SAVANNAH, Ga. () — Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms made a stop in Savannah on her gubernatorial campaign trail to highlight the importance of small businesses while sharing her vision for the state.

Bottoms is traveling the state this summer and fall on her “Standing up for Georgia” tour, hearing directly from Georgians and outlining how she plans to lead.

“We’ve got to find ways that the state can be a better partner and better leader,” Bottoms said. “Hearing directly from people like Mayor Van Johnson and small business owners that we’ve heard from today, ‘how do we help support your businesses? how do we help you survive in uncertain economic times?”

Bottoms visited African goods store Diaspora Marketplace and Kim’s Café with Savannah Mayor Van Johnson. Bottoms said small businesses employ nearly half of the state’s workforce.

“The top concerns I’m hearing from business owners is the inability to access capital, the inability to really have what they need, the support they need to expand their businesses and to survive in tough times,” Bottoms said.

Voters at those small businesses got to shake hands with the candidate on her visit.

“She’s very open,” April Williams said. “She’s very nice. She’s very caring.  A lot has to do with a person’s personality and how they want the small businesses to grow and become successful.”

Bottoms also touched on other priorities like federal cuts in local schools and Medicaid. She said she is ready to deliver that support.

“Leading in Atlanta in the midst of a historic economic downturn, still leaving the city with over $180 million in the bank, expanding affordable housing, workforce training job programs, creating the child savings account for our kids,” she said. “Those are things that can be scaled statewide.”

“She’s been a mayor,” Johnson said. “She’s been the mayor of our capital city.  That provides some context of understanding what cities go through, what city’s needs are.”

He continued, “Whoever the gubernatorial victor is, they need to be able to understand the challenges their cities face.”

She said Georgians will continue to hear from her on how she plans to bring more stability to the state.

Bottoms later hosted a meet and greet at Temple of Glory Community Church for the community.