Atlanta, GA
‘We’re just getting started’: Ruwa Romman on local canvasses, meeting voters where they are, crossing the state
As leaves fell off the trees near the basketball court and onto the parking lot at Melvin Drive Park, Team Ruwa Romman staffers brought out a folding table from the trunk of a car and placed it under a tree. Next came boxes of voting material and the t-shirts for canvassers. The shirts resemble the glowing signs of a certain local restaurant chain and are given to any volunteers who sign up to help spread the word.
Romman, one of a handful of Democratic gubernatorial candidates vying for the 2026 nomination, was canvassing in southwest Atlanta on Saturday afternoon. Romman sat down with The Atlanta Voice moments before the first of several canvassers arrived to begin their shifts. She had already been canvassing in metro Atlanta’s northern suburbs and was back in the SWATS to talk with volunteers about why this part of the city was just as important as any to knock doors in.
“We want to canvas everywhere,” said Romman, who has plans to be in Athens and Savannah on Sunday. The Athens canvass will take place a day after the Georgia Bulldogs will host the Texas Longhorns in one of the highly anticipated college football games of the season.
Romman represents west Gwinnett County and can be considered one of the key candidates in her district, but canvassing in the SWATS can be considered a strategic move because of some of the other candidates being more familiar in the state’s largest county.
“Building a statewide canvassing operation takes a long time,” Romman said. “And we’re just getting started. I think this is how you gain momentum.”
Erica Wiggins, a tall woman wearing black-frame glasses and her hair in a ponytail, spoke to the group of volunteers, staffers, Romman, and Royce Mann, a candidate for Board of Education Seat 8, about Saturday being her first time canvassing for a candidate. Wiggins, who lives in Fairburn, said she came to the canvassing even to do her part.
A woman who only identified herself as Ann was an experienced canvasser and said she decided to door-knock for Romman after hearing her on a podcast. Two male students from Emory University and Georgia Tech, respectively, were there to support Romman’s campaign and knock doors in the majority Black neighborhood. Neither of the young men was Black.
“These things grow exponentially,” said Romman of volunteer efforts. “The more we lean into people, the more they will have our back.”
Romman said there have been nearly 1,000 volunteers who have signed up. People like the ones in Melvin Drive Park that afternoon.
“I remember when we first started, we hit 500 volunteers in 40-plus counties, and now we’re at 1,000. It really goes to show how much energy and excitement there is right now. How much heart and soul there is right now, and the fact that people really do recognize that our state is not being represented by people who live like us.”
Romman added that she wasn’t just talking about age and race.
When the subject turned to the 2026 gubernatorial primary, which is scheduled to take place on May 19, Romman smiled.
“I think primaries are healthy, and a good time for people to organize and talk to voters,” Romman said. “Primaries are an amazing time to consider what is possible.”
Team Romman, led by Anna, her field director, will continue to grow their canvass base week by week, said Romman. The campaign has only been at it for a month, and the momentum is growing.
“We’re already in four cities,” she said. “Our hope is that come January, we want our organizers fully on board and hired on, and we want a consistent cohort of field leads.”
Related
US national soccer team selects 26 home turf players
United States players gather for training as the 26-man tournament roster is officially locked in. The veteran defensive unit and an attacking core led by dangerous wingers prepare for a major summer performance on home soil. The squad faces its first big test in Los Angeles on June 12th.
ATLANTA – With the world’s biggest sporting event arriving in Georgia, Mercedes-Benz Stadium—officially referred to as “Atlanta Stadium” for the tournament—is set to host eight highly anticipated matches. For casual sports fans, the influx of international teams can feel overwhelming.
From European powerhouses to historic underdogs, some of the most famous athletes on the planet are headed to downtown Atlanta. This quick-reference cheat sheet will get you up to speed on the major teams and household names to watch.
MEET THE U.S. MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM
Spain anchors the Atlanta group stage marquee
Favorites to watch:
Three-time European champions Spain will be the highest-profile team playing in Atlanta during the opening group stage, featuring in two separate match dates. The star-studded squad will face Cabo Verde on June 15, followed by a clash against Saudi Arabia on June 21.
