Statement from Vice President Harris on Tyre Nichol

Statement from Vice President Harris on Tyre Nichols

Tyre Nichols should have made it home to his family. Yet, once again, America mourns the life of a son and father brutally cut short at the hands of those sworn to protect and serve. The footage and images released tonight will forever be seared in our memories, and they open wounds that will never fully heal.
 
The persistent issue of police misconduct and use of excessive force in America must end now. 
 
I join President Biden in his call for accountability and transparency. We must build trust—not fear—within our communities. 
 
Congress must act with urgency and pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. To truly honor Tyre Nichols’ memory, and the memory of so many others before him, we must demand that our justice system lives up to its name.

Statement from President Joe Biden on Tyre Nichols

Statement from President Joe Biden on Tyre Nichols

Like so many, I was outraged and deeply pained to see the horrific video of the beating that resulted in Tyre Nichols’ death. It is yet another painful reminder of the profound fear and trauma, the pain, and the exhaustion that Black and Brown Americans experience every single day. 
 
My heart goes out to Tyre Nichols’ family and to Americans in Memphis and across the country who are grieving this tremendously painful loss. The footage that was released this evening will leave people justifiably outraged. Those who seek justice should not to resort to violence or destruction. Violence is never acceptable; it is illegal and destructive. I join Mr. Nichols’ family in calling for peaceful protest. 
 
I spoke with RowVaughn Wells and Rodney Wells, Mr. Nichols’ mother and stepfather, this afternoon. There are no words to describe the heartbreak and grief of losing a beloved child and young father. Nothing can bring Mr. Nichols back to his family and the Memphis community. But Mr. and Mrs. Wells, Mr. Nichols’ son, and his whole family deserve a swift, full, and transparent investigation. 
 
We must do everything in our power to ensure our criminal justice system lives up to the promise of fair and impartial justice, equal treatment, and dignity for all. Real and lasting change will only come if we take action to prevent tragedies like this from ever happening again. That is why I called on Congress to send the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to my desk. When Senate Republicans blocked that bill, I signed an executive order that mandated stricter use of force standards and accountability provisions for federal law enforcement, as well as measures to strengthen accountability at the state and local level.

We always get to choose Joy - Upcoming Events at the Birmingham Children's Theatre

A NOTE FROM OUR DIRECTOR

Don’t Tell Me I Can’t Fly is a story about a little girl navigating her way through a neurodiverse family while finding ways to still be a kid.

This iteration of Don’t Tell Me I Can’t Fly is near and dear to my heart as a neurodivergent person. I am just now, at my big age of 34, really getting a grasp on what it means to live with brain differences and what it means to encounter and care for others with brain differences.

I wonder who I would be today if I had encountered neurodivergence as a normal part of life in the form of entertainment as a child.

Telling a story about neurodivergence to children is a tall task. I wanted to ensure we were being respectful of the text while making it understandable by children. In directing this show, I desired to present this truth: sometimes we don’t get to choose our environment, but we always get to choose joy. 

Set in the mid 1960s, Don’t Tell Me I Can’t Fly is written like a sitcom. The beats of heaviness are so eloquently balanced with light hearted and sometimes slap stick moments of comedy. The direction of this piece was inspired by all of the sitcoms I loved watching on Nickelodeon’s Nick at Night from the 50s, 60s and 70s like "I Dream Of Jeanie," "The Jefferson’s" and "The Brady Bunch." 

I direct from a place of musicality, so I sound designed my own show. I was equally inspired by the music of the time. The sounds of Motown and the Carpenters are where the sound design meets in the middle. 

I truly hope you all enjoy this version of Don’t Tell Me I Can’t Fly as filmed in front of a live studio audience. I hope you all laugh, cheer and sigh. I hope it is fun experience for all who come to see it. Most importantly I hope you leave this space a little more empathetic, understanding and seeking the joy that finds itself all around us.

~Aija Penix

Lift Every Voice a Black History Month Festival 

Friday, February 10th - Sunday, February 12th, 2023

Lift Every Voice is a three day celebration honoring achievements of Black artists in our community through theatre, dance, music, poetry, art, literature, panels, talkbacks, and workshops.

This FREE event is open to all ages and all communities. A variety of performances and workshops will be offered from collaborating Black artists, educators, and organizations. Tickets are free but we are requesting families make reservations for the larger events. You can reserve your spot HERE

Lift Every Voice is made possible through a generous grant from

the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham.

SPRING BREAKOUT! CAMP

A Spring Break Camp for ages 8-18!

BCT’s Spring Break-out Camp is a fast-paced theatrical learning experience designed to take a script from the page to the stage in just one week! Our camp will introduce your child to all aspects of theatre: rehearsal etiquette, character development, self-confidence and expression, design and technical opportunities, vocal exercises, acting and movement techniques, and more!

