Raised on the Eastside of Athens and educated with a Triple Dog (bachelor’s, master’s, and a PhD from UGA), Tommy Valentine has a deep-rooted connection to the Athens community. He became involved in the Athens music world in high school, finding a home in the burgeoning rap and hip-hop scene of the late ‘90s and…
Linnea Ionno
Linnea Ionno was born and raised in Hartford, Connecticut. She received her bachelor’s degree from University of Connecticut, where she studied history, art history and women, gender and sexuality studies. Linnea moved to Athens to attend UGA’s Public Administration graduate program, becoming the first person in her family to receive a master’s degree. After graduating…
Riley Kirkpatrick
Born and raised in The Pacific Northwest, Riley moved to Athens in 2011 with a guitar, a backpack, a history of felonies, a deep desire to change and a whole lot of hope. Riley’s experience with Substance Use Disorder and his recovery gave him a beautiful foundation for his latest and current career as the…
Life The Griot
Life The Griot was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. He came to Atlanta as a teenager and then to Macon, GA, where he graduated from Southwest High School. He attended Gordon State College in Barnesville, GA, then the University of Georgia, where he earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Social Work. A poet and…