Mayor Steven Reed of Montgomery spent time chatting with gifted 9th through 12th graders in the WIT Leadership Development Circle on September 22, 2021.
In response to a question from one of the WIT Young Leaders, Mayor Reed said improving Montgomery's educational system is among his top priorities for the city. As a graduate of the men-only Morehouse College in Atlanta, the mayor said he is a huge proponent of single-gender education. Mayor Reed also shared that he has a daughter, and always pushes her to reach for the sky. He gave the same advice to this group of young leaders, as he pointed out that one of his cabinet members, Betty Beville, is a woman and the first Black person in Montgomery to serve as the city's Chief Financial Officer. In that role, Mayor Reed said Ms. Beville is responsible for a budget of $240 million.
Mayor Reed then surprised the group by introducing Angela Ramson, a Georgetown and Howard University-educated attorney living in Atlanta. Ms. Ramson, a partner at Squire Patton Boggs, advised the WIT Young Leaders to make connections with other people -- locally and even globally. This aligns with the WIT Leadership Development Circle mission to develop compassionate global leaders.