Atlanta, GA
Atlanta residents celebrate first night of Kwanzaa, honoring unity and community
Families and communities across metro Atlanta are coming together to celebrate Kwanzaa, a weeklong observance honoring African heritage, culture, and values.
Each night of Kwanzaa centers on a different principle. The first night focuses on Umoja, the Swahili word for unity — a value many say feels especially meaningful right now.
For Atlanta artist and poet Kenneth “Zakee” Zakee, Kwanzaa is more than a holiday. He says it transformed his life.
Zakee welcomed CBS News Atlanta inside his studio, where African and African American artwork lines the walls. As he lit the kinara — the candleholder central to Kwanzaa — he explained the deeper meaning behind the tradition.
“Kwanzaa means first fruits of the harvest,” Zakee said. “So we have to have some produce on the table to represent the first fruit, to represent harvest.”
Zakee says his connection to Kwanzaa began during a time of deep grief, after losing his mother. A friend invited him to a Kwanzaa celebration for emotional support — an experience he says gave him community when he needed it most.
“It was just so much love,” Zakee said. “It was like a seven-day Black history experience.”
Created in the 1960s to reconnect Black Americans with African heritage, Kwanzaa’s values, customs, and greetings are expressed in Swahili. Zakee even gave CBS News Atlanta a quick lesson in how to greet others on the first night.
“Habari gani?” he asked — meaning, What’s the news?
“Umoja,” came the response.
That sense of shared meaning was also on display as vendors and artists set up for Kwanzaa events at ArtsXchange.
Patricia Jackson of Studio P Designs, a former educator, says teaching students about Kwanzaa was always important to her.
“We really made an effort to expose our students to all of the other celebrations, especially Kwanzaa and what it stands for,” Jackson said.
For Zakee, passing the tradition on to younger generations is essential. He hopes Kwanzaa helps young people feel grounded, affirmed, and connected.
“A sense of belonging,” he said. “A sense of being part of something bigger than themselves — and recognizing the strength of their people.”
Zakee believes those values don’t just strengthen communities — they make the world a better place.
The highly anticipated NBA Draft is finally going to take place tomorrow and the Atlanta Hawks are 1 of 14 teams hoping the ping pong balls bounce their way.
This is going to be the final payoff for what was arguably the best move that any team made last offseason. Atlanta traded down from the No. 13 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and acquired the unprotected 2026 first-round pick from the New Orleans Pelicans, the most favorable of the Pelicans’ and Bucks’ selections. The Pelicans finished 7th in the lottery odds, and Milwaukee is 10th. Based on the odds, the Hawks have a 40% chance of jumping into the top four.
The last time the Hawks were in the lottery, they jumped from 10th to 1st and selected Zaccharie Risacher. While that was a huge stroke of luck, it has not always worked out that way for the Hawks.
Hawks lottery history
The Hawks have been in the NBA Lottery 16 times since 1985 and in that time span, the Hawks have:
- Moved up five times (2024-moved from 10th to 1st, 2018-moved from 4th to 3rd, 2007- moved from 4th to 3rd, 2001- moved from 5th to 3rd, and 1985- moved from 7th to 5th)
- Moved down five times (2020- moved from 4th to 6th, 2019- moved from 5th to 8th, 2006- moved from 4th to 5th, 2005- moved from 1st to 2nd, and 2000- moved from 5th to 6th)
- Stayed where they were projected to six times
Their biggest move up by far came in 2024 when the moved up to No. 1 and were able to select Risacher, which has not quite panned out.
There is an element of what if to each of these scenarios, especially the years the Hawks moved down. In 2020, they moved down in a draft that contained Anthony Edwards, who is from the state of Georgia and one of the elite players that the league has right now. Atlanta ended up selecting Onyeka Okongwu, but there is a big what if about being able to pair Edwards with Trae Young.
In 2019, the Hawks were 5th in the highly anticipated 2019 lottery that featured Zion Williamson, but they fell three spots. While WIlliamson has not had quite the career most had hoped, he is still an All-NBA caliber player and would have paired nicely with Young as a tandem.
There have been some hits and misses during the 16 times that the Hawks have been in the lottery, but there have seemingly been more missed opportunities, even when they jump up in the standings. They are hoping that they get another stroke of luck tomorrow in what could be a franchise altering day for the Hawks.
Final projected odds for the Hawks:
No. 1- 9.8% chance
No. 2- 9.9% chance
No. 3- 10.1% chance
No. 4- 10.30% chance
No. 7- 19.75% chance
No. 8- 30.18% chance
No. 9- 9.19% chance
No. 10- 0.67% chance
No. 11-
Follow
The Georgia Department of Transportation announced that a major weekend construction project, set to fully shut down two miles of I-285, has been postponed due to inclement weather. Atlantans are relieved, with many looking forward to more freedom to travel this Mothers’ Day weekend. Kim Leoffler has the story.
ATLANTA – An Atlanta flight attendant and mother of eight is among 17,000 Spirit Airlines workers struggling to find a new “destination” after the carrier suddenly shut down.
Spirit Airlines Atlanta impact
What we know:
Spirit Airlines ended all operations on Saturday, grounding its entire fleet and ending employment for its 17,000-person workforce. Flight attendants and customers were stranded across the country, often forced to pay for their own travel home after the discount carrier ceased operations.
Kamille Carter, an Atlanta-based flight attendant of five years, said she received the termination email from the CEO at 3 a.m., despite earlier assurances from union representatives that the company was stable. The company immediately cut healthcare benefits and stopped payments for sick leave and vacation time for all staff members.
Unpaid wages and benefits
What we don’t know:
It is unclear if Carter and her fellow employees will ever receive their final paychecks or if there is any legal recourse for the lost benefits. The company has not specified if any transition assistance will be provided to workers, some of whom had been with the airline since it launched in 1994.
Employee reaction in Georgia
What they’re saying:
“This is a death because you have to mourn, you have to grieve, it’s a process,” Carter said of the sudden job loss. Despite the financial strain of supporting eight children, Carter is looking toward her passion for cooking as a potential new career. She noted that while being uncomfortable is difficult, it can “push you to your destiny.”
Finding help in Atlanta
What you can do:
Community members looking to support Carter and other local workers affected by the shutdown can find more information on the FOX 5 Atlanta website. The station is collecting resources for those navigating the sudden loss of income and healthcare.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from an interview conducted by FOX 5 reporter Eric Perry, who spoke directly with former flight attendant Kamille Carter in Atlanta. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reporting was also used.
-
Detroit, MI10 minutes agoDetroit Tigers lose fifth straight, Kerry Carpenter injured
-
San Francisco, CA22 minutes agoFallen tree downs powerlines in SF, delays Muni line
-
Dallas, TX28 minutes agoFC Dallas vs Real Salt Lake: Lineup notes 📝
-
Miami, FL34 minutes agoYour 2026 Miami Dolphins Draft Picks Expectations
-
Boston, MA40 minutes agoTexas A&M SS Boston Kellner suffers orbital bone fracture
-
Denver, CO46 minutes agoPedestrian fatally hit by Frontier airplane departing Denver for Los Angeles, flight canceled after
-
Seattle, WA52 minutes agoSeattle beer garden employee found fatally shot inside business
-
San Diego, CA58 minutes agoDel Mar enacts new attendance rules for board, commission, committee members