What excites you about Birmingham and its future?

At the Opening Breakfast that kicked off the current program year, attendees—on stage or on colorful notecards—described the projects and progress that make them proud to call the region home. Here are a few highlights:

Michele Kong (LB ’18), KultureCity cofounder and Children’s of Alabama/UAB pediatrics professor, spoke about KultureCity’s growth and plans to transform the Powell Avenue Steam Plant into a global education and resource center for disability inclusion.

Ed Fields (LB ’13), City of Birmingham senior advisor and chief strategist, praised the creative community and previewed As Goes the South, a film spotlighting Birmingham’s successes and challenges.

Sid Evans (LB ’25), Southern Living editor in chief, discussed the award-winning talent powering Birmingham’s national prominence as a food town.

Chad Scroggins (LB ’25), county manager of Shelby County, talked about Birmingham’s importance to the region and the area’s extensive network of parks and trails.

This article was originally posted in the Leadership Birmingham Spring 2026 magazine. See the full magazine here.