B-metro Feb/Mar

Pictured Left to Right: David Crane, Amanda Dabbs, Amy Lee, Jen Stinson, Langston Hereford, Cindy Hodges, Fred Smith, Ashley Lewis, Brandy Herschbach, Liza Roitman, Danza Paulovich, Stephanie Knight, Cole Rudder and Donna Savage

N0.—134

FEATURES

4. History of Birmingham Rock and Roll

A gallery showing of the Rock & Roll series from artist Craig Legg remains on display at the East Village Arts (EVA) Collective in East Lake through March.

70. The Glam Season

The allure, romance and excitement of the city comes alive in glam fashion.

Photography by Chuck St. John Stylist: Mindi Shapiro

80. My Lucky Life

Beyond the confluence of extraordinary evil and unbelievable luck lies the story of my family.

By Michael Sznajderman

86. Dear Denise

A book excerpt from Lisa McNair’s Dear Denise: Letters to a Sister I Never Knew. “I stand on the shoulders of my sister Denise, and as proud as I am to do so, I often wish I could have just cried on those shoulders while talking

to her about school, about life, and about my dreams just one time.” —Lisa McNair

92. Cool New Bars

The people and concepts behind two cool new bars in the city, Adios and The House of Found Objects.

Partner Content

7. Give Birmingham

Our annual look at Birmingham’s expansive and active charitable scene.

31. Super Lawyers

The annual list of top attorneys from Thomson Reuters.

49. The South’s Best Colleges

Higher education institutions that make the grade.

Cover Photo by Chuck St. John

My Lucky Life (page 80)

Daer Denise (page 86)

Faizel Valli at The House of Found Objects (page 92)

Craig Legg (aka Craig Underwood) grew up in Homewood in the 1960s, listening to rock & roll via Birmingham’s AM radio stations. He has lived in Tuscaloosa, Honolulu, Southside, Austin, and East Lake. In Austin he managed three music venues and gained appreciation of musicians in performance onstage, plying their craft.

In Birmingham he was a poet, self-publishing ten chapbooks, some documenting the con temporary American spoken word scene. In 2013 he turned to painting. “History of Birmingham Rock & Roll”

is the eighth iteration of his Trading Card Series of paintings documenting the history of players in performance, in both sports and art. Also a collage and assemblage artist, he is founder of the popular mask-making workshop of the Bare Hands Gallery’s Day of the Dead Festival. Currently he is affiliated with the East Village Arts (EVA) Collective in East Lake.

A gallery showing of the Rock & Roll series remains on display at the Collective through March.

East Village Arts (EVA)

presents “History of Birmingham Rock & Roll,” a visual art show documenting rock & roll activity in the city from the 1950’s on.

The exhibit consists of 300+ paintings by Craig Legg, the latest in his Trading Card Series. Pictured are musicians, bands, venues, radio deejays, recording engineers, support personnel, and others.

The journey to mend his heart led

Qua was born with tricuspid atresia that required a series of open heart surgeries as an infant. But as a teen, his health took a dramatic turn. Qua’s pediatrician and cardiologist recognized something wasn’t right with his heart and sent him to Children’s of Alabama. Our team was standing by when he arrived by helicopter, and within two weeks he received a new heart. He rebounded quickly and was back at home a few weeks later, thanks to the expert heart team here at Children’s of Alabama.

CV-0007_Heart_Month-Qua-bMetro_7.25x4.5-PROD.indd

Craig Legg (photo byT. Scott Carlisle)





Alabama Ballet

Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama

The Arc of Central Alabama

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Birmingham

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

Children’s Harbor

Cornerstone Schools of Alabama

Crisis Center, Inc.

Girls inc.

Hand in Paw

Holy Family Cristo Rey

Hope for Autumn Foundation

Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama

Laura Crandall Brown Foundation

Levite Jewish Community Center

Lovelady Center

Parkinson Association of Alabama

Positive Maturity

Red Mountain Theatre

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama

Smile a Mile

Space One Eleven

The Dance Foundation

The Harbert Center

The Learning Tree

United Way

Give Birmingham

Alabama Ballet School

The Alabama Ballet School provides the highest quality training to aspiring artists of all ages that is developmentally appropriate physically and artistically. The Alabama Ballet School’s instruction is based on the syllabus provided by the Royal Academy of Dance in London which takes into consideration the particular level of development of each child. The RAD is an international teaching organization committed to establishing standards of excellence in ballet instruction. The syllabus provides the students with training that is both consistent and unified. The Alabama Ballet School serves members of the community who choose dance as an extra-curricular activity as well as those who aspire to a career in dance.

Alabama Ballet

The Alabama Ballet is the state’s premier professional ballet company. The company has achieved national prominence as one of only eight ballet companies in the world permitted by the Balanchine Trust to perform George Balanchine’s Nutcracker®. The Alabama Ballet promotes the development of classical and contemporary ballet through high-quality performances, dance education, and community outreach. Education and outreach activities include CityDance, which provides 16 weeks of dance training for youth from the city of Birmingham and Jefferson County. Our mission is to change lives through dance by promoting and fostering the development of classical and contemporary ballet through high-quality performances, dance education, and community outreach. The professional company brings four major performances a year to the local community. From classical ballet to contemporary pieces, our company is diverse and versatile. The Alabama Ballet is a 501(c ) (3) not-for-profit organization.

2726 1st Ave South, Birmingham, AL 35233 (205) 322-4300 • alabamaballet.org • information@alabamaballet.org

Give Birmingham

get involved:

• Get the Breast Cancer Research license plate. All proceeds benefit the BCRFA.

• Attend or volunteer at an event. Spring events include the Pink Palace Casino Night (March 11), CahabaQue BBQ Cook-Off (April 15), and Drive Out Breast Cancer golf tournament (May 15)

• Donate. Your gift to the BCRFA supports the state’s top breast cancer researchers and gives hope to the countless people affected by the disease.

BREAST CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF ALABAMA

Funding research, saving lives.

Founded in 1996, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama (BCRFA) is a local nonprofit organization with a mission to cure breast cancer by funding promising breast cancer research in Alabama and raising awareness. BCRFA investments fuel innovation at every point in patient care, from prevention to treatment. With community support, BCRFA has invested nearly $14 million in life-saving breast cancer research and treatments across the state. All funding stays in Alabama, but the impact is worldwide.

The Arc of Central Alabama

Mission

The Arc of Central Alabama serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families through comprehensive and quality programming, advocacy efforts, education, and awareness, all in an effort to ensure those with IDD have the opportunity to reach their fullest potential for the most independent life possible.

Highlights

• We are considered the only non-reject program in Alabama, meaning we accept all referrals through the proper channels and no one is turned away due to severity of disability, psychiatric diagnosis, behavioral challenges, or medical needs.

• The Arc is the only provider in Alabama that can provide services for a person’s lifetime, supporting them at all ages, from birth to death.

• We are the state’s largest provider of services and also designated as a crisis center for individuals with IDD.

• The Arc of Central Alabama has been accredited by both the Council on Quality Leadership (CQL) and Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).

The people served by The Arc of Central Alabama are one of the most vulnerable groups often overlooked in society. The Arc serves 900+ of these amazing people 24/7, all 365 days of the year through our five core programs. Community experience provides educational and adaptive life-skills training for adults with IDD (intellectual and developmental disabilities). Residential services support adolescents and adults with IDD in a comfortable, safe home environment. Employment support provides training for adults with IDD who desire to work and empowering individuals to be as independent as possible. Early intervention serves toddlers and their families through in-home therapy, special instruction, and resources. None of these programs would be possible without advocacy—advocating for the rights of people with IDD and funding to support their needs at the local state and national level.

Mission Statement

Create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.

Highlights

• At Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Birmingham, our mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.

• Our vision is that all youth achieve their full potential.

• Looking to get involved? Contact our Director of Volunteer Services today at krobbins@bbbsbhm.org or visit our website at www.bbbsbhm.org to learn more about becoming a Big!

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Birmingham

As an affiliate of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Birmingham (BBBS) has provided positive adult role mentors for youth through its mentoring programs since 1973. BBBS is a non-profit whose main focus is empowering Birmingham area youth. BBBS’s mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. The initiatives of BBBS bolster self-esteem and work to improve the chances that the youth served will achieve success in their academic, social, and family lives. BBBS of Greater Birmingham operates under the vision that all youth achieve their full potential.

BBBS serves youth between the ages of 7 and 18 and recruits, screens, trains, and matches volunteer mentors with youth. Each year, BBBS serves more than 1,300 youth in Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, Blount, and Walker Counties.

BBBS programs help children achieve success by working to improve behaviors and overall attitudes typically associated with the three risk factors mentioned above. By concentrating on issues related to peer pressure, encouraging students to finish school, and by opening doors to new opportunities BBBS and its’ mentors are increasing the likelihood of youth achieving academic success, establishing/maintaining positive relationships, and avoiding risky behaviors.

Mission

To enlighten each generation about civil and human rights by exploring our common past and working together in the present to build a better future.

Highlights

• Annually reach more than 150,000 individuals through award-winning programs and services.

• Provide several free educational programs for youth and members of the community.

• Have one of the largest archives in the South with over 10,000 items.

• Worked with over 25 different partners last year to continue our mission, including The City of Birmingham, Apple, Amazon, and Regions Bank.

• Awarded the National Medal for Museum and Library Service (IMLS), the nation’s highest honor for institutions that make significant and exceptional contributions to their communities. (2007)

• First organization to receive “I AM A MAN” Award from the April 4th Foundation in Memphis, TN. (2013)

Ways To Support

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute

The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI), part of the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument and an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, is a cultural and educational research center that promotes a comprehensive understanding of the significance of civil rights developments in Birmingham. For 30 years, we have enlightened each generation about civil and human rights. We stand strong as the cornerstone of the civil rights story, a living memorial with an ongoing mission.

We showcase self-guided exhibitions that give visitors the opportunity to experience civil rights history. The Institute is open Tuesday-Friday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission tickets can be purchased online (www.bcri.org) or on-site. Group tours are also available.

We also have an Education Department that is dedicated to reaching individuals, young and old, from all backgrounds and cultural groups, to convey the importance of the Civil Rights Movement then and now. The Education Department frequently hosts events to engage and educate the community. View upcoming events on our website.

Become a Member- Members are the foundation of BCRI’s community of support and allow us to continue our mission for preservation, inspiration, and education. Members also received exclusive benefits. Sign up today on our website.

Donate- Now more than ever, we need you. We need you to help us lift our voice. Donate on our website or text BCRIGIVE to 44321.

Volunteer- As a volunteer, you are investing in the future of the Institute and the community. Register to volunteer on our website.

Shop- Visit our bookstore for a diverse selection of artful gifts and books, book signings, and children’s read-along programs. Open every Tuesday-Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

Children’s Harbor

Mission

Children’s Harbor strengthens families of seriously ill children through refuge, respite and resources.

Highlights

SUPPORT US

• Give Online: www.childrensharbor.com/ donate

• Get in Touch: info@childrensharbor.com

• Follow Us: @childrensharbor

Children’s Harbor continues to serve its mission by extending specific services, activities and programs—at no cost to the families we serve—at both the Lake Martin Campus and The Harbor Family Center located in Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham.

When a child receives a serious or chronic diagnosis, it impacts the entire family unit. Parents and guardians are often thrust into a healthcare cycle of juggling hospital stays, doctor’s appointments, medication schedules, and an overwhelming amount of new information that is vital for the health and well-being of their child. These families must

quickly adapt while caring for other family members in their home, balancing careers, managing financial responsibilities, and dealing with their own emotional and physical needs.

The Harbor provides the unique, specific care these families need during their stay in the hospital, including counseling, educational services and respite services such as nap rooms, a library, game room and more.

We also partner with amazing organizations to host camps at our Lake Martin campus. In addition to camps, we offer Harbor Holiday Family Retreats to give families the opportunity to spend quality time together outside of the hospital setting. For more information visit www.childrensharbor.com.

A counseling session with two parents who have a child who was diagnosed with a serious illness.

Kids at the Lake Martin campus in front of a fully handicap-accessible tree house.

The Harbor Family Center.

Give Birmingham

Partner With cornerStone

Our mission is made possible by the generous support of friends like you as all of our students receive tuition assistance. When you partner with Cornerstone, you are helping us empower students to glorify God. We invite you to join us at our upcoming event Schoolhouse Rock at Regions Field on March 10, or visit us online at csalabama.org to learn how you can get involved.

Give Birmingham

Mission

Cornerstone Schools of Alabama

Proven SucceSS for over 30 YearS

At Cornerstone Schools of Alabama, our mission is to inspire and develop critically thinking and compassionate young people in a Christ-centered learning community that is committed to academic excellence and character development. We have grown to serve 700 students from K4-12th grade at three campuses: our elementary school in Woodlawn, and our middle and high schools in Roebuck. We have a 100% graduation rate, and 100% of our seniors enroll in higher education, the military, or a career preparation program.

Space One Eleven

For over 35 years, Space One Eleven has presented art exhibitions where people from diverse backgrounds gather to enjoy contemporary art, and offered art classes that spark the imaginations of children and adults alike.

Last year, we provided over $70,000 in scholarships for young artists in grades 2 through 12 to attend afterschool art classes and summer art camps. We also offer free, yearlong art classes in Title I schools that are without art teachers. Become a part of the Space One Eleven art community! Make a donation, attend an exhibition, or take an art class. Learn more at spaceoneeleven.org.

Crisis Center, Inc.

Mission

Our mission is to serve the unmet needs of people experiencing personal crisis or mental health issues and respond with services that promote coping, emotional health, and well-being.

At the Crisis Center, we are committed to being that listening ear, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Our services are wide in scope, and include: Crisis Intervention & Prevention through our phone lines:

• 24-Hour Crisis & Suicide Line: 205-323-7777

• 24-Hour National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988

• UTalk (text enabled youth hotline: 205-328-5465 (3 PM – 10 PM, 365 days a year)

• Senior Talk Line: 205-328-8255

Sexual Assault Support:

• 24 Hour Rape Response Hotline: 205-323-7273

• Free counseling, legal advocacy, group therapies, and emotional support for survivors of sexual assault and their support systems.

• 24 Hour forensic exams, evidence collection, medical advocacy and follow-up care following a sexual assault. Available at our 24-hour clinic as well as through our mobile unit and at area hospitals, as needed.

Substance Use Disorder Support:

• Recovery Resource Center: 205-458-3377 (Greater Birmingham) and 205-458-3378 (Walker Co)

• Includes free assessments, referrals, peer support and information

Mental Health Support

• The Representative Payee Program provides financial representation and assistance for individuals with a diagnosis of a severe mental illness.

Empathy is the core work of Crisis Center, Inc. Through each of our programs, we provide unconditional positive regard for every person who needs our help, providing a listening ear to help someone face their darkest moment, which can empower them to move forward on their individual path to healing. When someone feels heard, they can process their emotions without the fear of shame or judgement. Through processing their emotions, it becomes easier to find solutions or to manage the situation or mental health issues that have played such a critical role in their crisis.

When someone feels heard, they can process their emotions without the fear of shame or judgement. Through processing their emotions, it becomes easier to find solutions or to manage the situation or mental health issues that have played such a critical role in their crisis.

At the Crisis Center, we are committed to being that listening ear, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Our primary service area is Central Alabama, which is defined as the six-county area surrounding Birmingham. This includes Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby, and Walker Counties.

Girls Inc.

Mission

Inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold.

Highlights

• Vision – Powerful girls in an equitable society.

• What we do – Girls Inc. is building a new generation of strong, smart, and bold leaders.

• How we do it – The Girls Inc. Experience provides comprehensive and interactive leadership development to equip girls with the knowledge and skills to reach their full potential and the support to actively realize it.

Girls Inc. of Central Alabama (GICA), an affiliate of National Girls Inc. and proud United Way partner agency since 1954, was established in Birmingham in 1938. Annually, GICA serves more than 4,000 girls and young women between the ages of 6 and 24 in Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, Blount, and Walker counties. GICA has traditionally provided after-school, school-based, and summer programs for girls ages 6–18. In 2022, they launched a new program, Project Accelerate, designed to support young women through their next critical transitions—from high school through college and from college to career. By addressing all aspects of a girl’s life, GICA’s programming has proven effective in developing girls to be healthy physically and mentally, educated through academic enrichment and support, and independent through life skills. A recent study by the American Institutes for Research (AIR) found that Girls Inc. girls have an advantage over their peers in more than 20 key areas.

• Project Accelerate is designed to support young women, particularly young women of color, through their next critical transitions —from high school through college or other training to their first career. This innovative program will help build the diverse workforce of tomorrow and expand the pipeline of women leaders in our community. Central Alabama launched this program in 2022 as one of seven pilot sites, the only site in the Southeast

At both their Crestwood Center and Empowerment Center at Marks Village, they offer after-school and summer programming for girls and teens. They have operated a summer camp in Walker County since the 1980s. Girls Inc. also works in many area schools through their Community Impact Department. All community impact programs are offered in both English and Spanish and focus on preventing adolescent pregnancy, life skills development, and health and wellness.

