Black on Purpose.
​New Vision for a New City.

America's first #BlackLivesMatter organizer elected to public office, Councilman khalid (pronounced cuh-LEED) is leading a generation of young activists from protests to politics. This "Elected Activist" has been a #Fightfor15 organizer and a Bernie Sanders Delegate is the youngest member of the inaugural City Council of South Fulton, GA — Atlanta's new twin city. 

With a population that is 90 percent African American, South Fulton, Georgia is now the blackest big city in America. Councilman khalid's vision is to build a city that is Black on Purpose, transforming South Fulton into a real-life Wakanda that empowers its citizens' success like legendary African-American cities of Greenwood (Tulsa), Oklahoma or Rosewood, Florida.

​khalid is the first member of South Fulton's City Council born & raised South Fulton, Georgia. In 2019 he was elected Chair of the Atlanta chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America.

khalid with Senator Bernie Sanders & President Jimmy Carter at Carter Center's Human Rights Forum

Raised on Old National Highway, khalid attended the original Old National Christian Academy (on the grounds of what is now World Changer's Ministries), Love T. Nolan Elementary and Ronald E. McNair Middle schools.  His father, an accountant for Atlanta Workforce Development, and mother, manager of Grady's Bankhead clinic, instilled in him Christ's teaching that "whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me." His lower-cased name comes from the Yoruba tradition, where the community is emphasized over the individual. Many people stumble over his Yoruba last name — pronounced cuh-MAH-oo — so citizens simply refer to him as "Councilman khalid."

An "Elected Activist," khalid began organizing his community as a student at Ronald E. McNair Middle on Old National Hwy. 

​It was at McNair, at the age of 13, that he organized his first demonstration – where his petition to include African nations in the predominately black middle school's Olympics-themed "Field Day" became a full-fledged student protest covered by local news.
​
His organizing continued through high school (Mays, Banneker & Tri-Cities). ​​At Tri-Cities, his peers nicknamed him "Captain Planet," after the popular 90s cartoon. 

​At Ithaca College in New York, khalid became well-known as a passionate defender of the working poor, women, LGBT people and the environment. A college semester abroad studying South Africa's post-Apartheid democracy sealed his lifelong commitment to social justice.​

After college, khalid spent his early adulthood working as a Financial Analyst and Operations Manager for non-profit agencies in New York, Los Angeles & Atlanta, including Harlem United, Girls Prep Charter Schools, Morehouse College and the Black AIDS Institute before attending John Marshall Law School in Atlanta.

​khalid first became involved in City government through Maynard Jackson's Neighborhood Planning Unit (NPU) system. In 2005, under the tutelage of the inimitable Peggy Harper, he organized renters in Atlanta's rapidly gentrifying Mechanicsville neighborhood. ​

Atlanta Activists Shut Down KKK Rally at Stone Mountain Park

"When there’s a call to action on issues of social justice, some people stand silent while others lead. One such person who is ready to act is khalid."
-RollingOut.com

---

What is in a Name?

The Origin of Councilman khalid's unique name.

By middle school, khalid — a voracious reader since birth — began studying African History from the books in my father’s library. At 16, khalid asked his parents' permission to take African name as a way of reclaiming their family's African heritage & culture. 

His quick-witted mother responded: “When you turn 18 you can do anything you want.”

So when he turned 18 during his first year at college, khalid went down the courthouse — and with the help of a friendly clerk in Fulton County's legal library — changed his name.

He selected khalid, the name of a prince who united the Arabian peninsula and defeated European invaders during the Crusades. khalid means “Eternal.” kamau, his last name, is common Yoruba first name meaning, “Quiet Warrior.”  It is all lower-cased in accordance with a Yoruba spiritual tradition that prioritizes the Community over the individual.  

For khalid, that a child activist would one day become an "Eternal Quiet Warrior" prioritizing Community over individuals would grow up in — and one day become the Councilman of — the heart of the largest commercial district of the Blackest City in America is evidence of the divine providence of God.

​When the economy took a downturn, khalid took a series of blue-collar jobs, working as bus driver for MARTA, and an AT&T Wire Tech, installing & repairing service in every weather condition. These jobs gave him first-hand experience with organized labor and unions fighting to hold on to living wages and employee benefits that are vanishing due to corporate greed. khalid's personal experience with America's — and Atlanta's — shrinking middle class, increased his compassion for working class families.

In fact, it was his experience fighting the outsourcing of MARTA's Mobility Service workers that lead khalid into politics full time; first as labor activist with the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), then as a volunteer with the Bernie Sanders campaign, the Democratic Party and the Democratic Socialists of America.

​An activist with prophetic vision to pursue progressive policies ' in the streets & the suites,' khalid enrolled and graduated from Fulton County Citizens University, while being an active member of Atlanta Neighborhood Planning Units (NPUs) V (Mechanichsville), where he organized a neighborhood watch program; and NPUs P (Camp Creek) & L (Vine City), where he participated in Economic Development negotiations around the new Mercedes-Benz arena. ​​​

Click Picture to Read New York Times Article

One of the first events khalid organized as a co-convener of Atlanta's #BlackLivesMatter chapter was an intergenerational dialogue with 1960 Civil Rights Leaders, including Congressman John Lewis

Click Picture above to Listen to The Nation Magazine Interview

khalid helped organize the Atlanta chapter of #BlackLivesMatter and served as a Field Organizer for the Georgia House Democratic Caucus. In 2016, he was elected as an At-Large Delegate to the Democratic National Convention.

In his first two years on City Council, Councilman khalid authored legislation to make Election Day a full, paid Holiday — making South Fulton the first city in the South, and one of the first in the nation to do so. He created an annual, companion event called the Electoral College to teach citizens how local & state government works. He co-sponsored legislation raising the city's minimum wage to $15/hr; and supported Councilman Mark Baker's legislation to decriminalize marijuana for less than an ounce, change Columbus Day to Indigenous People's Day, and to the "ban the box" asking applicants for city jobs about their previous criminal history. 

​A college-educated, community activist with a career in nonprofit management and experience in blue-collar jobs; a Southern, Black, Christian Socialist — Councilman khalid brings a unique blend of professionalism, passion and authenticity to government to build  a table big enough for everyone to have a seat.

khalid & Dr. Cornel West at 2016 DNC Platform Meeting

Help khalid make South Fulton the South's most Progressive city.

GET INVOLVED