Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms hosted U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh for a Black Women Building Back Better Roundtable.
“To have Secretary Walsh in Atlanta really speaks to the value that the Biden Administration sees in the state of Georgia and our city,” Mayor Bottoms told those in attendance. “The great part of having the Secretary here is that he served as a mayor, and he understands the needs of our communities in a way that many leaders simply cannot.”
Secretary Walsh and Mayor Bottoms spoke with several Atlanta community stakeholders about the economic challenges women of color face—including the alarming gender wage gap, the need for public investment in childcare, expanding opportunity for women entrepreneurs, the unique challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and more.
Mayor Bottoms also spoke to her Administration’s investments in workforce development programs like WorkSource Atlanta and Set South—which connect underserved and unemployed Atlantans to careers.
Thursday, Mayor Bottoms will hold a press conference to discuss the closing of the Centennial Yards redevelopment project. The landmark development includes historic and innovative community investments negotiated by the Bottoms Administration.
Also included is funding for the Mayor’s Child Savings Account program, an anti-displacement fund, the establishment of a small business hub and the Mayor’s for Guaranteed Income pilot program.