For young women, they offer a Eureka! STEM Program serving girls in grades 8-12 with a focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. The Teen Leadership Program focuses on leadership and professionalism for young women in high school, and Project Accelerate focuses on college and career readiness. The goal of these programs is to ensure young women in the greater Birmingham community graduate from high school prepared to pursue additional training and education in preparation for their careers.

Upcoming Events

The Bold Futures Breakfast (March 9, 2023 at The Fennec). The breakfast will celebrate the Girls Inc. Difference and raise important support for their programs. Visit the event website today - boldfuturesbreakfast.swell.gives/ Play Like a Girl- an adult field day competition (May 20, 2023 at Girls Inc.’s Crestwood Center). For more information, contact Development Director, Meredith Alsabrook at malsabrook@girlsinccentral-al.org and be sure to follow GICA on social media.

Looking to Get Involved

Contact their Volunteer and Development Coordinator, Marlesa Willis, today at mwillis@girlsinccentral-al.org.

5201 8th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35212

(205) 595-4475

girlsinccentral-al.org

Hand in Paw

Mission Statement

To improve human health and well-being through Animal-Assisted Therapy

Highlights

In 2021, Hand in Paw celebrated 25 years of service to the community.

Hand in Paw’s Founder, Beth Franklin, was awarded Birmingham Business Journal’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022.

Today, Hand in Paw has 49 Program Partners, 80 Therapy Teams, and 17 Visit Assistants.

2,182 therapeutic visits and 2,595 volunteer hours were logged by Therapy Teams in 2022, where they made over 40,000 interactions in the community.

Hand in Paw has 3 main program areas: HIP Heals focuses on mental health, wellness and compassion. HIP Reads focuses on education, literacy and special education. HIP Cares which focuses on life skills, mentoring and animal advocacy.

To learn how to become a Hand in Paw Therapy Team and bring comfort and joy to others, visit handinpaw.org/volunteer

Upcoming Fundraisers

Hand in Paw is Alabama’s premier Animal-Assisted Therapy provider and a national leader in this growing field. At Hand in Paw, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we train qualified animals and their owners to work as a team in therapeutic settings. HIP teams become heroes to people of all ages dealing with emotional and physical life challenges. These Therapy Teams deliver positive distraction, motivation, empathy and compassion in several medical centers, schools, and human service organizations across Central Alabama and Tuscaloosa. At no time has Hand in Paw charged for its services.

Mutt Strut (April 22) Hand in Paw’s annual dog-friendly 5k and 1 mile fun run happening on April 22 at Homewood Central Park. Tickets at handinpaw.org/muttstrut

Picasso Pets (August 19) Hand in Paw’s signature auction featuring a chic cocktail reception, star therapy animals, delectable drinks and hors d’oeuvres, and a live auction happening August 19 at The Harbert Center.

205-322-5144

handinpaw.org

Holy Family Cristo Rey

Mission

Holy Family Cristo Rey Catholic High School (HFCR) in Birmingham, Alabama integrates college preparatory academics and a corporate work study program to empower students from economically challenged communities to graduate high school prepared to persist in college and flourish in life.

Give Birmingham

Mission

To create powerful theatre experiences that enrich, educate, and engage audiences — nourishing the human spirit, fostering valuable life skills, and cultivating a deeper sense of community.

Holy Family Cristo Rey is a member of the Cristo Rey Network of high schools, comprised of 38 schools nationwide, delivering a career focused, college preparatory education in the Catholic tradition for students with limited economic resources, uniquely integrating rigorous academic curricula with four years of professional work experience and support to and through college. We partner with educators, businesses, and communities to enable students to fulfill their aspirations for a lifetime of success. The Cristo Rey movement empowers students to fulfill their life’s dreams.

Facts/Stats:

• Students earn a portion of their tuition by working one day per week during the academic school year, for four years

• Students graduate high school with a full resume, and over 1,400 hours of work force experience

• All students receive resources to persist and graduate college, including access to 70-plus university partners who are committed to supporting students through degree attainment.

• Students who graduate from Cristo Rey schools enroll in college at rates exceeding total enrollment for both the high and low income populations

• Students who graduate from Cristo Rey schools go on to earn Bachelor’s degrees within 6 years at rates over 2x higher than their demographic peers

1832 Center Way S, Birmingham, AL 35205 (205) 787-9937 • www.hfcristorey.org

Red Mountain Theatre

Red Mountain Theatre is a Tony Award-winning nonprofit organization committed to enriching the cultural landscape of Birmingham and beyond through unique, diverse, highquality professional theatre and performing arts education. Established in 1979 as Summerfest, RMT has grown to become the preeminent year-round professional musical theatre organization in Alabama. In tandem with our professional productions that engage more than local and national artists, RMT conducts one of the most highly-regarded Arts Education Programs in the South, reaching 17,000 students each year. RMT is not only developing the musical theatre skills of young artists, but building our city’s future leaders.

1600 3rd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35233 (205) 324-2424 • www.redmountaintheatre.org

Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama

Mission

¡HICA! is a community development and advocacy organization that champions economic equality, civic engagement, and social justice for Latino and immigrant families in Alabama.

2022 Highlights

• Opened 34 new small businesses and created 64 new jobs.

• Registered 43 Latino youth to our college access program.

• Helped 76 individuals become US Citizens.

¡HICA!, founded in 1999, is a trusted, deep-rooted community institution that empowers over 3,500 Hispanic families every year across Alabama through responsiveness and quality programs. ¡HICA! is structured around four inter-connected programs and its emergent CDFI, Camino Loan Fund, that provides linguistically and culturally appropriate services. Through these programs, ¡HICA! creates opportunities for Latino and immigrant families, builds strong and safe communities, opens doors to education, housing, and entrepreneurship, and makes Alabama a more welcoming and inclusive state.

OUR PROGRAMS:

Strong Families is the gateway program that assists individuals with information and referrals on health, education, and legal issues. The program provides comprehensive case management for victims of crime and provides wraparound family services for recently arrived immigrant families, including funds for emergency assistance. The program also works with law enforcement to assist human trafficking victims.

The Citizenship and Immigration Program (CIP) provides lowcost and high-quality legal immigration services for naturalization, permanent residency, family petitions, humanitarian visas, and DACA renewals. The program has recently launched an ESL program for

Upcoming Events

those seeking citizenship via naturalization.

• Filed 38 humanitarian visas to victims of crime.

• Counseled 84 potential homeowners for housing.

Empowering Communities Program (ECP) leads ¡HICA!’s college access and workforce development initiatives for Latinos. It also houses the organization’s non-partisan civic engagement efforts to register voters and increase voter participation as well as spearheads census efforts to accurately count the Hispanic population in Alabama.

• Successfully recruited over 30 Latinos to workforce training programs provided by corporate partners and community colleges.

• Lent over $200k to entrepreneurs.

Community Economic Development promotes financial stability and wealth creation by empowering Latinos and immigrants to establish new small businesses, create jobs, file income tax returns, and become first-time homeowners.

Camino Loan Fund: ¡HICA!’s emergent CDFI (Community Development Financial Institution) provides loans to Latino, immigrant, and LMI (Low to moderate income) small business entrepreneurs to create inclusive economic growth. Since 2019, ¡HICA! has deployed over $400,000 in loans to immigrant entrepreneurs to help grow their businesses.

¡HICA! ‘s Open House – Cinco de Mayo (May 5th)

¡HICA!’s Job Fair & ¡HICA! Night con Los Barons – June 3rd, 2023 at Regions Field

Birmingham Pig Roast - August 19th, 2023 at Cahaba Brewing Company

Sabor y Cultura – Fall 2023

20th Annual Tamale Sale – November 24th to December 10th , 2023

942-5505 • www.hicaalabama.org

Mission

Hope for Autumn Foundation

Hope for Autumn Foundation’s mission is to provide new hope and assistance for families battling childhood cancer, to support innovative research in childhood cancer therapies, and to increase community awareness of childhood cancer and cutting-edge treatment options.

Highlights

Since 2012, HFAF has assisted childhood cancer families with over $500,000.

Since 2012, HFAF has provided over $300,000 to childhood cancer research.

HFAF organizes the largest childhood cancer awareness day in the state in September, called Give Hope Day

HFAF has been voted Hoover’s Best Local Cause in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.

HFAF began as a small backyard crawfish boil held to raise money for a family whose daughter, Autumn, was battling leukemia. The crawfish boil grew over the years in size and revenue, and in 2012, Hope for Autumn Foundation was founded as a 501(c)3 public charity. Previously, the foundation was able to assist one to three families per year, once a year, with the crawfish boil revenue. Currently, HFAF accepts financial assistance applications year round from families from the Alabama region that are battling childhood cancer. The funds raised by HFAF also directly benefit Alabama’s Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorder’s Developmental Therapeutics program, which is a cuttingedge research and treatment program located in Birmingham at Children’s Hospital of Alabama. This program serves the children with incurable cancers, providing treatments that are not widely available. Finally, HFAF works to raise awareness of childhood cancer simply because awareness leads to funding, and funding leads to cures.

Upcoming Fundraisers

2023 Hope for Autumn Foundation Crawfish Boil: located on the green at Ross Bridge, the Boil is a local favorite event! Join us April 29 from 3-9 for an afternoon of live music, crawfish and fun. More info at www.hopeforautumnfoundation.org.

PO Box 84

Shannon, AL 35142

(954) 410-8362

www.hopeforautumnfoundation.org

Laura Crandall Brown Foundation

Mission

The mission of the Laura Crandall Brown Foundation (LCBF) is offering hope through research for early detection of ovarian cancer, empowering communities through gynecologic cancer awareness, and enriching lives through patient support.

Highlights

In 2009, Laura Crandall Brown passed away at the age of 25 from ovarian cancer. Her loving and courageous spirit inspired her friends and family to create the Laura Crandall Brown Foundation to honor her life, memory, and vision of helping others.

Today, LCBF works across Alabama to fulfill its threefold mission: offering hope through early detection research of ovarian cancer, empowering communities through gynecologic cancer awareness, and enriching lives through patient support. LCBF programming helps women with a GYN cancer diagnosis overcome barriers to care in order to increase quality of life and help with everyday financial needs through CanSurvive group meetings and Woman-to-Woman mentoring.

The CanSurvive support group hosts meetings monthly to provide educational and recreational opportunities, as well as vital emotional support for patients, caregivers, family members, and healthcare providers. The support group also provides assistance with patient needs including transportation to treatment, utility assistance, and other basic needs that may arise due to financial stress experienced by patients during their cancer journey.

The Laura Crandall Brown Foundation (LCBF) will host its Taste of Teal Gala on Saturday, March 4th at the Wynfrey Ballroom. The annual event is one of the organization’s signature fundraisers, featuring a seated dinner and drinks, live and silent auctions and casino games. LCBF will honor Highland Park Golf as the 2023 Legacy of Laura Corporate Honoree. Three other “Legacy of Laura” honorees will also be recognized at the gala to celebrate the hope, compassion, and positivity they have brought to the lives of GYN cancer patients and survivors: Healthcare Hero: Dr. Warner K. Huh; Caregiver: Clay Cook; and Survivor: Violet Chaffinch.

“We are grateful for the consistent generosity that Highland Park Golf has provided the foundation and the impact they make on GYN cancer awareness. It is an honor to recognize Highland Park for their positive impact during September’s GYN Cancer Awareness Month and their dedication to cancer research” said LCBF Executive Director, Ramona Graffeo.

Upcoming Events

Taste of Teal Gala

Saturday, March 4th at the Wynfrey Ballroom. Visit www.thinkoflaura.org/tasteofteal for more event details and to purchase tickets. Individual tickets are $175 and include dinner, drinks, and casino “play money.” Patron Tables for Eight people are $1,400 and Patron Tables for Ten people are $1,750.

410 Lorna Square, Hoover, AL 35216 (205) 783-1285 • www.thinkoflaura.org

“We are excited to celebrate all four of our deserving Legacy of Laura nominees at Taste of Teal Gala, to be held at the Wynfrey Ballroom. This is our largest fundraiser of the year, and proceeds help us further our mission of GYN cancer research, awareness, and support.” Facebook: @ LCBFoundation Instagram: @ lcbfoundation

Levite Jewish Community Center

Who are we?

Through the lens of Jewish identity and values, the Levite Jewish Community Center provides a welcoming, familyoriented gathering place for a diverse membership to engage in meaningful experiences of the mind, body, and soul.

Highlights

• A B’ham fixture since 1906.

We take pride in being an active partner with Birmingham’s Jewish community as well as the thousands of people we serve across broader B’ham. As a family-oriented recreational and educational facility, we welcome people of all faiths, ages, genders, sexual identities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Our facilities include indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts, a fitness center, group fitness studios, a gymnasium, an auditorium, and indoor and outdoor

tracks. In the past year our varied programming has included tennis, pickleball, ballroom dancing, swimming, youth soccer, Jewish baking classes, knitting, youth flag football, ballroom dance, tai chi, youth community band, youth video classes, pick-up and youth basketball, inclusive art classes, extensive group fitness class offerings, discussions about Jewish history and culture, and much more. And after all that you’ll definitely enjoy one of our massages.

• With our pools, fitness floor, large gym, auditorium, devoted staff, and easy parking, a corporate membership at The J is a great way to foster employee wellness.

• Our pickleball program includes a league, clinics, open play, and a pro shop, and in 2022 we hosted a regional tournament.

• The Cohn Early Childhood Learning Center is one of B’ham’s premier spots for a safe, nurturing, developmentally appropriate learning environment.

• Some 2,000 people annually attend our Jewish Food and Culture Fest.

• Camp J and J-Sports Camp are among B’ham’s most respected summer camps.

• Members enjoy Thursday Family Fun Nights around the outdoor pool through June and July.

Membership Simply scan the QR code to see how easy it is to become a member (scholarships are available).

The Lovelady Center

Mission

Empowering women through faith-based initiatives so they can return to society as well-equipped women of God. The program is about empowerment, hope, and a belief in the value of each and every human life..

Highlights

• Two thrift stores serve the public. Clay: 2402 Old Springville Road (the former winn-dixie supermarket)

Irondale: 7720 Ludington Lane (the former Circuit City)

Thrift stores are open Mon-Sat, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. To schedule a pickup of your gently used items, call 205-951-9230.

In 2004, Brenda Lovelady Spahn began the Lovelady Center program by receiving 6 inmates from Julia Tutwiler Prison into her home to bring hope through the love and promises of Jesus Christ, as well as to ready them for life outside prison walls. Formerly, when ministering to women in the work release program, Brenda had heard some of the women talk about going through halfway houses and how little those places had helped them. This was the inspiration for Brenda’s concept of a “whole way house” because as she likes to say, “God doesn’t do anything halfway.” She began the ministry with her daughter, Melinda MeGahee, who now serves as the Executive Director of The Lovelady Center.

From those initial six women, Lovelady has grown to house over 400 women and nearly 100 children daily and offer them a second chance at life. Today, The Lovelady Center in Birmingham, AL is the largest transitional housing program of its kind in the country. We currently have 420+ adult women and 80+

children residing here. The women here have been displaced due to incarceration, addiction, domestic violence, and homelessness, and are given a safe place for 9-12 months to learn the life skills necessary to transform their lives. The “Loveladies” are able to take advantage of many different services while in the program, as they earn their 34 credit hours to graduate. Our services include drug and alcohol rehabilitation, individual counseling, life and parenting skills, legal and medical services, job-readiness programs, childcare, continuing education courses, and numerous other opportunities, all while utilizing a faith-based approach.

We work with drug courts from all over Alabama as well as the DOC’s supervised re-entry program. Lovelady is a 501(c)3 organization and donations are tax deductible. Our 100-year-old 250,000+ square foot facility operates solely from monies we receive from our two thrift stores and the generosity of our donors.

It is our mission to help women rebuild

their lives and walk forward with faith-driven hope for the future. The Lovelady Center ensures that each woman is taught how to overcome barriers to success by providing not only much needed services, but also life skills and spiritual guidance. We can give a woman shelter, food, and clothing, but if she cannot support herself and parent her children, the cycle of poverty and incarceration will not be broken.

Since 2004, over 13,800 women and 3,500 children from all 67 Alabama counties and beyond the state of Alabama, 44 states, have entered our program. Many went on to graduate and, in turn, save Alabama taxpayers untold millions. The Lovelady Center is a truly remarkable place. Besides the obvious tangibles, it provides these women with love, support, confidence, and hope for a better future. It is a privilege for everyone who works here to witness on a daily basis the love of God and the regenerative power of the gospel.

Parkinson Association of Alabama

Mission

Improving the quality of life for patients, care partners and families affected by Parkinson’s throughout Alabama.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder in the U.S. impacting more than 1 million individuals. Every nine minutes, someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with PD. More than 16,000 people in Alabama are currently living with PD. Founded in 1978, the Parkinson Association of Alabama (PAA) has been dedicated to three key initiatives:

• CARE: We believe in access to quality care for all Alabamians, providing awareness to make the best-informed decisions with the latest advancements. We believe comprehensive wellness is

the key to living well with Parkinson’s disease.

