City of Atlanta issued the following announcement on July 23.
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced a continuous effort in partnership with the Atlanta Police Department (APD) and local community advocacy groups to curb the recent increase in water sales on Atlanta streets. Water sales and purchases put the safety of both youth and motorists at risk. APD is dedicating an increased response to areas of heightened concern and will not allow dangerous activity of any kind – including running out in the street.
“We appreciate the entrepreneurial spirit of youth who are selling water to motorists,” said Mayor Bottoms. “But we have seen an increase in unsafe and violent activity in some locations and cannot allow it to continue. It’s going to take a village and we are working with our partners to provide outreach and resources to these young people to help them gain access to job opportunities, workforce training, and educational programs.”
The Atlanta Police Department, community advocates and support groups are engaging youth who are selling water on Atlanta streets to direct them to safer and more beneficial opportunities.
Earlier this month, Mayor Bottoms issued an Administrative Order to convene an Advisory Council comprised of community members and partners to develop strategies to help promote youth entrepreneurship within the city of Atlanta.
Administrative Order 2020-21 directs the Chief Operating Officer to convene an Advisory Council comprised of public agencies, residents, businesses, non-profits, philanthropy, faith-based organizations, and educational institutions that will:
Recommend strategies for the development of fueling the entrepreneurial spirit of young
people throughout the city;
Support the entrepreneurial goals of young water vendors in Atlanta.
The Advisory Council will report its recommendations to Mayor Bottoms on July 31, 2020. The Atlanta Youth Entrepreneurship Advisory Council is one of many programs Mayor Bottoms has supported to improve the overall well-being of the City’s youth. Last summer, Mayor Bottoms created the Atlanta Youth Engagement Initiative (AYE!)–an innovative collaboration engaging young people through employment opportunities, professional skills development, and overall health and wellness improvement in the City of Atlanta.
The Bottoms Administration continues to work with Invest Atlanta through Students to Startups, to expose Atlanta-based students (from Georgia State University, Morehouse, Spelman, Clark-Atlanta, Emory, SCAD, and Georgia Tech) to entrepreneurship and help meet the talent needs of 20 Atlanta-based startups. In addition to working with the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department (AFRD) to establish the AFRD Delayed Entry Program in local high schools.
Original source can be found here.
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