Category Archive: Lifestyle

Michael Hollis: Higher Planes

Picture you're boarding your next flight and you immediately notice that there's something vastly different from the others that you've taken. The staff is very welcoming which is customary, but all of the seats are more spacious. You have a seat, strap in, and glance at the menu for the day's trip and notice that you're selecting between lamb chops or filet mignon. The good stuff. Now imagine this airline being black owned and operated. This was the vision of Michael Hollis, an extremely successful businessman who set out to create a black owned luxury airline. The late Michael Hollis of Atlanta Air was one of the first African Americans to realize how great of an opportunity it would be to pioneer a string of black owned airlines.

Hollis didn't get into the airline industry as a former pilot, nor did he have any experience in the aviation business. In fact, Hollis at the time was a lawyer and a very well-known and well-respected man. He became widely recognized at an early age due to his prominence in several youth based political groups. At only 15-years-old, he was named head of the Atlanta Youth Congress, and was later appointed to a community-relations commission that helped address race. Sam Massell, president of the Buckhead Coalition and a former Atlanta mayor told The Atlanta Journal Constitution in a 2012 interview. “He was a boy wonder and helped us understand issues just surfacing in that arena.”

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Atlanta Breakfast Club: A Perfect Pit Stop

Located just minutes from some of Atlanta’s hottest tourist spots, Atlanta Breakfast Club (“ABC”) is a perfect pit stop. The restaurant, designed like an urban diner, smells of home cooked Southern comfort food as soon as you walk through the front door. The letters “ABC,” an acronym of the restaurant’s actual name, sitting atop an old brown piano feels like a homage to Michael Jackson’s Motown hit. It doesn’t take long to realize that this is a place to sit back, relax and enjoy good company and of course, good food.

Co-owners Anthony Sanders, who is also the chef, and O. Osiris Ballard, the business manager, bring the concept to life.

“I’m good food and he’s company,” Sanders told Atlanta Magazine and with more than 20 years of restaurant experience, you can expect for your taste buds to be amazed. Ballard keeps the business part of Atlanta Breakfast Club together. Combining their work experience and love for food, they’ve worked to make ABC the premier breakfast and brunch spot in downtown Atlanta. “We wanted to be in a diverse enough area where we see all types of people” Sanders continued. Nestled in between the World of Coca Cola, the Georgia Aquarium, the Children’s Museum of Atlanta and the Center for Civil and Human Rights, Atlanta Breakfast Club attracts everyone from those born and raised in the city, to metro-Atlanta residents to tourists. But the location isn’t the only thing that keeps ABC thriving. The real showstopper is the food.

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Deontay Wilder: The Bronze Bomber

The heavyweight champion in boxing, has historically  always been one of the most prestigious titles in the sports arena. With the UFC becoming more and more of a draw, boxing has somewhat taken a backseat to the UFC. While boxing continues to try to regain its prominence, there's one guy who sits atop the heavyweight division and come second to none. His name is Deontay Wilder.

Wilder stepped into the ring late, he didn't start boxing until he was 19-years-old. Growing up Wilder was an all-around athlete, playing basketball, baseball, football, and he ran track as well in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

But it was a birth defect to his oldest daughter, Naeiya, that  led him to his true calling in the boxing ring. Naeiya was born with Spina Bifida, which is a birth defect where there is an incomplete closing of the backbone and membranes around the spinal cord. Wilder dropped out of college and took to the ring to be able to afford the proper care for his daughter.

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Black Panther: The Superhero That Saved The Culture

Who knew that something or even someone that started as a fictional comic book character in 1966 could have such a positive impact on an entire demographic? Black Panther is one of many prime examples of how powerful black people can be when we come together for a treasured cause. The Black community saw the impact of this positive influence coming from a mile away and the importance of showing up and supporting this film. This was the chance for us to show our children that there are superheroes that look and speak just like them. This film served as an opportunity to encourage and educate people about the glorious continent of Africa, and most importantly, the chance to showcase unquestionable proof to Hollywood that an all Black cast can bring in huge numbers at the box office.

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