• COMMUNITY: We believe community connectedness through support and camaraderie equips those impacted by Parkinson’s and their care partners with a network of resources and encouragement to ensure no one travels this journey alone.

• CURE: We believe in supporting Alabama’s quality research to find a cure for Parkinson’s disease. The PAA partners with UAB and other Alabama-based hospitals through grants and research for a cure.

Contributions to the PAA stay local in Alabama to help people live quality lives with Parkinson’s disease and provide research funding for a cure. The PAA has contributed more than $2.5 million in support of PD research to the UAB Udall Center of Excellence, 1 of 4 PD research facilities specializing in Parkinson’s in the United States. More than $35 thousand has been provided annually since 2014 to support UAB Predoctoral Scholars in their research. Additionally, the PAA provides more than $30 thousand in scholarships to those impacted by Parkinson’s to attend movement-based programs throughout the state.

In 2023, the PAA is revitalizing its Care Navigation program, offering personcentered care and resources to the newly diagnosed and their care partners to help them connect with others for a great start to living a quality life with Parkinson’s disease. Additionally, a new online resource center has launched for those that wish to self-navigate resources about Parkinson’s disease which can be found at www. parkinsonalabama.info.

DONATE TODAY AT WWWPARKINSONALABAMA.COM

Mission

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama

With diligence, integrity and compassion, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama joins and aids families in their efforts to find hope, support, happiness, and growth, regardless of obstacles placed before them.

Highlights

• Since 1979, RMHCA has served more than 48,000 families of sick or injured children.

• RMHCA receives no state or federal funding.

• On average, individuals contribute 48% of RMHCA funding each year.

• In 2022, volunteers provided 229 meals to guest families, free of charge.

• In 2022, our House saved families $6.6 million in lodging and food expenses.

Upcoming Events

RMHCA Signature Events:

• Saturday, April 15, 2023: Red Shoe Run: Rockin’ 5K, presented by McDonald’s.

• Monday, May 22, 2023: Ronald McDonald House Golf Classic, presented by Hudson Company.

• Friday, August 11, 2023: 21st Annual Heart of the House Gala, presented by Medical Properties Trust.

Community Events Benefiting RMHCA:

• Friday, May 5, 2023: Bowl-a-Palooza, hosted by the RMHCA Student Leadership Council.

• Friday, Oct. 6, 2023: Sweet Home Brews, hosted by the RMHCA Junior Board.

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama (RMHCA) provides a comforting, supportive second home to pediatric patients and their families who travel hours to Birmingham for world-class pediatric care. RMHCA serves guest families through two main programs.

The Ronald McDonald House is located just one block from Children’s of Alabama and UAB Women & Infants Center (WIC). The House includes 73 guest suites, indoor and outdoor play areas, multiple laundry rooms, kitchens and other open areas where families can eat and socialize, and a volunteer kitchen where meal volunteers create nourishing dinners.

Our second program is the Ronald McDonald Family Room located within the Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of UAB WIC. The main room includes a sitting area with a TV, gaming console, books and board games; and lunch, snacks and coffee are set out in the kitchen. Guest families can also use a washing machine and dryer or shower in one of three full bathrooms. Guests who arrive overnight or otherwise need critical sleep can use one of three sleep rooms.

Our services are free to guest families because of the financial and volunteer support of the

Smile–A–Mile

Mission

Smile-A-Mile’s mission is to provide hope, healing of the spirit and love for the whole family during the childhood cancer journey. Through year-round meaningful and educational programming, Smile-A-Mile helps those in Alabama who are affected by childhood cancer thrive during treatment and the years beyond.

Highlights

All programs Smile-A-Mile offers are provided at no cost to families.

Smile-A-Mile started in 1985 as a summer camp for children in Alabama with cancer. Over the years, the organization has grown to be a year-round program serving children and their families from diagnosis, during treatment and through the years beyond. A childhood cancer diagnosis impacts the entire family. Unfortunately, once a child completes treatment, the cancer journey does not end for the child or the family. There are often lifelong emotional and physical side effects of treatment. Smile-A-Mile is dedicated to providing these survivors and their families with a

sense of normalcy, improved mental well-being and tools to help them cope with the disease no matter where they are in their journey. These year-round programs focus on bringing the family together while also meeting the unique needs of patients, survivors, parents and siblings. Smile-A-Mile’s home, Smile-AMile Place, is located in Birmingham but programs reach families from throughout the state. There is no other organization in Alabama serving this population with fully comprehensive programming for the entire family.

Through our Hospital Outreach Program, Smile-A-Mile provides both inpatient and outpatient programming to patients and their families.

We’ve awarded patients and survivors over a million dollars in scholarships for post-secondary education.

Smile-A-Mile serves families all across Alabama. Our Regional Outreach Program provides programming in areas with the highest numbers of families, including Tuscaloosa, Huntsville/Decatur, Auburn/ Opelika, Montgomery, Dothan and Birmingham.

We are dedicated to continuing support for bereaved families through programming, support groups, remembrance ceremonies and keepsakes that serve as tangible reminders of their children.

Fundraising $100 provides funding for an entire family to receive Smile-A-Mile programming for a month

The Dance Foundation

Mission

To teach the art of dance to all, inspiring creativity, curiosity, and confidence.

Dance is a joyful, transforming experience for students of all ages, abilities, and circumstances. The Dance Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1975, embodies this belief with programs that reach far and wide in the Birmingham community.

The Community In Motion program is at the heart of The Dance Foundation’s mission, with classes for students throughout Birmingham at dozens of schools and social service agencies such as the YWCA, Washington Elementary, The Bell Center and many others. Through this program, the extraordinary teaching staff uses dance to build coordination and motor skills, inspire creativity and curiosity, and enhance academic learning.

The Studio Use Program provides a home for independent dance artists and dance troupes like Sanspointe Dance Company and Dance Without Limits who need studio space to hold their classes, workshops and rehearsals. The 100-seat theatre located inside their facility features

a large screen and projector and is an affordable space for performances, meetings and small events.

The Dance Foundation is located in Downtown Homewood and offers dance classes for more than 500 students ages 1 to adult in a variety of dance styles including creative movement, ballet, jazz, modern, hip hop, tap and musical theatre with live piano music as an essential and unique element for most classes.

The Dance Foundation’s summer camps and weekly classes run June 5-August 5; online registration is open.

Visit thedancefoundation. org to learn more, register for classes, inquire about hosting a class at your school, or to reserve a studio or the theatre for your own event.

The Harbert Center

Mission

The establishing mission of The Harbert Center was and is to provide a permanent meeting space option for Birmingham’s civic groups and non-profit associations. In keeping with this mission, The Harbert Center offers discounted pricing to nonprofits and otherwise generous rates, all in a first-class atmosphere, to each group of the like that hosts an event, meeting, or social affair.

In the early 1980s, members of area civic clubs recognized the need for a facility which would provide office space and become a permanent meeting location for civic organizations. Hall W. Thompson and John M. Harbert, III spearheaded the effort to seek donations and plan construction of the facility. Building The Harbert Center became a community project as members of the Rotary Club of Birmingham, the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham, and the Monday Morning Quarterback Club, jointly raised the funds needed to complete the construction and furnishing of the building. Throughout the years of operation and still today, the continuing contributions of members of these organizations, along with the Sunrise Rotary Club and a host of other non-profit groups and business associations who regularly use the facility, ensure the long-term upkeep of the building and its furnishings.

The Harbert Center opened on June 16, 1986. Since opening, The Harbert Center has been the “home” of a number of civic and professional organizations, and has been used for many memorable community events. Functions as diverse as meetings, weddings and receptions, school proms, awards ceremonies, bar mitzvahs, church anniversaries, and retirement dinners are

often held at The Harbert Center.

For almost thirty-seven years, The Harbert Center still offers a perfect setting with endless capabilities. With its unique design and multipurpose functionality, areas of The Harbert Center allow for almost any set-up or event for as few as 10 guests, as many as almost 400 guests, or any expectations in between. All are welcome to come and experience Birmingham’s own Harbert Center ….. A timeless facility, presenting outstanding food and service, and a long term commitment to making your event the best ever!

Most Birmingham business people have grown accustomed to the welcoming environment and friendly Southern hospitality of The Harbert Center. Most don’t realize that it is unusual to have a facility (built by civic groups, for use by civic groups) of this quality where civic groups can meet regularly in a metropolitan city like Birmingham.

Purposed to offer competitive pricing specifically for non-profit groups, The Harbert Center also offers attractive pricing and firstrate, high end, quality services to clients of every market segment and social sector of the event planning industry …. More competitive pricing structures are available with regular use. This trend has proven successful throughout the years of operation as is evident in the men and women who attend their high school prom here, and later return as adults planning their wedding. Event planning and hospitality is what we do, our business is relationships!

For information on booking your event at The Harbert Center, please contact Alexis Williams (Event Sales Manager), Chandrel Wright (Executive Director), or Jessica Plemons (Event Sales Director).

The Learning Tree

Highlights

The Learning Tree celebrates 40 years of serving children across Alabama in 2023. Help them celebrate this milestone! Your contributions allow The Learning Tree to continue offering exceptional services and grow new and existing programs. All donations are tax deductible and go directly to provide resources for the individuals served.

For 40 years, The Learning Tree has demonstrated a high rate of success using the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) approach in educational programs and the management of the most severe behaviors. The Learning Tree offers a community-based residential option for children and adolescents, ages 6-21, with significant behavioral challenges. These educational services are delivered on one of our community-based school campuses. Individualized instructional programs are provided in a nurturing, supportive environment using ABA principles. Our program provides each child 24-hour care in a home-like setting that is suited to their unique and specific needs. Other services include vocational skill training, advanced medical services, speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, dietary services and more. Residential programs are located in Jacksonville, Birmingham,

Tallassee and Mobile, Alabama. Educational services are certified by the Alabama Department of Education and homes are certified by the Alabama Department of Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities.

Growing Independence Behavioral Services outpatient clinics are available in Anniston, Birmingham, Montgomery, and Mobile, Alabama. ABA therapy in a clinic setting is available for preschool and school-age children with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. For program details, questions about eligibility, insurance coverage, and funding please call the referral line at (334) 425-6418 or email us at growingindependence@learning-tree.org.

Across Alabama they observe endless discoveries occurring in Little Tree Preschools, Growing Independence Behavioral Services Clinics, Education Programs and Residential Services. The children receive services in applied behavior analysis therapy, educational services, and in some cases twenty-four-hour care. Their experiences with hands-on activities, adaptations, mentoring, field trips, and relationship building, yield new discoveries that lead to positive community integration. To learn more, visit www.learning-tree.org.

120 Yeager Parkway, Pelham, AL 35124

(205) 623-8533

learning-tree.org

United Way of Central Alabama

Mission

To increase the organized capacity of people to care for one another and to improve their community.

Values: Put people first. Serve the community. Do the right thing. Be collaborative.

United Way of Central Alabama builds a great community and advances the common good by bringing people together to help others. By pooling our resources and working together, we pave the way for real, tangible change in health, education and financial stability. There’s power in numbers, which means we accomplish much more when we come together as a whole. Our way — the United Way — is more powerful than any one entity or individual alone. By partnering with us through volunteering or donating, you’re a part of something bigger than yourself, fulfilling your own life and the lives of others. If you’re in need of assistance, United Way can connect you with an organization that can help meet your specific needs. By letting us help, you’re joining a community that cares and forming meaningful relationships in the process.

When you give to United Way, you make a difference by helping bring about lasting change that improves people’s lives. Join the fight for our community. Together, we can Live United. Donors can make a pledge payment, offer a memorial gift in memory of a loved one, transfer stock securities, or make an endowment gift.

One of the best ways to invest in your community, make it a stronger, healthier place to live, and create meaningful change is by volunteering. We connect you with volunteer opportunities, events and campaigns that allow you to make an impact. We have a wide range of volunteer opportunities throughout the year that span different impact areas. Check out our available volunteer opportunities and start making a difference today. We are stronger together.

Highlights

LEADERSHIP: Drew Langloh, President & CEO of UWCA

Marvell “Chip” Bivins, Jr., CPA, Chief Audit and Compliance Officer, University of Alabama System and 2023-25 UWCA Board Chair

Dow Briggs, M.D., Executive Vice President of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama and 2023 UWCA Campaign Chair.

Positive Maturity enhances the lives of older adults through social services and civic engagement.

MISSION STATEMENT HIGHLIGHTS

Positive Maturity has five programs designed specifically for adults 55 and older. For more information, visit www.positivematurity.org.

Looking for a volunteer opportunity? RSVP, the Foster Grandparent Program and the Senior Companion Program need volunteers in Blount, Jefferson, Shelby and Walker counties. Anyone 55+ is eligible to participate in these meaningful opportunities. Call Positive Maturity at 205-803-3211 or visit www.postiivematurity.org.

Positive Maturity will be celebrating their ninth annual Top 50 Over 50® on July 27, 2023, at The Club in Birmingham. To find out more, visit www.top50over50.com.

Since 1972, Positive Maturity has been a part of central Alabama’s aging community, keeping adults 55 and older active and engaged in their communities, independent in their homes, and connected to resources that assist them financially.

Positive Maturity provides older adults with three volunteer programs through AmeriCorps Senior Corps programs: RSVP, the Senior Companion Program and Foster Grandparent Program. RSVP provides an array of meaningful volunteer opportunities that serve community needs. For lower income adults over 55, there are two stipend programs available. As a Senior Companion, volunteers assist other seniors who live at home, may be frail and need daily assistance to remain at home independently. A Foster Grandparent helps children who are at risk educationally by mentoring and tutoring them while they attend school or daycare. Eligible volunteers earn $4.00 an hour, mileage compensation and meal reimbursement on volunteer days.

The Shepherd Center at Don Hawkins provides a variety of activities for adults 50 and older and houses an Information and Referral program. From line dancing, chair and floor exercises to quilting, arts and crafts and more, the center is free to join. For those age 60 and older who qualify for meal eligibility, free lunches are provided Monday through Friday. If needed, transportation is provided at no charge from ClasTran.

All donations are used to support our programs and provide resources to Central Alabama’s aging community.

THE

ANNUAL LIST OF TOP ATTORNEYS

K irk Drennan L aw

Kirk Drennan Law, founded by Jessica Kirk Drennan in February 2011, is dedicated to representing clients in divorce and criminal defense. The Divorce Group is led by Jessica Drennan. Jessica has an AV Preeminent® rating and is a Lifetime Fellow in the Birmingham Bar Foundation and boardcertified advocate of the National Board of Trial Advocacy. She also is a Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and serves on its Board of Governors. The firm’s attorneys include Mandy Duncan, Jerome Chapman and Kianna Muse, who also serve as advocates for families. J. Derek Drennan, who leads the Criminal Defense Group, is rated AV Preeminent® and has 26 years’ experience in criminal defense, including death penalty and white-collar criminal cases. Kirk Drennan Law is dedicated to serving our clients.

We are strong so you don’t have to be. #KDPCSTRONG

MID-SOUTH TOP 50 WOMEN

Super Lawyers selects attorneys using a patented multiphase selection process.*

The objective is to create a credible, comprehensive and diverse listing of outstanding attorneys that can be used as a resource for attorneys and consumers searching for legal counsel. We limit the lawyer ratings to those who can be hired and retained by the public, i.e., lawyers in private practice and Legal Aid attorneys.

The Super Lawyers selection process involves the steps outlined in the graphic (at right).

LEARN MORE SuperLawyers.com/SelectionProcess QUESTIONS? SL-Research@thomsonreuters.com

visit SuperLawyers.com

Search for an attorney by practice area and location, and read features on attorneys selected to our lists.

SELECTION PROCESS

OUR PATENTED SELECTION PROCESS

NOMINATIONS

Diverse list of the top attorneys nominated by their own peers

INDEPENDENT RESEARCH

Evaluated by third-party research across 12 key categories

PEER EVALUATION

Reviewed by a highly credentialed Blue Ribbon Panel of attorneys

FINAL SELECTION

2.5% of attorneys selected to Rising Stars

5% of attorneys selected to Super Lawyers

*U.S. Pat. No. 8,412,564

TOP 50 BIRMINGHAM

AN ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF THE LAWYERS WHO RANKED TOP OF THE LIST IN THE 2022 MID-SOUTH SUPER LAWYERS NOMINATION, RESEARCH AND BLUE RIBBON REVIEW PROCESS.

Ashford, D. Leon

Badham, III, W. Percy

Baker, Tammy L.

Barze, Jr., R. Bruce

Battle, Robert E.

Baugh, Robert R.

Bedsole, Jenna M.

Bloomston, Brett M.

Bolus, John N.

Buck, Brannon J.

Chambers, Elizabeth E.

Cory, Ernest

Dellaccio, Jr., Douglas A.

Dowd, Augusta S.

Franklin, Samuel H.

Friedman, Jeffrey

Han, Susan Nettles

Hellums, Chris T.

Heninger, Erik S. Heninger, Stephen D.

Jaffe, Richard S.

Joseph, Anthony A. King, Lawrence T.

Lamar, Jayna Partain

Lehr, Richard I.

Lembke, Matthew H.

Leonard, Heather

Mackenzie, III, Robert P.

Marsh, David H.

Meek, Derek F.

Methvin, Jr., Robert G.

Middlebrooks, David J.

Miller, Carole G.

Neiman, Jr, John C.

Nomberg, Bernard D.

Porter, Maibeth J.

Ragsdale, Barry A.

Riley, Kenneth E.

Rogers, Bruce F.

Sansbury, Michael T.

Smith, Jr., Alfred F. (Buddy)

Sparks, Daniel D.

Starling, Jeff

Stiles, Matthew W.

Stuart, Sharon Donaldson

Terrell, James M.

Thagard, III, Thomas W.

Thompson, Michael L.

Vreeland, II, Albert L.

Watson, Leila H.

DISCLAIMER:

The hiring of an attorney is an important decision that should not be based solely upon the advertising or listings in this magazine. Super Lawyers does not certify or designate an attorney as a specialist, is not a title conferred on individual lawyers, and is not intended to communicate that lawyers selected will achieve better results upon the advertising or listings in the magazine.

THE ANNUAL LIST

BY PRIMARY AREA OF PRACTICE

The list was finalized as of May 27, 2022. Only attorneys who data verified with Super Lawyers for the current year are included on the list that follows. All current selections and any updates to the list (e.g., status changes or disqualifying events) will be reflected on superlawyers.com.

Names and page numbers in RED indicate a profile on for attorneys with paid Super Lawyers or Rising Stars print advertisements.

ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION

SUPER LAWYERS

Gregory, Steven P., Gregory Law Firm, Birmingham, 205-208-0312 S-6

Max, Rodney A.

Neal, Jr., George M., Dentons Sirote, Birmingham

Schreiber, J. Allen, Schreiber Dispute Resolution, Birmingham

Van Tassel, Jr., George M.

Woodall, Thomas A., Dentons Sirote, Birmingham

RISING STARS

Rivers, Kristan, Campbell Law, Birmingham

ANTITRUST LITIGATION

SUPER LAWYERS

Guin, David

Whatley, Jr., Joe R., Whatley Kallas, Birmingham

APPELLATE

SUPER LAWYERS

Boliek, Jr, Robert G. Cooper, Ivan B. 205-651-2050

Lembke, Matthew H.

McKee, Bruce J. Birmingham

Neiman, Jr, John C.

RISING STARS

Jones, Abbott Marie, Butler Snow, Birmingham

Maxwell, Jr., Leroy

McLeod, Aaron G.

AVIATION AND AEROSPACE

RISING STARS

Speegle, Clinton T. Birmingham

BANKING

RISING STARS

Sipes, Jade Berkowitz, Birmingham

BANKRUPTCY: BUSINESS

SUPER LAWYERS

Carmody, Richard P.

Hall, Michael L.

Hightower, Bradley R. Birmingham

Joseph, Joe A.

Lamar, Jayna Partain

Meek, Derek F.

Murphree, J. Leland

Birmingham

Pruitt, Eric L.

Berkowitz, Birmingham

Solomon, Marc P.

Sparks, Daniel D.

Williams, Mark P.

Birmingham

Williams, R. Scott

Birmingham

RISING STARS

Lahr, Hanna

Roberts, James

BANKRUPTCY: CONSUMER

SUPER LAWYERS

Altmann, Steven D. Birmingham

Crockett, C. Taylor

Stuckenschneider, Ted

Birmingham, 205-324-5631 S-12

BUSINESS LITIGATION

SUPER LAWYERS

Andress, D. Keith

Badham, III, W. Percy

Baugh, Robert R., Dentons Sirote, Birmingham

Bolus, John N.

Bottcher, Christopher A. Birmingham

Brazeal, III, C. Ellis, Jones Walker, Birmingham

Brockwell, Gregory A., Brockwell Smith, Birmingham

Buck, Brannon J.

MARSH, RICKARD & BRYAN, P.C.

Where Your Story Matters

People who have been harmed through no fault of their own want to be heard. They have an important story to share. At Marsh, Rickard & Bryan, P.C., we make people listen.

Our accomplished trial lawyers have an impressive track record of success for clients in matters of personal injury, including trucking cases, work-related injuries, medical malpractice and business disputes. That is why referring attorneys rely on us to take on the most complex and serious cases.

At MRB, your story matters.

FRONT ROW L-R: Michael K. Beard*, Jeffrey C. Rickard*, David H. Marsh*, Rip Andrews*, Derrick A. Mills*

BACK ROW L-R: Jane F. Mauzy, D. Ty Brown*, Dylan H. Marsh**, Ben Ford**

*SELECTED TO SUPER LAWYERS **SELECTED TO RISING STARS

Michael K. Beard Jeffrey C. Rickard David H. Marsh David H. Marsh

ALABAMA TOP 50 BIRMINGHAM TOP 50

Campbell, Andrew P., Campbell Partners, Birmingham, 205-224-0751 S-8

Campbell, J. Russ

Campbell, Thomas F. (Tom), Campbell Law, Birmingham

Centeno, Douglas J. Birmingham

Clark IV, John W., Clark Law Firm, Birmingham

Douglas, Michael J.

Birmingham

Ford, Sara Anne

Birmingham

Franklin, Samuel H.

Friedman, Jeffrey

Gilchrist, Wesley B.

Birmingham

Gillespy, Gerald P.

Graffeo, Vincent J., Graffeo Law, Birmingham

Hayslip, Victor L.

Hill, Lindan J.

Hitson, Brent D.

Holt, Edward M. (Ted) Birmingham

Ialacci, Brett A.

Johanson, III, Charles R. Johanson, Birmingham

Keller, Richard C.

King, M. Christian Birmingham

Kipp, Grace L. Birmingham, 205-986-3630

Knight, Sam David

Letzer, Joseph W.

McCallum, III, Charles A.

McGivaren, Jr., Crawford S., Phelps Dunbar, Birmingham

McKenzie, IV, William H.

Morrow, John C.

Payne, Joshua K. Birmingham, 205-986-3627

Priester, James L. Birmingham

Pruet, III, David R. Birmingham

Ragsdale, Barry A.

Rogers, Bruce F.

Rowe, Stephen A.

Rutherford, Robert H.

Matters

Sansbury, Michael T.

Sansom, Kenneth D.

Birmingham, 205-986-3622

Shirley, Elizabeth B.

Smith, Richard E.

Spotswood, Robert K.

Sansbury, Birmingham, 205-986-3621

Stokes, Tammy McClendon

Birmingham

Stuart, Sharon Donaldson

Thagard, III, Thomas W.

Tidmore, Emily J.

Birmingham, 205-986-3625

Waldrop, Jr., E. Glenn

Birmingham

Williams, James S., Dentons Sirote, Birmingham

Winn, III, Harlan F.

Yaghmai, Gregory, Yaghmai Law, Birmingham

RISING STARS

Bromberg, Clayton

Burchfield, Jacob A.

Campbell, Todd, Campbell Partners, Birmingham, 205-224-0750 S-8

Cole, Meghan Birmingham

Driver, Christopher B.

Goodson, Jr., Lance

Hearn, Charles M.

Birmingham

Hoffman, Jr., William C.

Hornady, Joshua, Dentons Sirote, Birmingham

Israel, Adam K.

Kirby, Cason M., Campbell Partners, Birmingham, 205-224-0750 S-8

McDonald, Yawanna, Campbell Partners, Birmingham, 205-224-0750 S-8

Premo, Grant A. Birmingham

Saville, Christopher B., Baker Donelson Bearman

Schreiber, Emily

Snyder, Lauren, Butler Snow, Birmingham

Yates, Parker BUSINESS/CORPORATE

SUPER LAWYERS

Cunningham, IV, Russell M., Cunningham Firm, Birmingham

Dana, John G.

Gordon, Bruce L. Birmingham

Lowry, J. Kris

RISING STARS

Borek, Christian W.

Of course, norepresentation is made that the qualityof legal services to be performed is greater,

Hagood, J. Harris, Campbell Partners, Birmingham, 205-224-0750 S-8

Okinedo, Denzel

Washington, Ellise M.

CIVIL LITIGATION: DEFENSE

SUPER LAWYERS

Berryhill, Jonathan L.

Jackson, Stephen C. Birmingham

Kendrick, Kermit L.

Macoy, Jr, Cecil H. Birmingham

Mathis, Alan D., Butler Snow, Birmingham

Motlow, Jr., William Dudley

Patterson, Lee T. Birmingham

Sides, Terry A.

Still, Jr., Stephen W. Birmingham

Thayer, Richard M.

Turner, Kile T. Birmingham

Wilson, David M.

Zulanas, Christopher J. Birmingham

RISING STARS

Bushby, Kathryn J. ‘Katie’ Birmingham

Carpenter, Reid Birmingham

Cash, Rachel

Dunn, W. McKinley Birmingham

Flowers, Xan, Butler Snow, Birmingham

Holsombeck, S. Brett

Lee, Jason E. Birmingham

Little, Jonathan R. Birmingham

Neal, Jackson M. 205-323-1888 S-7

Newton, Daniel

Richter, Jeremy W. Birmingham

Robinson, Ben B. Birmingham

West, Katherine

Whillock, Amber

Windsor, Alyse, Dentons Sirote, Birmingham

CIVIL LITIGATION: PLAINTIFF

SUPER LAWYERS

Evans, G. Daniel

Han, Susan Nettles, Nettles Han Law, Birmingham

Morris, Brenton K. Birmingham

RISING STARS

Darby, III, Elton H. Paul, Birmingham

Emmons, Carl J. Birmingham

Evans, Maurine C.

Pantazis, Jr., D.G.

Roberts, Tanitha C.

CIVIL RIGHTS

SUPER LAWYERS

Zarzaur, Gregory

Zwilling, Edward I.

MID-SOUTH BIRMINGHAM 2022

CLASS ACTION/MASS TORTS

SUPER LAWYERS

Bains, Jr., Lee E. Birmingham

Balogh, Bryan O.

Bross, William L. Birmingham

Butler, Thomas J. Birmingham

Cook, Gregory C.

Cory, Ernest

2001 Park Place Suite 1350

Birmingham, AL 35203

PH: (205) 251-9000

FX: (205) 323-0512

BURGE-LAW.COM

Davis, D. Frank

DeGaris, Annesley H., DeGaris Law, Birmingham, 205-558-9000 S-13

DiLorenzo, Joel L.

Birmingham, 205-212-9988 S-11

Garrison, Jr., W. Lewis

Birmingham

Gathings, Honora M., Gathings Law, Birmingham, 205-322-1201 S-2

Hellums, Chris T.

Hunt, Jr., Stephen, Cory Watson, Birmingham

Jackson, K. Stephen

Lutz, Hirlye “Ryan”, Cory Watson, Birmingham

Mann, Jon

Birmingham

McKenna, Jr, Donald P.

Birmingham, 205-324-1212 S-9

Methvin, Jr., Robert G.

Tapley, F. Jerome, Cory Watson, Birmingham

Terrell, James M.

Vercher, Michael A.

Watson, Leila H.

RISING STARS

Bartlett, Taylor

Gipson, Courtney

Gregory, Xeris

Hebson, Ryan J.

Marshall, Patrick

Mendenhall, Calle M. 205-324-1212 S-9

Randolph, Jr., Christopher S. Newton, Birmingham

Rebarchak, Brooke B.

Sleadd, Jeanie

Theodore, Mitchell, Cory Watson, Birmingham

CONSTRUCTION LITIGATION

SUPER LAWYERS

Kee, Jr, James A. Birmingham

Logsdon, Larry S. Birmingham

Rogers, E. Mabry Birmingham

Simpson, W. Scott

BURGE & BURGE, PC

A FAMILY OF DEDICATED TRIAL LAWYERS

For three generations, the lawyers of Burge & Burge have devoted themselves to helping people who have been seriously injured by the wrongdoing of others. We pride ourselves on delivering excellence in every case through hard work and personalized attention. We treat each client as an individual, providing our legal expertise coupled with compassionate guidance as we prepare each client’s case for trial. Through this hands-on-process, we have helped hundreds of clients obtain the compensation they deserve.

Smyly, R. Carlton, Phelps Dunbar, Birmingham

RISING STARS

Almond, Brent Birmingham

Wilkinson, Ethan A.

CONSUMER LAW

SUPER LAWYERS

Threadcraft, Joshua H.

Tozzi, Rik S.

CREDITOR DEBTOR RIGHTS

SUPER LAWYERS

Nolen, Rodney E., Dentons Sirote, Birmingham

L to R: F. Tucker Burge, Jr., Courtney Burge Brown, F. Tucker Burge*

*Selected to Super Lawyers

F. Tucker Burge

MID-SOUTH BIRMINGHAM 2022

CRIMINAL DEFENSE

SUPER LAWYERS

Bloomston, Brett M.

Drennan, J. Derek, Kirk Drennan Law, Birmingham, 205-803-3500 S-1

Forrester, Justin, Forrester Law, Birmingham

Hanle, Michael P. Birmingham

Lentine, John A.

RISING STARS

Daniel, Christopher

Knight, Brett H. Birmingham

McNeill, II, Robert B.

Revill, Victor

Young, Liz, Dummier Young, Birmingham

CRIMINAL DEFENSE: DUI/DWI

SUPER LAWYERS

Peagler, Zach

CRIMINAL DEFENSE: WHITE COLLAR

SUPER LAWYERS

Brown, Kitty Rogers

Birmingham, 205-323-1888 S-7

Jaffe, Richard S.

Joseph, Anthony A.

Martin, Daniel J., Jones Walker, Birmingham

McKnight, David

Birmingham

Sharman, III, Jackson R. Birmingham

Sturdivant, James (Jim) R., Dentons Sirote, Birmingham

Walthall, J. Elliott

Birmingham

White, II, William C., Boles Holmes White, Birmingham

RISING STARS

Nix, Jess

Birmingham, 205-986-3633

Sewell, Robert J. “Jay” Birmingham

Whisonant, Michael W. Knight, Birmingham

Willson, Benjamin S. Birmingham

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

SUPER LAWYERS

Beaube, Beth

Burke, Peter H., Crumley Roberts, Birmingham

Christie, J.S. (Chris), Dentons Sirote, Birmingham

Murphy, Grace R. Birmingham

RISING STARS

Capper, Seth F.

Riopka, Ashlee

EMPLOYMENT & LABOR

SUPER LAWYERS

Allen, Andrew C. Birmingham

Bedsole, Jenna M., Baker Donelson Bearman

Brown, Richard O. Prophete, Birmingham

Camp, Robert J.

Coleman, III, John J.

Davis, Thomas A., Jackson Lewis, Birmingham

Frazier, Jr., Sydney F., Phelps Dunbar, Birmingham

Frederick, Barry V.

Goldfarb, Jon C.

Harbuck, Jonathan S. Birmingham

Haynes, Alicia K.

Holmes, III, John B. Birmingham

Kelly, T. Scott

Stewart, Birmingham

Lehr, Richard I.

Leonard, Heather

Lightfoot, Jr., Warren B. Birmingham

Lucas, Michael L.

Mays, Stephanie Birmingham

Metheny, K. Bryance

Miller, Carole G.

Miller, Shannon L., Jackson Lewis, Birmingham

Miller, T. Matthew

Birmingham

Morse, Wayne

Birmingham, 205-327-8325 S-17

Noble, Brian, Capstone Law, Birmingham

Penfield, Matthew I.

Birmingham

Porter, Adam M.

Saxon, John D.

Smith, David M. Birmingham

Starling, Jeff

Stiles, Matthew W.

Thompson, Michael L.

Vreeland, II, Albert L.

Wiley, David T., Jackson Lewis, Birmingham

RISING STARS

Childs Fancher, Sharonda, Baker Donelson Bearman

Guarino, Michael C., Jackson Lewis, Birmingham

Harrison, Josh C.

Stewart, Birmingham

Hilson, H. Carlton

Lam, Tina

Birmingham

Phillips, M. Tae

Stewart, Birmingham

Williams, Ronald D. (Scott)

Birmingham

EMPLOYMENT LITIGATION: DEFENSE

SUPER LAWYERS

Ahnert, Janell M.

Baker, Tammy L.

Deering, Christopher W. Group, Birmingham

Frederick, Brandi B.

Birmingham

May, T. Kelly

Birmingham

Middlebrooks, David J.

Ted Stuckenschneider draws on his 45 years of experience to guide you through the courts when you face bankruptcy, consumer debt issues or divorce. Since 1999, Ted has been certified in consumer bankruptcy by the American Board of Certification. He also teaches consumer bankruptcy classes as a professor at the Birmingham School of Law. Let him help you determine whether bankruptcy, debt consolidation or another choice is the appropriate action for you and your family to take. He serves Birmingham, Alabama, and Jefferson, Shelby and Blount counties.

Palmer, Lynlee Wells

Birmingham

Turner, Michael E., Phelps Dunbar, Birmingham

RISING STARS

Spade, Jessica B., Baker Donelson Bearman

EMPLOYMENT LITIGATION: PLAINTIFF

SUPER LAWYERS

Arnold, Allen D.

