Keisha Lance Bottoms

Keisha Lance Bottoms is an American politician and lawyer who served as the Mayor of Atlanta from 2018 to 2022. She was a member of the Atlanta City Council from 2010 to 2017, representing District 11. Bottoms was a candidate in the 2017 Atlanta mayoral election, winning the election with the support of prominent figures such as Kasim Reed, Andrew Young, and John Lewis. Her campaign focused on issues like Affordable housing, Transportation in Atlanta, and Public safety, with endorsements from organizations like the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.

● Early Life and Education

Keisha Lance Bottoms was born in Atlanta, Georgia, to R&B singer Major Lance and Sylvia Robinson. She grew up in the Adamsville neighborhood of Atlanta and attended Frederick Douglass High School. Bottoms earned a Bachelor's degree in Communications from Florida A&M University and a Juris Doctor degree from Georgia State University College of Law. During her time at Georgia State University, she was a member of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority and worked as a Prosecutor in the Fulton County District Attorney's Office, under the leadership of Paul Howard. Her early career also involved working with the City of Atlanta Law Department, where she was mentored by Thelma Wyatt Moore.

● Career

Before entering politics, Keisha Lance Bottoms worked as a Judge in the Atlanta Municipal Court and as the Director of the City of Atlanta's Office of Housing, where she oversaw the Atlanta Housing Authority and worked with organizations like the United Way of Greater Atlanta and the Atlanta Community Land Trust. She was also a member of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners and served on the Atlanta-Fulton County Recreation Authority, which oversaw the development of Piedmont Park and the Atlanta BeltLine. In 2010, she was elected to the Atlanta City Council, representing District 11, which includes the neighborhoods of Collier Heights, Cascade Heights, and Center Hill. During her time on the council, she worked with colleagues like Ceasar Mitchell and Felicia Moore to pass legislation related to Zoning in Atlanta and Public transportation in Atlanta, including the expansion of the MARTA system.

● Mayoralty of Atlanta

As Mayor of Atlanta, Keisha Lance Bottoms focused on issues like Affordable housing in Atlanta, Transportation in Atlanta, and Public safety in Atlanta. She launched initiatives like the Atlanta Affordable Housing Plan, which aimed to create and preserve Affordable housing units in the city, with partnerships with organizations like the National Association of Realtors and the Urban Land Institute. She also worked to improve Transportation in Atlanta, including the expansion of the MARTA system and the development of the Atlanta BeltLine, a project supported by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration. Additionally, she prioritized Public safety in Atlanta, increasing funding for the Atlanta Police Department and implementing community-based programs like the Atlanta Police Foundation's Crime Stoppers initiative. Her administration also included the City of Atlanta's Office of Resilience, which focused on issues like Climate change in Atlanta and Sustainability in Atlanta, with partnerships with organizations like the Sierra Club and the Nature Conservancy.

● Personal Life

Keisha Lance Bottoms is married to Derek Bottoms, an Assistant Vice President at H.J. Russell & Company, a construction and development firm that has worked on projects like the Georgia Aquarium and the Centennial Olympic Park. The couple has four children and resides in the Southwest Atlanta neighborhood. Bottoms is a member of the New Horizon Baptist Church and has been involved with various community organizations, including the Atlanta Chapter of the NAACP and the Urban League of Greater Atlanta. She has also been recognized for her leadership by organizations like the National League of Cities and the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and has spoken at events like the Democratic National Convention and the National Association of Black Journalists convention.

● Political Positions and Legacy

Keisha Lance Bottoms has been a prominent figure in Democratic Party politics, supporting candidates like Stacey Abrams and Joe Biden. She has also been a vocal advocate for issues like Voting rights in the United States, Gun control in the United States, and LGBT rights in the United States, working with organizations like the Human Rights Campaign and the National Rifle Association. Her legacy as Mayor of Atlanta includes the development of the Atlanta BeltLine, the expansion of MARTA, and the creation of the Atlanta Affordable Housing Plan. She has been recognized for her leadership by organizations like the National Association of Counties and the International City/County Management Association, and has been named one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World by Time Magazine. Bottoms has also been involved with various initiatives, including the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative and the Aspen Institute's Mayors' Forum, which aim to support and develop Urban leadership and Municipal government in cities like New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago.