Living Democracy 2014

LIVING DEMOCRACY

COLLINSVILLE ELBA LINDEN SELMA

Table of Contents Collinsville

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ELBA

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Linden

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Selma

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Living Democracy would like to thank everyone who contributed ideas and photos to this magazine, including Laney Payne for the cover photo and Anna Beth Jager for creating the design.

introduction Living Democracy brings together Auburn University undergraduate students and citizens to collaborate on issues of concern to Alabama communities. The program began as a research experiment with the Kettering Foundation of Dayton, Ohio, which focuses its research on what it takes to make democracy work as it should.

Seventeen students have participated since 2012—taking classes in civic engagement and community journalism, then living ten weeks in the summer in an Alabama community, alongside citizens who are working to improve their towns for everyone’s benefit.

The contents of this magazine reflect the hard, public work of students and citizens. Additional student writing can be found on the Living Democracy blog at www.auburn.edu/livingdemocracy.

Dr. Mark Wilson, Director of Civic Learning Initiatives in the College of Liberal Arts, and Associate Professor of Journalism Nan Fairley coordinate the project. Living Democracy students serve as Jean O’Connor Snyder Interns with the David Mathews Center for Civic Life, a program jointly administered by the University of Alabama’s New College. For more information on the Mathews Center, visit www.mathewscenter.org.

Collinsville Collinsville is located in the northeast corner of Alabama in both DeKalb and Cherokee counties. It has a mayor-council form of government and a population of 2,000.

According to the 2010 census, nearly half of Collinsville residents are Hispanic, and in 2013 the Collinsville High School all-Hispanic soccer team won the school’s first state championship. The Collinsville Public Library is located downtown and offers a number of programs for residents of all ages, including the annual Quilt Walk, which attracts visitors from several states. The Collinsville Historical Association (CHA) promotes the preservation and understanding of local history. CHA has restored the town clock that once sat atop the 1946 Cricket Theatre, and they are currently working to save and preserve the historic theatre.

Collinsville

Collinsville Historical Association is on a Mission

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By Mary Beth Snow If you walk into the stores on Main Street in downtown Collinsville, you’ll notice something on the counter in many of them: a plastic jug collecting donations for renovations for the Cricket Theatre.

The original Cricket Theatre, previously housed in the building where the Collinsville Library now stands, moved to its current building in 1946. The Cricket looms on Main Street, badly in need of repair.

Luckily, the Collinsville Historical Association (CHA) stepped up to the plate. Collinsville may be a small town, but it has a great deal of history and no shortage of people who are proud of and willing to preserve that history with the Collinsville Historical Association leading the way.

Members have made preserving the history of the town a collaborative effort since 2003.

Jean Edwards Box, a lifelong resident of Collinsville, is an active member of the Historical Association. She explains her devotion to CHA saying, “I was born and raised here, and I want to carry on what my parents, grandparents and ancestors did. They lived here too. I don’t want anybody to forget what it was like.”

The desire to save the town’s heritage for future generations led the CHA to purchase the Cricket Theatre and begin extensive restoration work.

They removed the old marquee, which they hope to restore in the future. They repaired a leaky roof to prevent further water damage. The group hosts a variety of community events, such as the annual Turkey Trot, to raise funds for the restoration.

One success story was the restoration of a historic Seth Thomas clock that once topped the Cricket Theatre. This “symbol of Collinsville” now sits in the town hall.

The CHA also runs the Collinsville History Museum, which is filled with furniture, objects, photographs and memorabilia from Collinsville’s past and present, including a miniature model of Cricket Theatre.

The president of the Collinsville Historical Association is Roger Dutton, who also happens to be the local barber and knows everyone in town.

Rebecca Clayton, Gail Moore and Martha Barksdale are all women who volunteer at the museum when it is open Thursdays from 1 to 4 p.m. All of them were born and raised in Collinsville. Clayton said the museum presently has items from more than 100 donors.

Myles Smith, a community partner with the Living Democracy program, said that since its opening, fourth-grade students in Collinsville usually receive a tour of the museum and the town.

“We take them to the museum and show them around downtown,” Smith said. “Just try to give some background on where they are.” LD

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Wilkins Thinks Big in Small Town

by Nan Fairley

Jennifer Wilkins witnessed the transformation of four empty walls into a state-of-the-art library that does more than hold books.

