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I’ve thought about it.
I think everybody in this city has thought about it these last two weeks, whether seriously or in jest.
“How would I do as a candidate for mayor of Birmingham?”
I approach answering that question realizing that Birmingham’s looking for a savior right now. It hasn’t realized that it needs to save itself and not lay the challenge on any one person – with each resident taking a good, hard look inward to determine what needs to happen to move the community forward.
I mean, I believe that the city’s best days are ahead of us, but I don’t think they’ll ever happen so long as this extreme lack of confidence in Alabama’s Magic City that seems to ooze from the lips of many of its residents continues to be the brush used to paint that bright potential future.
“There’s nothing to do in the city.”
“There’s nothing happening in town.”
“The city’s moving forward in spite of it’s leadership.”
Maybe it’s time to sing the praises of what we do love in this city louder than ever before. Maybe instead of a savior, it needs a head coach.
I believe that we need to look for ways to encourage small businesses to fight back against the effects of the recession with laser-targeted short term economic development initiatives while identifying ways to provide resources, including proper training, to be ready to compete in a regional economy. It may even be nice to provide the resources necessary for organizations already in existence like Operation New Birmingham, Main Street Birmingham and the like to perform their services to the best of their ability instead of asking them to perform miracles and then heaping blame without asking how we can help achieve success.
I believe that we need to understand that a sustainable city means figuring out ways for communities to have the resources that they need within walking distance or a short drive instead of continuing to feed the monsters that include U.S. 280. It means that bike lanes and a functioning bus system need to be sought and encouraged. It also means identifying ways that people can come in and solve problems that government and locals don’t seem to want to solve on their own.
I believe that it means that a level of transparency and accountability need to be set not just for those that are seeking to hold the mayor’s office, but with those that need to hold that person accountable.
I think that it means telling the region needs to stop acting like it’s a network of kingdoms and become more cohesive about similar needs. That person needs to serve as a mediator to stop making it a battle about what’s going on between small towns five miles apart and lead efforts focused on regional cooperation and how it will benefit all in the long run.
If we were true to what we hear when we ask the question “What does Birmingham need?” we may actually pay attention to this upcoming race with the focus that it deserves and not vote for someone solely on popularity but on what they can truly achieve for our city.
Let’s not just elect someone, let’s elect the person who can actually explain what they will do even after the sound bite machines are turned off. They need to explain how they’ll lead a city that needs someone to coach a city out of its doldrums instead of saving it from what locals believe is pending oblivion and doom.
We still have a few more days to learn about who will throw their names into the mix for the chance to occupy the mayor’s office here in Birmingham, AL. We’ve also learned about two upcoming forums where you can try to glean what these folks truly stand for; one by the Jefferson County alumnae chapter of Delta Sigma Theta on November 17 and the other to be held by Catalyst for Birmingham on December 1.
I’m hopeful that the residents of the city of Birmingham will take this rare opportunity to speak with everyone watching to demonstrate that they actually give a damn.
I know I’m not running, but I’d love to see everyone approach this election as if they were and then to dig and find out who best represents their ideals – and hold them accountable from day one.
André Natta is the stationmaster for bhamterminal.com.
Despite the fact that we currently exist solely online as a resource for people in Birmingham, AL (and its many expatriates), I was becoming increasingly aware that a publication of any type in Birmingham must have a physical space in order to ease the fears of readers, contributors and (to survive for the long term) potential advertisers. There would always be a fear of us being here today and gone tomorrow unless we showed that we were here to stay.
Still dreaming Birmingham? Time to do.
“It’s time to stop just thinking and do.”
The simple sentence echoes around in my head – a space that has felt quite cavernous until recently due to setting goals for the future.
This evening I’ll join more than 500 people over at Old Car Heaven starting at 4:30 p.m. as The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham announces the NEXT BIG THING for The Magic City (by the way, you’re invited so come out if you can).
There have been great things going on throughout the region in the months since Rebecca Ryan delivered a memorable keynote at the Community Foundation’s annual meeting. I shared this post on the organization’s Imagine blog the day of the speech.
A lot has happened. True, there’s been the success of Railroad Park and the Birmingham Business Alliance‘s unveiling of their Blueprint Birmingham strategic plan has led to many important conversations to be restarted.
It’s important to remind folks of some others things happening that may be just under the radar screen so to speak…
There are mounds of dirt moving on the city’s west side as work continues on a revamped centerpiece of the city’s Five Points West community, one that has felt long neglected despite being one of the city’s most populous regions.
There are families benefiting from the development of residential options in Woodlawn and buzz for a new downtown field of dreams to house our beloved Barons.
There are residents in communities like Norwood who are willing to lift their voices so that people know what they want and have no reason to assume while looking forward to the ability of having an entertainment district within walking distance in the next two years.
There’s a connection to a road that brings Birmingham ever closer to Memphis (and the western edge of Jefferson County) that teases those driving along I-65 every day watching its progress.
Tonight we gather to see if what the Community Foundation will announce as their next great project. If nothing else, attending this evening’s event will be an opportunity to celebrate all that has been accomplished, both big and small, and to answer the call represented by former UAB president Volker’s quote,
Whatever it is, it will be part of a larger dialogue that needs to take place in Birmingham about where we’re going. The big difference is that instead of dwelling on what isn’t happening, we’ll be wondering what else should be happening.
There are several projects I think are worthy of being undertaken – whether it’s making sure that the Powell School building is preserved and maintained for a civic purpose or figuring out a way to expand and ensure the continued presence of the Birmingham Public Library. While I doubt that these are among the ones considered for today’s announcement, perhaps after the dust settles, people will see that much more is possible than they’ve ever imagined. They may just step up and get it done.
I know that as the incoming president of the Birmingham Jaycees, that organization will be doing their part to take on part of the challenge of doing.
How about you Birmingham?
It’s more than a year later – how big are the dreams you’re dreaming for Birmingham (and what are you willing to do to make them a reality)? What are you willing to do to help shape the city’s story.
André Natta is the stationmaster for bhamterminal.com.
Photo: Birmingham 360 degrees. E. Bruchac/Flickr
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Tagged announcement, Birmingham, citywide, Commentary, Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, do, Old Car Heaven, The Big Thing, Volker