Eshé Collins, the director of the Equity Assistance Center-South (EAC-South) at the Southern Education Foundation, has joined the Atlanta City Council after taking the oath of office on Jan. 6.

The civil rights lawyer and Atlanta native has dedicated her career to improving the lives of children and families in her hometown and across the South. Collins previously served on the Atlanta Board of Education and as board chair. She began her career as a teacher in the Atlanta Public Schools.

“We are extremely proud of Eshé Collins and her public service in elected office. We are also proud that she is a colleague at SEF in our work to address inequities in students’ educational opportunities,” SEF President and CEO Raymond C. Pierce said.

The four federally funded EACs across the country were established under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Today, the centers provide resources and expertise for school districts and states that request assistance. Hundreds of school districts in the South remain under desegregation-era court orders that require schools to address disparities based on students’ race, religion, sex, or national origin — as required by longstanding federal law.

“It is my honor to serve the people of Atlanta on the city council, and to serve students and communities through the EAC-South,” Collins said.

Collins has also served as a senior program director for the education nonprofit Jumpstart, a senior program director at the Georgia State University College of Education, and a policy analyst for the Children’s Defense Fund in Washington, D.C. Earlier, she was a judicial clerk for the Honorable James A. Winn Jr. on the North Carolina Court of Appeals.

The winner of many awards for community service, Collins holds a bachelor’s degree from Spelman College in Atlanta, a master’s degree in educational leadership from Georgia State University, and a law degree from the North Carolina Central University School of Law.