Spacious Skies: Sentiment and Reflection On America's Birthday

July 4th marks 250 years of America as an independent nation. We're a nation founded on principles centered around democracy, equality, separation of powers, plus checks and balances. On the eve of the country’s semiquincentennial, scholars and activists warn democratic norms are eroding due to the…

Reflecting on America’s progress and challenges after 250 Years

For a special call-in show on Thursday’s edition of “Closer Look,” host Rose Scott is joined by Georgia State University Constitutional law professor Tanya Washington. The longtime professor and law scholar talks with Scott about the layered goals, founding principles, and the framework of the Decl…

Racing and Grilling: Preparing for the Peachtree Road Race & July 4th Barbecues

This weekend in Atlanta, amid FIFA World Cup matches and fan events, there are two other activities synonymous with the upcoming 4th of July holiday: the world’s largest 10k run, Atlanta’s Northside Hospital Peachtree Road Race, and grilling. This year’s 57th annual race will feature runners, walke…

Retiring Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta CEO reflects on 40 years; Impact of students going cell-phone free

Donna Hyland is retiring. The visionary pediatric healthcare leader has dedicated the last 40 years of her professional career to prioritizing and determining how best to meet the healthcare needs of children. But now it’s a new chapter for the trained accountant who has served as the CEO of Childr…

Coach Erica Payton eagerly builds CAU’s women’s golf team; Accelerator Program prepares Atlanta’s young entrepreneurs

Erica Payton fell in love with the game of golf when she was about three or four years old.  It’s in her DNA. The lifelong golf player was recently named the head coach of Clark Atlanta University’s first-ever women’s golf team, the school’s 11th NCAA varsity sport.  This new opportunity comes as d…

Transgender man seeks refuge away from U.S.; World Cup’s economic impact on Decatur

On Thursday’s Closer Look with Rose Scott, Supervising Producer Tiffany Griffith introduces you to Elliot Hefty. After enduring several transphobic attacks, he left the U.S. in 2025 to seek asylum in The Netherlands. He’s one of the 45% of transgender Americans who wish to leave the country or have…

The challenges of meeting Atlanta’s affordable housing goal; AileyCamp Atlanta promotes youth development through the arts

On today’s Closer Look with Rose Scott, we receive an update from Atlanta Housing President & CEO Terri M. Lee about how her organization is helping the city meet its goal of creating 20,000 affordable housing units by 2030. But she points out the cost of home construction is skyrocketing and addit…

What Fulton County may owe in reparations

Closer Look continues with its analysis of the Fulton County Reparations Task Force’s Harm Report. The eye-opening, over 600-page report details the harms suffered by Black people who were enslaved or lived during the Jim Crow era. Today, we’re also joined by WABE reporter DorMiya Vance for a discu…

Reviewing the findings of Fulton County’s Reparations Task Force Harm Report

Monday, June 22 began a two-part series focusing on the Fulton County Reparations Task Force’s Harm Report. The eye-opening, over 600-page report details the harms suffered by Black people who were enslaved or lived during the Jim Crow era. Among the findings were as much as $900 billion in today’s…

“Closer Look’s” Juneteenth special examines Black progress as America turns 250

Friday marks the 161st anniversary of Juneteenth. This year, on Juneteenth, “Closer Look” hosted its annual live community event at Roosevelt Hall in the historic Atlanta University Center neighborhood. The theme of the program was We Who Remain: Black Legacy & America at 250. The conversation, led…