Former Atlanta Mayor Talks Challenges, Wins at Tea on The Hill

“Keisha, what do you think?” 

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms says it took some time in her journey before she became comfortable allowing herself to bring all aspect of her extraordinary background, skillset, and talent to ever space she enters. The 2024 AAMU Women’s Week Tea on the Hill speaker discussed service and representation as vehicles in a successful career filled with challenges and major wins. 

The former Senior Advisor to the President says her time at the White House has called on her to speak up and represent her community in new ways.

“There was never a day that I’ve walked into the White House and didn’t recognize what a privilege it was to be there,” said Bottoms. “As one of the more senior African American women in the White House, it was an extraordinary responsibility to have the President of the United States sit at his desk and say to you words that have probably never been uttered in the Oval Office -  ‘Keisha, what do you think?’ It was an honor to bring that representation and reflect the voices of so many people who will not have that opportunity.” 

Bottoms encourage Tea on the Hill attendees fight to overcome inner-voices that doubt and hinder the many possibilities in all women. She says her experiences have helped her to define Black Girl Magic.

“For me it means that we are showing up in our full selves in all spaces, being the extraordinary creatures that we are created to be.” 

“One of the most difficult challenges for me has been confronted the imposter syndrome,” said Bottoms. “The challenge has been to push away the narrative in my own mind that I am not enough. But when I show up, I’m not there to be anyone else but me. I’m there to be me and all that I represent with my experiences. The challenging thing has been to own that and also to be forgiving of myself.”

Bottoms served as Mayor of Atlanta from 2018 – 2022, before serving as Senior Advisor to President Joe Biden from July 2022 – April 2023. The Florida A&M University alumna says women have always played multiple roles and must embrace differing avenues to success and wholeness. 

“There are some of us who will be on stages,” she said. “There are some of us who will be behind stages. There are those who are holding up our communities whose names will never be called and never be known, and each of us brings something magical in that we do so much with so little, often without recognition.” 

The Tea on the Hill event was part of AAMU Women's Week programming presented by the Office of Student Activities & Leadership Development