WATCH: Atlanta leaders rally to defend DEI programs amid federal funding threats

At Big Bethel AME Church a historic home for civil rights organizing Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens joined former mayors and group leaders Thursday to denounce the Trump administration s order barring federal funding to entities with diversity equity and inclusion DEI initiatives The rally launched the Soul of Atlanta Coalition aimed at defending the city s long-standing minority contracting and business opportunity programs Dickens invoked Atlanta s civil rights legacy comparing the city s struggle to the biblical David and Goliath story and vowed that Goliath does not stand a chance in Atlanta MORE NEWS City of Atlanta to pause water shutoffs evictions due to SNAP situation The mayor acknowledged the city had already forfeited million in airport funding for refusing to comply with the order While Dickens office commented the city is still evaluating its Equal Business Opportunity venture he affirmed that Atlanta remains fully committed to opportunity for all Former mayors Andrew Young Shirley Franklin Bill Campbell and Kasim Reed joined the event reminding attendees that Atlanta s DEI principles originated locally under the late Mayor Maynard Jackson s administration These ideas didn t come from Washington to us Young revealed It came from us to Washington The newly formed coalition plans to organize population resistance to federal rollbacks on DEI and minority business programs as state and city leaders pledge to keep Atlanta s legacy of fairness and inclusion alive Mayor Jackson s widow Valerie Jackson reported he would be proud to see city leaders declare that we will not allow the principles of fairness diversity and justice to be rolled back The post WATCH Atlanta leaders rally to defend DEI programs amid federal funding threats appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta