Looking For Nikki

You can find me in Georgia.

This is where it all began for me.
 Where I served in the military.
 Where I raised my son.
 Where I worked and where I faced unemployment.
 Where I taught, built a business, bought my first home, and built my life.

And it’s also where I saw what happens when the system doesn’t work the way it’s supposed to.

On 404 Day, we celebrate Atlanta.
 But we also need to talk about the reality.

Because in a $574 billion economy, too many people are still trying to figure it out day by day.

I’m not talking about this from the outside.
 I’ve lived it.

And that’s why I’m running for Labor Commissioner.

Because work should work for everyone.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

First came to Atlanta in 1996 for the Olympics. Then I had moved to live in Georgia when I served in the United States Air Force style in Warner Robbins. My son was born here. I worked here. I bought a house here. I lost work here. I had to figure out life in Georgia. I've had taken jobs to make sure things stayed together. I had to navigate systems that didn't move when I needed them to. I've been in Georgia long enough to know that work has never really worked. I've taught in schools, I've built businesses, I've made friends, I've made family, I've helped people build their lives while I was building my life. I've seen what opportunity looks like when it's real. I've seen what it looks like when it's just on paper. And today is 404 day. Georgia has really become my home. And Alana has shown me how to celebrate culture, the creativity, the impact, the fact that the lawmakers look like me. And it meant a lot to my son when we moved back from Jersey and he went to school and he said, Mom, their their principal is a black woman. But through all that, we still don't have reputation and leadership. I'm not talking about just black people. I'm talking about working Georgians who understand what it's like to be a working Georgian. 6.4 million live in Atlanta, in Metro Atlanta. Hundred of thousand jobs. Quotation marks are open across the state, and still people are working multiple jobs to get by. There's a huge disconnect. And I've seen the disconnect firsthand, I've experienced a disconnect firsthand. I've also been able to solve the disconnect, not just for my life, but for the people around me who I have helped. And this is why I'm running for labor commissioner. Not because I read about it, but because I've lived it. I know what it feels like to need a system to work and it doesn't. I know what it looks like when jobs exist, but they don't actually work for people's lives. And I know, not just here in Atlanta, but in Georgia, we can do better. We deserve better. We need a system that actually connects people to real opportunities, not just programs that look good on paper, not just numbers that sound good in news reports. Something that works in real life. Because right now, too many people, too many working Georgians are doing everything they're supposed to do. Take my son, for example, he did everything he was supposed to do. I made sure he did everything he was supposed to do. He went to technical college during high school, got his certificates, got certified, took the statewide tests, had the credentials on paper, but could not find a job that was listed. And now he's currently, unfortunately, literally following in my footsteps of going to the military because work wasn't working for him. When I talked to him, he's he let me know, Mom, I am now officially a war veteran. My son, 22 years old, a war veteran. He's gonna need a job, so I need to win this election. So I need to win this election. And while I'm campaigning and I'm canvassing and I'm going all 159 counties across the state of Georgia, you can always find me in the A. My name is Zicki Bourshea, and I am running to become Georgia's next labor commissioner because work should work for everyone. And it starts with working for everyone. Happy 404 day.