Jent, Kevin W.

McGowan, Candis A.

Reiss, Sandra

Trueblood, Temple D.

RISING STARS

No

Jackson, Sidney M.

Michel, Anthony

Rhea, Ashley R., Rhea Law, Birmingham

Stuckenschneider PC 222 North 20th St., Suite 400 Birmingham, AL 35203 tstucken@bellsouth.net

representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services to be performed by other lawyers.

Super Lawyers Honoree

ENERGY & NATURAL RESOURCES

SUPER LAWYERS

Bromberg, Robin F. Birmingham

Langley, Eric B.

ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS

SUPER LAWYERS

Davis, Stacey A. Birmingham

ENVIRONMENTAL

SUPER LAWYERS

Cox, III, William S. Birmingham

Noles, Jr., James L. Birmingham

Ragsdale, M. Clay

Turner, D. Bart Birmingham

RISING STARS

Merritt, Wade

ENVIRONMENTAL LITIGATION

SUPER LAWYERS

Casey, Steven F., Jones Walker, Birmingham

Davis, Richard E.

Johnson, John M. Birmingham

Olson, Lana A. Birmingham

Smith, Jr., Alfred F. (Buddy)

Truitt, J. Alan Birmingham

RISING STARS

Grayson, Bryan A. Birmingham

Kappel, Brian P. Birmingham

ESTATE & TRUST LITIGATION

RISING STARS

Duke, Jr., W. Alan Birmingham

Hamer, Chris Birmingham

ESTATE PLANNING & PROBATE

SUPER LAWYERS

Gardner, Robert

Stone, Dale B.

RISING STARS

Kelly, Megan

Shunnara, Tanya, Dentons Sirote, Birmingham

FAMILY LAW

SUPER LAWYERS

Arnold, Stephen R. Birmingham, 205-323-1888 S-7

Crew, Wendy B., Crew Law Group, Birmingham

Drennan, Jessica Kirk, Kirk Drennan Law, Birmingham, 205-803-3500 S-1

Durward, Jr., G. John Birmingham

Fann, Heather R., Gregory Fann Law, Birmingham

Fernambucq, G. Rick Fann, Birmingham

Gregory, Sandi E., Gregory Fann Law, Birmingham

Kok, Sammye Oden Birmingham

Nichols, Randall W. Birmingham

Peeples, Candace B., Peeples Law, Birmingham

Pomeroy, Denise J.

Shaw, Jr., Paul B., Shaw Family Law, Birmingham

RISING STARS

Butler, Christen

Hood, Alyson

Keating Hardy, Jessie

Birmingham, 205-545-7445 S-17

Mauck, Emily

Remington, Sandra Koslin, Remington Family Law, S-17

Yeatts, Patrick K.

GENERAL LITIGATION

SUPER LAWYERS

Battle, Robert E.

Boardman, Mark S.

Davis, Richard J. Birmingham

Dowd, Augusta S. Birmingham, 205-323-1888 S-3, S-7

Ezelle, Jay

Frohsin, Henry I. Birmingham

Gaines, Floyd, Gaines, Birmingham

Lunsford, Michael R.

Manley, Reid S.

Miller, Rodney E.

DeGaris Law congratulates founder Annesley H. DeGaris for his 15th year of recognition to Super Lawyers. DeGaris Law has an impressive record of success for clients in serious personal injury matters, including aviation accidents, trucking cases, work-related injuries, and product liability cases. DeGaris Law is recognized nationally for their work in mass tort litigations involving defective medical devices and pharmaceuticals.

When someone faces a personal injury crisis, they need compassionate and effective representation. DeGaris Law is committed to obtaining justice for injured clients while providing them the personal attention they deserve.

Annesley H. DeGaris Super Lawyers Honoree

No representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers. Case descriptions, recoveries and testimonials presented here are not an indication of future results. Every case is different and must be evaluated on its own facts and circumstances as they apply to the law. Litigation outcome and valuation depend on many factors including jurisdiction, venue, witnesses, parties, testimony, and documentary evidence.

MID-SOUTH BIRMINGHAM 2022

Plant, Adam

Porter, Maibeth J.

White, J. Mark

205-323-1888 S-7

RISING STARS

Donahue, Jr., Tim Birmingham

Evans, D. Patrick

Griffin, Adam

Merrell, III, Edward A.

GOVERNMENT FINANCE

RISING STARS

Arbuthnot, Alina

Birmingham

HEALTH CARE

SUPER LAWYERS

Bogard, Howard E.

Brown, W. Tucker, Whatley Kallas, Birmingham

DeMoss, Lauren C. Birmingham

Doughton, Susan Dominick Birmingham

Essig, Brandon K. Birmingham

Hoover, James A.

Horton, William W., Jones Walker, Birmingham

RISING STARS

Jackson, Brandon A. Birmingham

Jones, Megan Birmingham

IMMIGRATION

RISING STARS

Fasking, Kimberly S. Bell, Birmingham

Moore, Miya

Walker, J.D.

INSURANCE COVERAGE

SUPER LAWYERS

Brady, G. Jimmy Birmingham

Crunk, Michelle L.

Daniel, Jeff S. Birmingham

Dodson, John W.

Glick, Howard K.

Johnson, II, John W.

Johnstone, F. Inge, Wettermark Keith, Birmingham, 205-933-9500

Taylor, Spence Birmingham

Weber, Katharine A. Birmingham

Whitehead, Stephen E.

RISING STARS

Boyles, Kenneth, Phelps Dunbar, Birmingham

Doty, Christopher

Hess, Joshua

Hon, Kevin

Morrison, Madison Birmingham

Parker, T. Brannon Birmingham

Richardson, Brian Birmingham

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LITIGATION

SUPER LAWYERS

Brown, Scott S.

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

RISING STARS

Sidwell, Alex C., Dentons Sirote, Birmingham

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

RISING STARS

Rutherford, Russell

PERSONAL INJURY GENERAL: DEFENSE

SUPER LAWYERS

Bell, Michael L. Birmingham

Burge, S. Greg

Gaines, III, Ralph D. Birmingham

Gregory, Michael H. Hollis, Lee M. Birmingham

Peddy, A. Joe Coleman, Birmingham

Potts, II, James “Jay” Alan Hale, Birmingham

RISING STARS

Gray, III, John (Jack) Merrill

Harris, Hugh B. Birmingham

Pocus, John K. Birmingham

Williams, Priscilla K.

PERSONAL INJURY GENERAL: PLAINTIFF

SUPER LAWYERS

Abbott, Matt, Wettermark Keith, Birmingham, 205-933-9500

Andrews, Rip

205-879-1981 S-5

Ashford, D. Leon

Bishop, Brandon T.

Brown, D. Ty

205-879-1981 S-5

Burge, F. Tucker

205-251-9000 S-10

Cary, Tracy W.

Clay, C. Carter

Cochran, Glenda G.

Birmingham

Dellaccio, Jr., Douglas A., Cory Watson, Birmingham

Earley, Jason

Birmingham

Farris, Kirby D.

205-324-1212 S-9

Feldman, Daniel B.

Fischer, Erby J.

205-517-6900 S-15

Forstman, Leigh King, King Forstman Law, Birmingham

Goldasich, Jr., Dennis E. Birmingham

Goozee, Stevan K. Birmingham

Heninger, Erik S.

Jackson, Keith

Keith, Christopher A., Wettermark Keith, Birmingham, 205-933-9500

King, Lawrence T., King Simmons, Birmingham

Lehane, Danny Birmingham

LeMoine, Bobby

Birmingham

Lewis, Jon E.

Lyons, III, Champ

Maples, Samuel

Birmingham

Marsh, David H.

205-879-1981 S-3, S-5

Mills, Derrick A.

205-879-1981 S-5

Moak, Andrew J.

Moncus, III, James R. Lawyers, Birmingham

Pittman, W. Lee

Potter, Robert

Rickard, Jeffrey C. Birmingham, 205-879-1981 S-5

Riley, Kenneth E. 205-324-1212 S-3, S-9

Riley, Jr., Robert R.

Robertson, Brandy Birmingham

Shamblin, Jason A.

Wettermark, James H., Wettermark Keith, Birmingham, 205-933-9500

Williams, Sara L.

Wright, Josh J.

RISING STARS

Adams, Erin G.

Alexander, Rosemary

Allmon Riley, Anastasia Birmingham, 205-324-1212 S-9

Balzli, Chris

Birmingham, 205-203-4019

Balzli, Stephanie Emens

Bell, Michael Birmingham

Boydstun, Julianne Z., Cory Watson, Birmingham

Brannan, III, J. Bernard

Birmingham, 659-903-6013 S-15

Buchanan, Todd

Caldwell, Hannah C., Cory Watson, Birmingham

Caldwell, Hannah Cory, Cory Watson, Birmingham

Caldwell, Joel, Cory Watson, Birmingham

Carroll, Anna

Charles, Ryan

Birmingham, 205-983-8141

Crayton, Darius

205-324-1212 S-9

Crowell, Chip

DiLorenzo, Heidi

Dye, Victoria 205-517-6900 S-15

Ebrahimi-Charles, Victoria

Eldridge, Michael E. Birmingham

Ford, J. Ben

205-879-1981 S-5

Gutierrez, Nicolas, Cory Watson, Birmingham

Harris, E. Nathan

Hobbs, Dillon, Fob James Law Firm, Birmingham

Huggins, Maridi

James, IV, Fob, Fob James Law Firm, Birmingham

Johnson, Leah

Kizziah, Kristin

Lewis, Zachary

Maitrejean, Meredith K. Birmingham, 205-324-1212 S-9

Marsh, Dylan H. 205-879-1981 S-5

McNutt, Drew Birmingham, 205-323-1000

Pantazis, Patrick L.

Potter, Corbin

Pruett, Taylor, Cory Watson, Birmingham

Schafner, Amanda Hardin Birmingham

Spade, John R.

Spina, III, Paul A.

Tanner, J. Curt, Cory Watson, Birmingham

Walden, Bradford

Ward, Kendra D.

Watson, R. Akira, Cory Watson, Birmingham

Zorn, Jessica 205-324-1212 S-9

PERSONAL INJURY MEDICAL MALPRACTICE: DEFENSE

SUPER LAWYERS

Bates, Walter W.

Huntley, R. Todd

Juliano, Jasper P.

Kendrick, Thomas A.

McCallum, LaBella S.

Price, III, Walter J. Paul, Birmingham

Proctor, David W., Hall Booth Smith, Birmingham

Sproule, Jr., R. Gordon Birmingham

RISING STARS

Reckart, Kelsey Birmingham

PERSONAL INJURY MEDICAL MALPRACTICE: PLAINTIFF

SUPER LAWYERS

Beard, Michael K.

Birmingham, 205-879-1981 S-5

Denson, Scott E.

Heninger, Stephen D.

Samples, S. Shay Birmingham

RISING STARS

Byrd, Devan L. Birmingham

Peinhardt, Ashley Reitz

Newton, Birmingham

Rosemore, Evan

PERSONAL INJURY PRODUCTS: DEFENSE

SUPER LAWYERS

Bailey, J. Chandler

Birmingham

Barze, Jr., R. Bruce

Bazemore, III, Tom

Birmingham

Berdy, Christopher S., Butler Snow, Birmingham

Busby, Jennifer M.

Downs, Helen Kathryn

Birmingham

Eagan, Melody

Birmingham

Earnhardt, John A.

Birmingham

Lowther, M. Todd

Birmingham

Martenson, De

Birmingham

Peck, Adam K.

Birmingham

Perry, Kenneth, Ken Perry Law Firm, Birmingham

Prater, IV, Harlan I.

Birmingham

Schuck, Greg

Birmingham

Sewell, III, J. Banks

Birmingham

Shaw, James R.

Birmingham

Southerland, John Isaac

Birmingham

Thomas, D. Alan

Birmingham

Turner, Sara M.

Berkowitz, Birmingham

RISING STARS

Croes, Angel A.

Davis McCoy, Elizabeth Birmingham

Edge, Andrew Birmingham

Enyinnia, Amaobi J.

Birmingham

Gibson, James W.

Birmingham

Parker, Woods

Birmingham

Vague, Amie A.

Birmingham

Yearout, Christopher C.

Birmingham

PERSONAL INJURY PRODUCTS: PLAINTIFF

SUPER LAWYERS

Chambers, Elizabeth E., Cory Watson, Birmingham

Conlin, Jon, Cory Watson, Birmingham

Gathings, Lloyd W., Gathings Law, Birmingham, 205-322-1201 S-2

Weaver, Dennis R.

RISING STARS

Jones, Andy, Cory Watson, Birmingham

Pittman, Adam, Cory Watson, Birmingham

PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY: DEFENSE

SUPER LAWYERS

Mackenzie, III, Robert P.

Wolter, Daniel S., Daniel Wolter Law Firm, Birmingham

REAL ESTATE

SUPER LAWYERS

Beavers, Jr., Charles A.J.

Evans III, Jesse P.

Mallette, Greer B.

Mills, Gail L.

Sigman, Adam J., Dentons Sirote, Birmingham

Skinner, David C.

RISING STARS

Evans, Martin

Frederick, Scott

Berkowitz, Birmingham

Friedman, Samuel, Dentons Sirote, Birmingham

Gray, P. David

Pugh, IV, Sumner R.

Birmingham

Saag, Andrew W.

SCHOOLS & EDUCATION

SUPER LAWYERS

Allen, Leslie A. Birmingham

Colvin, Whit

Johnson, Jr., Carl E.

Sears, Shane T.

SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY

SUPER LAWYERS

Pennington, John M., Pennington Law Firm, Birmingham

RISING STARS

Smith, Brian, Wettermark Keith, Birmingham, 205-933-9500

STATE, LOCAL & MUNICIPAL

SUPER LAWYERS

Dettling, Aaron L., Fortif Law Partners, Birmingham

Donahue, Timothy P. Birmingham

Goldman, Benjamin S. Birmingham

Porter, II, James W. Birmingham

RISING STARS

Adams, Courtney S., Phelps Dunbar, Birmingham

Bolling, Trey, Dentons Sirote, Birmingham

Hinshaw, Matthew A.

Cummings, Birmingham

TRANSPORTATION/MARITIME

RISING STARS

Perdue, Howard ‘Trey’, Dentons Sirote, Birmingham

Teel, Al

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION

SUPER LAWYERS

Horn, IV, Allwin E.

Kirkpatrick, II, Donald B.

Laird, Jr., P. Andrew

Nomberg, Bernard D.

Nomberg, David P.

Birmingham

Roberts, Scott, Burgess Roberts, Birmingham

Swiney II, J. Vincent

RISING STARS

Miller, Preston, King Simmons, Birmingham

Saunders, Anna

SUPER LAWYERS

Sklar, Bradley, Dentons Sirote, Birmingham

Dicker, Birmingham

and

We handle all types of document scanning projects: Human resource and client files, financial records like invoices and purchase orders, medical records, historical and fragile documents, court records,microfilm and microfiche. You name it. If you have records that can't leave your office. Our staff will do all of the scanning at your location.

Surveillance and

Tools

Tools to analyze crime scene photos, enhance surveillance and intelligence video and more. Spot a fake. Enhance images. Identify speakers by matching recorded voices to determine who said what. 212 41

THESouth’s Colleges Best

Auburn university

At Auburn University, students are challenged by world – class academics, embraced by the Auburn Family and celebrate beloved traditions. The Auburn experience is transformative, encouraging students to find their place and prepare to be the next generation of leaders in their communities and workplaces.

A Top Value

Along with top – tier academic programs taught by nationally recognized faculty, Auburn offers every campus resource available to ensure a successful college career. Students feel at home on campus and develop an unparalleled sense of belonging. Auburn is one of the top 50 public universities in the nation, and ranks #1 in Alabama, according to U.S. News & World Report Forbes magazine named us the top college in the state, and Niche.com recognized us as a Best Value College in the nation. The Princeton Review also lists us among the Happiest College Students in the Nation and Students Pack the Stadium.

Hands-On Experience In and Out of the Classroom

Through internships, co-op programs, study abroad and experiential learning, students harness the work ethic, character, leadership and interpersonal skills necessary to work in diverse settings.

Students gain real–world, practical experience and are often afforded future career opportunities through the support of alumni. “I was able to find mentors on Handshake, a platform to directly contact alumni who have helped me shape who I

want to be when I leave college,” said Colin Rigor, sophomore in business finance.

Notable Alumni

Auburn is known for its thousands of alumni who are accomplished leaders in business and industry. Specifically, past graduates include the CEO of Apple, the founders of Habitat for Humanity and Wikipedia, an Oscar–winning actress, countless sports legends and six astronauts. In fact, 97% of recent graduates feel their Auburn education has enhanced their opportunity for advancement.

Welcome to the Family

As part of the Auburn Family, students make lifelong friends and connect with a worldwide network of alumni.

Plan a tour to discover how Auburn inspires students to succeed. Find out more at auburn.edu/visit.

