Isha Collins sworn in as Atlanta City Council member for Post 3 at-large

Isha Collins was sworn in Jan. 6 at Atlanta City Hall as the Atlanta City Council representative for Post 3 at-large, taking the oath administered by Georgia Supreme Court Justice Verda Colvin before an audience of elected officials, community leaders and family.

The ceremony, held in the City Council chambers and opened by Council President Doug Shipman, included remarks from Mayor Andre Dickens and several community leaders who highlighted Collins’s background as a teacher, former Atlanta Board of Education member and civil-rights attorney. Collins thanked supporters and outlined priorities including affordable housing, transit, equity, mental-health access and protections against displacement.

Collins took the oath after Justice Verda Colvin led the pledge of office, which referenced the U.S. Constitution, the Georgia Constitution and the charter and ordinances of the city of Atlanta. Council President Doug Shipman welcomed attendees and introduced the sequence of speakers and a video tribute that preceded the formal remarks.

Jason Estevez, a state senator, described Collins’s longstanding community work and campaign effort; Dr. Vasant Tinsley, speaking for the Spelman College alumni association, and Rosalyn Harper of the Atlanta alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta also praised her record and community service. Harper noted the chapter’s scholarship work and said the chapter awarded $100,000 in scholarships last year.

Collins described service and education as formative influences on her public life, saying, “This isn't just about me, it's about all of us.” She summarized several city priorities she intends to pursue, saying, in part, “We're going to protect our communities from being pushed out by rising cost, and instead create pathways to build stability and legacy.” She also said the council should take “bold actions to face the realities of transit and equity and sustainability.”

Staff provided Collins with orientation materials and a demonstration of the city’s electronic legislative management system; staff also reviewed open-records and open-meetings obligations for council members during the event. Council President Shipman and other speakers noted Collins’s prior experience on the Atlanta Board of Education and on boards such as Invest Atlanta as preparation for council work.

After the oath and remarks, the ceremony adjourned and the council moved to its regularly scheduled meeting, with Collins set to begin participating in council business.

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