Hi, I’m Courtney DeDi!
I am the daughter an Airborne Ranger Veteran and a successful entrepreneur. I’m also the step daughter of a Metro Atlanta Police Officer. My girlfriend, Jen, is the daughter of an Indian immigrant, a West Point Graduate, a US Army Veteran, and an Industrial and Mechanical Engineer working in the private sector with a focus on renewable energy.
I graduated with honors from North Springs High School’s Performing Arts Magnet Program and helped to form the school’s first Gay Straight Alliance. While I was an excellent student and dedicated to my passion of dance, that didn’t prevent me from experiencing family drama stemming from coming out – a situation many LGBTQ people can relate to, and as a result I was homeless for nearly a year – living out of my car. After almost a year of living in a 1984 Honda Civic, I earned enough money to rent an efficiency apartment. And then lost it because I couldn’t afford it. That wasn’t the only time that would happen to me in my late teens and early 20s.
The entrepreneurial spirit runs strong in my family. Once I was on my feet, I worked the 3 a.m. shift at a grocery store to save enough money to start my own business, which I was able to do at 24. More than a decade ago, I was that professional dog walker sending my client pictures of their dog on daily walks. I still do that today, but through a team of 20+ employees. Three years ago, I expanded my business and opened my enrichment-based doggie daycare on Cheshire Bridge Road – Club DiOGI.
I am very proud to give back to my community every chance I can. I have served the local community utilizing my business acumen to sit on the board of OUT Georgia (formerly the Atlanta Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce) as the Small Business Development Chairperson. I am a graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business National Program, have been recognized by Business Equality Magazine as Top 40 Under 40 Business LGBTQ Leaders in the US; the recipient of the AGLCC community award for Rising Star in business; was nominated for the 2020 SBA Award for Woman of the Year in Business, among many other honors. My girlfriend, Jen and I are both extremely active with a long list of organizations, and work hard to invest in Atlanta’s youth and animal rescue and welfare groups.
As the next Atlanta City Council’s representative for District 6, I will fight every day for a safe and economically thriving Atlanta for all people. I will work hard to re-establish trust in Atlanta’s leadership with transparent, proactive communication. I will actively engage in social issues to help the most vulnerable individuals experiencing homelessness in our city.