To learn more about Auburn University, visit auburn.edu/admissions or call 334-844-6425.

Auburn university At MontgoMery

Unique academic programs include Social Work, Graphic Design, Medical Lab Science, Criminal Justice, and Sport Management.

Scholarships include AUM’s Opportunity Scholarship, which requires a minimum ACT composite score of 18 (950 SAT) and a minimum 2.5 high school GPA. Freshman scholarships are up to $40,000. Transfer scholarships up to $8,000. AUM also offers a Military and Dependent Scholarship for U.S. service members in Active Duty, Reserves, and National Guard and their dependents.

Founded in 1967, Auburn University at Montgomery is ranked among the South’s top universities by U.S. News and World Report and top universities in the Southeast by The Princeton Review. AUM provides students with detailed knowledge and hands-on, practical experience, often from professionals in the field.

AUM’s five colleges offer 54 baccalaureate degrees, 24 master’s degrees, 9 educational specialists degrees, and 2 doctoral programs among the more than 90 fields of study. Classes are offered days, nights, and weekends, as well as online. Enrollment: 5,212 with a student/faculty ratio of 16:1.

AUM provides a diverse, close-knit and small-town, “everybody knows your name” feel with all the history and excitement of Alabama’s capital city—just hop on the Warhawk Transit shuttle. Students can play or cheer for 11 varsity sports teams or join campus intramurals or the dance team.

On-campus apartments are available in AUM’s four new or newly renovated residence halls. Offering single rooms in an apartment-style high-rise or single and double rooms in an efficiency apartment. There are seven sororities and two fraternities.

AUM boasts more than 100 student organizations and curriculum-related clubs, along with 11 honor societies, and 6 religious organizations.

AUM features rolling admissions throughout the year. Automatic scholarships are available based on GPA or ACT/ SAT scores. GRE/GMAT waiver are also available.

Cool Factors

AUM holds 25 national championships across 11 sports, now with the excitement of NCAA D2 play in the Gulf South Conference. AUM Softball won the GulfSouth Conference 2021 and 2022 and played in the College World Series.

AUM has one of the state’s largest Study Abroad programs, now with new opportunities in Costa Rica and South Africa.

AUM’s College of Education is home to the state’s first Virtual Avatar Laboratory (VAL), which is used across all academic divisions to provide a cutting-edge learning environment.

School Accolades

Best Online Bachelor’s Programs — U.S. News & World Report

Most Innovative Colleges — U.S. News & World Report

Best Business College — U.S. News & World Report

Best Colleges in the Southeast — Princeton Review

Most Affordable College in Alabama - Yahoo!Finance

Designated Military Spouse Friendly — VIQTORY

AACSB—Accredited Business School

Top Ten Gold Military Friendly

Belmont University

are encouraged to participate in study away in numerous locations in the U.S. and abroad.

A Thriving Campus Community

A Place to Belong—Belmont University

Located near the heart of thriving Nashville, Tennessee, Belmont University consists of nearly 9,000 students who come from every state and 33 countries. The University is nationally recognized for its innovative approach as well as its commitment to undergraduate teaching (U.S. News & World Report). As a Christ-centered, student-focused community, Belmont’s mission is to develop diverse leaders of purpose, character and wisdom who possess a transformational mindset and are eager and equipped to make the world a better place. With more than 127 areas of undergraduate study, 37 master’s programs and five doctoral degrees, Belmont University aims to be the leading Christ-centered university in the world, producing leaders who will radically champion the pursuit of life abundant for all people.

A Leader in Academics

Belmont’s boasts a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio and is committed to leading the way by pioneering exciting majors like supply chain management, public health, data science, motion picture production, faith & social justice and music technology. Our facilities offer state-of-the-art technology and students work directly with faculty on research, health care simulations, audio productions, film making and more. Abundant opportunities exist for internships and students

Belmont’s beautiful 93acre campus is brimming with possibilities to help you enjoy your new home-awayfrom-home. Belmont offers over 180 student organizations including sports clubs, Greek organizations, service-minded groups, faith development fellowships and several niche honor societies. Sports fans have plenty to cheer with 17 NCAA Division I teams to follow (Go Bruins!).

A Growing, Friendly Urban Hometown

Belmont’s hometown, Nashville, provides the backdrop for an amazing college experience while setting the stage for limitless career potential. Local internship opportunities are plentiful. In fact, Belmont students have connected with the Country Music Association, Amazon, The Nashville Predators, Caterpillar Financial and Nissan. Nashville also offers countless opportunities for fun with professional sports teams, art museums, parks and outdoor recreational areas.

Imagine the Possibilities

Belmont’s Christ-centered, supportive academic community located in the heart of Nashville, can be the perfect fit for you! Students can apply via the Common Application© or the Belmont online application at belmont.edu/apply. Belmont offers rolling admissions and is test optional.

We would also love to welcome you to Belmont’s campus for a visit and have our current students show you around! Belmont offers visit opportunities Monday-Friday and select Saturdays, plus virtual options. Register at belmont.edu/visit.

Delta State UniverSity

If you head west from the intersection of U.S. Highway 61 and MS-8, you’ll discover the hub of educational excellence, athletic pride and cultural enrichments for the Mississippi Delta, Delta State University.

Perhaps best known for its successful alumni like former CEO and chairman of UPS David Abney; record-breaking athletes like Lusia “Lucy” Harris; renowned coaches including Margaret Wade and Boo Ferriss; and of course, its beloved unofficial mascot, The Fighting Okra. Delta State and the Mississippi Delta region have enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship that has lasted almost 100 years.

On June 7, 1924, Delta State Teachers College opened with a faculty of eleven and an enrollment of 123. In 1955, the name was changed to Delta State College due to the expanding educational programs offered. In 1974, Delta State College became Delta State University.

The University offers several unique educational opportunities, such as the state’s only bachelor’s and master’s degree in Commercial Aviation. Delta State is one of only seven universities nationwide selected for the grants under the new FedEx Purple Runway Aviation Scholarship Program.

The Center for Interdisciplinary Geospatial Information Technologies is an independent unit of the College of Arts and Sciences and has grown considerably over the past several years. Recently, the center became the only North American Regional Support Office for the United Nations Platform for Space-based Disaster Management and Emergency Response.

The Robert E. Smith School of Nursing houses another signature program at Delta State. From the undergraduate and graduate degrees in nursing to the RN-BSN Completion Program, Delta State fills hospitals and medical facilities with quality nursing professionals.

While many students come to DSU from the Delta region, the University never charges out-of-state tuition fees, attracting students from around the country. On the international front, the University is also expanding its footprints with students from forty-two countries currently represented on campus.

With the Mississippi Delta being the birthplace of American music, DSU opened the Delta Music Institute (DMI) Recording Studios in the spring of 2009. DMI is also home to the DMI Mobile Music Lab, a mobile music technology facility serving elementary and high school students in the Mississippi Delta.

Through the Delta Music Institute, an exciting new chapter for the university began in 2016 when the GRAMMY Museum® Mississippi opened its doors on the DSU campus. It was the first sanctioned GRAMMY Museum® outside of Los Angeles.

A new Digital Media Arts program has recently been added at DSU. The facilities feature a state-of-the-art Mac Lab, a green screen area, 2D and 3D animation technology and a voice-over booth. DSU is the only program in the state to offer an Animation concentration.

Delta State is home of the Bologna Performing Arts Center,

a multi-disciplinary facility that provides first-class arts and entertainment for DSU and the region. The main performance hall consists of 1,178 seats in the Delta & Pine Land Theater and there are 135 seats in the more intimate Recital Hall. The BPAC has earned recognition as one of the premier venues in Mississippi and the Southeast.

In 2000, The Delta Center for Culture and Learning launched to promote greater understanding of Mississippi Delta culture and history and its significance to the world. The Delta Center serves as the management entity of the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area and is the home of the International Delta Blues

Project and the National Endowment for the Humanities’ “Most Southern Place on Earth” workshops for K-12 educators.

In addition to its educational and cultural influences, Delta State serves as an economic powerhouse in the region and beyond.

Delta State has a $175 million positive impact on the Mississippi Delta, which breaks down as $44 million in direct spending, and $110 million in knowledge impact of $81 million in increased alumni earnings, $27 million in social benefits and $2 million in cultural benefits. DSU supports roughly 550 jobs, including more than 400 full-time employees. Delta State further provides more than 207,000 hours in community development activities such as health, education, and civic outreach.

DSU continues to refine and update programs and renovate buildings, structures, and roadways for a constantly fresh look on campus. In the past year, Delta State has completed several renovation projects designed to enhance the campus and make it more efficient for students, faculty, staff, and the community.

All bring makes all the difference.

Steeped in 130 years of excellence, Lipscomb University is a nationally recognized institution where your yearning for knowledge and ambition to excel are embraced in faith and refined through learning. A community that shines the light of Christ, we magnify the best in everyone around us.

Here at the intersection of purpose and practice, we fashion futures to impact lives—in our hometown of Nashville and far beyond. At Lipscomb University, all you bring makes all the difference.

Welcomed in faith. Refined through learning. Ready to go.

Lipscomb University

A leader in Christian higher education since 1891, Lipscomb University is a close-knit, Christ-centered community located in the thriving Green Hills neighborhood of Nashville, Tennessee. Our small campus creates an environment where you can build meaningful connections, but just because we’re small doesn’t mean we’re short on opportunities.

Welcomed in faith.

At Lipscomb University, we believe your gifts are God-given— that’s why it’s our highest priority to help you discover how you’ll use them for the rest of your life. And we’ve found that in the context of a faith-based, service-minded community, education becomes a gateway for good. Learn how to use your gifts and talents to pursue a vocation to create meaningful change.

Refined through learning.

Experience the opportunity of an institution with rigorous academic programs sustained by exceptional faculty. Participate in

research with a faculty member, challenge yourself in our Honors College, or apply your knowledge through an internship or service project. Earn a degree that ignites your ideas and puts purpose to your passions—you’ll have 200 areas of study to choose from.

Ready to go.

We believe that experience is the best teacher. That’s why on any given day, your classroom might relocate to a recording studio, the capitol building or an outreach organization. In a city like Nashville, opportunity is everywhere. Hands-on learning and wellconnected faculty help 95% of Lipscomb graduates land a job or start graduate school within six months of graduation.

With 100 campus organizations, 17 NCAA Division I teams and Music City at your doorstep, every day is a new adventure. Experience small classes, profound spiritual formation and a vibrant campus community—along the way, you’ll find a herd that sticks with you for life.

Birmingham’S HBCU Premiere

MMiles College, Birmingham’s premier four-year HBCU, offering intimate class sizes, accessible faculty, and a personalized plan with you in mind.

Miles College, founded in 1898, is a liberal arts institution accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate degrees and is designated as a member of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU).

Celebrating 125 years of excellence the College offers baccalaureate programs with majors such as Accounting, Biology, Busines Administration, Chemistry, Communications, Computer and Information Sciences, History, Language Arts, Criminal Justice, Early Childhood/ Elementary Education, English, Mathematics, Political Science, and Social Work. In sum, Miles offers 30 Bachelor’s Degree programs in six academic divisions for an enrollment of 1,520 students.

Mississippi University for WoMen

The W was founded on the idea that a university education is for all. The mission is the same today. The university is nationally recognized for low student debt, top value, diversity and social mobility. National rankings, small class sizes and unique programs create a university that empowers you to be bold, follow your dreams and make a difference in your community. But most important to us, students say, “It feels like home.”

Physical Environment

Unique in the marketplace, The W provides a walkable, open campus; a large number of buildings on The National Register of Historic Places; and a geographic location in easy distance of its host community, Columbus, Mississippi.

Academic Excellence

It has established one of the premier nursing programs in the state, offering degrees from the associate’s through the doctor of nursing practice, and has developed nationally recognized programs in culinary arts, business, education, music therapy and creative writing.

The W’s colleges and schools include the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Business & Professional Studies, the College of Nursing & Health Sciences and the School of Education.

Empowering You

Quality of Instruction

Our university has an experienced faculty; an institutional reputation for strong academics and program offerings; strong peer interaction; and a favorable 12:1 student faculty ratio.

The W was founded in 1884 on a pretty daring idea: women should have the chance for higher education. Today, the university attracts both female and male students from around the region and around the world.

We know college is not just about academics. It’s hard not to find a fit in one of more than 75 student organizations. Help plan a concert, compete in intramurals, serve in student government, join a social club, sorority, or fraternity. Or start your own organization. We’re all about you!

You don’t have to take our word for it. See for yourself and request more information or visit us on our beautiful campus.

Samford UniverSity

Founded in 1841, Samford University is a national pillar for educating with strength and purpose, enrolling 5,683 students from 47 states, Puerto Rico, Guam and 19 countries.

Samford is regularly recognized as one of the best Christian universities in the United States, receiving high marks for academic quality and value. Samford is the top-ranked university in Alabama in national rankings published by The Wall Street Journal. Additionally, The Wall Street Journal/ Times Higher Education ranks Samford 1st in the nation for student engagement. Samford is ranked 66th nationally for best undergraduate teaching and 104th for best value by U.S. News & World Report. According to The Wall Street Journal/ Times Higher Education, Samford students are more likely to recommend their university than students at any other college or university in the country.

Among Samford’s 55,923 alumni have included more than 60 members of the U.S. Congress, eight state governors, two U.S. Supreme Court justices, one Secretary of State, four Rhodes Scholars, multiple Emmy and Grammy awardwinning artists, two national championship football coaches, and recipients of the Pulitzer and Nobel Peace prizes.

The university fields 17 varsity sports—eight men’s and nine women’s—that participate at the NCAA Division I level in the Southern Conference. Samford’s athletic teams earned a 98% Graduation Success Rate by the NCAA, ranking sixth among all Division I universities in the nation, along with an impressive group of peer institutions.

Learn more about Samford at samford.edu or schedule a visit by calling 205-726-3673.

WHERE passion MEETS purpose

Since 1841, Samford University has remained steadfast in its mission of preparing students in a Christian environment through the development of intellect, creativity, faith and personhood. Across its 10 academic schools, students are equipped with this powerful preparation to pursue the calling God has on their lives.

samford.edu/go/discover

The UniversiTy of AlAbAmA

College, which allows highly motivated students to customize their own course of study.

Through the Accelerated Master’s Program and the STEM and CREATE Paths to the MBA, high-achieving students can work toward an undergraduate degree while simultaneously pursuing a graduate degree. Completing both in five years or less saves time and cuts overall educational costs considerably.

In addition to numerous opportunities to study abroad or get involved in undergraduate research, UA students enjoy a rich student life. More than 600 student-run organizations on campus include everything from recreational and intramural athletics to multicultural programs to gaming networks. You’ll learn more about each organization at Get On Board Day

UA’s most recent freshman class included nearly 3,000 students from the state of Alabama, marking the fourth consecutive year that more of the state’s top high school graduates began building their legendary future at the Capstone, recently named a Best Value College by Princeton Review. Drawn by top-ranked academic programs, unlimited opportunities and increased scholarship programs reserved only for Alabama residents, these students knew UA was the best choice for them. And it could be the best choice for you, too.

The 2022 freshman class, which included 322 highachieving National Merit Scholars, was the most diverse ever, with record high percentages of traditionally underrepresented populations, including Black and Hispanic students. Overall, UA has students from every state in the nation and 88 countries around the world, all pursuing a top-quality education with unlimited opportunities to succeed.

Designated as one of the top doctoral research universities in the United States by the Carnegie Foundation, UA is leading the way in the development of new ideas and transformative technologies to further the understanding of the world and improve the lives of the people in it.

As a student at UA, you’ll choose from 200+ majors and programs in 12 different colleges and schools. Several of our programs and schools, including public relations, accounting and law, are among the top-ranked in the country. If none of the traditional majors is quite right, you can forge your own path through New

hosted at the beginning of each fall and spring semester.

At The University of Alabama, we prepare each student to not only achieve their goals while on campus but also to become legends upon graduation. Networking opportunities abound, with more than 100 active alumni chapters nationwide.

Reach out to your local recruiter to start your UA journey. Find your recruiter at connect.ua.edu.

University of Montevallo

FOUNDED IN 1896, the University of Montevallo is nestled in the heart of Alabama, approximately 35 miles south of Birmingham.

Designed by the architects behind New York’s Central Park and the grounds surrounding North Carolina’s Biltmore House, our campus serves as a picturesque backdrop to match the University’s world-class educational offerings. White columns, expansive lawns, brick walkways and stately oaks are just part of the campus’ beauty that has earned widespread acclaim. Southern Living magazine even named us among the “South’s Most Beautiful Colleges” in 2020.

As the only public liberal arts university in Alabama, the University of Montevallo has the charm of a private school experience while providing the value of a state-supported institution. As a small school, we are committed to creating big opportunities for students. Montevallo’s list of national accolades grows each year. U.S. News & World Report has ranked UM as one of the top Public Regional Universities for the past 14 years, as well as a Best Value School and one of the most innovative schools in the nation, and the institution has been named a College of Distinction for 11 consecutive years.

