Mayoral madness pt. 3

The election is tomorrow!

We reached out to individuals across the city and asked them who they are voting for in the mayoral race and why (or why not). We also asked them to tell us about the issues that are important to them. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.


Anita Beaty, recently retired Executive Director of the Metro Atlanta Task Force for the Homeless, Inc

Vincent Fort is the only mayoral candidate who will be the people’s mayor. At this dramatic time in the City’s life, where unrestrained development spreads gentrification throughout neighborhoods that Senator Fort knows well our city is starving for courageous, intelligent and selfless leadership.

As a State Senator for 21 years, Fort authored legislation that served as a model for ending predatory lending in other states as well as Georgia. As President of APAB, the organization of neighborhood leaders, Vincent Fort fought for structural fairness in housing development and for the voice of the people in those neighborhoods to gain significant power. As a professor in higher education, a passionate student of history and teacher he has fought for funding and resources for public education and for access to higher education for all our children.I know of no more compassionate, courageous or committed leader than Vincent Fort.


Jeff Graham, Executive Director, Georgia Equality
 
I’m proud to be supporting Cathy Woolard for Mayor. This election could set the direction of Atlanta and the metro region for decades to come. Cathy has outlined the most vibrant vision for where we need to go to address affordability, transportation and livability for all who call Atlanta home. As we continue to grow and become more diverse, we need someone who can not only bring people together, but who can get the work done to ensure that our city, our neighborhoods and our region thrive. That was her legacy as City Council President. In her years since leaving public office, she has been a tireless advocate for a range of progressive social issues including reproductive justice, LGBTQ rights, HIV/AIDS, the environment and transportation. A win for Cathy will be historic and set Atlanta solidly on the path of positive and progressive change.


Avery Jackson, Community Organizer

I’m a community organizer in the A’. A city defined by packaging and selling Blackness to tourist while politically disregarding Black life. With Black skin in political leadership, Black people are still othered as a byproduct of deeply rooted anti-Black white supremacy. White supremacy allowed Kasim Reed to repeatedly sic militarized Police on grieving Black youth. It excused the disrespect Cesear Mitchell shows when we appear at City Hall. It ignored Keisha Lance Bottoms when she had a conflict of interest with the sale of Turner Field and told us “community benefits would slow down the sale.” White supremacy is six Black mayoral candidates, all democrats, all “progressive” and Peter Aman championing the race conversation lol. Classism is the Black elite running on community benefits and affordable housing while cutting backdoor deals with developers.

Is there a Black candidate in the Black mecca who will not further Black distrust in electoral politics? Or are we forced to put our hope on the back of Cathy Woolard because she’s bringing a real policy plan? If Black youth mattered in this city, Black leadership would be held to much higher moral standards. This election my money is on the n*ggas who keep ATL alive no matter who’s executing an anti-Black capitalist agenda.


Mudcat, local blues musician

I am pleased with Kasim Reed’s diplomacy, especially his skill in keeping the the protests from becoming riots by keeping a cool head and treating those in his charge with respect. Personally, I’d like to see Keisha Lance Bottoms succeed and hopefully continue carry our beautiful city forward with the dignity and compassion she embodies.


Heather Gray is producer of the “Just Peace” program on WRFG Atlanta and she is the founder and editor of the “Justice Initiative” web page

The task of the next mayor of Atlanta should be to embrace all Atlantans - black, white, colored, native born, immigrants and the homeless. Under Mayor Kassim Reid corporations have received too much leeway. Examples include the privatization of portions of downtown Atlanta and some being forced out of their homes in historic black neighborhoods due to the Mercedes Benz Stadium. Corporate entities, and the mayor, were also responsible for the tragic loss of the Peachtree/Pine Homeless Shelter. Some 80% of Americans now live in cities. Given that, we should be growing our own healthy and organic food as much as possible. The best thing Mayor Reid has done, along with the city council, is that Atlanta residents can now “legally” grow their own food. The city now has an Urban Agriculture director. This important work should continue.Finally, racism and Atlanta transportation issues are strongly related and have never been adequately addressed. Thanks to prevailing racism in the city, rapid transit never expanded into the suburbs where whites have mostly lived. Had we addressed this racism this years ago we would not likely have the massive transportation problems we witness today with cars inappropriately choking our streets and freeways. The time is now!


Matthew Garbett, co-founder of Thread ATL

Atlanta’s next mayor inherits from Kasim Reed a $175 million surplus in addition to $750 million dollars of unfunded infrastructure liabilities, an affordable housing crisis, and a city unsure of its direction. A city that cries out for solutions to transportation, but decries bike lanes as either slowing down traffic or indicative of future gentrification. A city that has learned to celebrate Transit Oriented Developments but demands ample on site parking for them, just in case we don’t really want to take transit. A city that sees the necessity for change but isn’t ready to have the real conversations about how that change will impact each of us as individuals. We emphasize “affordable” but don’t talk about the changes in what “housing” itself is needed.

Despite countless forums and interviews, I haven’t found the candidate that is willing to talk in the real terms that we need to discuss the real changes that have to be begun to make this city more livable and more equitable.

Despite this, I’m surprisingly optimistic. I believe several candidates could rise to the occasion of being our next mayor. Peter Aman, Mary Norwood, and Cathy Woolard all give me hope. Others, like Keisha Lance-Bottoms and Kwanza Hall, terrify me.


Kebbie Williams, Grammy award winning Atlanta musician and owner of Gallery 992

It’s a tough one because Caesar Mitchell actually lives in my neighborhood. And I know for a fact Kwanza’s Hall is down with the arts because I see him even like ten years before this race at art museums of all kinds. It’s fine to hear a platform and all the ideals of a candidate and the best face that they put up for a campaign, but I also like to go with who I’ve actually seen in action outside of a campaign. And I’ve seen Kesha Lance Bottoms as well do things with my own eyes. Those three I believe, would have a lot more support for the arts, but I’ve seen Peter Aman doing community things and I’ve seen Mary Norwood do community things. But my concern is, first and foremost, support for the arts and youth programs for kids. You know, getting them off of the streets through arts because that’s my love and direction. Lots of people come by the gallery trying to garner support and we just don’t put anybody’s sign up because we just try to stay neutral. We’re about art not politics, but we have to deal with politics. The arts needs support from politics. We’re not a political platform place where we’re expressing political ideas, it’s just all art for us.


Insha Qari, Georgia State University student

I don’t know who I’m voting for, I don’t even know who’s running, but as ignorant as it sounds I just hope for somebody who does the opposite of embodying Trump’s policies and then I will be fine.






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