As protests grip the country following the killing of George Floyd by four Minneapolis police officers, mayors across America have been at the forefront of the crisis. Amidst the storm, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has gained national attention as an example of empathetic and resolute leadership, passionately harnessing her voice as both an African American leader and mother.
During a press conference on Friday as protests in Atlanta turned violent, Lance Bottoms blended the two roles, and had some direct words for those committing violence on the streets.
"I am a mother to four black children in America, one of whom is 18 years old," the Atlanta mayor said. "When I saw the murder of George Floyd, I hurt like a mother would hurt. And, yesterday, when I heard there were rumors about violent protests in Atlanta, I did what a mother would do, I called my son and I said, 'Where are you?' I said, 'I cannot protect you, and black boys shouldn't be out today.'”
FILE - In this July 17, 2019, file photo, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms speaks during a Senate ... [+]
Elected in 2017, Lance Bottoms has gained national recognition for her leadership of Atlanta, often referred to as the “city too busy to hate.” She has also become an early and important surrogate voice for presidential candidate Joe Biden, frequently receiving high praise for not being shy in criticizing state and national leaders during the current coronavirus pandemic.
On Friday, as protestors vandalized CNN’s Atlanta headquarters and other establishments in downtown Atlanta, Lance Bottoms directed her powerful voice at those creating chaos on the streets.
"What I see happening on the streets of Atlanta is not Atlanta," the mayor remarked. "This is not a protest. This is not in the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr. This is chaos. A protest has purpose. When Dr. King was assassinated, we didn't do this to our city." Lance Bottoms went on to say, "If you want change in America, go and register to vote. That is the change we need in this country."
But it wasn’t just the Atlanta mayor's words that were so effective. It was also who she surrounded herself. In addition to Atlanta Chief of Police Erika Shields, one of the nation’s leading female law enforcement officials, Lance Bottoms harnessed the power of Atlanta’s most popular music celebrities, including rappers T.I and Killer Mike. Following the mayor’s comments, they echoed her impassioned plea to the citizens of their city. “I am duty-bound to be here to simply say: that it is your duty not to burn your own house down for anger with an enemy," Killer Mike said at the press conference. "It is your duty to fortify your own house, so that you may be a house of refuge in times of organization."
In harnessing Atlanta’s history, enlisting its cultural leaders, and leveraging her own voice as a mother of black children, Lance Bottoms demonstrated the kind of leadership that America will need if it is going to navigate the challenging days ahead. And at a time when the nation needs more women leaders, the rise of her profile on the national stage comes at a crucial time.
Atlanta has long been an example of a city that rose from the ashes of the fires of America’s Civil War to become the birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King and the nation’s civil rights moment. And as the country once again teeters on the edge of the abyss of racial conflict, Lance Bottoms may not only be an example of Atlanta’s resilient past, but she might also the best example of the kind of leadership her city, and the nation, needs for the future.
During the press conference on Friday, Lance Bottoms had pointed words to those who might question her commitment in responding to the conflicts setting her city and her country afire.
"… you're not going to out-concern me and out-care about where we are in America," the mayor said.
If America is smart, they would not only follow her lead, but take her up on her challenge.