Each day start with specialized activities for each age group.

• Younger students (ages 8-13) will focus on “actor toolbox” basics such as creating characters, understanding a script, and story-telling fundamentals.

• High-school students (ages 14-18) will explore the behind-the-scenes and design aspects that bring magic to any theatrical performance and work to create the scenery, costumes, props, and sound for their production.

Both groups will come together after lunch to rehearse and prepare for the showcase performance on Friday, March 31st.

Jones Valley Spring Camp Grow: REGISTRATION OPEN!

Spring Camp Grow Is Back!

CAMP GROW: Plant Power! is a week full of hands-on experiences for 3rd – 5th grade students at JVTF's Center for Food Education in Downtown Birmingham. Campers will explore the powerful world of plants through inquiry and experimentation. They'll actively engage with the farm, investigating how plants are used in art, design, medicine, and beyond! Campers should show up curious, ready to learn and have fun, and expect to get their hands (and feet and knees!) dirty.

January Update - Children's Aid Society of Alabama

This year, Camp APAC is open to adopted children ages 12 to 18, along with their siblings (birth and foster siblings living in the same household) who are connected to Alabama DHR (i.e. at least one camp applicant must be adopted from foster care). It will be hosted at the beautiful Camp Chandler in Wetumpka, AL. Children in the permanent custody of DHR with a plan of adoption by their current placement are also eligible to attend. Limited slots will also be available for non-DHR connected families at a cost of $175 for these 4 great days of fun!

Want To Apply As Camp Staff?

You must be 19 years old or older to apply. Also, thorough background checks are completed on all applicants in compliance with State requirements.

Prior experience in a camp setting is not a requirement for working as part of our team, however, it is a bonus! Working with children in professional settings, teaching skills, and certifications are also assets to your application.

Please email vanderson@childrensaid.org with any questions.

News You Can Use: 1-19-23

UPDATED DETAILS: Ramsay Football Champions honored with a parade 

• Due to the threat of rain on Thursday, Jan. 19, Ramsay High School has moved its football championship parade to Friday, Jan. 20 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The parade will start and stop in front of Boutwell Auditorium. Please see the parade route below. Also, please take note of the times for certain street closings and access to parking decks near City Hall during the parade.  

• Parade route  

• Parade will start in front of Boutwell on Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd.  

• Parade participants will walk west on Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd. and head toward 19th Street North 

• Turn left on 19th Street North 

• Turn left on Park Place 

• Turn left on Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. 

• Turn left onto Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd.  

• End in front of Boutwell 

• Street closings (locations and times) 

• Short 20th will close on Jan. 19 at 5 p.m. 

• On Jan. 20, Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd. will be closed from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. from 19th Street North to 21st Street North.  

• Park Place, from 19th Street North to Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd., will close at 10:30 a.m.  

• Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. will be closed from Park Place to Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd., starting at 10:30 a.m.  

• 19th Street North from Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd. to Park Place will close at 10:30 a.m. 

• Employees should NOT park on 19th Street North between Park Place and Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd. at any time before the parade on Jan. 20.  

• Employees will be unable to park on Short 20th Street North at any time before the parade on Jan. 20.  

• Parking at Boutwell  

• Those who plan to use the Boutwell deck between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Jan. 20, will need to access the deck via the 19th Street North entrance. The Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd entrance will be closed from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  

• Access to Parking Deck A next to City Hall via 19th Street North will be closed from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Jan. 20. The same will be true for those using the City Hall parking deck that lets out onto Short 20th Street. This means that vehicles will NOT be allowed to leave or enter these decks during this time range.  

• Those driving near the parade route right before the parade starts and during the parade should expect delays in trying to get to some of their downtown destinations. 

Calling Spoken Word artists – TIME EXTENDED 

• The City of Birmingham presents its Servant Leader Spoken Word Contest. Submit your spoken word recording of a previously authored or original piece to employeeRelations@birminghamal.gov. There is a 2-minute limit and city policies apply to all submissions. For additional information, call 581-3082 or email employeerelations@birminghamal.gov. Submission deadline has been extended to Monday, Jan. 23. 

Get healthy in the New Year 

• Birmingham Park and Recreation presents Fitness at the Villa, a free weekly series at Avondale Villa, located at 4220 Woodvale Road. Here is the weekly schedule: 

• Tuesdays at 6 p.m. Kickbox Sculpt 

• Wednesdays at 6 p.m. Xtreme Hip-Hop 

• Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. Line Dance 

• Certified dance instructor LaMesa Brooks offers fitness classes at the city’s North Fitness Center, 421 Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd., on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6-7 p.m. Offerings include Zumba, Afrobeat Cardio Dance fitness, and  FX'perience Body sculpt and Tone. For more information, call 205-902-9599. 

