A couple of weeks ago, just two days after an election that left many of our hopes shaken, we came together for a moment that felt truly extraordinary. Four remarkable Atlanta artists—Jon Goode, CC Sunchild, Okorie “Okcello” Johnson, and Carlos Andrés Gómez—shared their powerful, commissioned performances as part of The NEXT Movement, a multi-year, multi-platform collaboration between NEXT and MARTA Artbound.

That night, the film unfolded on a scale as breathtaking as its message, projected onto the side of an eight-story building overlooking the Atlanta BeltLine—the Southeast’s largest movie screen—thanks to our partners at Off the Wall and the creative vision of Professor Greg Zinman. The BeltLine buzzed with activity as people passed by on foot and bike, pausing to take in the spectacle. Meanwhile, a small crowd gathered on the grass to watch, their faces illuminated by the glow of the screen.

In that shared space, something powerful happened. We cried, we hugged, and we listened as the words, music, and performances spoke to this moment we’re living. Art reminded us—yet again—of its ability to heal, to nourish, and to inspire us when we need it most. It offered us more than inspiration; it rekindled a quiet determination to keep moving forward, together.