I arrived at PeachPol after nearly eight years at The Atlanta Voice, where I served as director of photography, sports editor and, ultimately, managing editor. With guidance from my college classmate and former Editor-in-Chief Marshall Latimore, I began to find my voice as a reporter and photojournalist.
When I first moved to Atlanta, I thought I would be content working behind the camera. That did not last long.
I joined The Atlanta Voice in 2017 and soon became part of the team leading its digital transformation. After the killing of George Floyd in 2020, my work shifted. I covered protests, reported during the COVID-19 pandemic and began writing more directly about what I was seeing and experiencing.
After covering the death of Rayshard Brooks, I wrote about a moment that changed my perspective:
“I was often told, ‘You don’t get involved in that sh–. You’re a Nigerian first and foremost and you just so happen to be born in America.’”
But standing in Atlanta, covering the story in real time, that distance no longer felt possible.
In the years that followed, and especially after Latimore’s death in 2021, I took on a larger role in managing the publication’s news, sports and multimedia coverage. I also began focusing more on statewide politics.
There is more to Georgia than Atlanta
While “Atlanta Influences Everything,” decisions made under the 24-carat plates that adorn the Gold Dome shape policy across Georgia. Those decisions affect communities from Southwest Atlanta to Savannah and everywhere in between.
That realization sharpened my approach. The work is not just about documenting what happens, but explaining why it is happening and what it means for the people living through it.
At PeachPol, that is the focus. This is a space to center the community, to provide clarity and to connect the dots between policy and everyday life.
I’m stepping into this role with renewed energy, a clear sense of purpose and an empty notebook ready to be filled. There is work to be done. I’ll see you soon.
