Georgia Assembly Praises Karen René for Her Work

ATLANTA (March 29, 2024) – Members of the Georgia General Assembly Thursday recognized Karen René , a three-term member of the East Point, Georgia, city council, former East Point mayor pro tem, and candidate for the 13th Congressional seat for her tireless community service and activism.

“Be it resolved by the House of Representatives that the members of this body recognize and commend Karen René on her outstanding public service and thank her for her efficient, effective, unselfish, and dedicated public service to the state of Georgia,” the resolution read.

Representatives Karen Bennett, D-Stone Mountain; Derrick Jackson, D-Tyson, and Tanya Miller, D-Atlanta, presented the resolution to Renè today on the floor of the House on the final day of the assembly’s 2024 session. The resolution noted Renès numerous awards, including being named last year Fulton County Elected Official of the Year by the Fulton County Commission and receiving the Impact Award from the 100 Black Men of South Metro Atlanta. The resolution cited Renès “passion and compassion to service” to the Georgia community.

Renè, who has worked as an activist for more than 20 years in Georgia, said she was humbled by the recognition. “You don’t do the work I do for awards or recognition,” she said. “You care about people.

You want to help people. You want to serve people. Still, it is nice when people take notice. I am grateful and inspired to do even more.” Renè is a leading candidate for the newly redrawn 13th Congressional District, which now includes Dekalb, Gwinnett, Rockdale, Newton, Henry, and Clayton counties. As a result, 70% of the constituents are new to the district, which political experts say will make for a highly competitive race.

Renè grew up on a family farm in Selma, Alabama, where some say the fight for voting rights was won.

It was in Selma where SNCC worker John Lewis, later a longtime U.S. Congressman, and SCLC worker Hosea Williams, later an Atlanta city council member, five-term state senator, and Dekalb County commissioner, were beaten at the Edmund Pettis Bridge in their quest for voting rights. Renè recalls how that impacted her parents, who always took her and her five siblings with them when they went to vote to illustrate the importance of casting a ballot.

A graduate of political science from Alabama State University, Renè earned a law degree from Atlanta Law School and worked at Job Corps, negotiating with congressional leaders to maintain funding for the program while overseeing job outreach efforts for young Georgia residents. As vice president and programs director for the NAACP Atlanta Branch, she was vital in the effort that sent President Joe Biden to the White House in 2020 and Democrats Rafael Warnock and Jon Ossoff to the Senate, where they were the pivotal votes in confirming Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black woman Supreme Court justice.

Ron Harris
Media Representative
Karen René for Congress
202.316.6567
ronaldjharris@gmail.com