The Pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church, located at 267 Thornton Street in Southwest Atlanta, Rev. Daniel Dickson and his family, (wife, Deborah (Tyson) Dickson, and their three sons—Quavous, Emmanuel, and Jake), have been on a mission to serve the Joyland community for over 40 years.

Working aggressively to collaborate with other agencies, individuals and businesses, Rev. Dickson’s vision is to provide charitable educational programs that teach, encourage, and motivate youth to be productive citizens who foster creative ideas and actions that benefit communities.  

A wife, mother, grandmother and retired educator, Dr. Dell Byrd has had ample opportunity to assess the accomplishments and challenges of youth in the Atlanta communities in which she has lived, worked, shopped and worshipped in for over 35 years. 

A recipient of PAGE H.M. and Norma Fulbright Scholarship, 2004; DECA National Scholarship Award, 2003; and Academic Excellence Award, State University of West Georgia, 1999; Dr. Byrd not only recognizes a mandate upon the community to meet the needs of youth for survival, but she also recognizes their potential.

A native of South Carolina, Ms. Andrea Priester and her family relocated to Atlanta, Georgia in 1995. The mother of two children, she lives to ensure that they have and are exposed to everything life has to offer.  

Passionate about using her education and expertise to support children from all walks of life; she believes in encouraging them to strive to be the best they can be.  Her motto is “all for one and one for all.”

Ms. Pqushia Epps realized that she had a passion for community service many years ago. Her non-profit, Helping Hands Helping Others, Inc., was founded to provide group tutorial sessions to at-risk youth in Metropolitan Atlanta.

Ms. Epps enjoys volunteering her services so much that she brought her knowledge of conducting a non-profit to CBDF. Outside of her professional interests, she enjoys traveling, dancing, reading and living in Atlanta with her mother and daughter.