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IRONCITY.INK
BUSINESS
SIPS & BITES
HAPPENINGS
SIGHTS
IRON CITY INK
ARTIST
FACES
MAY 2022
NECK OF THE WOODS
DISCOVER
Above: A participant in the Ada Long Creative Writing Workshop gathers inspiration for his writing on a field trip. Photo by Lexi Coon, UAB University Relations. Left: Participants in the Ada Long Creative Writing Workshop, a summer program hosted annually by UAB. Photo by Andrea Mabry, UAB University Relations.
UAB
Young writers get support at Ada Long Creative Writing Workshop
By JESSE CHAMBERS The UAB English Department will once again present a summer creative writing workshop for teens. The university has partnered with Amazon as part of the retail giant’s educational program. A new federal grant will help UAB fight food insecurity in the area. And Cooper Green — in existence for half a century — is seeking stories from former patients and staffers.
FINDING INSPIRATION
The Ada Long Creative Writing Workshop — held each summer by the UAB Department of English — is a chance for a select group of 30 high school students to work closely with nationally acclaimed novelists, essayists and poets. “This workshop is built around our students finding inspiration, guidance and support to express their ideas,” said Tina Braziel, director of the workshop, in a news release. This year’s workshop will take place June 13-July 1 at the Spencers Honors House on the UAB campus. Applications from rising high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors will be accepted through May 1 or until all the spaces are filled. Participants can earn up to one hour of college credit and will receive one-on-one attention to develop their writing skills, Braziel said. The Jimmie Hess Scholarship Fund offers scholarships to assure that all interested
students can attend. The program encourages students to find inspiration in Birmingham’s rich culture and history. Students are able to explore different genres such as poetry, fiction, memoir, and magazine production. They draft, critique, and revise original works weekly, culminating in a published piece in The Writer’s Block, the workshop’s yearly anthology. In the past, students represented over many Alabama schools including the Alabama School of Fine Arts, G.W. Carver High School, Huffman High School Magnet, Gadsden City School and Ramsay High School. The workshop is named for Dr. Ada Long, a professor of English and the founding director of the UAB Honors Program. Long was a lifelong advocate for community outreach, the value of a liberal education and the enduring significance of literature. Braziel is an award-winning poet. Her collection, “Known by Salt,” which won the 2017 Philip Levine Prize for Poetry, was published by Anhinga Press in 2019. She earned her MFA at The University of Oregon, has been published in numerous journals and published a poetry chapbook, “Rooted by Thirst,” in 2016 To apply and for more information about the workshop, call 205-934-8573 or go to go.uab.edu/ada.
UAB AND AMAZON
UAB was selected recently by Amazon to take part in the online retailer’s Career
Choice Partner Network. This means that eligible Amazon associates can receive full tuition assistance while pursuing a bachelor’s degree or certificate at UAB. Those associates can pursue one of the school’s 55 bachelor’s degrees and 86 minors — with on-campus and online options available. “The Career Choice program aligns with UAB’s strategic plan and mission pillars, including education and community engagement” said Bradley Barnes, the university’s provost of enrollment management. The Career Choice program offers a variety of opportunities, including full college tuition, industry certifications designed to lead to in-demand jobs and foundational skills such as English language proficiency, high school diplomas and GEDs. For more information, go to uab.edu/ amazon.
COOPER GREEN MEMORIES
As part of its 50th anniversary celebration, Cooper Green Mercy Health Services Authority is looking for stories from past and present patients and employees, according to UAB News. Cooper Green wants to hear from patients, physicians, nurses, other employees and past students and trainees, said Dr. Raegan W. Durant, the facility’s medical director. Anyone can submit a story or memory, and the best will be captured for a 50th anniversary video. To submit a story, call 205-930-3450 or email cgmhs_marketing@uabmc.edu.
Cooper Green was called Mercy Hospital when it was opened by Jefferson County in 1972. It was renamed in 1975.
FIGHTING HUNGER
UAB recently received a grant for $60,000 from AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, as part of the VISTA program’s food security initiative. The initiative was launched in 2020 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, The grant — part of AmeriCorps’ $1 billion American Rescue Plan — allows UAB to expand its reach and provide food security resources and access in the Birmingham metropolitan area and surrounding areas. The money will enable the university to collaborate with community partners, farmers, food banks and other community resources to identify funding opportunities, develop marketing materials and conduct outreach activities to promote food resources. “At the onset of the pandemic, hunger soared to the highest rates in modern history when schools were shuttered and older Americans’ meal programs put on hiatus,” said AmeriCorps Chief Executive Officer Michael D. Smith. “The work of our food-security initiative and the University of Alabama at Birmingham will turn back this tide and bring much-needed support to older adults and families.” This initiative by VISTA increases UAB’s ability to serve food-insecure populations by recruiting and managing volunteers and to support programs like Blazer Kitchen, a on-campus food pantry.
