Dear Neighbors,
I am thrilled to celebrate Global Black Pride alongside our residents and visitors. Atlanta was the clear choice to become the first U.S. city chosen to host Global Black Pride, an event that unites Black LGBTQ+ communities across continents in a celebration of culture and diversity.
We are the LGBTQ+ capital of the south, and the Black LGBTQ+ capital of the world – and our actions back it up.
I declared 2023 the Year of the Youth, driven by my goal of making Atlanta the best place to raise a child, including LGBTQ youth. At the start of this year, we launched Atlanta’s first-ever LGBTQ+ mentorship pilot, connecting our young people with our best and brightest adults. Throughout the year, these mentors and mentees have met at least once a month, both individually and in group outings. Last fall, we hosted our first Youth Pride Summit + Festival, providing LGBTQ+ youth and families with a day filled with fun activities, vital resources, and bonding opportunities. We also teamed up with the Rainbow Book Bus to distribute nearly 1,000 banned books by LGBTQ+ authors to our young people and their families.
Earlier this year, I appointed Judge Pierce Hand Seitz to the Atlanta Municipal Court, marking the first time an openly LGBTQ person has served on the bench. We partnered with Netflix to host a special Atlanta screening of Rustin, a film that tells the story of activist Bayard Rustin, who faced racism and homophobia as he helped shape Civil Rights history by orchestrating the 1963 March on Washington. Our Administration was also proud to join forces with the Atlanta City Council to celebrate a hometown hero and Atlanta Public Schools alum, RuPaul, by declaring his most recent visit as RuPaul Day in Atlanta.
But our journey is far from over. With the unwavering support of the Mayor’s Division of LGBTQ Affairs, housed within the Mayor’s Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, and the dedication of the Mayor’s LGBTQ Advisory Board, we remain committed to advancing equity and fostering a city where every person is embraced for who they are. Atlanta’s strength lies in its unity, and our continued progress depends on our collective resolve to create a city that celebrates diversity in all its forms.
Let us continue to stand together, united in our vision for an inclusive Atlanta. Together, we will ensure that our city remains a beacon of hope, resilience, and pride for generations to come.
With gratitude and optimism,
Mayor Andre Dickens