Last November, Zohran Mamdani did what many considered impossible: he won the mayor’s office of a major U.S. city as a Democratic Socialists of America candidate. And in Atlanta, Kelsea Bond recently became the first DSA member elected to the City Council. The DSA, while not an official political party, has also picked up momentum elsewhere. Over the past several months, DSA candidates or candidates aligned with the organization secured primary wins in New York, Colorado, and Washington, D.C. Two years ago, Georgia House District 42 Representative Gabriel Sanchez became the first Democratic Socialist elected to the state legislature. The gains are small but notable. So, what does this shift mean for voters, for the political system, and for the possibility of more DSA candidates rising to prominence in a battleground Southern state like Georgia? Ashik Siddique and Megan Romer, the National Co‑Chairs of the Democratic Socialists of America, join the show to discuss how the organization is defining itself in this moment, the messaging strategies they believe resonate, and the challenges of still needing the Democratic Party designation to appear on most ballots.

Smaller nonprofits face distinct challenges in today’s shifting philanthropic landscape, and many are struggling to stay afloat. This episode of Closer Look with Rose Scott explores the realities of under‑funded nonprofits and how a local effort, the Nonprofit Sector Sustainability Fund, is attempting to address those gaps through a targeted funding initiative. Ayana Gabriel Turner, Vice President of Community Impact at the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, explains the needs facing smaller nonprofits and how the NSSF ultimately selected 12 organizations from more than 200 applicants. Dr. Bambie Hayes‑Brown, CEO of Georgia Advancing Communities Together, Inc., one of the twelve awardees, shares how this funding will strengthen her organization’s mission and expand its impact.