Closer Look with Rose Scott

On Tuesday’s edition of “Closer Look,” Rose Scott hosted a roundtable discussion with farmers from across the state. They explained how the war in Iran is leading to higher costs for fuel and fertilizer, plus the impact on their farms and consumers. They also highlighted how the agriculture industry must change to remain sustainable.  Also, three Atlanta area HBCU students join the program to share how the CodeHouse Scholars Initiative is preparing them for a career in the tech industry and to make an impact on policy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the weekend, Atlanta Braves Legend Bobby Cox passed away at the age of 84. In the 1990s, he led a dominant team that won the World Series in 1995. Atlanta‑based, award‑winning sports journalist Sam Crenshaw joined Closer Look to discuss the mark Cox left on the team and his legacy. Plus, for “Closer Look’s” annual graduation series, we hear from Faith Shamley. The graduating senior, majoring in organizational management and leadership, is making history twice. Not only is she Morris Brown College's 2026 valedictorian. She's also part of what the Atlanta-based HBCU calls its “Restoration Class." She discusses her academic journey and plans to attend  Columbia University after graduation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s “Closer Look with Rose Scott,” Emory University political science Professor Andra Gillespie and Georgia State University constitutional law Professor Tanya Washington discuss the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that diminished the Voting Rights Act. They explain what this will mean for the future of voting and representation, especially for marginalized communities.   Also, after nearly a decade of service with the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia, Executive Director Andrea Young is preparing to retire. She discusses the wins of her tenure and the challenges the nonprofit still faces in the fight to defend the civil rights of Georgians.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Wednesday's edition of "Closer Look", Aiko Bethea, the founder of RARE Coaching and Consulting, shares how she uses The Bulls— Asymmetry Principle to teach readers about self-leadership in her new book, “Anchored, Aligned, Accountable.”   Plus, for our annual graduation series, we hear from Lauren Walker. The 2026 Georgia Tech graduating senior, majoring in business administration, discussed her academic journey as a G. Wayne Clough Tech Promise Scholar and supporting students at Parklane Elementary School. She also discussed landing a job as a global payments analyst for Bank of America after graduation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This year, as the United States marks its 250th anniversary, a natural question rises to the surface: What does it mean to celebrate this milestone—especially now, in a moment defined by both reflection and reckoning? That question sits at the center of a special edition of Closer Look with Rose Scott, featuring a conversation with Rev. Dr. Bernice A. King, CEO of The King Center. Dr. King offered her perspective on the nation’s semi-quincentennial, drawing connections between pivotal moments in America’s past and the challenges and possibilities of the present. Their conversation opened with Dr. King’s reaction to the Supreme Court’s 6–3 decision in Louisiana v. Callais (April 2026). The ruling struck down a Louisiana congressional map and significantly limited the scope of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) - a law her father, civil rights icon, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., fought for.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Award‑winning investigative journalist Nicole Carr — now a professor at Morehouse College — discusses her debut book, The Price of Exclusion: The Pursuit of Healthcare in a Segregated Nation, traces the history of Black physicians in America, the racism they endured, and how those barriers continue to influence today’s shortage of Black medical providers and the resulting health inequities.   For "Closer Look's” annual graduation series, we hear from  Maria Isabel Moraes Lanzelotti. The 2026 graduating senior, who majored in theatre and politics at Oglethorpe University, talks about her road to graduation and why she firmly believes art is political. She also shares details about how she plans to be a change agent in the world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Muscogee (Creek) Nation awaits a federal judge’s decision about whether the court will allow their case to move to discovery. For more than two decades, the Muscogee have been in a legal battle to restore Hickory Ground, one of their sacred sites, and reclaim the remains of their ancestors. But for more than a decade, a casino has stood over the site in Alabama.  Plus, “Closer Look’s” annual graduation series kicks off with Sophie Kalmin, a 2026 graduating senior from Emory University, who majored in American studies and minored in Middle Eastern and South Asian studies. Kalmin reflects on her academic journey and how her decades-long friendship with Mumbles, a white southern rhinoceros at Zoo Atlanta, inspired her to pursue a career on Capitol Hill.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today’s “Closer Look with Rose Scott,” Atlanta’s Policing Alternatives and Diversion Initiative has launched a new public dashboard, tracking every call to 311 and 911 regarding quality of life concerns. Executive director Moki Macias hopes this data will help bring attention to her organization’s work and to better understand what parts of the city are unaware of policing alternatives.   Then, we hear from Shelly Goodrum, Associate Superintendent of Instruction and Innovation with Atlanta Public Schools. Educators often talk about learning loss over the summer months, the idea that extended time away from school can lead students to lose significant ground in reading and math. Find out how the district’s free Power Up program will engage K-12 students in hands‑on enrichment. And finally,  Jai Ferrell had dreams of changing the world. Now, as the CEO of Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta, she's not only actualizing her own dreams. She's also empowering girls throughout the state of Georgia to do the same. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Boring, chaotic, concerning — and, in at least one case, described with an expletive after the word “cluster.” Those are some of the ways Georgia’s current campaign season is being characterized as the state heads toward the November midterm elections. That assessment comes from a political roundtable on today’s Closer Look with Rose Scott. The discussion featured Devin Barrington-Ward, a progressive community organizer and managing director of the Black Futurists Group; Greg Bluestein, politics reporter and author with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution; Fred Hicks, an Atlanta-based campaign strategist and demographer; and Saba Long, executive director of the Atlanta Civic Circle. Each offered insights and observations as the May 19 primary approaches and early voting gets underway.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thea Sebastian, the executive director at The Futures Institute, and Hanna Love, a fellow at The Brookings Institution, discuss their report “Separating fact from fiction” in retail theft across the U.S.” As retailers step up security measures and stricter antitheft laws take effect in states across the nation, their study claims shoplifting occurrences in major cities did not actually happen and circulating data on retail theft is unreliable and imprecise. They also share what they call “sensible ways” to address retail theft and empower local economies.  Plus, we air WABE business reporter Marlon Hyde’s feature from the “Young Business” series. The story spotlights a college student who created an online shipping platform that helps second-hand apparel businesses ship orders.  Lastly, two legendary artists died over the weekend. We will remember Atlanta hip-hop producer Rico Wade of Organized Noize and Faith Ringgold, a children’s book author and visual artist best known for her story quilts depicting African American experiences.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.