With the help of quilters and a long list of active citizens, Wilkins, the head librarian at the Collinsville Public Library since 1999, led the way as an empty space on the verge of being condemned was saved and then slowly given a new life.

Built in 1870, the building at 151 Main Street once housed a general merchandise store, post office and later a theatre.

More than a century later, today the Collinsville Public Library is a hive of activity where citizens meet for seminars, access computers for job searches and take advantage of welcoming spaces for meetings.

When Wilkins started with the library it was crammed into a converted gas station with 1,700 square feet. The “new” library is housed in a

6,000-square-foot space with ample room for civic gatherings, computers and, of course, books.

“You don’t expect to see a library like this here. It is a really nice library for a town of just under 2,000 with two red lights,” Wilkins says proudly.

Calling the restoration of the space a community effort, Wilkins points to the annual fall Collinsville Quilt Walk as an example. Since the event began 13 years ago, funds raised have been pledged to the library for “as long as it takes to get the building done,” Wilkins said.

“We can offer a space that is amazing. We saved the building, and we were able to create space ten times bigger than what we had before.”

Her partners in the effort to create Collinsville’s most prominent civic space include staff members Linda Traffanstedt and Margaret Goldthreat.

Collinsville Public Library Board members Myles

Collinsville

Smith, Teresa McClain, Donna Jones, Karen Roberts and Mark Shatzel pitch in to help on a regular basis.

A top priority for Wilkins is providing “a good and safe place” for children who participate in summer and after-school reading programs. “Our kids and adults deserve the best, things they can be proud of just for them,” Wilkins said.

One of those good things that serves Collinsville, a small town with a Hispanic population of more than 40 percent, is the English as a Second Language program. This summer the library hosted a series of classes focused on health for local residents who don’t have English as a first language.

Wilkins, a Living Democracy community partner for the past two years, said the Auburn students who live in Collinsville for the summer appreciate the role of the library in civic life. “We’ve learned to connect our priorities with those of the local officials and citizens.

We are always seeking more ways to partner with what the school and local officials are doing.”

Wilkins, the mother of a 10-year-old son, said she feels “blessed to be a part of Collinsville.” Although she has been offered bigger jobs in bigger places, Wilkins said, “I love living here because people are so friendly, and the community is so close-knit. Everyone works together, everyone matters.”

Even though the library evolved from four blank walls and a dream to a point of pride, Wilkins said the work is not over. She said she often “wakes up thinking of things we could and should do to help people.” LD

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Student Perspectives

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Shaye McCauley (LD 2014) will graduate in May 2015 with a degree in social work. After her senior internship in Washington, D.C., next spring, she plans to work in the non-profit sector with a focus on community outreach, development and sustainability.

“The most rewarding part of Living Democracy is how I have made and maintained relationships with people in Collinsville. I have worked with so many people around town that it feels like I’m part of the community. This experience has taught me that the best way to become a part of something is to actively seek ways to participate and be ready to step out of your comfort zone.”

Mary Beth Snow (LD 2013) graduated with a degree in Spanish in August 2014. She will teach English in a public elementary school in Spain next year and will begin work for Teach for America in Houston in May 2015.

“Living Democracy helped me synthesize all of my interests into one cohesive purpose. I am now pursuing a future where I can be a part of the fight for educational equity in America, and I could not be more thrilled. Without my time in Collinsville I might not have ever figured out a way to successfully meld my interests into one career and life path.”

Collinsville

Collinsville Forum Two dozen Collinsville High School students focused on the future at a forum led by the David Mathews Center for Civic Life on May 19.

At the forum, hosted by the Collinsville Public Library, teens in Donna Jones’ classroom discussed ways to make a difference by creating opportunities for youth engagement.

Cristen Foster, with the Mathews Center, guided the group through three approaches to changing life in Collinsville, emphasizing what the students wanted to improve in their town.

When asked what they would like to see in their town, suggestions ranged from more restaurants to reopening the Cricket Theatre to creating a band at school.

The students next focused on local assets, which included the library, family-owned restaurants, workout facility, small businesses, town hall and the historic Cricket Theatre. Looking at specific projects, students suggested expanding parks, creating a soccer field and starting a school band.

