Speakers at a City of Atlanta town hall emphasized the need to amplify womens voices in city policymaking and called for partnerships to support financial empowerment programs.

"We are here today to to have a town hall because we wanna hear from people in the city. We wanna hear from women. We wanna hear from men. We wanna hear what's going on and what is impacting their lives so that we can help provide programming and advocate on their behalf throughout the city," said Speaker 1 at the opening of the event.

Organizers said the commission backing the event is structured to capture diverse viewpoints. "1 thing we wanna ensure with our commission is that it reflects the voices of all of Atlanta. And so we have a representative from each council district and the council president's office and the mayor's office to ensure that we're bringing a diverse point of view to the recommendations that we make," Speaker 3 said, describing how participants were identified geographically and through organizations that serve women.

Several participants highlighted financial empowerment as a priority and sought ways to contribute. "The piece on financial empowerment really stuck out to me. So I would like to know how can I partner with you all and bring the resources and financial backing of my firm to do so because I would love to do that?" asked Speaker 7.

Speakers and attendees also urged preserving community history. "Write your stuff down, get a recording because some of you have some oral histories that need to be documented so the history and the history of our people is told because we've done a lot," Speaker 5 said.

Organizers framed the event as an opportunity to connect residents directly with city departments so issues can be resolved face to face. Attendees described networking outcomes; one speaker said women left a prior event connected and some have started businesses.

The meeting closed with a call to civic engagement. "Call your elected officials to the mat, me included. And if they are not doing what needs to be done to me this moment, call for something different," Speaker 3 said, and Speaker 4 invited teachers to bring classes to the state capital as a civic-education opportunity.

The town hall produced no formal votes or motions; organizers said the commission will use input gathered from this and other outreach to shape recommendations to city officials.