Author: Patti Garrett

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Sept 25: West Ponce Music Stroll

Saturday, September 25, 2021 – 1:00pm to 9:00pm 
West Ponce Music Stroll 
On West Ponce de Leon Avenue 
West Ponce businesses open their patios and parking lots, transforming them into stages for a day of free, live music and fun during the third annual West Ponce Music Stroll on September 25. Listen to bands play at businesses along West Ponce de Leon throughout the day. In the evening, a large stage outside The Marlay will host three bands as a finale. 
  
The day will kick off with a 5K fun run and 1-mile dog walk runs hosted by Fleet Feet and Clarity Fitness. In the afternoon there will be an artist market of local makers plus chalk artists. Free popup yoga and fitness classes will be held outside throughout the day. 

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Sept 15-Oct 15: Placita Latina

September 15-October 15 
Placita Latina 
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month in Decatur and Avondale Estates 

Latinx culture is coming to Decatur and Avondale Estates, with a colorful and historical series of events to be held between the two cities during Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept. 15-Oct. 15. Hispanic Heritage Month was created to promote the history, culture, and contributions of Hispanic-Americans from more than 30 countries that make up Latin America. 

Placita Latina (or “Small Latina Plaza”) is a series of weekly “mini-events” highlighting Hispanic/Latinx performance, food, and culture. These events will include a mix of Latinx-inspired music, dance, art, education, and flavors. 

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Sept 12: Art for the People

Sunday, September 12, 2021 – 1:00pm 
Art for the People 

New art is coming to Decatur! Join us to see artist Ellex Swavoni unveil “What Sonia Said,” a fiery, heroic phoenix inspired by Sonia Sanchez’s poem, “Catch the Fire,” on Sept. 12 at 1 pm on the plaza at the Beacon Municipal Center, between the Ebster Recreation Center and the Decatur Police Department at 420 W. Trinity Place. 

Swavoni’s artwork is part of Art For The People, a public art project that challenges structural racism and the enshrinement of oppression and genocide. Art for the People changes the narrative by reflecting the voices of people of color, advocating for social justice and equity, and lifting up themes of racial reckoning, resistance, survival, healing, affirmation, and radical imagination. 


Art For the People is a project of the Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights in partnership with the Decatur Arts Alliance and Decatur Makers. 

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Tuesdays in September: Truckin’ Tuesdays at Legacy Park

Truckin’ Tuesdays
September 7, 14, 21, 28
Legacy Park 
Nothing brings people together like food, especially street food! It is truly a universal language that everyone can understand. Truckin’ Tuesdays return every Tuesday in September to Legacy Park (500 S. Columbia Dr.) in Decatur. 

Gather your friends, family, blankets, chairs, and most importantly, appetites! The area’s best food trucks will be offering up delicious fare from 6-9 p.m. Legacy Park (500 S. Columbia Dr.) has plenty of space for you to spread out and relax while you enjoy a tasty bite with your pod. There is lots of space for the kids to run around and the Decatur community to come together, all while remaining socially distant. 

If you are not familiar with Legacy Park, use this yummy opportunity to check out Decatur’s biggest park. Our goal is to bring people together safely and at the same time, benefit local non-profit fundraising. 

To find out more about Legacy Decatur, its mission and to sign up for newsletters: https://legacydecatur.org/our-mission/

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Aug 1: Anti Racism Speaker Series

Wednesday, August 1; 6-7:30pm
Anti-Racism Speaker Series Kick-Off
How the Trust Deficit in the U.S. Impacts Race Relations
Webinar Registration Open 

Conversation with Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal, authors of I’m Not Dying with You Tonight and the forthcoming Why We Fly. 

In partnership with the Little Shop of Stories, the City of Decatur and Better Together Advisory Board will host a virtual kick-off event to the next Anti-Racism Speaker Series with two local authors whose Young Adult book is sparking conversations about prejudice and the racial tension that exists in our country. An NAACP Image Award Nominee, I’m Not Dying with You Tonight follows two teen girls–one black, one white–who have to confront their own assumptions about racial inequality as they rely on each other to get through the violent race riot that has set their city on fire with civil unrest. 

