNER FOR THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION.

Credit: AJC

New Atlantan inspired to help homeless

Available to people in need of help.

Credit: special to the AJC

Atlanta Victim Assistance

Grant Johnson, left, works on his Eagle Scout project under the watchful eye of his Scout Master - and dad - Mike Johnson at St. Teresa's School. (Courtesy of Carlton Fletcher)

Credit: Carlton Fletcher

For the Johnsons, Scouting is all in the family

Portrait of DeMario Pressley after attending his second board meeting at the YMCA in Cumming. The former NFL player volunteered there throughout his career and has now joined the board of the Forsyth County Family YMCA. The Y is where he was introduced to sports in middle school, and it's the place where he sought refuge from a dangerous neighborhood. PHIL SKINNER FOR THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION.

Credit: Phil Skinner

Former NFL player DeMario Pressley gives back to YMCA

Children’s Literature volunteers have been reading with students and building book collections in Atlanta Public elementary schools for four decades. Courtesy of Children's Literature for Children

Credit: spec

Children’s Literature for Children owes its start to intrepid ‘book teacher’

Credit: spe

Portrait of Dr. Frederick Durden (center) with his mother Mary (left) and sister Linda Jackson at his Newnan home. Dr. Durden has been surrounded by great mentors since childhood and is now taking all the influence and encouragement he received and is channeling outward. He has great humility and perspective and wants to serve others as he's been served throughout his life. Despite a busy career as a plastic surgeon, he is also a devoted husband, father of three young children, and makes times to lead cancer support groups at his church (and much more). PHIL SKINNER FOR THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION.

Credit: Phil Skinner

Surgeon humbly stands on shoulders of single mom, sharecropper granddad

Credit: spe

More Inspiring stories

Quest Communities

Credit: spe

Quest Communities

Grant Johnson, left, works on his Eagle Scout project under the watchful eye of his Scout Master - and dad - Mike Johnson at St. Teresa's School. (Courtesy of Carlton Fletcher)

Credit: Carlton Fletcher

For the Johnsons, Scouting is all in the family

Portrait of DeMario Pressley after attending his second board meeting at the YMCA in Cumming. The former NFL player volunteered there throughout his career and has now joined the board of the Forsyth County Family YMCA. The Y is where he was introduced to sports in middle school, and it's the place where he sought refuge from a dangerous neighborhood. PHIL SKINNER FOR THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION.

Credit: Phil Skinner

Former NFL player DeMario Pressley gives back to YMCA

Atlanta Children's Shelter

Credit: spe

Atlanta Children’s Shelter

Children’s Literature volunteers have been reading with students and building book collections in Atlanta Public elementary schools for four decades. Courtesy of Children's Literature for Children

Credit: spec

Children’s Literature for Children owes its start to intrepid ‘book teacher’

Credit: spe

Stephanie Nadi Olson, the founder at We Are Rosie, uses her experience to help marginalized people thrive in the marketing world. Miguel Martinez for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Credit: Miguel Martinez for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

We Are Rosie disrupts the way corporate America works

Portrait of Dr. Frederick Durden (center) with his mother Mary (left) and sister Linda Jackson at his Newnan home. Dr. Durden has been surrounded by great mentors since childhood and is now taking all the influence and encouragement he received and is channeling outward. He has great humility and perspective and wants to serve others as he's been served throughout his life. Despite a busy career as a plastic surgeon, he is also a devoted husband, father of three young children, and makes times to lead cancer support groups at his church (and much more). PHIL SKINNER FOR THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION.

Credit: Phil Skinner

Surgeon humbly stands on shoulders of single mom, sharecropper granddad

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