Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens urged business and community leaders to invest in the city’s young people “in a way we never have before” during his second State of the City address.
The mayor issued the challenge to hundreds of CEOs, politicians, business and community leaders gathered for the March 28 event held in the ballroom of the Mariott Marquis in Downtown Atlanta. He asked them to donate to youth organizations, to mentor a child, to hire a teenager to intern at their business — all part of Dickens’ “Year of the Youth” initiative.
“The Year of the Youth is about every one of us — and I do mean every person, every nonprofit, every company, every government agency — coming together to show up for our young people,” he said.
“And 30 years from now, they’re going to look back to 2023: The Year of the Youth. And what will they see? Will they see another flashy logo? Or will they see a group of people — educators, business leaders, elected officials, activists, and yes, a mayor — who put their needs and interests first?” Dickens asked.
“More than anything, I hope the next generation of leaders look back at this room and see a group of people who did everything in their power to move Atlanta forward together,” he said.
Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Lisa Herring spoke before Dickens and said, “Our Year of the Youth is absolutely mission possible and mission critical.”
The “destination for mission possible” is to have every Atlanta public school sponsored by a business entity, Herring said. APS will soon announce a partner that has adopted an entire cluster — elementary, middle and high schools, she said.
“The work we are doing collectively has a moral imperative attached to it,” Herring said.
Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey announced at the State of the City the company would award $1.7 million in grants to APS, the United Way of Greater Atlanta, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta, the city’s Early Childhood Initiative, and Morris Brown College.
Coca-Cola was a sponsor of the State of the City address, a private event. The Atlanta Committee for Progress was also was a sponsor.
Public safety, affordable housing, infrastructure remain top issues, mayor says
Dickens said the state of the city is “strong” and listed numerous accomplishments during his first year in office, such as Money magazine naming Atlanta “the best place to live in the United States” and being selected as a host city for the 2026 World Cup.
“And last, but certainly not least, we kept Atlanta whole — one city with one bright future,” he said, referring to the defeat of the Buckhead City bill in the state legislature earlier this month.
Being mayor is a “tough job,” Dickens acknowledged.
“These are hard challenges to tackle, and you won’t get far working alone. You need a good team and good partners,” he said.
“Because Atlanta is a group project,” Dickens said. “And thanks to all the people who pour their blood, sweat and tears into Atlanta, I can report to you that the State of our City is strong.”
Public safety remains a top priority and Dickens said bonuses, pay raises and new equipment for police and firefighters help make the city safer.
He voiced his unwavering support for building the $90 million Atlanta Public Safety Training Center in DeKalb County despite the controversy surrounding it from local, national and international activists.
“We need more than paychecks and vehicles to support our public safety personnel,” he said. “We need training facilities, and our police and fire training centers have been long condemned. That’s why we are building the state-of-the-art Atlanta Public Safety Training Center.”
Atlanta has a goal to build or preserve 20,000 units of affordable housing by 2030. Dickens said to date the city has delivered over 1,900 units with another 5,400 under development.
He also announced a pilot program to free property taxes for 100 low-income senior residents for 20 years.
“We’re serious about this,” Dickens said.
“So serious, as a matter of fact, that we just bought a skyscraper in Downtown Atlanta and are now in the process of converting it into what will become the tallest residential building in Atlanta with hundreds of affordable housing units,” he said.
Atlanta voters overwhelmingly approved a $750 million “Moving Atlanta Forward” infrastructure package last year. On Friday, March 31, the city will start the buildout of the Center for Diversion and Services, the package’s first project. The center will provide pre-arrest diversion services for those experiencing homelessness, mental health challenges, substance use, and poverty.