Season One

How Andisheh Nouraee Would Fix Atlanta

Atlanta’s city limits should be redrawn to include the suburbs that are part of the city’s core. Let’s create Mega-Atlanta.

How King Williams Would Fix Atlanta

To become a true world-class city, ATL must decrease its automobile dependency. Only then will we know true freedom.

How Sonam Vashi Would Fix Atlanta

A well-funded library system with more social services would reshape our city. Let's unleash our public libraries.

How Jewel Wicker Would Fix Atlanta

It's time politicians start prioritizing legislation that would allow ATL’s music industry—not just music culture—to thrive.

How Thomas Wheatley Would Fix Atlanta

We must find better ways to co-exist with ATL’s flora and fauna. Let's make nature a priority in our city’s future.

How Darin Givens Would Fix Atlanta

Affordable housing is critically scarce in Atlanta. Let's fill in the "missing middle" so we can become an inclusive city.

How Austin L. Ray Would Fix Atlanta

We could always use more joy. Wildflowers deliver it to bees, butterflies, and people. Let’s plant more of them.

How Muriel Vega Would Fix Atlanta

Atlanta should have a thriving food truck scene. We need simplified fees, processes, and regulations for that to happen.

How Sarah Lawrence Would Fix Atlanta

Miserably hot parking lots are an unnecessary bane of our existence. Let’s build solar panels on top of them.

How Gray Chapman Would Fix Atlanta

Golf is inherently wasteful to an absurd degree. But it’s also an opportunity. Let's take back the golf courses.

Season Two

How Hannah Riley Would Fix Atlanta

The powerful movement to stop Cop City should serve as a blueprint for future fights for a livable Atlanta.

How Cailin Pitt Would Fix Atlanta

Atlanta is a bicycling city. Let’s build more bike infrastructure to protect and encourage our cyclists.

How Mack Williams Would Fix Atlanta

It’s time to celebrate the true heritage of Georgia. It’s time we carve OutKast into Stone Mountain.

How Katie Hawkins-Gaar Would Fix Atlanta

Atlanta deserves in-depth, reliable journalism that’s accessible to everyone. Let’s rethink how we do local news.

How Hannah Palmer Would Fix Atlanta

Our watersheds are a gateway drug to environmentalism and civic action. It’s time we stop taking our creeks for granted.

How Christina Lee Would Fix Atlanta

Georgia’s daily jury rate is embarrassing. Civic duty shouldn’t be a tremendous financial burden. Let’s pay our jurors more.

How Sophia Qureshi Would Fix Atlanta

ATL craves community and connection. We need local markets and other walkable third places in every neighborhood.

How George Chidi Would Fix Atlanta

Georgia’s landlord-friendly laws have created a habitability crisis in ATL. We have the power to change that, but will we?

How KaeAnne Parris Would Fix Atlanta

Publishing mugshots doesn’t build community. It’s time for the Atlanta media to end this harmful practice.

How Fiza Pirani Would Fix Atlanta

Our community is all we have. Let’s get to know our neighbors in a way that promotes a protective and loving society.

Season Three

How Jason Pellett Would Fix Atlanta

Georgia’s beer laws are some of the worst in the nation. Let’s modernize them and better support our small businesses.

How Stacey Hopkins Would Fix Atlanta

If we’re to live up to our legacy as a civil and human rights mecca, we must start prioritizing people over capitalism.

How Andisheh Nouraee Would Fix Atlanta

Our gun violence problem is staggering. Fewer guns means fewer gun deaths. Let’s melt our guns and make a memorial.

How Andreea Popa Would Fix Atlanta

As Atlanta continues to grow, we must push back against gentrification and make it easier for local businesses to thrive.

How Rachel Garbus Would Fix Atlanta

Georgia is last in the country for state arts funding, and we stand to lose a lot. Let’s prioritize the arts before it’s too late.

How Rachael Maddux Would Fix Atlanta

How can we best wield the power we have over trees? And how can we make peace with all the power they have over us?

How Matthew Shaer Would Fix Atlanta

We’ve become a city where the streets are unsafe for everyone. But the good news is we know how to make it better.

How Hannah Palmer Would Fix Atlanta

Policies and places that are hostile to the poor harm everyone. Let’s put public toilets all over Atlanta.

How Susi Durán Would Fix Atlanta

The power to control money should not be held by private interests. It’s time to establish the Public Bank of Atlanta.

How Kyle Stapleton Would Fix Atlanta

We don’t have a vision, we don’t listen to people who do, and we give away all the good stuff to grifters. Atlanta is cooked.

Testimonials:

“I can’t remember ever reading anything that struck a chord in me as deeply as these two paragraphs did.” —Kyle Stapleton, on the ending of this essay

“They’re all really great. There’s quite a range. Sometimes they’re straightforward, sometimes they take a serious topic and they talk about it in a lighthearted way. But they’re never preachy and they’re always a great read.” —Biophilic Solutions

“This newsletter proposes outside-the-box solutions to Atlanta’s problems, from rewilding all these f@#*ing golf courses to creating a ‘Mega-Atlanta’ by redrawing the city’s boundaries.” —Atlanta Magazine

“The aptly named essay series by rabble-rouser Austin L. Ray features local writers, advocates and creatives' novel ideas—some serious, some cheeky—to spark big-picture thinking about Atlanta's future.” —Axios Atlanta

“How I’d Fix Atlanta gives [ATLiens] an outlet to say what we’re all thinking.” —Saporta Report

“This is a banger.” —machine gun corey

“My daughter started reading the How I’d Fix Atlanta zine and was happily shocked that something I wrote is in it. We’re very close, but she’s not hugely into in my interests, so this is very special to me. She saw me as a person, not just as her dad. They’re doing career days at her school and she demanded that I sign up. I’ll be showing the zine to 4th graders. If I get pink eye, I blame you.” —Andisheh Nouraee

“As someone who was also deeply radicalized by the decade that I lived near East Lake Golf Club, I love this.” —Lucy Bennett

“You should read this and then replace ‘Atlanta’ with ‘Cobb,’ ‘Gwinnett,’ ‘North Fulton,’ or wherever you live.“ —Matt Stigall

“The first place we stayed in ATL was a 'missing middle' loft above a 100-year-old house along North Ave. It fit our needs perfectly. The city needs more, more, more of this!” —Parker Hamilton

“Georgia had the second-lowest per capita expenditures of public libraries in the country as of 2018. Thanks to Sonam Vashi for writing about the need to boost funds for public libraries!“ —Darin Givens

“Found myself saying ‘yes! and also yes!!’ to this piece. I, too, fucking love libraries and loved getting to read about what an incredible resource they are and could be for the city."“ —Sarah Lawrence

“Georgia has too many jurisdictions and, specifically, metro Atlanta has too many jurisdictions. Sign me up for Mega-Atlanta.” —Maggie Lee

“I really love this idea. If Atlanta wants to avoid the potential of a future like others—NIMBYism, hyper-local governments, even worse traffic, lack of adequate mass transit, more inequality, and more impacts on climate, it’s better to be a unified municipality.” —King Williams

“Retake the Braves, throw in Stone Mountain. I want Smyrna's cute little ass to be ATL proper.” —Richard Wade Morgan

“All of this. Whenever I’m in DC or London I love just being able to get on transit to go anywhere and walk in between. I keep thinking I’ll sell my car while I’m remote, but then imagine the hell that would be going to Chamblee from SW Atlanta a few days a week.” —Trista McGlamery

“Atlanta influences everything. It would be great if we led the way to a walkable, car-free world.” —Michael Hunter