Atlanta quietly rebrands DEI office to "One Atlanta" office
The City of Atlanta Office of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, originally established in 2021 under then-Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, is being rebranded. As of a recent ordinance passed by the Atlanta City Council, it will now operate as the Office of One Atlanta (One Atlanta).
Under the new name, the office's stated focus will shift somewhat: from broadly developing policies across gender identity, affordable housing, transportation, youth engagement, immigrant affairs and criminal-justice reform, to concentrating on "the direct efforts of anti-discrimination, social impact and civil and human rights for all those who live, work and visit the City of Atlanta," according to the legislation.
Why now?
The timing is significant: the move comes amid mounting federal pressure and legislative scrutiny of DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) initiatives nationwide. For instance, the city's airport, Hartsfield‑Jackson Atlanta International Airport, lost tens of millions in federal grants this year for refusing to sign contract language curbing DEI programs.
City officials say the rebranding is not a retreat from equity work, but a repositioning to align with new realities. "This change enhances our efforts to serve communities across the City of Atlanta," said Michael Smith, press secretary for Mayor Andre Dickens.
What's staying — and what's different
The staffing and budget for the newly renamed office remain unchanged. All former personnel of the equity office will transfer into One Atlanta and the budget will carry over.
However, the governing legislation broadens the mission to place more emphasis on civil and human rights enforcement and social-impact coordination across city government.
City officials also announced that the new office will host a "Meet One Atlanta Community Conversation" in January to solicit input and recommendations from residents.
Political and practical implications
Renaming the office can be seen as a tactical maneuver: in an era where DEI is increasingly politicized, adopting a title like "One Atlanta" may offer broader appeal and less branding vulnerability. It signals unity rather than categorization.
But this also raises questions: Will the change reflect merely cosmetic rebranding, or will it produce deeper structural shifts in how Atlanta addresses equity and inclusion? Critics might ask whether the departure from the "DEI" label diminishes accountability or dilutes focus on race- and gender-based disparities.
Moreover, the timing underscores the tension between local government agendas and federal funding mechanisms. As DEI programs face pushback at the national level, local offices must navigate compliance risks while maintaining commitments to historically marginalized communities.
The DEI mandate in Atlanta
When the equity office launched in 2021, its mandate was expansive: collaborating with city departments and external partners to create social-justice policies across economic mobility, housing, health, LGBTQ affairs, transportation, youth engagement, immigrant affairs, climate resilience and criminal-justice reform.
The previous administration (Bottoms) had first referenced the "One Atlanta" concept in 2018, though the equity office itself bore a different name.
By rebranding its equity office as One Atlanta, the City of Atlanta is attempting to both shield and reposition its social-impact and civil-rights work in a changing political and funding environment. The move may signal continuity and adaptation — but it also raises key questions about how local equity efforts evolve under pressure.
For residents, community stakeholders, city government staff and activists alike, the proof will lie in what comes next: programs executed, disparities narrowed and voices heard.