• Check out this month’s Behavioral Health Systems Newsletter. It includes helpful tips on keeping a New Year’s resolution, staying engaged at work and exercising regularly. See attached. 

UAB’s Alys Stephens offers discounted rates for city employees 

• Check out the following special offers just for CIty of Birmingham employees: 

• Buy 1 Ticket, Get 1 Free for Jazz Sensations Fred Hersch and Esperanza Spalding. Wednesday, Jan. 18. Scan for offer and use code ESPCITYBOGO at checkout. Tickets are $35-$55. 

• Jazz/Low Country Musicians Ranky Tanky. Thursday, Feb. 23. Scan for offer and use code RANKYCITYBOGO at checkout. Tickets are $39. 

• Meshell Ndegeocello. Thursday, March 9. Scan for offer and use code MESHCITYBOGO at checkout. Tickets $39. 

• For more information, see the attached flyer and go to AlysStephens.org. 

Get your 2023 City of Birmingham wall calendar  

• If you need a calendar, please see the attached digital version or visit the first floor lobby at City Hall and pick one up from Jacqueline Faulkner at the Customer Service Desk.  

Nominate a woman for StrongHer 

• Do you know a woman who lives, works, volunteers or attends school in Birmingham and is making a big difference in the Magic City? If so, nominate her for StrongHer, an annual campaign that highlights unsung “sheroes.’’  Honorees will be profiled on the city’s social media pages in March for Women’s History Month. The deadline to apply is Friday, Jan. 20. Send nominations to strongher@birminghamal.gov. Visit www.birminghamal.gov/strongher for more info. 

Tax services offered 

• Titusville Library will host Safe First Tax Services for patrons from January 26 through April 14 (Thursdays and Fridays only). Please call 205-322-1140 to reserve your spot. 

The Sloss Story to air on APTV 

• Learn about the history of Sloss Furnaces, and how it related to the founding of Birmingham in a documentary airing on Alabama Public Television this Thursday, Jan. 19 at 8 p.m. Here is a link for more info: https://aptv.org/series/the-sloss-story/. 

The Big Shred Day 

• Free electronics drop-off day and paper shredding from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 28 at the Birmingham Zoo. Please see attached flyer for details. 

Submit your news to marie.sutton@birminghamal.gov. 

Spring and Summer Camp at Your Birmingham Zoo

BIG NEWS!
SPRING AND SUMMER Zoo Camp!

Spring Camp Registration is OPEN Today, 1/16/23.
Click HERE to register. For more information about Zoo Camps, Click HERE.

Your Zoo's annual Summer Camp Flash Sale will start 2/15/23!  Anyone registering for Summer Camp between 2/15 and 2/16 will receive 15% off registration.

Members will receive a Flash Sale discount on top of their regular discount for Summer. Be sure to get your Member Discount codes before 2/13.

Contact membership@birminghamzoo.com or education@birminghamzoo.com to verify your Membership and receive your code. 

Forest Park / South Avondale (Mid January Newsletter)

The February meeting of the Forest Park / South Avondale Neighborhood Association is

Tuesday, February 7, 6:30 p.m.
Avondale Library

Agenda:
1.  Report from South Precinct
2.  Presentation about Organizing a Neighborhood Meet and Greet, Pam Stories.
3.  Report from Friends of Avondale Park
4.  Report from Birmingham Board of Education, Mary Boehm
5.  Report from District 3 City Councilor, Valerie Abbott
6.  Report from District 5 City Councilor, Darrel O'Quinn

Forest Park / South Avondale  
Brush and Trash Pick Up date.  
      FRIDAY, JANUARY 20

Missed Pick-up - Dial 311
Report Illegal Dumping - Dial 311

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Join Friends of  Avondale Park

Renew Your Membership

Friends of Avondale Park is a 501c3, run by an 11-member volunteer board, dedicated to supporting the park as a physical and symbolic anchor of our community. Friends of Avondale Park operates entirely with membership fees and donations. Membership levels are $25 for individuals and $40 for families. A $150 Legacy membership is also available. Corporate sponsorships vary from $500 to $2,000, all of which goes to park maintenance, improvements, and community activities. Corporate sponsorships are all taxdeductible donations. Donations go toward projects such as - Revitalization of the rose garden - Pond cleaning and maintenance - New signage - Membership events - Birmingham Folk Festival - Movies in the Park - Southside Baseball - New shrubs and plants All these goals improve the neighborhood by making the park an attractive feature of the community.However, we currently cannot meet these needs without additional funding. Please visit avondalepark.org to become a member or renew your membership today. Corporate sponsors will be featured in our newsletter, which reaches our 300 plus members on a quarterly basis.

