Andre Dickens

Andre Dickens
Born	Andre Peter Dickens 17 6, 1974
Birthplace	Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Politician
Title	61st Mayor of Atlanta
Known for	61st Mayor of Atlanta
Education	Georgia Institute of Technology (BS) Georgia State University (MPA)
Website	[https://andreforatlanta.com/ Official site]

Andre Peter Dickens (born June 17, 1974) is an American politician serving as the 61st mayor of Atlanta, Georgia. Born and raised in Atlanta, Dickens emerged from a background in technology and nonprofit development to become one of the city's most prominent political figures. He served on the Atlanta City Council as an at-large representative for Post 3 from January 2014 to January 2022, during which time he chaired the Public Safety and Legal Administration Committee. Outside of elected office, Dickens built a career in the technology nonprofit sector, serving as chief development officer of TechBridge, an organization focused on leveraging technology for social good. In the 2021 Atlanta mayoral election, Dickens defeated Atlanta City Council president Felicia Moore in a runoff to win the mayoralty, taking office on January 3, 2022. He succeeded Keisha Lance Bottoms, who chose not to seek re-election. Dickens won a second term as mayor in 2025.

Early Life

Andre Peter Dickens was born on June 17, 1974, in Atlanta, Georgia, and grew up in the city's communities. His mother was named Sylvia, a detail that placed him in an unusual historical coincidence: Dickens was the third consecutive mayor of Atlanta whose mother bore the name Sylvia, following Kasim Reed and Keisha Lance Bottoms.

Dickens grew up in Atlanta and has described his candidacy and political career as being shaped by his experiences as a native of the city. During the 2021 mayoral campaign, he framed the election as one "for the soul of Atlanta," drawing upon his lifelong connection to the city and its communities. His upbringing in Atlanta provided him with a deep familiarity with the city's neighborhoods, institutions, and challenges, which he cited throughout his political career as foundational to his policy priorities.

Education

Dickens attended the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering. He subsequently pursued graduate studies at Georgia State University, where he obtained a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree. His educational background combined technical training in engineering with advanced study in public policy and administration, a combination that informed his later work in the technology nonprofit sector and his approach to municipal governance.

Dickens's connection to Georgia Tech remained a notable aspect of his public identity. The Georgia Tech School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering has recognized him as a prominent alumnus.

Career

Technology and Nonprofit Sector

Prior to and concurrent with his career in elected office, Dickens worked in the technology and nonprofit sectors. He served as the chief development officer of TechBridge, a technology-focused nonprofit organization based in Atlanta. TechBridge's mission centered on using technology to support and improve the operations of other nonprofit organizations and communities. In this role, Dickens was responsible for the organization's development efforts, including fundraising, partnerships, and strategic growth.

Dickens's background in technology and nonprofit management distinguished him from many of his political peers and became a recurring theme in his public career. His experience at TechBridge provided him with expertise in organizational management, technology deployment, and community development that he later applied to his work on the Atlanta City Council and as mayor. He was also involved in various community and civic initiatives in Atlanta, building a network of relationships across the city's business, technology, and nonprofit sectors.

Dickens participated in events related to technology and community development, including speaking engagements at conferences. He was listed as a speaker at the SouthWired 2014 conference, reflecting his involvement in discussions about technology, innovation, and community impact.

Atlanta City Council (2014–2022)

Dickens was elected to the Atlanta City Council representing the at-large district, Post 3, and took office on January 6, 2014, succeeding H. Lamar Willis. He served on the council for two terms, holding the seat until January 3, 2022, when he resigned to assume the office of mayor. He was succeeded on the council by Keisha Waites.

During his tenure on the city council, Dickens chaired the Public Safety and Legal Administration Committee, a position that gave him oversight of public safety policy and related legal and administrative matters for the city. This committee chairmanship positioned him as a significant voice on issues of policing, public safety, and criminal justice within Atlanta's municipal government. His work on the committee provided him with extensive experience in the policy areas that would become central to his mayoral campaign, including public safety, crime reduction, and community policing strategies.

As an at-large council member, Dickens represented the entire city of Atlanta rather than a specific district, which required him to build coalitions and address concerns across the city's diverse neighborhoods and communities. This citywide perspective became an asset when he later ran for mayor, as he could point to relationships and policy work across all of Atlanta's geographic and demographic constituencies.

2021 Mayoral Campaign

In 2021, Dickens entered the race to succeed Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who announced in May 2021 that she would not seek re-election. The race drew a crowded field of candidates, making it one of the most competitive mayoral contests in Atlanta's recent history. Dickens campaigned on a platform that emphasized public safety, affordable housing, and economic development, framing the election as a pivotal moment for the city's future direction.

