On Tuesday June 14, President Biden announced that Atlanta’s former Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms as Senior Advisor for Public Engagement. As the former 60th Mayor of Atlanta, Keisha Lance Bottoms is a CNN Political Commentator, based in Atlanta, Ga. Bottoms became the first Mayor in Atlanta’s history (2018-2022) to have served in all three branches of government, having previously served as a Judge and a City Council-member. Bottoms new appointment will oversee the White House Office of Public Engagement, which works at the local, state, and national level to ensure the advocacy of community leaders, diverse perspectives, and new voices can advise the work of the President in an inclusive, transparent, and culpable way.
Biden praised Bottoms' stewardship of her city through the pandemic, a summer of social injustice and protests following the police killings of unarmed Black men, and through a mass shooting that targeted Asian Americans, killing six women.
In a statement from the President, “Mayor Bottoms understands that democracy is about making government work for working families, for the people who are the backbone of this country. She led the city of Atlanta with strength through the pandemic, through a summer of protests and pain, and through the mass shooting that left Atlanta’s Asian American community in fear. Keisha is bright, honorable, tough and has the integrity required to represent our Administration to the American public. Jill and I have known Keisha for a long time and look forward to working with her more closely.”
Bottoms will replace Cedric Richmond, former congressman from Louisiana, who is leaving to go to the Democratic National Committee. Biden is committed to diversifying his cabinet by selecting African American constituents and leaders to elevate people of color in his administration. In February, Biden nominated Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, to become the 116th Associate Justice and the first Black woman of the United States Supreme Court; thus, being confirmed on April 7, 2022.
Bottoms appointment is heavyweight as midterm elections are expected to be acrimonious between republicans and democrats as seats in Congress may potentially be up for grabs in the Fall. Bottoms reputation of sustainability and candor is regarded as being quintessential to the Biden Administration. When asked about her new role, Bottoms responded that she plans to do “more listening than anything," and that "it's important that people feel their voices are reflected and their voices are heard." Bottoms’ platform and support for Biden, as well as, for her people- has never wavered. "I know what it's like to lead through difficult times and how important it is to have strong leaders around you to navigate. "We’ve been through some very challenging times, especially for African Americans in this country." "Those challenges are still very fresh and real to me. And I live it every day: I live it as a Black woman, I live it as a mother of four children, and I know where those challenges are, but I also know where the opportunities are."
In 2020, Biden implored Bottoms to lead the Small Business Administration describing her as being “the best in the business.” Bottoms declined the offer as Biden previously considered Bottoms as a potential running mate before settling on Vice President-elect Kamala Harris. Bottoms’ new position in the West Wing has the ear of the President with the intended hopes for catapulting the change that not only will circumvent against his declining approval rating; but also fortify the longevity of the Democratic party in the house of Congress. The city of Atlanta congratulates former Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms!
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