Before City Hall

Andre Dickens is a native Atlantan and a product of Atlanta Public Schools. He holds a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Georgia Tech and a Master of Public Administration from Georgia State University. He served eight years on the Atlanta City Council as an at-large representative before winning the mayor's office in 2021.

His council record centered on public safety, transportation, affordable housing, workforce development, and senior programming. He created the Department of Transportation, advocated for a $15 per hour minimum wage for city employees, implemented BeltLine inclusionary zoning, and established a $40 million Housing Opportunity Bond.

As mayor

Dickens took office as the 61st Mayor of Atlanta in January 2022 and won a second term in 2025. His administration points to a historic upgrade to a AAA bond rating, a $17.50 per hour minimum wage for the city's nearly 10,000 employees, a $58.7 million housing bond, and the goal of 20,000 affordable housing units by 2030. On public safety he established a Nightlife Division, launched the Office of Violence Reduction, and expanded street lighting through the Light Up the Night program.

Why he sits in this index

Atlanta is a Black-majority city whose mayor runs the government that Black residents most directly depend on. Dickens is not in this index as a title. He is here because the next several years of Black Atlanta's housing, safety, and ownership story will be decided inside the office he holds.