Andre Dickens facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Andre Dickens
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Dickens in 2024
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| 61st Mayor of Atlanta | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Keisha Lance Bottoms |
| Member of the Atlanta City Council from the at-large district Post 3 |
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| In office January 6, 2014 – January 3, 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Lamar Willis |
| Succeeded by | Keisha Waites |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 1974 (age 50–51) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Georgia Institute of Technology (BS) Georgia State University (MPA) |
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Andre Dickens (born June 17, 1974) is an American politician. He is the 61st and current mayor of Atlanta, Georgia. Before becoming mayor, he was a member of the Atlanta City Council. He won the 2021 Atlanta mayoral election against Felicia Moore.
Andre Dickens also works as a leader at TechBridge, which is a non-profit technology group. He used to be in charge of the transportation committee and the Public Safety and Legal Administration Committee on the city council.
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About Andre Dickens
Andre Dickens has worked as a leader for TechBridge. This non-profit helps other non-profit groups in areas that need support by providing affordable technology and business advice.
In 2018, Dickens helped start a program called the Technology Career Program. This program helps people who don't have jobs learn new tech skills. It also offers IT training so they can find work in the growing technology industry.
Andre Dickens is also part of several important groups. These include the Georgia Tech Alumni Board and Leadership Atlanta. He is a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, which he joined while studying at Georgia Tech.
He is a deacon at the New Horizon Baptist Church in Northwest Atlanta. Andre Dickens has one daughter named Bailey.
Early Life and School
Andre Dickens was born in Atlanta in 1974. His mother, Sylvia Dickens, and his stepfather raised him. His stepfather adopted Andre and his two siblings when Andre was seven years old.
Andre and his stepfather often spent time taking things apart and putting them back together. This helped Andre discover his love for engineering. He grew up in Southwest Atlanta and went to Benjamin Elijah Mays High School.
After high school, he went to the Georgia Institute of Technology. He earned a degree in chemical engineering in 1998. Later, Dickens received his Master's degree in Public Administration from Georgia State University. This degree focused on economic development.
Early Career and City Council
Andre Dickens started his career in 1994 as a part-time chemical engineer for BP-Amoco while still in college. After graduating, he worked full-time at BP-Amoco. In 1999, he joined DSM Engineering and Plastics as a sales engineer. He was recognized as the first Black salesman of the year at that company.
When he was twenty-eight, Dickens and his older sister started their own furniture business called City-Living Home Furnishing. The company grew into a multi-million dollar business with two locations. However, due to a housing crisis, the business faced difficulties and closed in 2011.
In 2013, Andre Dickens was elected to the Atlanta City Council. He served as an at-large member, meaning he represented the entire city. From 2014 to 2021, he worked to improve public safety in Atlanta. He also pushed for more affordable housing and programs for citizens. He created more opportunities for students in Atlanta's public schools.
One of his most important actions on the city council was supporting a law that raised the minimum wage for city employees to fifteen dollars an hour. He also helped create the Department of Transportation and the Atlanta Youth Commission. He supported the BeltLine Inclusionary Zoning, which helped increase affordable housing in that area.
Mayor of Atlanta (2022–present)
Andre Dickens became the Mayor of Atlanta in January 2022. On February 25, 2022, he lifted the indoor mask rule for COVID-19 in Atlanta. This ended a nearly two-year rule for places like restaurants and hotels.
During his first year as mayor, Andre Dickens made one of Atlanta's biggest investments in housing. He promised over $100 million for new and improved homes. His team continues to work with partners to make sure there is enough affordable housing. New housing projects in popular areas like Westside Park and the BeltLine are a priority.
Mayor Dickens has also achieved other important things. He made the city's first investment in early childhood education. He also created a Nightlife Division to help manage places that have had problems with crime.
His term has also focused on helping people experiencing homelessness. Over $13 million has been set aside for this issue. The city hopes to provide 1,500 homes for families in need by the end of 2024. They are working with local government, businesses, and community groups to reach this goal.
In October 2022, Mayor Andre Dickens chose Darin Schierbaum to be Atlanta's 26th Chief of Police. Mayor Dickens also stated that Israel "has the right to defend itself" after the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel.
Affordable Housing Efforts
Mayor Dickens has worked to increase affordable housing in Atlanta. In February 2023, he made a deal for the city's housing authority to sell land to a developer. The plan is to build many affordable housing units on this land.
In May 2022, some people were concerned when his first budget plan did not include money for a special affordable housing fund. After hearing these concerns, he added $7 million to the budget. This increased the total investment in affordable housing to about $65 million.
Electoral Journey
Andre Dickens, a member of the Democratic party, first served on the Atlanta City Council in 2013. In 2017, he ran for re-election for the At-Large Post 3 seat and won without anyone running against him.
After serving two terms on the city council, Andre Dickens decided to run for mayor of Atlanta. During his campaign, he received support from many important people, including state senators and local community leaders.
In the first round of the 2021 Atlanta mayoral election, Dickens received 23% of the votes. This placed him second, allowing him to move on to a runoff election. Although he didn't win the first round, he won the runoff election by a large margin, becoming the mayor of Atlanta.
See also
In Spanish: Andre Dickens para niños
