Andre Dickens
City of Atlanta
Atlanta, GA USA
"That burn and tingling or tickling in your spirit that says, ‘I want to help somebody else’—you should follow that path."
Career Roadmap
Andre's work combines: Government, Politics, and Helping People
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Chemical Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology
Graduate Degree
Public Administration
Georgia State University
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
Growing up in Atlanta, Georgia, I was inspired by civil rights leader and mayor Andrew Young, and at 16, I decided I wanted to become mayor one day.
2.
I studied chemical engineering at Georgia Tech, building skills while continuing to stay involved in leadership and service.
3.
Through student government, I learned how to listen to people’s needs and navigate competing interests to help find solutions.
4.
I worked as an engineer, ran a nonprofit, and started my own business, gaining experience while staying committed to serving others.
5.
I took a leap into public office, running for city council and earning the chance to serve the people of Atlanta.
6.
Years after first dreaming about it as a teenager, I was elected as mayor of my hometown, Atlanta.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Teachers:
There's only one mayor at a time. You should get a more steady job.
How I responded:
I've dreamed of becoming mayor from a young age. However, when sharing that dream with guidance counselors, I was met with discouragement. I was told becoming mayor was unrealistic and that I should find something with more stable and less competitive. I didn’t let that silence my dream. I kept saying it out loud and continued serving wherever I could—through school leadership, community work, and public service—until one day I made it real.