Kimberly Jones, Gilly Segal, and series moderator Ed Lee will explore how we establish trusting interpersonal relationships across our racial and cultural differences. For more information on the Speaker Series and register for the event, visit decaturga.com/speakerseries. 

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Aug 28: Pan African Festival

Saturday, August 28; 3-8pm
Decatur Square
Pan African Festival Celebrating Innovation, Culture and Economic Empowerment 

The Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights celebrates innovation and economic development. Join us for a family-focused day on the Square with music, drums, and speakers including the Malcolm X. Grassroots Movement, The Black Alliance for Peace, and Friends of the Congo. A self-guided walking tour will lead visitors to 12 points of interest around the city. 
Rain Location: Ebster Recreation Center, 105 Electric Ave. 

Sponsored by Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights 

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Outdoor Events in Decatur, Fall 2021

There are many outdoor events planned for the fall. Please stay safe and healthy by being vaccinated, wearing a mask indoors and masking up outside when unable to keep a physical distance. If you have not recently “visited” the Decatur Visitors Website, take a look. Many of the links found here are from the newly updated, colorful and informative website! 


Visitdecaturgeorgia.com

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City Commission meetings have moved to hybrid format

City Commission meetings have moved to a hybrid format are now being held in person (must be masked) or you can join remotely. 
Upcoming meetings:
TUESDAY, September 7; 7:30pm (date changed due to Labor Day holiday) 
MONDAY, September 27; 7:30pm (date changed due to Fall break) Monday, October 4; 7:30pm
Monday, October 18; 7:30pm 

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Recent City Commission Actions

As a part of my new website and newsletter, I want to also highlight recent actions taken by the City Commission: 

  1. Added Juneteenth as a designated City holiday beginning 2022. 
  2. Approved the recommendation to update the non-discrimination language in all city policies and purchase documents and update Financial Policies to ensure that all vendors doing business with the City have a non-discrimination policy. 
  3. Supported the establishment of the Decatur Land Trust as an independent non-profit corporation and appointed Commissioner Lesa Mayer to represent the City Commission on this Board. 
  4. Approved a project budget and authorization of an agreement with Trees Atlanta for a 5 year plan for Legacy Park Invasive Plant Removal and Woodland Restoration. 
  5. Approved task orders to begin implementation of the Storm Water Master Plan. 
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American Rescue Plan Funding 

The City of Decatur’s approved allocation is almost $9.6 million. Fifty percent of the funds have been received and the city will receive the remaining allocation in mid-2022. Initial conversations have occurred in a City Commission work session, based on what we know about eligible uses and our existing plans and priorities. Final guidelines have not been published and current guidance from the Georgia Municipal Association is to wait until guidelines are finalized to begin allocation of uses. City Manager Andrea Arnold provided information to the City Commission at a Work Session in July. Stay tuned – this is an exciting opportunity for the city! 

THANK YOU to our Representatives in Congress. Mayor Pro Tem Powers and I have been meeting with our Representatives, our Senators and their staffs. 

Congresswoman Nikema Williams submitted the following project as a Community Project Funding Request, which has been included in H. R. 4502: 
Project Name: Decatur Recreation Center Clean Energy Project Intended Recipient: City of Decatur 

Recipient Address: 509 N. McDonough Street, Decatur, GA 30030
Project Address: 231 Sycamore Street, Decatur, 30030
Request Amount: $750,000 
Project Description and Explanation: The funds would be used for the installation of a roof-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) array and lithium-ion battery storage, which will offset a portion of the facility’s electricity usage with onsite renewables and maintain critical functions during outages. The primary goals are to reduce the City’s reliance on fossil fuels that pollute the air and water, reduce electricity costs, and improve operational resilience with battery storage. 

Congressman Hank Johnson also confirmed that 2 projects submitted in the city of Decatur were accepted by the Appropriations Committee to be included in the bill: 
a $600,000 complete streets improvement project in the City of Decatur and a $209,000 affordable housing and studio complex in the City of Decatur. 

These are indeed important projects for the city!