BARCELONA, SPAIN – MAY 10: Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona celebrates the victory during the LaLiga EA Sports match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at Spotify Camp Nou on May 10, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)
Spain’s roster features a blend of veteran leadership and electrifying youth. The biggest name to know is teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal, the young Barcelona winger whose dazzling dribbling and historic performances have captured global attention. Alongside him is midfield anchor Rodri, widely considered one of the tactically smartest and most dominant players in modern soccer. Expect Spain to control possession and showcase the fast, precise passing style that made them a global soccer empire.
BARCELONA, SPAIN – MARCH 31: Rodri of Spain looks on during an international friendly match between Spain and Egypt at RCDE Stadium on March 31, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
Morocco brings World Cup pedigree back to downtown
The ultimate dark horses:
Morocco captured the hearts of sports fans worldwide with their historic, history-making run to the semifinals at the last World Cup. They bring that same fierce, defensive-minded energy to Atlanta on June 24 when they face off against Haiti.
The Moroccan squad is spearheaded by world-class right-back Achraf Hakimi, a lightning-fast defender who plays his club soccer for Paris Saint-Germain. Adding creative spark to their attack is Real Madrid midfielder Brahim Díaz, who recently committed his international future to Morocco. Known for their passionate fan base and incredibly disciplined defensive structure, Morocco’s match is expected to be one of the loudest and most energetic atmospheres of the summer.
PARIS, FRANCE – APRIL 28: Achraf Hakimi of PSG during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 Semi Final First Leg match between Paris Saint-Germain and FC Bayern München at Parc des Princes on April 28, 2026 in Paris, France. (Photo by Lionel Hahn/Getty I
Underdogs and rising stars
Competitive challengers:
The remaining group-stage matches in Atlanta feature incredibly balanced, competitive squads capable of pulling off massive tournament upsets. On June 18, Czechia squares off against South Africa, while Congo DR faces Uzbekistan on June 27.
- Czechia: Led by towering West Ham midfielder Tomáš Souček and clinical striker Patrik Schick, the Czechs rely on physical dominance, aerial strength, and dangerous set-pieces.
- South Africa: Navigating their way out of a tough Group A, “Bafana Bafana” features goalkeeper Ronwen Williams, who gained international fame for his historic penalty-saving heroics.
- Uzbekistan: Making noise on the global stage, the Uzbek side is led by veteran striker Eldor Shomurodov, a proven goal-scorer with extensive experience in Italy’s top flight.
The Source: This article includes information from official match schedules and group drawings published by FIFA, official squad lists from the Royal Spanish Football Federation and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, and official tournament previews from the Atlanta World Cup Host Committee.
An East Point family is pleading for answers nearly a month after a 20-year-old man disappeared after visiting a local Target store.
According to East Point police, Derek Samuel was last seen April 29 at the Target on Marketplace Boulevard before he walked out of the store and vanished.
Family members said Samuel had been driven to the store by friends. Investigators later located his cell phone in a wooded area behind the shopping center, though police have not publicly identified any suspects in the case.
Samuel’s mother, Nishae Samuel, described her son as cheerful, outgoing and someone who always tried to make others laugh.
“He’s goofy. He’s always smiling, he’s always happy,” she said. “I’ve never really seen my kid sad for real, you know, or upset.”
The family says Samuel dreamed of starting his own clothing line and enjoyed gaming and spending time with friends. Surveillance footage reportedly captured him leaving the East Point Target and walking toward Commerce Drive before disappearing.
His mother said the disappearance has taken a heavy emotional toll on Samuel’s siblings, including his twin sister.
“They’re staying strong in this. We’re praying together, we’re trusting God’s plan in this,” she said.
The family is also asking people to avoid spreading misinformation about the case online and instead contact investigators directly with credible tips.
“I just want them to understand that we do need our privacy at this point in time,” Samuel said. “If they do have any information pertaining to my son, just contact East Point Police.”
Police say a $15,000 reward is being offered for information that helps investigators in the case.
