You are invited to an intimate lunch at bottega with acclaimed author, New York Times opinion writer, and Alabama native Margaret Renkl in conversation with Thank You Books co-owner, Elizabeth Goodrich (’24)
One Minute with the Members Council
One Minute with the Members Council Learn about the leadership group within Leadership Birmingham 1. Leadership Birmingham includes three programs.
Year-End Reviews
Year-End Reviews What is the Class of ’24 reading, listening to, and watching? Four of the newest Leadership Birmingham graduates share the books, programs, and podcasts that have inspired them during their program year. Steven Henkin Rabbi Temple Beth-El The Amen Effect: Ancient Wisdom to Mend Our Broken Hearts and World, by Rabbi Sharon Brous “[This book] challenges us to think about what it really means to be part of a community and gives practical suggestions about how we can work together to make a better world—starting with ourselves, our families, and our communities.
A Force of Nature
A Force of Nature This fall, the Members Association welcomes a special guest to Birmingham—but it’s really more of a homecoming for Margaret Renkl, an award-winning author and New York Times contributing opinion writer. Renkl is an Alabama native who spent much of her youth in Birmingham and attended Auburn University.
Family Ties
Family Ties A mother and child reunion in the Class of ’24 Tanner Battle enjoys sharing special moments with her mom, Brooke Battle. But she didn’t expect to experience the entire 2023-2024 program year together.
Pathfinders
Pathfinders How a team came together to connect communities through trails A trail winding 36 miles around Greater Birmingham could lead the way to a brighter future. The Freshwater Land Trust (FLT) Red Rock Action Plan envisions a grand loop combining seven new corridors with existing trails.
Members Association 23-24 Program Recap
The Leadership Birmingham Members Association hosted 6 events with over 450 attendees this year: The Opening Retreat Breakfast at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens in September. Two study groups from the Class of 2023 shared their amazing projects centered on civil rights leader Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth.
STORIES THAT MOVE US
STORIES THAT MOVE US Alumni share the books, programs, and music that make them think – and dance Richard Yeilding (LB ’85) RBY Retail Leaves From a President’s Notebook: Lessons on Life and Leadership, by Thomas K. Hearn Jr.
GROWTH MINDSET
GROWTH MINDSET Atlanta’s Martin Tilson Jr. (’88) supports Leadership Birmingham because it inspired him to become an education advocate.
TRUE OR FALSE
TRUE OR FALSE Surprising facts about Alabama’s justice system Justice Day is among the most popular program days because it reveals surprising truths about Alabama’s complex system of courts and corrections. As we look ahead to the next Justice Day on February 8, 2024, take this challenge to see what you know about key points discussed earlier in 2023 by Bennet Wright and judges Michael Streety and Stephen Wallace.
HOW TO HEAL A COMMUNITY
HOW TO HEAL A COMMUNITY Alumni share the lessons of Leadership Birmingham How can a community come together after experiencing widespread trauma fueled by injustice? As part of the September commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Birmingham campaign in the civil rights movement, the Historic Bethel Baptist Church hosted a conference—titled There IS a Balm in Gilead: Healing From the Events of 1963—to explore avenues for recovery. Four Class of 2022 alumni led a session highlighting the connections and conversations that take place within Leadership Birmingham and the ways they use their knowledge to help bridge divides.
READER LEADER
READER LEADER Bonnie Short (YLF ’91) helps Alabama students gain ground in literacy Bonnie Short has good news to share about Alabama’s success in teaching young children to read: The 2022 National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP)—the nation’s report card—showed that “our fourth-grade students made gains in literacy while almost every other state declined,” she says. That’s a welcome improvement from the NAEP’s previous report from three years earlier, which ranked Alabama fourth-graders 49th in reading.
PHOTOS: OPENING BREAKFAST 2023
Click here to see the full photo album from the Opening Retreat Breakfast that took place on September 7th at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
SEEN, HEARD, AND REMEMBERED
SEEN, HEARD, AND REMEMBERED Alumni share their latest book, program, and podcast discoveries Gail Andrews (’84) Director Emerita Birmingham Museum of Art American Dirt, by Jeanine Cummins “I was totally caught up in this gripping story of a mother and child trying to escape the wrath of the drug cartel that is ignited by her husband’s reveal of their leader. Their story, set in Mexico, and those of the individuals they met as they travel north, was extremely compelling.