At UM, we don’t merely inspire – we teach our students how to harness inspiration, become versatile and give back. Through our accreditations, scholarships and faculty resources, we’ve cultivated a reputation for producing bright minds.

Montevallo offers academic programs in four colleges: Arts and Sciences, Business, Education and Human Development and Fine Arts. Students choose from more than 30 degree programs and more than 70 majors and concentrations. They participate in an educational environment boasting an average class size of 13 and have unprecedented opportunities for conducting undergraduate research under full-time faculty mentors.

UM fields 22 NCAA Division II athletic teams competing in the Gulf South Conference, giving student-athletes ample opportunity to don the purple and gold.

Unique to Montevallo is our homecoming tradition, College Night, known as the oldest tradition of its kind in the nation. Montevallo students from across all disciplines have come together for a spirited competition like no other for now

more than 100 years. College Night was selected as a “Local Legacy” for the Library of Congress’s bicentennial celebration in 2000.

We invite you to take a tour and see for yourself why You Belong at Montevallo!

FOR MORE INFORMATION: montevallo.edu/tours

Call: 205.665.6030 or 1.800.292.4349 (toll-free)

Gus Mayer dress, $540. Levy’s at Gus Mayer bracelet, $339. BPrince clutch, $200.

Opposite page: Gus Mayer cardigan, $420. BPrince sweater tank, $200.

BPrince gold jeans, $310. Gus Mayer boots, $365

BPrince necklace, $220.

Gus Mayer cuff, $398 idlewildeveryday.com earrings.

the glamorous season

The allure, romance and excitement of the city comes alive in glam fashion.

Photography by Chuck St. John

Stylist: Mindi Shapiro

BPrince cashmere sweater, $296. BPrince skirt, $215. BPrince boots, $625. Levy’s Gus Mayer bracelet, $300. idlewildeveryday.com stacked bracelets and earrings.

Gus Mayer dress, $895. Gus Mayer shoes, $228.

Levy’s at Gus Mayer necklace, $160.

Levy’s at Gus Mayer ring, $120. Levy’s at Gus Mayer cuff, $260. idlewildeveryday.com stacked bracelets and earrings.

BPrince dress, $300. BPrince necklace, $90. idlewildeveryday.com stacked bracelets and earrings.

Gus Mayer dress, $625. Levy’s at Gus Mayer necklace, $325 Levy’s at Gus Mayer necklace, $230 Levy’s at Gus Mayer bracelet, $338 BPrince boots, $412.

Gus Mayer jacket, $410. BPrince skirt, $162. Gus Mayer shoes, $160 Levy’s at Gus Mayer bracelet, $3,390

Gus Mayer dress, $700. Gus Mayer bag, $468 Levy’s at Gus Mayer bracelet, $378 Levy’s at Gus Mayer earrings, $120

Gus Mayer top, $185. Gus Mayer skirt, $795

BPrince boots, $550 Levy’s at Gus Mayer cuff, $300. idlewildeveryday.com stacked bracelets and earrings.

Credits

Photography by Chuck St. John

Stylist: Mindi Shapiro

Models: Kelly Layne, Red Models

Emily Terrell, Red Models

Make up: Jennifer Spanick

Hair Stylist: Bailey Burgett

Assistant: Nico Boot

Location: Paper Doll on First Avenue North in Birmingham.

My Lucky Life

Beyond the confluence of extraordinary evil and unbelievable luck lies the story of my family.

By Michael Sznajderman

The author as a baby with his grandpa, Charles.

My late grandmother Eva used to say that being lucky is the most important thing in this world.

Eva had her share of good luck—and tragedy. She lost her widowed mother, all three of her siblings, two brothers-in-law and at least four nieces and nephews—essentially her entire family—in the Holocaust. On my father’s side, the Holocaust also took a terrible toll.

Luckily for me, my grandparents were able to escape from Nazioccupied Europe. Lucky for me, their children—my parents-to-be, Marius Sznajderman and Suzanne Messing—met after the war in New York.

Which is why I exist.

The Sznajderman family – Suzanne and Marius, their three children and spouses, and their seven grandchildren in 2013

I have family who remained in Europe through the war and somehow made it through. Others managed to flee and make new lives in new lands. Their progeny—my many cousins— live here in the States, in France, in Germany, in Venezuela, in Israel. We remain close, communicate regularly and gather physically when we can.

Ingenuity, persistence, courage—

they all played a role in my family’s survival. And, unquestionably, luck.

The Sznajdermans and Messings lived for generations in Poland. But in the 1920s, both sets of my grandparents left for France. They became part of a large community of Polish Jews in Paris, seeking economic opportunity and less anti-Semitism. Life there wasn’t perfect, but it was better—for a time. Most of

the Sznajdermans and Messings who stayed in Poland perished in the war.

Of course, soon after occupying Poland, the Nazis invaded France. My then-8-year-old mother and 13-year-old father didn’t know each other, but they were part of the chaotic, mass exodus of Parisians who fled south just before the Germans arrived.

Among my relatives were people

Marius, my dad, as a young man in his late 20s in New York, in the 1950s.

who survived the concentration camps and those who were murdered in them. Only recently did the last of my family’s camp survivors pass away.

One particularly tragic story is that of Esther Rosenberg, a sister of my late cousin, Judy Schneiderman. Judy and four of her sisters were prisoners at Buchenwald when Esther was killed— not by the Nazis but by friendly fire as

the sisters dashed across an open field, trying to escape a U.S. attack on the munitions factory where they worked as prison laborers.

My grandfather Benjamin Messing, Eva’s husband, was one of three brothers who were all married and living in France with their young families at the start of the war. After fleeing Paris, all three families, after several stops along

the way, ended up in the port city of Marseilles.

It was Benjamin’s brother Leon who sought exit visas for the three families at the U.S. Consulate there. Luckily— there’s that word again—his wife Tola had an aunt in the States. Also lucky, the two men in charge of visas there—a Quaker named Miles Standish and Vice Consul Harry Bingham—were known

Mom as a young girl, very close to the time they fled Paris in 1940.

for their willingness to help Jews. Later, Standish and Bingham would be punished professionally for this. Indeed, just weeks after my family’s visas were issued, it became much harder for Jews to secure visas through that consul office.

But there was a problem. At first, Leon could only obtain visas for his family and for brother Maurice and his family. He did not get one for Benjamin and Eva and my mother.

When Leon’s mother, my great grandmother Telsa, found out, she was outraged. “What about Benyek?” she demanded. She told Leon to go back to the consul office. (Telsa, by the way, was among those who survived the war in France.)

In an incredibly risky gamble, it was decided to spill ink on the two visas and ruin them, and then try to blame it on the children. Leon returned to the consulate with the now-unusable visas and waited in line, again, with so many others desperate to get out. At the end of the day, Leon’s number still hadn’t been called, which meant he’d have to come back and try again.

Just before everyone was turned away, Leon somehow slipped through the door. He persuaded the consular

officials to replace the ruined visas and provide one more, for Benjamin’s family.

Finding passage on a ship leaving France for three families was another difficult hurdle. It fell to Maurice, who started hanging around the seedy taverns near the port. After many drinks and conversations, he learned the name of the mistress of the captain of the Winnipeg, a ship bound for Martinique. A well-placed bribe with the mistress, and passage was secured.

You can read about the Messings’ arrival in the U.S. on page 8 of The New York Times on June 14, 1941. But it was not on the Winnipeg. That ship, which flew the flag of the Nazi-collaborating Vichy government, was seized at sea by the Dutch and British before arriving in Martinique. The Messings spent more than two weeks in a British internment camp in Trinidad before being cleared to travel on to New York on another ship, the Evangeline. They arrived on Friday —the 13th. Definitely a lucky day.

The story of my father and his parents’ escape from France is equally remarkable.

After fleeing Paris, the Sznajdermans —my father and his parents, Charles and Jeanne—lived in a series of cities and towns in southern France before

ending up in Montpelier, near the Mediterranean Sea. Their first lucky break took place in Orleans, right after fleeing Paris. They had planned to board a train there for Bordeaux, but someone at the station dissuaded them. Instead, they hitched a ride on a truck. Lucky break: that train was obliterated in a Luftwaffe bombing.

Next stop was Pau, in the Pyrenees, where they were placed in a French detention camp. In another stroke of luck, my father’s uncle Jacques was there; he had been mobilized into the Polish section of the French army. Jacques insisted they get out, and with his help they managed to escape—through a hole in the fence or an open back door, my father couldn’t recall exactly. Dad did remember them running away from the camp, lugging their suitcases.

By November 1942, the situation in France for Jews had become particularly perilous. Already, more than 25,000 Jews had been deported from France to the concentration camps, including children—from both the Nazi-occupied and the “free” sections of France. Most of the deportees were murdered.

On Nov. 11—days after the allied invasion of north Africa (and, they would learn later, one day after the

Suzanne with her parents Benjamin and Eva.

Nazis moved to occupy the remainder of France)—Charles, Jeanne and Marius fled for the Spanish border. They spent a cold night outdoors, in a dark corner of the station in the tiny village of Cerbere, awaiting a train that would take them across the frontier to Spain.

Patrolling the platform were men in black leather jackets—likely Gestapo, my father told me. But the Sznajdermans weren’t questioned. The next day, my grandfather waited till noon before he approached the office to get their exit visas stamped. He had been told the odds were better at midday, when any Germans at the station would be on lunch break.

The Sznajdermans arrived without incident in Spain. The next morning, they visited the Barcelona office of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. (HIAS is still in existence today, helping refugees of all faiths and nationalities around the world.) The HIAS officials asked where they had come from. When Charles told them, they were stunned. “That’s impossible. The border is closed,” they said. Apparently the Sznajdermans were on the very last train allowed to cross into Spain.

There’s so much more to tell about

the Sznajdermans’ journey, which took them to Venezuela. They were supposed to go to the Dominican Republic, but, as I said, there’s more to the story. They built a new life in Caracas and, years later, my father chose to emigrate from Venezuela to the States, where he was introduced to my mother, Suzanne.

One more twist to this story, however, must be told: how the Sznajdermans secured their exit visas from France.

The man responsible for approving the visas was Rene’ Bousquet, who was the friend of a friend of my father’s uncle Maurice (not to be confused with my mother’s uncle Maurice).

Maurice’s friend said he could obtain visas for all the Sznajdermans from his pal Bousquet. All he needed was fare for the train ride to Vichy. So, a piece of jewelry was sold on the black market, and the train fare—and exit visas—were secured.

At that time—October 1941, more than a year before my grandparents and father dashed across the Spanish border —Bousquet was a mid-level official in the Vichy government. Six months later, Bousquet was elevated to general secretary of the Vichy police, a position in which he began collaborating with

the Nazis on the deportation of Jews. After the war, Bousquet would be held up as a war criminal, for which he was publicly condemned but not sent to prison. In 1991, after a long career in business, Bousquet was shot dead in his apartment as French authorities prepared to bring him to trial for crimes against humanity. The man who shot him declared it was justified because of Bousquet’s war crimes; he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

So, the Sznajdermans’ escape from Europe (and my existence) is due in part to the blessing of a despicable Nazi collaborator and murderer.

Today, millions of people are, again, on the move around the world. They are fleeing persecution, violence or desperate poverty. And what they’re seeking, most likely, is the same thing my grandparents desired: a place where they can live safely and in peace.

I remember my grandparent when I think of these refugees, knowing the resolve, the ingenuity, the bravery their journeys will require. I also know they will need something that none of us can control, but that I wish for them with all my heart.

Good luck.

Suzanne and her children, Marc, Tobi and me.

BOOK EXCERPT

I stand on the shoulders of my sister Denise, and as proud as I am to do so, I often wish I could have just cried on those shoulders while talking to her about school, about life, and about my dreams just one time. —Lisa

Dear

Dear

McNair

Lisa McNair was born in 1964, one year after her older sister, Denise, was murdered in the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham. Dear Denise is a collection of forty letters from Lisa addressed to the sister she never knew, but in whose shadow of sacrifice and lost youth she was raised. These letters offer an intimate look into the life of a family touched by one of the most heinous tragedies of the Civil Rights Movement.

Written in a genuine and conversational voice, Lisa’s letters apprise her late sister of all that has come to pass in the years since her death. Lisa considers her own challenges and accomplishments as a student in remarkably different—and very racially complex—schools; the birth of their baby sister, Kim; their father’s election to the Alabama legislature; her evolving sense of faith and place, and sometimes lack thereof, within the Black church; her college experiences; and her own sense of self as she’s matured into adulthood. She reveals some of the family’s difficulties, and shares some of their joys and celebrations.

The letters are accompanied by 29 black-and-white photographs, most of them from the McNair family collection, many of them taken by her father, a professional photographer who documented the Civil Rights Movement in Alabama both before and after Denise’s murder. An unswervingly candid, gentle, and nuanced book, Dear Denise, published in August by the University of Alabama Press, is a testament to one singular life lived bravely and truthfully during decades of bewildering social change and in the shadow of one life never fully lived.

From Dear Denise: Letters to the Sister I Never Knew by Lisa McNair. Used by permission of the University of Alabama Press.

Denise Denise

Letter 1

The Sister I Never Knew Dear Denise,

I am your sister Lisa. I have so missed having a big sister all of my life. What makes your absence from my life so odd is that we never got to meet, and yet you are part of every aspect of my life. I can’t tell you the number of times I wished you were alive and with us so that I could talk with you and know life having you as a big sister to me and Kim, our baby sister. I have so much to tell you.

I missed getting to know you, and have always wanted to talk to you and hug you. It is odd to lose a family member before meeting them, especially losing a sister, someone I would have grown up with, a partner and a sibling in this life. I can understand never meeting a grandparent, but not an older sister. It’s so strange that I don’t know what you sounded like or what your mannerisms were.

I was born almost exactly one year from the day of your death. Many people don’t know that about our family’s story. It’s interesting how God works. How odd that Mamma and Daddy had not been able to bear more children after you were born. And yet after you were killed, they had two more little girls. I am the oldest child now and we have a younger sister named Kimberly who was born four years after I was, but I always wanted a big sister so I would have someone to talk to and look up to.

I think Mamma gave us all some beautiful names. I have always loved that Mamma gave you the first name Carol after her sister, whom she loved very much. I’m not sure why they didn’t call you Carol, as Denise is your middle name. But that’s the name that everyone knows you by. I wish I could have gotten to know and love you like Mamma loved her sister.

People ask me all the time, “When did you first know that your sister was killed in the bombing?” I can never answer that question definitively because it’s something I have always known. I cannot recall a time when I didn’t know about you and how you died. I guess people freely talked about it around me when I was a baby, and I just picked up on it. I am sure folks would see me with Mamma and say something like, “that is Maxine McNair. Her daughter was killed in the bombing and she was their only child, but now God has given them another baby.” I don’t ever recall someone sitting me down and telling me directly. And yet it is my first and oldest memory. It is a strange feeling to have a sister who died before you were born, especially in such a tragic and public way, and this feeling has been and always will be a part of who I am.

Your death thrust all of us, Mamma, Daddy, Kim, and me, into the surreal limelight of history. The bomb blast at 16th Street Baptist Church was heard all around the world and your death was a pivotal event in the Civil Rights Movement. People look at our family differently, treat us like celebrities sometimes, and put us on a pedestal. This all feels strange, even though it has been true for as long as I can remember. I am still not ever sure how to react to the attention. That is not

how we see ourselves. We are just regular people who suffered an immense tragedy. When I first meet people, I don’t say anything about you most of the time, but your death inevitably comes up. When I tell them you are my sister and how you died, most people are shocked and often sad and sorrowful. Others even burst into tears. It can be very emotional. How others experience the significance of your death is always quite moving for me. If I am with friends, they will usually bring it up. Close friends wait until I have left the room to bring it up or ask me first if it is okay to talk about you because they know I would rather someone get to know me for me first.

I have wanted to write and share my life with you as I would have done if you were not taken away from us so tragically. In recent years, God has placed several women in my life who are around the age you would have been, which is twelve years older than me. These women have been a source of great comfort to me. I can pretend that I do have a big sister and that in some ways you are with me through them. I can talk with them and learn what life might have been like back then for you. Many of them have their own memories of the day you were killed—where they were when it happened and how they felt when they learned the awful news.

The woman God sent to me whom I feel closest to is named Reena. Sadly, the Klan killed her father a few months before your murder. Reena’s father’s name was Medgar Evers. He lived in Mississippi and worked with the NAACP. He was well known for his fight for voting rights and became a target of the Klan. They assassinated him in his driveway one evening as he returned home. Reena and her brothers and mother ran out of their house when they heard the shots and saw him lying in a pool of blood, face down on the driveway. I can’t even imagine that. She knows the pain of violent, senseless loss full well and I am sure it never leaves her.

The year 1963 was very sad for our country. Our president John F. Kennedy was also killed that year.

Her family’s story, like ours, is well known. I find some solace in the fact that we share such a place of grief in such a public way. I can’t share that with many people. She treats me as a friend but also mothers me a little, as I assume you would have. What binds me to Reena even more is that her middle name is Denise. When I learned that about her, I cried. She says I am the only person who calls her that. That has got to be a God thing. It is a very beautiful bond. You would like her very much. Maybe you have met her father up there in heaven. He would be very proud of her.

