Thursday morning, Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Dr. C.T. Vivian formally endorsed Teresa Tomlinson for U.S. Senate. Tomlinson, who was elected as the first female mayor of Columbus, Georgia, in 2010 and served eight years as the city’s mayor. She has promoted reducing crime, reforming budgeting and connecting neighborhoods with trails for walking and biking as accomplishments of her tenure. Tomlinson is now running for Senate to unseat Republican David Perdue. Currently, Tomlinson is locked in a tight primary battle with Sarah Riggs Amico and Jon Ossoff. Previously, Tomlinson secured endorsements from former Atlanta City Council President Cathy Woolard, the first openly gay elected official in the city’s history, Hank Aaron, former governor Roy Barnes, plus Andrew and Carolyn Young.
Here is Vivian’s statement in full:
“My entire life has been dedicated to fighting for equal rights both at home and abroad. I have worked with some of America’s most esteemed and respected leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and President Barack Obama, and I have seen first-hand the kind of leadership that we need to create a more just and equitable society. My career is not only about celebrating the past and how far we’ve come, but also about what we can accomplish in the future and how far we still have to go. I am always looking for the next generation of leaders that will carry the torch and honor the legacies of those who have dedicated, and in many cases, given their lives to advance our cause. I am proud to support Teresa Tomlinson for U.S. Senate because she has proven that she is one of those leaders.”
Dr. Vivian played a crucial role in the passage of both the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act, and most notably, he served as the National Director of Affiliates of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) where he worked closely with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Vivian currently serves as Board Chair of the nation’s oldest diversity consulting firm, BASIC Diversity Inc., and Dean of the Urban Institute at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
