Georgia Today Podcast Summary – January 9, 2026
Main Topics: MARTA’s World Cup Upgrades, Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend Events, The Lasting Legacy of Jeannette Rankin
Host: Orlando Montoya (Georgia Public Broadcasting)
Special Guests: Larissa Reinhart (biographer), Patrice Turner (Ebenezer Baptist Church), Bernice King (The King Center)

Episode Overview

This episode of Georgia Today explores Atlanta’s transit preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, highlights major events commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend across Georgia, and delves into the remarkable life and Georgia connection of Jeannette Rankin—the first woman elected to Congress and a lifelong peace activist. The episode features in-depth interviews, historical insights, and previews of key community celebrations.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. MARTA Prepares for the 2026 FIFA World Cup

[00:02–01:35]

• System Upgrades and Disruptions:
  MARTA officials are fast-tracking improvements in anticipation of the FIFA World Cup, including new rail cars, expanded service, and a "tap to pay" fare system. Riders may experience short-term disruptions but are promised long-term improvement.
  • Notable Quote:
    “We're not satisfied with a good transit system here in the state. So we're going to go from good to great. And doing that, it's going to require a little short term discomfort for some extremely long term gain.”
    — Jonathan Hunt, MARTA Interim CEO [01:25]
• Safety Improvements:
  MARTA reports a 28% decrease in overall crime for the year so far.

2. Education Policy Priorities for Georgia Legislature

[01:35–02:45]

• Top Focus Areas:
  The upcoming legislative session aims to address teacher incentives, literacy, and maximizing the benefits of college education—which is the state’s largest budget expense.
  • Notable Insight:
    “Leaders in the Legislature have indicated that literacy rates and early childhood education will be their priorities in 2026.”

3. Jeannette Rankin: Trailblazer and Georgian by Choice

[02:45–10:45]
Interview with Larissa Reinhart, author of “Winning the How: Jeannette Rankin Defied All Odds to Become the First Woman in Congress”

Her Early Life and Values

• Grew up in rural Montana, where gender equality and grassroots democracy were necessities of frontier life.
  • Quote:
    “Everyone really had to pitch in to even survive. Men had to help take care of the kids, and women had to help bring in the harvest. So there was a great deal of gender equality there that you didn't get on the east coast at the time.”
    — Larissa Reinhart [03:33]

Suffrage and Charisma

• Rankin’s organizing skills and humor drew diverse crowds; she reframed suffrage in terms of universal rights, appealing to men by linking women’s rights to broader labor and democratic reforms.
  • Quote:
    “She also had this really unique capacity to convince people to listen to her... she was often able to convince them that their interests aligned, even if it didn't seem so from the outset.”
    — Larissa Reinhart [04:19]

Historic Election and Pacifism

• Her 1916 election drew mixed but largely positive reactions—receiving a standing ovation in Congress. Confronted by World War I, her anti-war stance separated her from many allies, as the broader suffrage movement supported the war to prove women’s patriotism.
  • Notable Moment:
    “When she arrived in Congress, she received a standing ovation from every single member.” [05:18]

Life in Georgia and Continued Activism

• Rankin moved near Athens, GA, finding both a familiar college town atmosphere and rural living. She founded the Georgia Peace Society and championed reforms like ranked-choice voting and multi-member Congressional districts.
  • Quote:
    “She established the Georgia Peace Society... and did a lot of lobbying for Democratic reforms like multi member congressional districts and ranked choice voting that continue to be part of our political discourse today.”
    — Larissa Reinhart [07:58]

Her Most Notorious Congressional Vote

• In 1941, following Pearl Harbor, Rankin cast the only vote against declaring war—standing by her pacifism even in profound isolation.
  • Notable Quote:
    “Her most lonely vote was the vote against the declaration of war with Japan... just to hang a lantern on a path that could have been had we chosen the path of peace in 1919 rather than a path towards war.”
    — Larissa Reinhart [08:58]

Enduring Relevance of Rankin’s Ideas

• Rankin’s belief that democracy is the means to prevent war remains timely.
  • Rankin’s Voice (1972):
    “Governments make war and the only way we can stop war is to have something to say about our government.” [09:30]
  • Commentary:
    “I think they're more relevant than ever... Jeanette knew as early as 1914 that major electoral reforms were required in order for people's voices to be heard in the halls of power.”
    — Larissa Reinhart [10:03]

4. Macy’s Northlake Mall Closure and Peach Bowl Preview

[10:45–12:43]

• Macy’s at Northlake Mall in Tucker will close, joining a regional trend of retail restructuring.
• Tonight’s Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium will feature #5 Oregon vs. #1 Indiana, with the winner advancing to the national championship against Miami.

5. Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend Events

[12:43–15:59] Report by Kristi York Wooten

King Celebration Concert

• This year’s concert at Ebenezer Baptist Church features the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, celebrates black composers, and will be live-streamed.
  • Quote (Patrice Turner, Director of Worship):
    “If people come in thinking that the concert this Saturday is going to be like the one we did in 2025, they're going to be pleasantly surprised... it's going to take you on a wonderful journey nonetheless of the African American experience.” [13:17]

King Center Events

• The King Center in Atlanta will host various programs: Beloved Community Awards (this year honoring Billie Eilish and Viola Davis among others), the Beloved Community Summit, and the annual church service at Ebenezer Baptist Church.

• Bernice King, CEO and daughter of MLK Jr. and Coretta Scott King, underscored the importance of nonviolence and love amid today’s social challenges.

  • Quote (Bernice King):
    “As our nation enters another year marked by social strain, economic uncertainty, global conflict and moral confusion. The 2026 King Holiday observance is more critical than ever because we are living in a time when violence, displacement and dehumanization are being normalized.” [14:54]
  • Preparation for Celebrations:
    “I start probably a month or two in advance by just kind of looking at what's happening in the world, first and foremost remembering that... my focus is to elevate the message of nonviolence and love and dignity and humanity.” [15:30]

• The National Center for Civil and Human Rights will offer free admission January 17; The King Historic Park in Atlanta remains free year-round except for special events.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “We're going to go from good to great. And doing that, it's going to require a little short term discomfort for some extremely long term gain.”
  — Jonathan Hunt, MARTA Interim CEO [01:25]

• “She was also exceptionally funny, which is something that not a lot of people know about her.”
  — Larissa Reinhart on Jeannette Rankin [04:19]

• “Governments make war and the only way we can stop war is to have something to say about our government.”
  — Jeannette Rankin (to Dick Cavett) [09:30]

• “If we want to embrace the theology and the framework that the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. laid out for us... then we have to center ourselves on on the love that is within us.”
  — Dr. Patrice Turner [13:54]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• MARTA World Cup upgrades & safety: [00:02–01:35]
• Education policy watch: [01:35–02:45]
• Jeannette Rankin feature: [02:45–10:45]
• Macy’s closure & Peach Bowl: [10:45–12:43]
• King Weekend Concert preview: [12:43–13:54]
• King Center tributes & Bernice King remarks: [14:14–15:59]

Tone & Context

The episode blends concise news delivery with thoughtful historical analysis and community celebration. The tone is informative, respectful, and engaged—reflective of Georgia’s dynamic present and storied past. The voices of activists, artists, and public historians powerfully illuminate the local and national significance of current events and enduring legacies.