“I’ve never regretted walking through an open door.”
– Bianca Motley Broom
– Bianca Motley Broom
First and foremost, thank you. I love serving as your mayor. It is an awesome responsibility I never take lightly and I am forever grateful for the opportunity.
Four years ago, none of us could have imagined the upheaval that would face us. From a pandemic to social unrest to economic uncertainty, we have experienced a lot. Through it all, we’ve been here for each other. That’s one of the reasons College Park is so special.
As I look back on my path to this point, a number of my experiences prepared me to serve as your mayor.
But this is where things got started. My mom and I lived on the first floor of a duplex in Cleveland’s Buckeye neighborhood. My parents separated before I entered kindergarten; they were divorced several years later. It wasn’t always easy. There were times when the bills topped the money coming in. But we had a village. My grandparents and my great-grandmother lived down the street. They stepped in when my mother was working or in school, because both of us were pursuing our education at the same time.
I was so proud when she earned her Ph.D. while I was in high school. My whole family instilled in me the importance of education, and the ability it gives you to dream bigger and achieve. It’s why I’m so passionate about making sure our kids have every opportunity for access to a quality education. I would not be here if someone had not been advocating for me and I know today’s students need all of us in their corner.
I learned strength of character from my grandfather, Marion Motley. He was one of the first four African-Americans to integrate professional football in 1946. He faced obstacles I can only imagine, although he told us kids about some of the times he faced blistering racism and discrimination. He left it all out on the field, though. He ran over opponents and had a history-making career, culminating in his enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968. My grandfather taught me that results were what mattered – not what others had to say. Keep your head down and do the work.
I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to contribute in so many ways. I’ve served as a judge in Fulton County Magistrate Court, the chair of the governing board of The Main Street Academy, a board member of the Historic College Park Neighborhood Association and I’m a member of several other community organizations.
Being your mayor is not my only job. In 2017, I transitioned from being a practicing attorney to working as a full-time mediator. I am trained to look at all aspects of a situation to help parties reach resolution. As we have dealt with numerous challenges in our city, that training has served me well.
All of these roles have helped shape my approach to leading College Park. I have collaborated to find the best solutions to the problems facing our community. I’ve built relationships on the local, state and national level to bring resources and money to our city.
Our future is bright. I am so excited about what the next four years will bring. We are in charge of our own destiny and I invite you to join me. Now more than ever, College Park needs a community-centered visionary dedicated to building an economically strong, culturally rich, and safe city where everyone thrives. Together, we can continue to build the community we deserve.