Think Big Alabama Kicks Off In Montgomery
In a world that seeks to make our voices feel small, thinking big has an enormous impact. This holds especially true in states like Alabama where we are made to feel as if the outcome will always be the same no matter how often we vote, protest, or write our legislatures. Phrases like “Thank God for Mississippi” come across as light jabs joking about the poor rankings of these neighboring Southern states, but highlight a dark reality that many Alabamians feel our conditions are out of our hands. However, the people always hold the power—especially when they are organized in their vision for a better future for all.
This was seen at the first weekend of Think Big Alabama, a collaborative 4-week advocacy training program that is co-hosted by Alabama Values and Alabama Arise. More than 20 caring Alabama residents from all over the state gathered at the Montgomery Interpretive Center (part of the National Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail) to kickoff a summer series dedicated to turning wishes of a better Alabama into a reality. The attendees were chosen from more than a hundred applicants and included a diverse range of passions. Some worked for nonprofits, others came as individuals. Hometowns ranged from Huntsville to Josephine. Key focus areas included disability rights, LGBTQ issues, immigration advocacy in the state, and more. While there were many distinguishers between each member of the Think Big cohort, there was a strong connection that held everyone together: the desire to create a better Alabama.
The collaboration between Alabama Arise and Alabama Values was an intentional one. Arise has over 20 years of experience in pushing public policy with the intention of improving the lives of those impacted by poverty in the state. The organization has used citizen advocacy, policy analysis, and statewide organizing to make a direct impact in the Alabama legislature to improve the lives of everyday residents. This includes addressing the state’s grocery tax, lack of free food programs for students during the summer, and lack of affordable healthcare options.
Once we have the legislative policies we want to address, we need to find a way to shift public perception to help more people realize that this is a problem that can be changed. That’s where Alabama Values comes in. The Executive Director of Alabama Values, Anneshia Hardy, is known for sharing her belief that “the one who controls the narrative controls the power.” For far too long, the narrative has been controlled in a way that limits the power that the average Alabama citizen feels in themselves. But that is the case no more.
The two organizations and the 20+ Think Big cohorts got straight to work at the first training session. Alabama Arise started things off with a closer look at the roles of government on a federal, state, and local level along with the current state of media. This led into a power mapping session that guided trainees to find the best government office to send their concerns to. The second half of the day was centered around narrative storytelling. To amplify our cause, we must bring in similarly-minded individuals. This was done by discussing how to approach storytelling and taking a deeper look into demographics and more importantly, psychographics.
The day wrapped up with Think Big cohort attendees breaking into groups based on an issue in Alabama they’d like to address. Each group will spend the remaining weeks working on the policy advocacy and narrative messaging that will be needed to accomplish their goal. Fortunately, they are being guided by two impactful Alabama organizations and are working with some of the most dedicated changemakers in the state.
We can’t wait to share the final projects.