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Executive Director, The State of Georgia's Civil Rights Department

When Gordon Joyner was appointed as a city of Atlanta judge by former mayor Andrew Young, the importance of passing on the torch and giving back never seemed more relevant. "The only way I've been able to accomplish the things in life is because of the helping hand that I received from others. I will only be able to repay that debt by extending [my] hand to others," says Joyner.

Now executive director of the state of Georgia's Civil Rights Department, the former Fulton County commissioner helps enforce Georgia's laws against housing discrimination and employment discrimination statewide. Also a successful attorney with his own personal injury firm, the Morehouse and Harvard alum knows firsthand how rewarding hard work can be. "You have to resist the temptation to look down on hard work, to look down on excellence in education, and to look down on seeking to be your best at all times," explains Joyner.

Joyner is one of the truly influential figures in both Atlanta's business community and the neighborhoods which populate the state. He maintains a lifelong commitment to improving the conditions of these communities so that successive generations will also have fruitful futures.

"We always have to reach back. That's the only way we're going to get ahead is by reaching back and helping [others]. That is something that we need to do always in the black community, so that the tide rises for all of us," adds Joyner, a true pillar of the community. jason thompson

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