Kwanza Hall

Kwanza Hall is an American politician and businessman who served as a member of the Atlanta City Council for the 2nd district. He was first elected in 2005 and re-elected without opposition in 2009. He represented the neighborhoods of Atlantic Station, Castleberry Hill, Downtown, Home Park, Inman Park, the Marietta Artery, Sweet Auburn and the Martin Luther King Historic District, Midtown, Poncey-Highland, and the Old Fourth Ward.[1][2] He opted to not run for re-election in 2017, and was a candidate in the 2017 Atlanta mayoral election.

Kwanza Hall
Member of the Atlanta City Council
from the 2nd district
In office
2005–2017
Succeeded byAmir Farokhi
Personal details
BornAtlanta, Georgia
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Natalie Hall
Children2
EducationMassachusetts Institute of Technology (attended)

Early life and education

Born and raised in Atlanta, Hall graduated from Benjamin E. Mays High School.[3] Hall attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he studied political science, but dropped out during his senior year.[1][2][4][5]

Career

Before holding elected office, Hall worked in the Fulton County government, and he served as vice president of technology for GoodWorks International, a human rights and public service consulting firm co-chaired by Andrew Young. He then moved on to become the director of business development for MACTEC Engineering and Consulting, Inc., a position he currently holds.[1][2][6]

In 2002, Hall was elected to the Atlanta Board of Education, where he served for three years prior to his election to the Atlanta City Council.[7] During his time on the Atlanta Board of Education, Hall worked toward closing the achievement gap and contributed to reforms that improved the performance of Atlanta Public Schools on statewide tests.[4]

Hall represented District 2 on the Atlanta City Council, a post he was elected to in 2005. He was re-elected in 2009 and again in 2013. Among the most notable of the initiatives he has been involved in during his tenure is the Atlanta Beltline project.[8] Hall has also focused strongly on community improvement including land use, historical preservation, and sustainable development of in-town neighborhoods.[9]

2017 Atlanta mayoral election

Hall filed to run in the 2017 Atlanta mayoral election in January 2017. He lost in the primary.

According to the Hall campaign website, his campaign is focused on public safety, transportation, and affordable housing.[10]

2020 Georgia's 5th district special election
Main article: 2020 Georgia's 5th congressional district special election

After the death of incumbent Congressman John Lewis, Hall announced his candidacy for the September 2020 special election to succeed him.[11][12][13]

Personal life

Hall lives in the Martin Luther King Historic District with his wife, Natalie Hall, a Fulton County Commissioner, and two sons.[1][2] In August 2020, Hall was diagnosed with COVID-19.[14]

References
  1. "Atlanta City Council Bio". Atlanta City Council. Archived from the original on 2009-08-14. Retrieved 2009-07-30.
  2. "Meet Kwanza Hall". Hall for Council. Retrieved 2009-07-30.
  3. "Kwanza Hall applauds Atlanta's support of Black thought and success". Rolling Out. 2019-02-08. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  4. "Honorable Kwanza Hall". Operation Hope. Archived from the original on 2006-10-04. Retrieved 2009-07-30.
  5. "Growing up as a Black male in Atlanta has challenges. Here's what it's like". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  6. "Kwanza Hall raises the most money of all Atlanta mayoral candidates". Rolling Out. 2017-04-12. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  7. "Kwanza Hall". www.blackmensdossier.com. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  8. "Five Questions With...Kwanza Hall". A Is For Atlanta. 2009-04-15. Retrieved 2009-07-30.
  9. Wheatley, Thomas (2009-06-11). "Poncey-Highland Master Plan community meeting scheduled". Creative Loafing. Retrieved 2009-07-30.
  10. "Kwanza Hall for Mayor". Archived from the original on 2010-04-30. Retrieved 2009-07-31.
  11. Bluestein, Greg; Journal-Constitution, The Atlanta. "Several prominent Democrats line up to succeed John Lewis in Congress". ajc. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  12. "Here's who qualified to run in the special election to fill John Lewis' seat". 11Alive.com. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  13. "7 seek to follow Lewis in House, but long-term prospects dim". AP NEWS. 2020-07-31. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  14. "Comedian Rodney Perry and Former Atl Councilman Kwanza Hall Test Positive For COVID-19". WAOK-AM. 2020-08-04. Retrieved 2020-08-07.
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