Morehouse College’s growing list of notable alumni now includes the institution’s 13th president.

Dr. F. DuBois Bowman, a biostatistician and public health leader, most recently served as the dean of the University of Michigan School of Public Health. He joined “Closer Look” to share his leadership style and vision for the institution, just one day before his official start as president.

Plus, Georgia State law professor Anthony Michael Kreis shares analysis after a federal judge granted a class action lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s executive order restricting birthright citizenship.

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This week, a coalition of community groups, housing justice advocates and the City of Atlanta partnered to clear the Old Wheat Street encampment. It’s an initiative that’s been in the works for months. A total of 30 people were placed in temporary stable housing. The move comes months after Cornelius Taylor died in the area, when city workers brought a bulldozer through without checking the tents. Rose talks with Tim Franzen, the program director for American Friends Service Committee’s Atlanta Economic Justice program, an organization part of the coalition, and Mawuli Davis of the Davis Bozeman Johnson Law, who is representing Taylor’s family, about the collaboration and what this means for the ongoing push to create real housing solutions.

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In response to the current political climate, various organizations across the country will gather on July 26 for Families First: A 50-State Day of Peaceful Action. The initiative aims to unite organizations that oppose President Trump's tax and spending cuts. Joel Payne, the chief communications officer for MoveOn, talked more about the upcoming event and shared why he feels it is important for communities to mobilize.

Plus, Atlanta native Shawn Rashid is moving with a purpose—and driving toward a goal. The rising professional motorsports driver, who is currently racing in the Euroformula in Europe, has a target of reaching the FIA Formula 2 Championship in 2026 and—and ultimately, the Formula One. As a featured guest on “Closer Look,” Rashid talked about his unique journey into racing, his training and how his faith guides his path.

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The Mahmoud v. Taylor case has sparked debate about the balance between parental religious freedom, the authority of school boards to establish curricula and the constitutional rights of children. In the case, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a group of parents in Montgomery County, Maryland, have the right to opt their children out of classroom readings that include LGBTQ themes, citing religious objections. Tanya Monique Washington, a professor at the Center for Access to Justice and the Marjorie F. Knowles Chair in Law at Georgia State University, returned to the program to provide an analysis and break down the implications of the decision.

Plus, we remember the legacy of the late poet, author, and educator Nikki Giovanni, whose work championed freedom of expression. We revisit Rose’s conversation with Atlanta-based journalist Ann Hill Bond, who reflects on the power of Giovanni’s words.

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The number of candidates entering the 2026 Georgia gubernatorial race continues to grow. On Tuesday, Georgia Lt. Gov. Burt Jones officially announced his candidacy. Atlanta-based political strategist and analyst Fred Hicks shares insights on the race so far.

Plus, after 8 years, it’s a new chapter for Atlanta City Councilmember Amir Farokhi. Farokh talks with Rose about his tenure working in local government, legislation he championed, as well as the challenges he faced and his proudest achievements.

Lastly, the Atlanta City Council recently passed a "smart surfaces" policy requiring new and replacement roofs to meet high solar reflectance standards-- meaning they have to be built with light-colored, reflective materials, commonly known as “cool roofs.” Dr. Brian Stone, a professor of urban planning and the director of the Urban Climate Lab at Georgia Tech, explains why he supports the ordinance and how it will potentially help cool neighborhoods, lower energy costs, and save lives.

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Friday marks the Fourth of July. People across the Peach State are gearing up for Independence Day celebrations, including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Peachtree Road Race. Ahead of the holiday weekend, on Thursday’s special edition of “Closer Look,” host Rose Scott, along with producer Daniel Rayzel, and engineer and grill master Sawyer Vanderwerff open the phones. They take calls from listeners who share tips from seasoning to searing along with the do’s and don’ts of grilling.

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The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in favor of a group of parents in Montgomery County, Maryland, granting them the right to opt their children out of classroom readings that include LGBTQ themes, based on religious objections. Tanya Monique Washington, a professor at the Center for Access to Justice and the Marjorie F. Knowles Chair in Law at Georgia State University, provides an analysis and breaks down the implications of the decision.

Plus, The Stitch is a downtown Atlanta highway-capping project. The proposal involves transforming and connecting 17 acres of land, near the I-75/I-85 Downtown Connector between the Civic Center MARTA Center, into urban green space and affordable housing. However, will the Trump administration’s federal funding cuts impact construction? Jack Cebe, director of The Stitch, talks more about what’s next for the development project.

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The Chamblee Police Department recently launched its LGBT Liaison Program. Officer Brandon White, who serves as the department’s first-ever LGBT Liaison, discusses how the new initiative will strengthen community trust and engagement within the Chamblee LGBTQ+ community.

Plus, Kari Knotts, a 14-year-old volleyball player from Marietta, Georgia, discusses her journey to being selected for Team USA’s Under-19 volleyball division — an elite group on the direct pipeline to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California.

Lastly, Zohran Mamdani has won the New York Democratic mayoral primary. GSU politics and policy professor Tammy Greer, Atlanta-based political strategist and analyst Fred Hicks and Devin Barrington-Ward, civil rights organizer and managing director for the Black Futurists Group, discuss how this political shift could potentially further drive Democratic socialism.

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The U.S. Supreme Court’s Friday ruling limits the use of nationwide injunctions. However, the justices did not decide whether President Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship is lawful. The long-term fate of the order remains uncertain — though Trump is still calling the decision a win. Rose talks with Georgia State University constitutional law professor Anthony Michael Kreis and Emory University law professor Jonathan Nash, who analyze the ruling and discuss its potential implications.

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Throughout the month of June, “Closer Look” has spotlighted Juneteenth-related conversations. On Friday, show host Rose Scott concludes the series, revisiting her 2024 conversation with Nikole Hannah-Jones, the Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter behind the groundbreaking The 1619 Project for The New York Times Magazine. During the conversation that took place at the Fulton County Central Library in Downtown Atlanta, Hannah-Jones vividly recalls when she first learned about a 17th-century ship called The White Lion and how it inspired her to create The 1619 Project.

Plus, this week marks 22 years since the passing of Atlanta’s first Black mayor Maynard Jackson. For a look back on his life and legacy, we revisit a conversation from our award-winning ATL 68 series. Rose talks with Valerie Jackson, a former WABE host and Mayor Jackson’s widow.

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