The City of Atlanta announced that Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms will attend the U.S. Conference of Mayors 86th Winter Meeting in Washington D.C. for the first time as Mayor of Atlanta. During the three-day conference, hundreds of mayors from around the nation will convene to share ideas, information and best practices as well as outline policy proposals for some of the country’s greatest challenges, including public safety, healthcare, infrastructure investment and creating equitable communities. The conference runs from January 24 - January 26, 2018.

“I am pleased to be the voice for the City of Atlanta at this year’s U.S. Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting,” said Mayor Bottoms. “I am especially pleased to announce Atlanta’s selection as one of the pilot cities for the USCM’s literacy program. Real change happens when we work together. The USCM Winter Meeting serves as the perfect platform to forge bipartisan solutions that strengthen federal-municipal relationships and craft action plans to address some of our most pressing challenges.”

Mayor Bottoms will participate in the Metro Economies & the New American City panel today where she will announce the City of Atlanta’s selection by the USCM to participate in a first-ever Citywide language-access program. At no cost to the City, the pilot program will work with local service providers to give 1,000 English language learners the opportunity to learn English, workforce skills and literacy through interactive gaming. The City of Atlanta was selected by the USCM as one of five cities across the nation to participate in the program. At the Winter Meeting, mayors from both sides of the aisle will hold sessions on a range of issues, including infrastructure, immigration and DACA renewal, the opioid crisis, disaster preparedness and recovery as well as the economic future of cities.

Other attendees include USCM President Mayor Mitch Landrieu, bipartisan mayors from around the country, and special guests, including, Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ), House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke and Walter Isaacson, president of the non-partisan Aspen Institute.