Sipping, Strolling, and Shaping the City: Party on the PATH400 in Buckhead Atlanta
- Torri Ylan
- Oct 7
- 5 min read
Updated: Oct 8
The year was 1994, it was a hot summer in Detroit and my mother who had been very involved in local and national politics signed me up to work on a political campaign for a City Council candidate. It was the beginnings of my up close and personal exposure to the political process. I would later be witness to more when she also campaigned for a presidential candidate (who happened to have won), often joining her at fundraisers and putting out yard signs or making phone calls.
I would love to say that time canvasing the streets during my summer weekends, cold calling seniors and organizing campaign materials made me fall in love with the political process. But I'd be lying.
I'm not sure if it was resentment for giving up that precious time as a teenager or for other reasons, but I honestly grew a bit of disdain and apathy when It came to politics. Although I've been a pretty consistent voter in each general election since I've been able, local and midterm elections saw a bit less Involvement from me over the years.
Thankfully, like many others in my generation and younger, that has changed.
We are approaching a very important election season in Georgia and last night's event in my District in Atlanta, Party on the PATH 2025, was not only a night of music, conversation and community celebration, it also felt like a kickoff to early voting which begins a week from today.
Party on the PATH 2025 invited Buckhead neighbors to gather at Eclipse di Luna for an evening that blended community, culture, and the crisp charm of fall. We enjoyed Spanish-inspired tapas, live music by the Atlanta Soul Band, and a lively mix of art, auctions, and local innovation—all celebrating the vibrant energy of PATH400.
Pathways and Greenspace Bliss
To know me is to know that I love to walk and thus, walkable cities and towns. Wherever I go around the world I'm looking for the nearest path or the best place to explore while on foot.
Fortunately Atlanta like many US cities is embracing walkability and community greenspace in their urban expansion plans. PATH400 greenway is one of those expansions and happens to be right outside my front door.
PATH400 is a bit of a hidden gem in Buckhead. The pathway snakes around some of the iconic landmarks in the area like Lenox Mall, Highway 400 and Buckhead MARTA. It's become one of my favorite bike trails and is a lot less crowded (for now) than some of the other popular trails like the Atlanta Beltline.
Last nights fun was all In support of building out the next phase of this vibrant trail.
Art, Appetite and Advocacy
The night kicked off with a VIP reception at the beautiful and eclectic Johnson Lowe Gallery. The setting of the gallery elevated the experience and served as a bridge between culture and civic spirit.
The room was filled with community locals, art and food enthusiasts and political figures of current and future. Along with Mayor of Atlanta Andre Dickens, in attendance were candidates for the districts City Council seat which is up for election this coming November.
Donovan Johnson, Director at the gallery, shared details about the curated selection we viewed during the event. Donovan mentioned that he carefully plans out his exhibitions a year in advance and took the time to point out a few of those that were in line with the innovation of our time, like Rashaad Newson's "Hands Performance" which is a single channel 3D animated video of vogue culture.
Where Celebration Meets Public Purpose
In the year 2025, my views on civic engagement are drastically different than in 1994. The teenager that begrudgingly gave up her summer weekends to beat the streets of Detroit campaigning now cheerfully puts on a t-shirt to knock on doors around my district for this years' top tier candidate.
Since June, myself and team of others have been spreading the word around District 7 in Atlanta about a long-standing resident and former civil servant Thad Flowers.
In a previous blog post, I spoke about full circle moments in my life and Thad's reemergence definitely fits the bill. Years ago (about 15 to be exact), myself and a friend/business partner of mine were exploring the opportunity to create a non-profit organization championing the arts for youth. As we looked at building a founding coalition of board members, she suggested we solicit a very astute, professional and community focused gentleman named Thad.
While our non-profit dreams were thwarted by other life events, little did I know that years later Thad and I would be reunited in a few different ways. Thad and I are both graduates of the Executive MBA Program at GA Tech. Thad being one year my senior graduating the year before me also lives a few miles down the road in my District.
After hearing Thad was stepping up to run for the empty City Council seat in our community, I jumped at the opportunity to support his campaign.
You can read more about Thad's qualifications and journey here, but in short, I'm not only outside on Saturday mornings because we are both Yellow Jackets or because of our past connection. I'm dedicating this time to support a candidate that I know will improve the lives of myself and my neighbors.
I'm showing up not just for standout bites or pours or creative indulgence (yes we enjoy those things too - see photos below), I'm knocking on doors to be a part in shaping my community. What better way to do that than in those moments where culture, community and purpose can Intersect?
Balancing Power, Purpose and Participation
In the spirit of The C-Suite Contradiction, I’m reminded that leadership doesn’t stop at the boardroom door. As professionals, we can’t champion strategy, innovation, and growth inside our organizations while remaining silent about the systems that shape the communities we live in. Civic engagement — whether it’s showing up at a city event, supporting local initiatives like PATH400, or listening to candidates share their vision — is part of our responsibility to build not only stronger companies, but stronger cities.
About the Author
Torri Ylan Smith is a dynamic leader in business, technology, and lifestyle. Throughout her career, she has led exceptional design teams in Engineering and Technology, driving innovation across multiple industries. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering and an MBA from top-tier universities.
At this stage in her journey, Torri is dedicated to mentoring and sharing her expertise with emerging business and technology professionals. In her free time, she enjoys traveling the world, taking reflective solo walks, exotic beaches, being creative, nurturing her many plants, experimenting with new recipes, and cherishing moments with her chosen family.
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