Atlanta United: Spirit of 17

To celebrate the Spirit of 17, Atlanta United has partnered with some of Atlanta’s most iconic artists to create 9 murals, bringing light to and honoring 17 different trailblazers and their work in their communities. Each artist painted murals in their own neighborhood of Atlanta icons who inspire them and push the culture of our city forward every day.

My Role: Agency & Line Producer

Cilo Award Sports OOH: Silver

Heroes: Jay Carter, Oronike Odeleye

Jay Carter is the Founder of the historic One Music Fest, a two-day event that encourages unity and celebrates diversity through music. Jay is also involved in various programs, initiatives and businesses throughout the year in addition to the festival including nonprofit work, leadership events, and panels.

Oronike Odeleye is the festival director of One Music Fest and an advocate for women's rights.

In 2017, she co-founded the #MuteRKelly campaign to advocate for the Black community's divestment from R. Kelly and remove his music from the Atlanta radio stations.

“It is bigger than music and our motto is to continuously feed the culture and push it forward using music as a hub,” - Jay Cartero

Artist: Fabian Williams aka OccasionalSuperstar

Fabian Williams, @OccasionalSuperstar, is an artist and muralist living in Atlanta, GA. His iconic work is focused on Black culture of both the past and the future. It can be found across the city showcasing politically and socially relevant themes.

Fabian earned his BFA from East Carolina University in Illustration before working in advertising for brands like Nike, Warner Bros, and HBO. Today, he has been featured at Art Basel, on CNN, Headline News, Great Big Story, in The Los Angeles Times, New York Times, and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution along with many more.

Hero: Pinky Cole

Aisha "Pinky" Cole is a Jamaican-American restaurateur. She is the owner and operator of Slutty Vegan, a plant-based burger restaurant chain in Atlanta. Cole earned her bachelor's degree from Clark Atlanta University. After school, Cole and fellow graduate Stacy Lee paid off the debts of 30 Clark Atlanta University seniors. In July 2018, Cole wanted to create a place where vegans like herself could indulge in “junk food”— and Slutty Vegan was born. Starting with delivery apps and a food truck she was finally able to open the first Slutty Vegan brick-and-mortar restaurant in 2019. Since then, she’s had major success with people willing to wait hours for a bite of her food.

Artist: Lisette Corea

Growing up, Lissette Corea, @arrrtaddict, dreamed of working in fashion. Her dedication and focus led to a career in fashion design, working for brands like Target, Macy’s, Urban Outfitters, Zumiez, and Forever21. But her creativity didn’t stop there–beyond fashion, Lissette has created graphics and artwork for events, breweries, and brands like RedBull and Nike. Lisette believes there are no limits when it comes to her “Arrrt'' and most of her work is bright, colorful, exudes positivity, and represents the vibrancy of POC culture.

Hero: Jovita Moore

Jovita Moore was an American television news anchor who worked for WSB-TV in Atlanta, Georgia, from 1998 until she passed away following a battle with brain cancer in 2021.

She mentored students, sat on several boards of directors and donated countless hours to civic associations and non-profit organizations across metro Atlanta.

Jovita is remembered and missed by the entire city of Atlanta—forever a hero to us all.

Artist: Tommy Bronx

Tommy Bronx, is a self-taught visual artist and Sr. Designer at ABV Agency & Gallery. His murals and street art are found all over the city of Atlanta. His work jumps off the wall with a mixture of abstract shapes and patterns that he brings to life with vibrant colors

Heroes: CJ & Kelli Stewart

C.J. Stewart is an Atlanta native, a former Chicago Cubs outfielder and an Amazon #1 Best Selling Author. As the founder and CEO of Diamond Directors, C.J. has achieved unmatched success in the player development industry. He has over 22 years of experience and his firm has developed some of the game’s top amateur, collegiate and professional players.

Kelli Stewart was born in Atlanta and completed her undergraduate studies at Kennesaw State University in 2011 where she earned a bachelor’s degree from the Coles College of Business with honors. In addition to her degree, Kelli holds a wealth of knowledge regarding sport based youth development as a resource for social justice and the impact sports has on the social emotional development of youth.

Now the Stewarts run the non-profit organization, L.E.A.D. (Launch, Expose, Advise, Direct). L.E.A.D.’s mission is to empower an at-risk generation to become ambassadors who lead Atlanta to lead the world. The Stewarts also provide a way for deserving inner-city youth to transform communities through baseball. For young men who complete L.E.A.D.’s Ambassador program, 100% have graduated from high school, 93% have enrolled into college, 90% have received college scholarship opportunities and 14% have entered the military or workforce. C.J.’s way of saying ‘thank you’ to those who helped him stay on the right path is to pay his blessing forward and create empowering opportunities for Atlanta youth today and into the future.

Artist: George F. Baker III

George F. Baker III is a Nebraska-born, Detroit-grown, and Atlanta-raised creator. Using his instruments of design, illustration, and production, he employs a playful childlike spirit to engage the inner-child we all have. Currently, he is the Creative Director of Foster, a studio-collective striving to make people unafraid to play.