The Atlanta Falcons aren’t quite starting over, but there is a lot of new involved with the organization from the top down. One of the factors that made the Falcons an enticing job when nearly 1/3 of teams in the league had head coach openings was the core of young playmakers that had been acquired through years of high draft picks.
Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. was one of those players, taken with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He deputized Kirk Cousins as a rookie before taking over the job full-time with three games remaining. He didn’t quite grow into the bona fide franchise quarterback in year two, before suffering an ACL injury that sidelined him after Week 11.
With a new front office and coaching staff in place, who didn’t draft Penix, NFL Network’s Nick Shook rightly placed Penix Jr. among his 11 players around the league who are in a make-or-break season. Penix is battling both Tua Tagovailoa and his recovery timeline to win, and more importantly, solidify a starting job in Atlanta.
“When he does take the field, though, the pressure will be on,” Shook wrote on NFL Network. “As a former top-10 pick whose brief success as a rookie largely pushed Kirk Cousins out of Atlanta, Penix will be expected to prove he’s continuing to develop, something he struggled to demonstrate in his second season before it ended abruptly with his third ACL tear. Hopefully, he’ll have most of the season to try to make it happen. Otherwise, questions regarding his future will only grow.”
Early mock drafts had the Atlanta Falcons picking an offensive tackle in the top 10 next season. But the fatal flaw in that logic is if the Falcons are selecting top 10 next season, they’ve failed at the quarterback position, and will be targeting a new quarterback in the 2027 draft.
Shook is right, this is potentially a make-or-break year for Penix, but he’s not alone. Let’s take a look at five more Atlanta Falcons who are facing pivotal years.
What about Tua?
It’s not just Penix. The Miami Dolphins took on an NFL record $100 million dead cap hit rather than keep Tua Tagovailoa on the roster. Tagovailoa, still just 28, has a chance to revive his career under Kevin Stefanski in Atlanta and be the next Sam Darnold or Baker Mayfield. But if he can’t win and hold onto the job over Penix, he may be seen as a career backup, at best, moving forward.
Remember that guy who single-handedly beat the Saints?
To borrow a line from Coach Carter – “We don’t see Troy Andersen much, but when we do, it’s spectacular.”
Andersen was last seen wrecking the New Orleans Saints in September of 2024. He had 17 tackles, a pick-six, and was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week. He was also hurt in that game. He made a brief attempt at a comeback, but like too many Falcons in the last two years, he was re-injured and hasn’t played since Week 14 of 2024.
Because he missed so much time, his contract didn’t move forward, so the Falcons still had rights on his rookie deal. They restructured it, and he’ll get one final chance to prove he belongs in the NFL.
The new guy
Atlanta signed Jahan Dotson, hoping to improve its lackluster wide receiver room. Doton’s numbers are nothing to write home about. He has 478 yards receiving in the last two seasons combined. But that doesn’t tell the whole story. Buried on the depth chart behind DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown, targets were hard to come by for Dotson.
He’ll get the chance to prove in Atlanta that he’s a legit WR2 in this league and drastically improve on the $7.5 million the Falcons are paying him this season.
Can a Four-Year Starter be Make-or-Break?
Left guard Matthew Bergeron is in a contract year. He has been solid, if not spectacular, as a three-year starter. Like many of the players on offense, he regressed in 2025. His rookie contract got him a raise from $1.6 million last season to $3.9 million in 2026.
26 guards make at least $10 million per season, according to Spotrac. If Bergeron can establish himself this year as a better-than-average player at his position, he’ll triple his money again next year.
Boom or bust on the DL
Like Bergeron, defensive lineman Zach Harrison is entering a contract year. He was in the midst of a breakout season last year with 3.5 sacks in the first six games. He was injured against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 7.
He missed two games before some roster mismanagement saw him return and play a career high 47 snaps against the Colts after returning from injury. He was reinjured and didn’t take another snap all season.
He’s an ideal fit as a pass-rushing 3-4 defensive end and can do a job kicking inside to defensive tackle every once in a while.
But he’s got to stay on the field.
Honorable Mention: CB Clark Phillips III, DT Maason Smith, LB Christian Harris
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