Many of those female mentors in my life tell me how their own mothers re-acted at hearing the news of your death— most often with a sense of fear for their own children. Not all of these women are Black; several of them are white. I am sure they can’t help but think about what it would have been like to die at church that day as they were also likely at their own houses of worship at the same time. In some ways, these women who were your peers relate to me as you and I would have as sisters. They love, support, and look out for me. They are a blessing from God.

One of the lines in your obituary was, “She received much joy from reading good books.” I hope that will be true as you read this one. Surely you already know most of what I am telling you. I believe that people who die and go to heaven look down and see us. I pray that you all put in a good word of prayer for us in the presence of God, where you and the other girls surely went on that tragic day. I guess then that I am sharing not so much for your benefit but for my own and for any-one who will read these letters.

I love you and miss you,

Your Sister Lisa

Letter 4

What a Difference a Year Makes

Dear Denise,

I have told you that I was born almost a year to the day after you were murdered. I can only imagine the excitement that Mamma and Daddy felt at my birth. The entire Birmingham community was happy for them because—as I have already told you—our parents had difficulties having babies. That is why you were an only child. They had a number of miscarriages between each of us (and one stillbirth). I know folks who were close to them were thrilled for Mamma and Daddy when I arrived, knowing both the struggles they had been through and that you were their only child at the time of your death at age eleven. I often meet women Mamma’s age or older who say to me, “You are here! Thank God! We prayed for you.” I even appeared in Jet magazine as a baby.

I like to think that you had a happy life during your short time here with our parents, grandparents, uncles, cousins, and close friends, even though you all lived in the Jim Crow South. Because of the circumstances surrounding your death, and even though I was the second child, I was treated like a first child. I was given huge amounts of attention and love, especially from our extended family. You were the first grandchild on both sides of our family, so I am sure you were smothered with love and attention too.

We were blessed with wonderful grandparents, all of whom are with you now in heaven. Mamma’s parents, Dear Dear and Granddaddy Mac, were awesome. Their real names were Clara Marshall Pippen and Maxell Pippen. I don’t remember Granddaddy Mac because he passed away while I was quite young, but Mamma has always filled our lives with interesting stories about him. She told us that he had a great sense of humor and was always teasing people and cracking jokes. I love the fact that he was a successful business owner and did very well for his family. Mamma said that Granddaddy Mac’s business, Social Cleaners, was a dry cleaning store that had pick-up locations all over town. He went to trade school and was a very smart man.

Dear Dear, our maternal grandmother, was the rock of our family. All things revolved around her, and she was a strong Black woman. If she said it, that settled it, and there was

no discussion. I was always impressed that she had a college degree from Alabama State University. Did you know that? It was quite a feat for a Black woman to get a college degree back then. Most of my friends have parents who have degrees, but not grandparents. Mamma said that Dear Dear taught school and even helped found a school. I loved her very much. She was always there when we needed her and taught us about how to put some money away for a “rainy day,” as she called it. I never knew her to be broke.

She told us an interesting story about how she started her first savings ac-count. As she recalled, Granddaddy Mac liked to party and he would go out drinking. Some nights he would go out and have a little too much to drink, and it really angered her. One night he came home drunk, and he pulled off his pants and laid them on the bedroom floor. He fell asleep and, when he did, she went into his pockets and took a few dollars. She told us, “That’s how I started my savings account. He never missed it because he was so drunk that he never remembered how much he had spent.” She said I should always have some money of my own, especially when I got married, “because you never know what will happen.” I do that now, even though I am not married yet. You never know when an emergency will arise.

Dear Dear helped keep our family together. If one member of the family did something, we all came out to support it. If one of us kids were in a play or had a solo at church, a speech, or a sporting event, she would make sure that everyone in the family attended.

While I was in elementary school, she came to live with us part-time—during the weekdays, mostly during the school year—to help Mamma get us ready for school and with household chores. Daddy was gone a lot then, traveling to Montgomery three days a week to serve in the legislature. It was great having Dear Dear live with us. We would leave for school and when we came back, she would have made our beds up, placing our stuffed animals on top and leaving pieces of candy by them. We were always excited to find the candy, which she said the stuffed animals had purchased for us when they went out shopping. I thought that was such a cute thing to say. We all knew that she had put the candy there. She was so loving.

I would love to hear your memories of Granddaddy Mac, whom I’m sure you knew well. And of course, you would have had your own stories about Dear Dear and life with Mamma and Daddy. I’ve got so much more to tell you.

Much love, Your Sister Lisa

Letter 40

So Long for Now Dear Denise,

You now know more about me than anyone in the universe, other than our Lord. You know things I have not shared with another living soul. I wanted to share with you all about my life, the life you would have known and been a part of if you had not been taken away from this earth so soon. I hope I shared with you a little bit of what society has been like since you passed away.

Learning about your death is my oldest memory. Many young Black kids learned early on that they were Black, and that meant white folks hated them for no reason other than the color of their skin. That meant they would have a place of “less than” when compared to their white counterparts. That was difficult to wrap my head around, but it was compounded for me because I knew that being Black meant you could be murdered just for being Black too. That has haunted me and has stayed with me to this day; how could it not? I always wondered why there was such discrimination. It made no sense to me. I often thought that if only white folks knew me and my family and how nice we were, they couldn’t hate us. I still feel that way today. Not just me and my family, but all Black fami-lies in this country.

Over the years, I learned that hatred for Black people was not in the hearts and minds of all white people. That was a big relief, but as I’m writing this, some of those ugly, hateful actions by white people that we thought were gone have reared their ugly heads again. We thought we had made progress, but it turned out that the racism in some people’s hearts had not been erased, it only went into hiber-nation and became dormant. When the opportunity presented itself, that think-ing came back to life, as evidenced when our first Black president, Barack Obama, came into office.

Your death set my life on a certain course and trajectory. Daddy said that we have lived parallel lives with you, and I have found that to be so true. I don’t do much that doesn’t involve you and the circumstances that are a direct result of your death. Mamma and Daddy—mostly Daddy—were often called upon to talk about you and the bombing for years. After Spike’s documentary, they were asked to speak about the effects that the bombing had on them and our family. That doc-umentary introduced the tragedy of your death to a whole new group of people who had either forgotten or never knew about it.

In the last several decades, the study of what happened during the Civil Rights Movement has been a more widely accepted interest in our country. Across the country, a number of African American museums have opened up. Many of the Civil Rights legends, icons, and foot soldiers have been sought out for interviews and speaking engagements, and many even had documentaries and movies made about them. Increased interest has arisen about the church bombing and the Civil

Rights Movement in the Birmingham area. Sadly, many of those Civil Rights he-roes and sheroes are passing away.

We now have the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, which is a wonderful museum and learning institution that focuses on and chronicles the entire movement. It sits right in front of 16th Street Baptist Church on the Sixth Avenue side of the church. They also have archived stories from local activists, icons and foot soldiers. In 2013, we loaned some of your personal effects to the institute, includ-ing your toys, clothes, and shoes, and other items. There is even a piece of concrete that was embedded in your head on the day you were killed. Mamma talked about it in the documentary 4 Little Girls. She was worried about whether the under-takers would be able to make you look normal for viewing in the casket because of the damage that concrete did to your beautiful face. The folks at Davenport and Harris said they would do their best. Mamma said they did a good job and you looked nice. I have seen pictures of you in your casket, and you did look nice. The funeral home folks sent that concrete home in a box after your death, along with other personal items you had with you on that terrible day. They gave it to our grandmother Dear Dear, who many years later took it out and shared it with the family, and then gave the box to Mamma.

Today, tour groups drive or fly into Birmingham to learn about the Civil Rights Movement. In fact, they travel all over the South, and it has become a big business for the tourism industry. Many of these groups want Civil Rights activists and martyrs’ family members to speak with them. Daddy was often asked to speak, but now that he can no longer tell your story it has fallen on me to carry the torch. Kim doesn’t really like speaking in public, so she has asked that I handle all those requests. I enjoy this responsibility because I love to meet new people. It allows me to keep your sacrifice and memory alive and to share my views on race, Civil Rights, and how we must remember our history and learn to get along. It is imperative that we all—Black and white—live, love, and work together in harmony, and learn to relate to one another as human beings.

I have learned more about Dr. King in recent years and found that he left behind deep wisdom for all of us. One thing he said was, “It is no longer a choice my friends, between violence and nonviolence. It is either nonviolence or nonexistence.” I find that quote to be profound, not so much in its reference to physical violence, but as it pertains to the violence of our words and what we say to and about each other. That violence also can bring about death. Our words and rhetoric reveal and fan the flames of hate and anger, which can and often does lead to physical violence. We must always stay cognizant of that.

I feel now and have always felt that if we spend time getting to know each other, we will learn to like each other, embrace our differences, and discover that we are more alike than different. At least, I have found that to be true in my own experience. Because my life has been so multicultural, I have learned that we, Black and white folks, share many things in life. All of us want love, all of us suffer loss, we have stress

and anger, problems and heartaches. We work in our yards, share recipes, go shopping, love to travel and have many other things in common. At the end of the day, we are all human beings and are only on this planet for a short time.

That time is too short a time to hate and be mean to one another. Since your death so many of the relatives I loved have gone to join you: both sets of grand-parents, Auntie Nee Nee, Mamma’s sister; Mamma Helen, Mamma’s closest first cousin; Lynn, your closest friend and our first cousin; many of our grandmother Dear Dear’s relatives; Daddy’s brother Uncle James, who I think was your favorite uncle; and of course now Daddy. Just as this book was about to go into produc-tion, we lost Mamma too.

This is a profound loss for me. Mamma was always my best friend. We used to talk on the phone every day, several times a day. We shared everything. She made me her confidante years ago when I was a little girl. I know things about her life that I probably should not have known but she felt comfortable sharing them with me and I always wanted to be there for her in any way I could. But sadly the Alzheimer’s brought an end to that everyday conversation. I always used to say that I never wanted my Mamma to die. I even prayed that the rapture would come and we would all be taken up to heaven so that she would not have to die and I would not lose her. I thought I would not be able to function once she was gone, but so far I am still standing. As I write this, it has been less than a month—so I could still be very much in shock and in denial. Also, I remember something the well-known minister T. D. Jakes said about his mother, who also had Alzheimer’s disease: he said it was the long goodbye. I believe that because I have grieved over Mamma for years. Every step of her decline took a little piece of her away from me. Many a day I have been driving and thinking about losing her or a certain part of her and I would scream, or cry my heart out. I am sure if other drivers saw me they wondered what was wrong. I have cried for her so very many times that now I find it odd that I don’t seem to be crying enough. People say I will have my moments that will come unexpectedly.

I will never forget her. I will carry her with me always. I am who I am so much because of her, her love, and all she taught me. What I love so much and has been very healing for me since her death is how she loved others. We have heard from so many of her students who have credited Mamma with helping them to become the people they are today. Who would have thought a third- grade teacher could leave such an impact? Those stories have really warmed our hearts. We even had some of her former students speak about how she blessed them at her funeral. For me this means she has not really left us, because she lives on in so very many peo-ple. That is a life well lived. I know she is watching over me all the time. There is no better advocate for me with Jesus than Mamma. You hug her tight until I get to heaven and can do so myself.

I miss them deeply, but I find peace knowing that you all are in heaven to-gether and I will be there one day. I had them for most of my life; now it is your turn to share in their love

and treasure trove of memories.

Dr. King spoke about death at your funeral. Of course, I was not there but in recent years I discovered that it was recorded, and I have heard it played in the church. It is quite moving. Every time I hear it, I cry. I envision Mamma, Daddy, Dear Dear, Granddaddy Mac, Grandmother Lillie Bell, Auntie Nee Nee, and other family members and friends sitting there listening with such grief and sorrow. It is such a well-done eulogy. Although the event was very sad, his words are some-how comforting. He shared a written copy of the eulogy with our parents. There are two paragraphs that Dr. King didn’t read on that day. We don’t know why he didn’t read them, but in the second paragraph he wrote something that has stayed with me. I have already shared with you that in my eulogy for Daddy, I quoted some of what he wrote regarding death coming for everyone.

For me, that says it all. We are all the same, we are all going to experience death, ours and that of our loved ones. We are all only here for a time and then we are gone. We don’t have time to hate each other, but only have time to love one another, share with one another, enjoy each other’s company, learn as much as we can about this wonderful world God gave us, make peace, and learn how to live in harmony as God would want us to. That’s what we are supposed to be doing as humans in this world. All those should be our main goals so we can live in peace. I hope people will remember that, think of your death and how sad and horrible the hate that caused it was, and vow to do that no more.

Until we meet in heaven, I love you dearly and think about you every day.

I love you to heaven and back again, my sister, Lisa

About the Author

Lisa McNair is a Birmingham native and the oldest living sister of Denise McNair, one of the four girls killed in the infamous 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church. Lisa is a renowned national public speaker on the topic of racial reconciliation and also leads antiracism workshops. Visit www.speaklisa.com for more information.

Author Lisa McNair

Cool New Bars

Feizal Valli, owner, The House of Found Objects.

The House of Found Objects

The House of Found Objects is the newest bar from Feizal Valli It opened in mid-November at 22nd and 2nd Avenue North. Valli is one of the city’s best known hospitality entrepreneurs with stops at Highlands Bar and Grill and Hot & Hot Fish Club, and a stint managing The Collins Bar. He opened The Atomic Lounge in 2017.

That bar, which featured drinks named for customers and costumes that could be worn while enjoying the evening, was nominated three times for Outstanding Bar Program by the James Beard Foundation and won notices from outlets as varied as Southern Living and The Daily Meal, which named the bar “Best Cocktail Bar in Alabama.”

It might be easy to think of The House of Found Objects as Atomic Lounge 2.0. But while there are similarities, the new bar is very much it’s own space with nooks and crannies that feature poetry and costumes. You can listen to playlists from local DJs and watch customer videos on the big screen behind the bar. And enjoy some great, creative cocktails, which after all is the point of it all.

“Come expecting to be reminded of The Atomic, but be prepared for a new experience. Make a video for the display, put on a costume—be active in The House of Found Objects’ experience.” Feizal Valli, as quoted on bhamnow.com.

Photos by Beau Gustafson

adios

Inspired by the sophistication, style and sensibilities of Mexico City, Adios (located in The Dagny building on 2218 1st Ave N.) serves great cocktails built from the flavors of Mexico. Opened back in November by José Medina Camacho and Jesús Méndez, two of Birmingham’s hospitality industry veterans, Adios has been a popular addition to the city’s nightlife.

“Adiós is something that José and I have been wanting to do for a long time,” states Jesús Méndez, Co-Founder and Managing Partner. Our goal is to introduce new ingredients and flavors to guests, while welcoming them into a place that immediately feels like home. Hospitality and caring for others is at the root of everything we do, so we want this to be a space for people to celebrate, grieve, meet new friends, or just sit at the bar and tell us about their day.”

Both born in Mexico, Camacho and Méndez immigrated with their families to northern Alabama in the early 90s and began working in the food & beverage industry at an early age. Adios combines their professional expertise with passion for sharing their Latino heritage and culture with the larger Alabama community.

Méndez has worked at several restaurants that have made a mark on his career, most notably

Bar owners José Medina Camacho, below, and Jesús Méndez.

Highlands Bar & Grill, and now owns many thriving establishments including Unos Tacos and The Louis in The Pizitz Food Hall. Camacho, who has overseen the beverage programs of some of the city’s most well-known spots including Little Donkey, Octane, The Marble Ring and most recently Automatic Seafood & Oysters, is passionate about introducing and expanding the

repertoire of Mexican inspired cocktails. The space, designed by Morgan Sowards, will transport guests to Mexico City from the moment they step foot through the door. Inside, large tropical plants are abundant and the walls graced with art such as antique stained glass from a chapel in Mexico and prints from Oaxacan artist, @arch.oax, as well as a Día de los Muertos ofrenda to offer

patrons an opportunity to celebrate the life of lost loved ones year-round. Bringing pieces of their culture and family into the bar is important for the team, and they are thrilled to share with all who enter Adiós.

For more information, follow along on Instagram @adiosbar or visit www. adiosbham.com.

Superior Automotive At Your Service

The people of Superior Automotive: They stand between you and a bad-car day.

Superior creates a comfortable and welcoming place for men and women, whose Toyota and Lexus vehicles are in need of maintenance or repair.

They were the first in town to specialize in Toyota and Lexus models, and that commitment to those brands keeps the shop in the forefront of ever-changing technology and up to date service. Superior Automotive is able to offer top-flight service because of the skill of their mechanics and the personal commitment of owner Danny Bedgood. He has built his decades-long career on the twin standards of reliability and expertise.

There’s no kindness too small to share with a customer, no conversation that is not meaningful in building a relationship of trust and caring. It is more than just an auto repair shop, Bedgood has built, this is a community of people and their vehicles coming together in an experience that goes way beyond mere commerce.

“People start out as customers and end up being friends,” Bedgood says.