In the general election held on November 2, 2021, no candidate secured a majority of votes, triggering a runoff between the top two vote-getters: Dickens and Atlanta City Council president Felicia Moore. Moore had led the first round of voting, but the runoff dynamics shifted the contours of the race significantly.

The runoff election was held on November 30, 2021. Dickens won decisively, defeating Moore to become the mayor-elect of Atlanta. His victory was attributed to strong support across a broad coalition of Atlanta voters, including endorsements and backing from key political figures and organizations in the city.

Dickens's victory in the runoff marked a significant political achievement, as he had not been the frontrunner entering the general election. His ability to consolidate support between the general election and the runoff demonstrated effective coalition-building and campaign strategy. National media outlets including The New York Times and Politico covered the results, noting the significance of the race for one of the largest and most prominent cities in the American South.

Mayor of Atlanta (2022–present)

Andre Dickens was sworn in as the 61st mayor of Atlanta on January 3, 2022, in an inauguration ceremony that marked the beginning of his administration. He succeeded Keisha Lance Bottoms, who had served as Atlanta's 60th mayor since 2018.

Public Health Response

Early in his administration, Dickens addressed ongoing public health challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic. In one notable action, he ended the city's indoor mask mandate as conditions evolved, reflecting a shift in the city's pandemic response posture. The decision was part of broader deliberations across American cities about when and how to relax pandemic-era public health restrictions.

Policy Priorities

As mayor, Dickens prioritized issues including public safety, affordable housing, and infrastructure investment. These priorities reflected themes from his campaign and his earlier work on the Atlanta City Council's Public Safety and Legal Administration Committee. His administration sought to address rising concerns about crime in Atlanta while simultaneously investing in neighborhood development and economic opportunity programs.

The city of Atlanta, under Dickens's leadership, continued to navigate challenges common to major American cities, including housing affordability, transportation infrastructure, and equity in economic development. Dickens drew upon his background in technology and nonprofit management to approach these issues, emphasizing data-driven approaches and partnerships with the private and nonprofit sectors.

Re-election in 2025

Dickens won a second term as mayor of Atlanta in 2025, securing continued leadership of the city. His re-election indicated continued support from Atlanta voters for his administration's approach to the city's governance and policy challenges.

Personal Life

Andre Dickens is a lifelong resident of Atlanta, Georgia. His deep roots in the city have been a defining feature of his public identity and political career. Dickens has spoken publicly about his connection to Atlanta's communities and his commitment to the city where he was born and raised.

His mother, Sylvia, was noted in media coverage of his election due to the unusual coincidence that the three most recently elected mayors of Atlanta—Kasim Reed, Keisha Lance Bottoms, and Dickens—all had mothers named Sylvia. The coincidence attracted attention from local media outlets, who reported on it as a lighthearted human-interest story during the transition period following the 2021 election.

Dickens is a member of the Democratic Party.

Recognition

Dickens has been recognized for his work in both the technology nonprofit sector and in public service. His background as a Georgia Tech-trained chemical engineer who transitioned into nonprofit technology work and then into municipal government has been highlighted by various media outlets and institutions as an unusual and noteworthy career trajectory.

The Georgia Tech School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering has recognized Dickens as a notable alumnus, reflecting his achievements in public service and his connection to the institution.

His election as mayor of Atlanta in 2021 drew national media attention, with coverage from outlets including The New York Times, Politico, and Axios, among others. These outlets covered both the significance of the race itself—for the mayoralty of one of the largest cities in the southeastern United States—and Dickens's personal and professional background as factors in his victory.

The City of Atlanta has published official biographical information about Dickens through its government website, detailing his career, education, and policy priorities as part of the "Meet the Mayor" section of the mayor's office webpage.

Legacy

As the 61st mayor of Atlanta, Andre Dickens leads one of the most prominent cities in the American South, a city with a deep historical significance in the civil rights movement and as a center of African American political and economic power. His election in 2021 continued a tradition of Democratic leadership in Atlanta and represented a continuation of the city's pattern of electing leaders with deep local roots and connections to the city's diverse communities.

Dickens's career path—from chemical engineering at Georgia Tech, to nonprofit technology leadership at TechBridge, to city council, to the mayoralty—represents a distinctive trajectory in Atlanta politics. His technology and nonprofit background set him apart from predecessors who came primarily from legal, business, or more traditional political careers. This background has informed his approach to governance, including an emphasis on technology-driven solutions and partnerships between government, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector.

His re-election in 2025 secured his continued leadership of the city and provided an extended period in which to implement and build upon the policy initiatives begun during his first term. As an ongoing figure in Atlanta politics and governance, Dickens's full legacy will continue to be shaped by the outcomes of his administration's work on public safety, housing, economic development, and the broader trajectory of the city of Atlanta.