A STRONGER BOND WITH BIRMINGHAM
A Stronger Bond with Birmingham As another program year comes to a close, some members of the Class of 2023 highlight how the experience has shaped them and their roles as community leaders: “Leadership Birmingham introduced me to so many new parts of our vibrant city and to an inspiring group of leaders whom I am privileged to now call friends. I was particularly inspired by my classmates and the multitude of incredible nonprofits in the city dedicated to creating opportunities for children.
AN INSIDER’S LOOK AT YLF
An Insider’s Look at YLF Anoop Mishra is one of the rare double graduates in the Leadership Birmingham family — a member of both the Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) Class of 1988 and the Leadership Birmingham Class of 2011. That gives him a unique perspective on the high-school program among his Leadership Birmingham colleagues.
INNOVATION DESTINATION
INNOVATION DESTINATION Miller Girvin maps the growth of Birmingham’s start-up economy—and the ways you can support its expansion. What happens when a start-up stops? The answer reveals a lot about a city’s rise as a high-tech, idea-driven, entrepreneurial business hub, says Miller Girvin (’19).
IDEA LIBRARY
Idea Library Alumni share their latest book, program, and podcast discoveries Teresa Pulliam (’10) Circuit Judge, Criminal Division 10th Judicial Circuit of Alabama The Wire, HBO series: “Not that I need additional crime drama in my life, but I missed watching it 10 years ago and have been addicted to the series about crime in Baltimore in the 1980s.” “Hope of Alabama,” World Games 2022 theme song: “The song features vocal artists from Alabama and is directed by Dr. Henry Panion III.
WISH FULFILLMENT
Wish Fulfillment Eva Robertson (’17) highlights the community benefits of matching resources with opportunities Imagine you have the power to grant wishes. Where do you begin making the world a better place? Deciding that is, in essence, Eva Robertson’s job.
PROJECTS WITH PERMANENCE
Projects with Permanence In light of Odessa Woolfolk’s challenge to revisit study-group projects, here are four group and class initiatives that have left lasting traces in the community. The lost miners of Pratt City: Inspired by Douglas Blackmon’s book Slavery By Another Name, which details the practice of convict leasing that primarily targeted Black prisoners, a group from the Class of 2013 illuminated its impact on Jefferson County.
INTRODUCING KATHERINE BERDY
Katherine Berdy encourages young people to find their voices “Leadership happens best when you combine confidence, competence, and connectedness.” Katherine Berdy has made a career out of cultivating that kind of leadership among young people—in classrooms, in the community, and now as the new executive director of Youth Leadership Forum. It’s a mission she embarked upon more than two decades ago.
ODESSA’S ADVICE
What does it take to be an effective leader in Birmingham? Odessa Woolfolk will tell you. Odessa Woolfolk has lived history, taught history, and even helped make history in Birmingham, from the civil rights movement through the present day.
VOLUNTEERS STEP FORWARD FOR STUDENTS
STEPPING FORWARD FOR STUDENTS Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) attracts high-school students from across the community to learn more about the Birmingham region and each other. But it also brings together a group of adult volunteers who dedicate their time and efforts to make each program day a success.
INVESTMENT STRATEGY
Investment Strategy Weily Soong commits to growing Birmingham’s talent pool Participating in the class of 2015 continues to pay career dividends for Weily Soong, Allervie Health chief medical officer, who ranks it among “the most influential experiences in my adult life.” In return, he has eagerly shared his time and resources, serving as Health Day co-chair in 2016 and 2022 and making a monetary gift to support Leadership Birmingham programming. Soong describes Leadership Birmingham’s impact and the crucial reason all alumni should consider making a contribution: What encouraged you to stay involved? Soong: Leadership Birmingham helped me to further understand that health-care problems—specifically health disparities and inequities—involve many different areas in our community and encouraged me to be creative in developing solutions.