Special thanks to Tom Cosby and Maury Shevin for cleaning up around and painting the cannon on Altamont Road.

Join us on Tuesday, January 24 at Avondale Library to help us prioritize the recommendations in the Draft Southern Area Framework Plan!

Stop by Avondale Library between 5:30pm and 6:30pm on Tuesday, January 24th to learn more about the Draft Southern Area Framework Plan. A formal presentation will be given promptly at 5:30pm. At the meeting you will have the opportunity to give your input that will help set the priority of the Plan's goals and recommended actions via an interactive activity. We hope to see you there!

Click here to review and download the DRAFT Southern Area Framework Plan

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Avondale Park Inter-Faith Walk

all faiths welcome
 
Led by Neal Flum/Avondale United Methodist Church
Every Wednesday (weather permitting)
7:00 AM: Meet at the Rose Garden
Dogs welcome

We’ll pray, Walk for 30 minutes, Share faith, fellowship, and our love of the park 
Any questions:  avonumcfaithwalk@gmail.com 

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Birmingham Lists the Streets Part of its $12 Million Paving Plan for 2023

By
 Birmingham Times
 January 6, 2023 

The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday finalized its 2023 Street Paving schedule that will improve nearly 250 roads city wide and roughly 43 miles.

The resurfacing plan is part of an estimated $12 million investment that will go toward upgrading streets in Birmingham.

City Council President Wardine Alexander said improvements are scheduled to be made in all nine districts and will impact almost all of the 99 neighborhoods in the city.

“A lot of our streets have aged and so we had a five-year plan where we were already looking to improve streets and paving in different areas. So this $12 million is just for this segment of the five-year plan,” Alexander said.

The council’s vote marks the first step of the project. Now the city is in the bidding process for contractors to do the work. Alexander said construction should start sometime this summer or fall.

To preview District 3 2023 Street Paving list, please click here.
To preview District 5 2023 Street Paving list, please click here.

Five Points South Neighborhood Newsletter - January 2023

Magic City Spotlight: City Council supports safe sleep pilot program

Birmingham City Council backs Home For All pilot program

On Tuesday, Birmingham City Council unanimously voted to approve the purchase of 50 micro-shelters and take proposals for services to support unhoused residents.

The Birmingham Times reports, "The plan, proposed by the city, is called 'Home for All' and will see officials spending an initial $975,000 for the purchase of micro-shelter materials and supplies from Everett, Washington-based Pallet Shelter, which bills itself as 'The Leader in Rapid-Response Villages.'"

Click the button below to read more from The Birmingham Times on the questions posed by council members and the hope the council has for the impact of the new program.

Dr. Meghan Venable-Thomas describes the spirit of Home For All program

“When I think of home I think of a place where love’s overflowing.” This is the first line of a song in a musical I watched recently, “The Wiz.” A retake on the film “The Wizard of Oz” in which Dorothy, played by Diana Ross, is transported to an unfamiliar world making new friends along the way but ultimately all in the pursuit of getting back home.

Why would the whole premise of this iconic story and remake be all about home? Why is home so important? When I think of home, I think of a place I feel safe and well.

Where I can find peace, comfort, and support. A place of retreat and respite that allows me to show up every day. Imagine if the place you called home wasn’t any of those things, or if you didn’t have a place to call home at all.

Click the button below to read Dr. Venable-Thomas' description of what home means for us all and how the City is excited to take such a significant step in creating a pathway to home for many.

For City of Birmingham's Don Lupo, shelter project strikes an emotional chord 

The impact of Home For All is not just on our unhoused residents. Roy S. Johnson writes of the journey Don Lupo has lived leading to this moment and what it means for all that he works for.

Johson writes, "It took all he could muster to not rewind what those eyes have seen in a job that became a purpose, a job that began just before the turn of this century, a job he’s held under four Birmingham mayors—a job he’s become."

Click the button below to read the full article and learn more about allies of our unhoused community are feeling hopeful.

Mayor Woodfin presents resolution for 5% cost of living increase for employees

Mayor Randall L. Woodfin presented resolutions of intent for a 5% cost of living adjustment (COLA) for all city employees and to fund new venues and restore key facilities during a meeting of the Birmingham City Council’s Budget and Finance Committee today.

The 5% COLA for employees, coupled with last year’s raise, would provide a cumulative 10% cost of living adjustment for all employees within a 12 month period.

“The city’s greatest asset to serve Birmingham is our people, the employees of our city. We appreciate your sacrifice and commitment,” Mayor Woodfin said. “The city is committed to investing in all city employees and providing competitive compensation in order to retain and recruit a customer-service based, efficient and effective workforce.”

Click the button below to learn more about the City's investment in people, its "greatest asset," and venues to increase economic impact.