Update 3:25 p.m.: In her first remarks as Atlanta's 60th mayor, Keisha Lance Bottoms made commitments to fight homelessness, make City Hall more transparent and to create a senior-level staff position on education.
Her speech, which lasted about 35 minutes, included many of the promises she made on the campaign trail, such as supporting the arts community, boosting transit and working with state government to keep Atlanta moving forward.
A big policy initiative announced focused on investing $1 billion in housing affordability, though no details were offered. Bottoms said more information would be available in the coming months.
In more lighthearted moments, Bottoms thanked her family for believing in her when only those in her kitchen thought she could win and said she was just the beginning of women ascending to top positions in the state of Georgia.
“I also know we will do very well next year with a woman governor,” she said. At least two women are competing for the state’s highest office -- Democrats Stacy Abrams and Stacey Evans.
In closing, Bottoms said Georgia’s capital is the only city that could have made her dream come true.
“Only in Atlanta could a girl named Keisha, who attended Frederick Douglass High School on the west side, grow up to become the 60th mayor of the great city of Atlanta,” she said.
Update: 2:50 p.m.: Keisha Lance Bottoms is the new mayor of Atlanta.
The city’s 60th mayor was sworn in at an inauguration ceremony before a packed crowd at the Martin Luther King International Chapel at Morehouse College on Tuesday.
Update 2:35 p.m. Former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young is speaking prior to the auguration of Keisha Lance Bottoms, the city's 60th mayor.
Young said when he came to the city former Mayor William Hartsfield lost his job as Atlanta’s top leader because he pushed for Delta Air Lines to relocate here, bought land for Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and added lights on Peachtree Street. All of those ideas were unpopular at the time.
Every mayor since then has faced good times and bad, including outgoing Mayor Kasim Reed.
Now, he said, it is time for a new face.
“It took me a while to see it,” Young said, remembering Bottoms as a young girl learning how to swim. “We are putting the city in great hands.”
Update 2:20 p.m.: Felicia Moore sworn in as Atlanta City Council President.
Moore, a longtime member of the organization, was joined by her aunts and a cousin. The trio, Moore said, were standing in for her mother, who could not attend.
Moore pledged that as the city’s second highest officeholder she would work to improve the city’s relationship with the Atlanta Board of Education, provide homes for the homeless and make Atlanta housing affordable and support more transparency at City Hall.
Update 1:58 p.m.: Fulton County Judge Myra Dixon swears in Atlanta municipal court judges.
Atlanta Municipal Court Judge Calvin Graves, in remarks after the swearing, praised Bottoms and Felicia Moore, the incoming City Council President.
“Im so proud that the ladies are in charge,” he said. “I’m so pleased.”
Keep up with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution live coverage at http://www.ajc.com/news/watch-breaking-news-livestream/Y1NCtZpHrLfY9cZi8G8XuN/.
Update 1:32 p.m. Atlanta mayor-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms received a standing ovation when she entered the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College on Tuesday for her inauguration. The inauguration festivities will include recognition of Bottoms as Atlanta's next mayor as well as members of the Atlanta City Council and Atlanta municipal judges.
Update 1:05 p.m.: Citizens gathering in Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College for the inauguration of Keisha Lance Bottoms as Atlanta's 60th mayor.
Those in attendance include former Atlanta mayors Sam Massell, Andrew Young and Bill Campbell, Cong. John Lewis, former Memphis Mayor A.C. Warton, and outgoing Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed.
Original story: Soon-to-be Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms began her inauguration day activities with an interfaith prayer service.
Participants included the Rev. Raphael G. Warnock, senior pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church; Bishop Sharma D. Lewis, resident bishop of the Virginia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church; Rabbi Peter Berg of The Temple; and Imam Sulaimaan Hamed, of the Atlanta Masjid of Al-Islam.
“I know I stand here on the prayers of generations,” Bottoms said as she addressed people gathered at Impact Church in East Point. She talked about her decision to run for mayor at the urging of her husband, who told her that she couldn’t get time back should she pass up this chance.
She promised that she would lead the city with “what is placed in our hearts.”
Tony Taylor, president of Engineering Design Technologies, arrived early to show his support for his candidate.
"We have a chance for what I believe will be a continuation of a lot of great things as it relates to the economic foundation necessary for growth," he said.
Many of the speakers directly called for the city to come together behind the new mayor.
“We are here today as one Atlanta,” said Impact’s Lead Pastor Olu Brown. He said now was a “season of healing” after an intense election.
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