Heroes: Miya Bailey, Gilbert Young, Jabari Graham

Miya Bailey is a talented artist, businessman, and founder of Peters Street Station in the Castleberry Hill Arts District. Peters Street Station is a community center that focuses on creating opportunity through art for the underserved people of Atlanta. His goal is to teach people how to use art as a money-making endeavor, not just a hobby.

Gilbert Young is an artist and pioneer in the Atlanta community whose work has laid the foundation for African American Fine Art. In 2011, the Georgia House of Representatives passed a resolution naming him State of Georgia Artist of the Year. In 2013 the city presented him with the Phoenix Award for outstanding contributions to the arts. He has also been honored with the Lifetime Achievement award from the Barack H. Obama Foundation. His work is found across the United States in private and public collections.

Jabari Graham is the founder of Art Beats + Lyrics which is a traveling urban art and music exhibition. AB+L started as a local art show in Atlanta and has grown to support visionary artists and musicians with values of authenticity, creativity, and individuality. The Core of the AB+L mission is to create unique art experiences that help move the culture forward.

Artist: Chris Veal

Georgia-born Chris Veal is an Atlanta artist based in Old Fourth Ward. He’s known for his comic-style murals found all around the city. His work typically includes colorful scenes as well as colorful commentary—often used to make a statement about society. Chris has been commissioned by brands and businesses to bring his street art across the city.

Hero: Latisha Springer

Latisha Springer created the grassroots mutual aid organization Free99Fridge to help combat food insecurity in Atlanta. Community fridges AKA solidarity fridges, are often donated and set up outside local businesses. Each fridge is open 24/7 offering free food and powered by the people. Free99Fridge provides produce and non-perishable food at no cost to anyone who wants or needs it— fighting hunger while also preventing food waste. Her first community fridge launched in West End with more locations popping up all over Atlanta. Free99Fridge operates on what is known as a mutual aid model. This differs from a traditional charity with the goal of empowerment. For the people, from the people.

Artist: Lauren Stumberg

Lauren Pallotta Stumberg, @thinkgreatly, is an Atlanta-based muralist, artist and advocate. Her work often uses patterns alongside abstracted portraiture and symbolism. After moving to Atlanta in 2012, Stumberg founded Think Greatly, an arts incubator designed to help neighborhood projects and advance female-driven collaborations. In 2017, she received the Emerging Artist Award from the City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs.

Heroes: Bobby Barnett, Diane Caroll, Dorothy Alexander

Bobby Barnett, a former dancer himself, inspired countless dancers and went on to become the director of the Atlanta Ballet. Today, at 96 he still teaches and sets Balanchine ballets at the Atlanta Ballet.

Diane Caroll Sales is the Community Partnerships Director of Atlanta Ballet. She runs the Atlanta Ballet outreach program that has more than 90 students from all over Atlanta including communities where most students can’t afford ballet classes .

Dorothy Alexander was a ballet dancer, choreographer, and teacher who founded Atlanta Ballet in 1929 to accomplish her personal mission of bringing quality ballet and dance education to her hometown. Now called the Atlanta Civic Ballet, her original company was the first dance company in the country to help fund a symphony.

Artist: Eric Nine

Eric Nine, @ericnine, is a multimedia artist who captures the eye in striking displays of art through a wide variety of innovative mediums. He’s best known for the large, brightly-colored street murals he paints to bring positive experiences and messages of equality and inclusion to neighborhoods throughout Atlanta. Puerto Rican by blood, with a style cultivated from his life experiences in Brooklyn, Boston, and now his adopted hometown of Atlanta, Eric Nine celebrates the beauty of diversity in everything he creates.

Heroe: Ryan Wilson

Ryan Wilson is the co-founder and CEO of The Gathering Spot, a private membership network that serves as a hub for collaboration, connections and experiences; the Chief Community Officer of Greenwood, a digital banking services platform for Black and minority individuals and businesses; and a principal at A3C, a music, tech and film conference and festival.

Ryan has been honored as the Small Business Person of the Year by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, was selected as one of the 2020 Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 40 under Forty honorees, was named one of Goldman Sach’s Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs in 2021, and was selected for the inaugural class of Shea Moisture’s Social Justice Coalition. The Mayor of Atlanta honored Ryan and his business partner with the prestigious Phoenix Award, the city’s highest honor. Atlanta Magazine named him one of “Atlanta’s 500 most powerful leaders” and he has also been named one of the country’s most influential African-Americans in The Root 100 and the Ebony Power 100.

Artist: Lonnie Garner

Lonnie Garner, @lonnieluck,

Heroes: Ian Ford, Bem Joiner, and Tory Edwards

Founders of Atlanta Influences Everything, a brand and a creative consultancy, focused on combining civic, corporate and cultural understanding to harness the influence of Atlanta culture to do good and connect communities. Their services include content creation, civic and brand consultation, creative and art direction and event production and curation. Their mission is focused on combing civic, corporate/commerce and cultural understanding to create unique and authentic relationships that lead to better community building.