Students added that they were eager for more job-shadowing opportunities and career assessments as well as information about life skills.

Shaye McCauley, Auburn University Living Democracy student, said the forum helped spark ideas for projects she could help with during her summer in Collinsville. The group decided to take action by planning a community field day and picnic so families can come together in a local park for a day of food, games and conversations.

Collinsville High junior DeAnna Morales said she appreciated the forum because it represented a “chance to really make a difference.” She added, “I like that we have a chance to change the way all the kids interact with each other.”

Morales’ classmate, Lindsay Sanchez, said, “It’s wonderful to know that the community cares about all of us and wants to create some activities that will keep us interested. It’s also cool to have projects to focus on this summer.” LD

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“You can get your informal schooling in Collinsville two ways:

with a bachelor's at Jack's or an associate's at the gas station up the road."

Collinsville

Knights of the Round Table

by Nathan Simone

before walking away.

Despite the hustle and bustle of daily life, Collinsville seems to be an oasis of calm that chugs along like the daily rail cars that pass by the downtown library. Everyone is busy with something, but always willing to stop for a minute to converse, help out or simply take a deep breath.

Jack’s, next to Interstate 59, will soon cease to monopolize the morning coffee market in Collinsville.

Land has been cleared across the street for a McDonald’s.

Smith is also talking to Waffle House about possibly building a franchise on the opposite side of I-59.

“It’ll be the first 24-hour establishment in Collinsville,” Smith said. “We’ll have quite the selection.”

All of the Knights of the Round Table admit that, although more Alabama fans live in the region, there are a few who support Auburn. Charlie Rowan, 83, is one of these scattered Auburn fans. Rowan sat down with a cup of coffee and recounted the time that he got into a severe automobile accident at age 66, the reason why he has little to no muscles in his abdomen. Rowan went on to explain that, while he was in the ICU, the doctors told his wife that even a young man wouldn’t survive his injuries. They were simply too severe.

“My wife looked at them,” Charlie said with a thoughtful smile, “and said ‘Yes he will. You don’t know Charlie.’” He was in a coma for four weeks. On the fifth week, he woke up. Little yet intensely personal stories, like this just seem to pop up unannounced at Jack’s.

A 9-year-old named Clint bounced over to the table to hear the tale of Rowan’s recovery and about his love for Auburn football. As Clint excitedly talks about this and that, his grandmother, a devout Alabama fan, comes over to tell him that it’s time to get going.

Clint then tries to get the impossible to happen.

“Why would I say something silly like that?” his grandmother says, and men within earshot nod their heads in jovial agreement.

“Come on grandmamma, say ‘War Eagle!’” Clint begged.

“Say it!” Finally, to the dismay of the Knights, the words were uttered.

COLLINSVILLE, Alabama -- Every town has that early morning meeting spot for the local bigwigs. A place for the movers and shakers to have a cup of coffee, slap some gravy on a couple of biscuits and get local news the way it was disseminated for centuries before the printing press: conversation.

Jack’s, conveniently located on Highway 68 approximately a mile outside of town, is that special place in the moving political, social and (sometimes) economic gears of Collinsville. Two circular tables toward the back of the restaurant are consistently staffed in the mornings by the “Knights of the Round Table.”

From 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., the “first shift” of men can be found talking and eating at one of the circular tables before the “second shift” arrives sometime around 8 a.m. to join them at the adjacent table. Sometimes, they all arrive at once. Characters abound.

Roger Dutton, owner of Cook’s Barber Shop on Main Street, also affectionately refers to the group of perpetually conversing older men as “Liars Club International,” a play on the popular service group, Lions Clubs International.

“You can get your informal schooling in Collinsville two ways,” Dutton jokes, “with a bachelor’s at Jack’s or an associate’s at the gas station up the road. Take your pick.”

Myles Smith is a community partner with Auburn’s Living Democracy program who attends most of these meetings to keep up with neighbors, friends and acquaintances. Smith has known many of the men sitting around the table for more than 50 years, some from his graduating class at Collinsville High.

Smith said that Collinsville’s 2013 Living Democracy fellow, sophomore Mary Beth Snow from Decatur, was well received in town and at the early morning meetings. “You’re not going to find a person more friendly than Mary Beth,” Smith said. “We were lucky to get her.”

