ATLANTA — After Spelman College announced Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms would be this year's commencement speaker, the school caught some criticism from its students.
Spelman posted a photo of Mayor Bottoms on Facebook Monday, saying she would be the keynote speaker for the ceremony to be held May 19 at the Georgia International Convention Center. They also put the news on other social media outlets.
The hashtag #NotKeisha started circulating online once the word spread about the decision. The class of 2019 is pushing back.
Some say the reasons behind the disapproval stems from the city's response to police shootings of black men and some of the decisions they claim she's made as mayor.
The Facebook post has been shared hundreds times and has some negative comments, with people expressing thoughts that the school should have chosen someone else to address the graduates.
"I am extremely disappointed in you Spelman," Chloe White said in a comment on Facebook. "Our class deserves better!"
"While I have nothing against Mayor Bottoms — she’s my soror, I feel terrible for the C’19. They were given a list of proposed speakers which did not include the Mayor," Lori Grier wrote in the comments on Facebook. "This seems a bit curious. Were none of the proposed speakers or those suggested by the class available? The Spelman tradition is grooming young women to go out and change the world for good. Let them hear from a speaker who has had that type of impact. Let the voice of our young sisters in the C’19 be heard! They are doing precisely what is expected of them."
"This is not what we asked for," Tameria Johnson added. "You will be hearing from the class of 2019!"
Below are some comments from Twitter.
Even the NAACP of Atlanta tweeted they were supporting the students.
While some dislike the choice, there are others who are for it.
"Excellent choice," Louis Earl Hubbard commented. "The Mayor Bottoms can share her difficult journey - that will inspire and motivate the Class of 2019. My daughter graduated in 2005. She supports the choice."
No matter what side you agree with, Bottoms has a resume full of accomplishments - which could be one of the reason's why Spelman chose the city's leader.
The biography on the city's website says Bottoms is the only mayor in Atlanta’s history to have served in all three branches of government - serving as a judge and city councilmember before being sworn in as mayor. She's also only the second woman to be elected to Atlanta’s highest office.
Her bio also mentions she has a progressive agenda focused on equity and affordable housing, wants to end discrimination against the LGBTQ community, and also believes in support the Amicus Brief to protect Temporary Protective Status for immigrants.
Bottoms is also known beyond the state of Georgia. Last year she was on the cover of Ebony Magazine alongside Democrats Kamala Harris and Cory Booker - both who are U.S Senators running for president in 2020.
In recent months, Bottoms put the City of Atlanta in the national spotlight when the decision was announced to re-examine the Atlanta Child Murders, when 29 African-American children were killed between 1979 to 1981.
As for the graduating class, Spleman said Bottoms will address 474 students at commencement. She will also receive the National Community Service Award.
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