Plenary Message - Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms Transcript
Speaker • Keisha Lance Bottoms, Mayor of Atlanta
Session Transcript
Hello, I’m Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. It's my pleasure to welcome you today to the 2021 cohort of the Mandela Washington Fellowship Summit. I understand that there are 700 of you here this year, selected from over 35,000 applicants; kudos to each and every one of you. I had the opportunity to meet with another group of Fellows just a couple of years ago, and I learned so much from them as they learned during their time in Atlanta.
Thank you to the U.S. Department of State Young African Leaders Initiative for providing a platform to create lifelong connections between Africa's young leaders and the United States, and to our beloved Clark Atlanta University, where I will have the opportunity to be a fellow myself next year. The Fellowship's long-standing HBCU partnership, as well as Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University, provides such important guidance for so many students in our city, but also the impact clearly is felt worldwide.
Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which [you can use] to change the world.” That is absolutely true, and means more today than ever. You know that since the inaugural Fellowship in 2014, the state of Georgia has hosted 26 Fellows for the Professional Development Experience, with Host Organizations including Welcome Atlanta, Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, and the Coca-Cola Company. The impact of this program and its networks will be felt for generations to come. And as our beloved Nelson Mandela has reminded us, education will indeed change the world.
Africa's presence in Atlanta's history is undeniable. Atlanta is the cradle of the civil rights movement and the heart of African-American culture in America. Our native son Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s work served as a blueprint for those fighting against apartheid in South Africa and beyond. Dr. King felt solidarity with his brothers and sisters on the continent and even visited many times, including a trip to West Africa to celebrate Ghana’s independence.
Shortly after Dr. King's trip, Atlanta formed a sister city relationship with Lagos, Nigeria and Cotonou, Benin under Mayors Maynard Jackson and Bill Campbell. These decades-long relationships have produced successful collaborations around business, education, and culture. During his time as Mayor of Atlanta, Ambassador Andrew Young made it a point to strengthen our city's ties with Africa. When he was ambassador to the United Nations, he put Africa at the forefront of our city's
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international agenda, and he continued that work by opening doors to commerce on the continent with Good Works International.
Preserving and strengthening Atlanta's relationship with Africa is something that leaders of the city has understood the importance of for many decades, and our administration has continued these efforts. In 2020 we supported the African Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum, which nurtures and actively promotes women innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa. That is just one of many ways that we continue to strengthen our ties. The Fellowship is also another shining example of the tremendous potential that exists between our two countries, and it serves as a tool to help level the playing field while bringing more leaders to the table to help foster a diverse community of thought.
Some of you may be interested in becoming teachers, others entrepreneurs, and others simply mentors and leaders in your own right. I hope that through this program you will continue to look at the diversity of our city and find strength in that diversity. I hope that you will also continue to honor the legacy and the work of President Nelson Mandela. What we know in Atlanta is that through our vision of “One Atlanta”—a city that is safe, affordable, equitable, and resilient for all—we are only as strong as we possibly can be because of the diversity of thought and leadership in our city.
As we have pressed forward over the last year in what has been some of the most trying times in our country, in our city, and across the globe, we continue to be inspired by young leaders like yourself because we know that there is resilience in your leadership, and we know that through this Fellowship you will make lasting connections that will continue to inspire us and lead us through what has been some of the most turbulent times across the globe.
The city of Atlanta is so proud to have supported this initiative for the past seven years, and we look forward to continuing our support for this program as it develops global leaders. Africa is home to many rich and diverse cultures, with a wealth of resources that underscores the tremendous importance of Africa to the entire globe. In this moment, young people are leading through movements – not just in the United States, but in Africa as well. Also leading us through social change, and our future continues to be bright with Fellows like you.
“Leadership for the Future: Resilience and Inclusion” is a befitting theme for this year's Summit, because the time for leadership that is resilient and inclusive is now. So to all of the Fellows in this room today: you are the next generation of leaders, you are the leaders that we've all been waiting for. We look forward to watching your inspiring stories unfold and can't wait to see how you continue to impact your communities, your country, and the entire globe. Thank you for being a part of this great program – I’m glad that you are here, and look forward hopefully to meeting you all in person very soon.