While Smith was talking about tough topics in Collinsville, including prejudice of some toward the Hispanic community, a lighter conversation happens, just for a second, that defines the aura of the town at 7 a.m.

A man in his 20s, eating with a friend or relative (the lines are often blurred), gets up to leave and nods to one of the men sitting at a round table.

“Where you going?” one of the Knights asks, simply being friendly. “Don’t know, just going,” the man says,

“WAAAR EAGLE!” LD

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Active Citizen:

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At the age of 11, in 1996, Juana Salazar moved with her family to Collinsville from Mexico City, Mexico, and her father found employment in Collinsville. Despite not speaking English, she made an A in math the first year, a sure sign that she would work hard and excel in school. As a result of immigration, the town has grown beyond the one gas station and grocery store present at her arrival.

But the character of the town has not changed. “I love living in a small town because you can keep up with people and look out for people,” she says.

One challenge of living in a small town is that there are not many job opportunities. People tend to travel, which means it costs more to work because of transportation. She has faced that challenge by creating her own small business, a car dealership, which she plans to grow slowly but successfully. Her former Collinsville High School teachers continue to encourage her to follow her dream.

She looks forward to the day when Collinsville has a public soccer field to promote physical activity and community building. And she knows that one day the City Council will have a member with a Hispanic background, since there are so many residents committed to working with others for the town’s future.

“I love this town,” she says.

“It’s my home now.“ LD

Juana Salazar % % % %

by Mark Wilson

ELBA Elba is located in Coffee County in southeast Alabama where the Whitewater Creek and the Pea River meet. The population of Elba is approximately 4,000, and the city has a mayor-council form of government with officials serving four-year terms. The town experienced several destructive floods in the late twentieth century, the most severe of which kept the town under water for four days in March 1990. Residents enjoy coffee, music, and art at the Just Folk Coffeehouse on the town square, and the non-profit organization Restoration 154 operates Pea River Outdoors and is seeking to renovate the historic Elba Theater.

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ELBA Saves Sacred Space

By Sierra Lehnhoff

Over the course of Living Democracy, we focused on special places. We’ve talked about places that are an asset to the community, written pieces on places where people gathered and shared about special areas in communities scattered all over Alabama.

Places have a multitude of meanings to individuals, but some of those are considered more ‘sacred’ than others. By sacred it is meant that the place has an important, symbolic meaning to a large portion of those who inhabit or once inhabited the area near it.

These places can be anywhere from a government building to a store or even a simple gas station. It is not the place itself, but the meaning and the memories behind a location that makes it sacred.

To citizens in Elba, the old high school is one such sacred place. Although a flood destroyed most of the school when the Pea River left its banks, the white and cream front of the school still stands tall and proud. The front of the building and the front steps, which the school’s alumni still visit during reunions, were saved. Alumni can gather in front of the three double doors on the steps below the large, black Elba High School letters at the top.

By looking through windows of the three double doors, visitors can see Tiger Town Park with a new playground.

The playground wall facing the school is adorned with red, green and blue painted handprints and signatures of Elba’s youth.

Laurie Chapman, project coordinator for the Tiger Town Park construction, said, “It (the school) was slated to be demolished around the same time we were in the planning stages of the playground project.”

But then an idea was born. It was decided that saving an important part of the old Elba High School would symbolize hope in the face of tragedy created by floods.

Local citizens say that the old Elba High School holds a special place in the town’s heart. Mart Gray, pastor of Covenant Community Church, describes the school as “the central hub of community life for generations.” The front

steps, he adds, were a popular teenage hangout in the past.

Today, those who attended the school can cherish their memories of high school days when they see the building’s rescued front entrance while they make new memories by watching their children play at Tiger Town Park.

The efforts to save the front section of Elba High School show how this symbol is important to the entire community. After the school was damaged, the community banded together and made something good happen.

