JONESBORO, Ga. — Starting in January, five of metro Atlanta’s core counties will be led by Black women. Two were elected Tuesday in Clayton and DeKalb counties, adding to three more county leaders in Cobb, Gwinnett and Henry counties.
In Clayton County, Dr. Akiela Anderson will lead a community that has struggled for decades to boost its economic outlook and the standard of living of many of its residents. The Tara Boulevard corridor has areas of blight that Anderson said she expects to be able to brighten with development.
"This county can’t do anything but grow because we have such a – we have land to develop, we have developers that want to come in," Anderson told 11Alive Wednesday. Anderson will succeed chairman Jeff Turner.
Anderson will take office at the same time as Lorraine Cochran-Johnson in neighboring DeKalb – also the first Black woman elected to lead that county. She will succeed Michael Thurmond.
"So I look forward to doing a good job so I can continue to open the door for other women in areas where they may not exist. And also to serve as a beacon of hope," Cochran-Johnson said Wednesday.
Cochran-Johnson said DeKalb has its own economic development challenges, the biggest rooted in south DeKalb, where she said she expects South DeKalb Mall to upgrade with some county tax breaks.
"We’re at a crossroad there when it comes to economic development, particularly in south and unincorporated DeKalb," Johnson said.
Black women have been shattering political glass ceilings in Georgia for decades. Grace Towns Hamilton was the first Black woman to serve in the legislature in 1965. Shirley Franklin became the first Black woman to become mayor of Atlanta in 2002.
"I think this is going to be a great opportunity for all of us and to show what great things that women can do when we all work together for the people," Anderson said.