Some Spelman students object to Atlanta’s black female mayor

ATLANTA – Some students at Spelman College aren’t happy about the selection of Atlanta’s black female mayor as this year’s commencement speaker.

The students at the city’s historically black women’s college told WSB-TV that they believe Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is in favour of gentrification. Spelman student Alexi Dickerson said pricing poor people out of available housing “doesn’t help the black people rise up.”

The mayor has her supporters, too: Student Kiersten Mills considers her a role model, part of the “black girl magic” phenomenon when she was elected.

A mayor’s office statement says Bottoms is honoured to deliver the commencement address and proud that student engagement and activism “remains vibrant at Spelman College.”

The commencement is set for May 19 at the Georgia International Convention Center in Atlanta.