Kelsea Bond (they/them), the co-chair of the Atlanta Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), is making waves as they run for the Atlanta City Council District 2 seat.
At 31, Bond emphasizes a campaign focused on policies aimed at elevating the working class in Atlanta.
With the current councilman, Amir Farokhi, deciding not to seek re-election, Bond is vying against William Jacob Chambers, Alex Jones, Courtney Smith, James White, and Ocean Zotique for the position.
In an interview with Atlanta Civic Circle, Bond shared their insights on their campaign, the vision they have for the city, and their extensive background in labor activism.
Bond’s campaign centers on critical issues such as affordable housing, environmentally conscious infrastructure, and the rights of workers, stemming from their experiences as an activist and union organizer.
“A lot of people run simply to build a career for themselves. A lot of people run who have a business background or a real estate background, and they see city council as part of a larger career path for them,” Bond commented.
In contrast, Bond intends to leverage their role as an organizer to advocate for renters who often lack representation in City Hall.
“Running for office as an organizer, my approach is to work with unions and coalitions to really bring the movement to city hall. Because I look at city hall, and I don’t see any renters represented,” they added.
As the first candidate to announce their candidacy for the open District 2 seat, Bond portrays themselves as an outsider with a progressive vision prioritizing residents over corporate interests.
A significant component of Bond’s platform includes addressing housing and transit issues, which are closely tied to workers’ rights.
While recognizing that some policy decisions are made at the state level, Bond stresses the city’s responsibility in mitigating housing and transit challenges that predominantly affect low-wage workers.
“The biggest costs for workers are housing and transit, right? So when we’re talking about the standard of living, it may very well be that the city can’t impact the minimum wage, but we can impact how expensive housing and transit are,” Bond explained.
Highlighting alarming trends, Bond reported that rent prices in Atlanta have surged by approximately 36% since 2019, while wages have only seen a 12% increase.
“Championing truly affordable housing will make a huge impact in the standard of living for low-wage workers,” they assert, reflecting on their own experience as a resident of Midtown.
Many service workers are forced to endure long commutes due to the high cost of living, which further exacerbates their financial struggles.
As Bond noted, “A service worker who has to commute 30–40 minutes because they can’t afford to live in Midtown has more money coming out of their pocket because Georgia is one of the more expensive states to own a car.”
To address these issues, Bond is a strong proponent of investing in alternative transit solutions, specifically advocating for the BeltLine Rail.
“If we don’t begin to invest in transit alternatives now, we’ll continue to be decades behind,” they asserted passionately.
Bond’s vision also incorporates the principles of the Green New Deal, proposing local measures to transition away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy sources.
“The Green New Deal is the idea that we can transition our economy from one that is wholly dependent on polluting fossil fuels to a green economy that uses renewable resources,” Bond remarked.
For Bond, the intersection of a Green New Deal and a commitment to uplift the rights and standards of living for a diverse working class forms the foundation of their campaign.
“Our city was built by working people’s labor, and our elected officials need to work for working people. And we can do this in a green way,” Bond emphasized.
They point out the possibility of enhancing union power while improving living standards across the city as a central theme in their campaign.
As they continue to gain grassroots momentum, Bond draws inspiration from recent wins in local politics, reflecting on their role as campaign manager for Gabriel Sanchez’s 2024 victory in the state legislature, where he became the first Democratic Socialist elected to that office.
“I felt that it was really historically important to get him elected,” Bond said, highlighting the broader implications of that success.
Winning Sanchez’s seat validated the principles central to democratic socialism, including universal healthcare, a Green New Deal, and an emphasis on civil rights.
Bond’s campaign strategy is rooted in grassroots support, rejecting corporate funding in favor of individual contributions and donations from community members.
To date, they have successfully raised $89,005, with two-thirds of that total accumulated in just the first quarter of the year, much of it coming from small-dollar donors and union members.
Bond remarked on the nature of their funding, saying, “It’s typical to go through other candidates’ disclosure, and even if they aren’t totally funded by corporations, you’ll see dozens of contributions from attorneys, real estate agents, and developers.”
In contrast, a significant portion of Bond’s contributions have come from union members they’ve worked alongside, which they find deeply gratifying.
Their journey into community activism and union organizing began prominently in 2022 during the Starbucks Workers United efforts, where Bond played a vital role in organizing at various Starbucks locations in Atlanta.
Bond credits the Atlanta DSA chapter for its crucial support during this campaign with initiatives such as “sip-ins,” flyering drives, and fundraisers.
“I grew up in the South, and labor unions and organizing are not so familiar to people who grow up here. I don’t come from a union family. So it felt very big when Starbucks workers filed for a union here in Atlanta,” they reflected on their involvement in the early days of the unionization effort.
Their work expanded as they organized with Amazon warehouse workers, painters, and Delta ramp workers, among others.
“Through working with Starbucks workers and other local unions, I came to understand the very important role labor plays in building a movement. While elections are very important, working people’s real power and leverage comes from organizing in the workplace,” Bond concluded, encapsulating their commitment to grassroots organizing.
image source from：https://atlantaciviccircle.org/2025/06/04/green-new-deal-kelsea-bond-atlanta/
