Photo credit: Joshua Spruiel, City of Atlanta
Deya Direct: You are a black woman in this generation. Not one of us has grown up without the influence of magazines like EBONY. What does EBONY mean to you?
Mayor Lance-Bottoms: EBONY has always represented to me what was possible, and the beauty of a number of publications, including EBONY, was that they came once a month. Jet magazine came once a week. But you had a chance to anticipate it because it came once a month. There was not the instant gratification. EBONY always represented black excellence and what was possible because it made you think outside of your circumstances. It made you look to other people and to know that other people were working on your behalf. And they were thinking about you and they were making decisions about you.
And then EBONY brought it to your doorstep. It's really, for me, it's no different today. We receive it in a different format, but it really is about delivering to to people black excellence in a tangible way. That there are still people who are working, who are thinking about you, and there's still an opportunity for us to achieve higher heights. And we're still doing that. EBONY is still delivering that in a positive way. And it's not watered down.
Deya Direct: And I can appreciate because we don't always receive that. As a woman who went to Howard University, you went to FAMU, The legacy of HBCU’s are continuing to shine. With your win, I feel an immense sense of pride. I'm proud of you. Congratulations on everything.
Any final words that you want to leave with us from your hear,t soul and mind?
Mayor Lance-Bottoms: It's really congratulations to all of us because this election was about what happens when we care and when we engage.
If you look at the demographics in the city of Atlanta it was very unlikely that we would elect another African-American mayor and the fact that people began to pay attention that people turned out to vote who historically had not turned out to vote. To me really speaks to what's possible in this country.
We saw in Alabama and we can see it in election after election after election and we know what happens when a movement is created. It literally changes the world. And I hope that this small election in the Lanta really speaks to people in a way that moves them to effectuate change wherever they are.
Deya Direct: Madam Mayor, we stand behind you all day long. You are our EBONY queen. Mayor, congratulations.