Chapman and the committee behind the playground development were able to keep some of Elba’s history as well as bring a new asset to the area. These two things combined into one make for a sacred place. The citizens honored the past by preserving an important piece of the building that was central to the town’s history. They salvaged what they could to tell a story of a town that wasn’t going to give up. Now, citizens can look through the doors of the past and see Elba’s future. LD

ELBA

Active Citizen:

Debbie Jared

By Nan Fairley

DEBBIE JARED IS AN ATTORNEY WITH DEEP ROOTS AND SWEET MEMORIES IN ELBA. AFTER GROWING UP IN ELBA, JARED ATTENDING AUBURN UNIVERSITY AND THEN LAW SCHOOL IN MISSISSIPPI.

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he is hopeful about the future of her hometown, which she has seen come back from devastation caused by Pea River floods in 1990 and 1998, but hopes for more progress. “I would love to see Elba like it was before the town went under two times from the floods.”

Her father, at age 11, witnessed an earlier flood in 1929 from his perch on the roof of the courthouse where she now works.

She is confident that the levee surrounding the town will protect it from future floods. “For a period of time I was wondering if we would come back. But now I see hope. We have a great mayor interested in revitalizing the downtown, new industry is coming in, and good things are happening.”

She hopes the town can hold one to the basics, “back to family, back to talking to each other”, while moving ahead.

Elba, like other communities hit by natural disasters, knows how difficult it is to recover from devastation. After several years of doubt, Jared can see a bright future ahead.

“There are good things happening now. People are redoing their buildings, moving back into town.”

“They want it back. They know what it was. They know it is possible to get back. And we will be back stronger than ever if things keep moving in the right direction.” LD 15

Mart Gray Sees Bright Future

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By Jelani Moore The morning sun is fresh in the sky when Elba resident Mart “short for Martin” Gray makes his way to Simmons Street where he enjoys a cup of coffee with friends before beginning his day.

Gray, a native of Wetumpka, Ala., is a pastor of the Covenant Community Church.

He moved to Elba after graduating from Samford University in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree in church music.

Gray’s work is deeply connected to the community where he has lived for 25 years.

“He connects with many different people and many different types of people on many different levels,” says Jack Brunson, a Covenant member.

As an extension to the church’s mission, Gray’s church opened the Just Folk Coffee House in 2007, creating a local

gathering spot for building deeper community connections.

“We worked on it in stages. It began as a concert and coffee venue. We added the café component in 2010,” Gray says. Just Folk sits on the square of downtown Elba and is managed voluntarily by Covenant member Patti Johnson.

Customers describe the Coffee House as quaint, creative and intimate.

“The philosophy behind opening this was to give people a place to meet. I hope very specifically that the Coffee House is able to expand its base of operations in a number of things that are going on here,” Gray says.

He adds that Just Folk was one of the first—if not only— downtown spaces renovated for cultural purposes. Gray’s love for the arts is reflected in the atmosphere of the Coffee House where art and food mix to form an ideal social setting.

Gray sees a bright future for Elba and its residents.

“I see a lot of opportunity. I think we’re turning a corner.

It’s taken 20, almost 25 years to do it, but I think we’re really finally turning the corner to where everything is not

ELBAELBA

for Community

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dominated by fears of flooding.” especially adept at building relationships and connecting He believes Elba is moving past earlier struggles with people,” says Justin Maddox, friend and co-founder of local Pea River floods. With construction of a new levee system, nonprofit Restoration 154. the town can begin to breathe easily again.

Gray says he enjoys working with Auburn University Gray sees opportunities for town growth as well, Living Democracy students who spend summers living and predicting a new bypass coming through the town working in Elba. These students, who use Just Folk as their will bring many beach-bound “I see a lot of opportunity. I think we’re turning a vacationers into corner. It’s taken 20, almost 25 years to do it, but their community.

I think we’re really finally turning the corner...”

“We’ve had in the last few years a huge headquarters for summer service and learning, get a up-kick in beach traffic because we are in fact one of the front-row seat on local democracy. shortest routes to the beach.”

From his vantage point on the Elba town square, Gray More traffic means more businesses, which means says he sees living democracy “practiced as an art, not a more money and growth for the community as a whole. skill, which is to say we’re always learning to do it better Although he does not see himself as being an outgoing and never fully arrive at its potential. It is the local social type, the passion he has for Just Folk and the population acting together toward self-governance community it serves is evident. in the particular context of a culture, time, place.” LD Gray seems to know every person he passes by his or her first name. “He is both a thinker and a worker, but he seems

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Restoration 154

by Nathon Simone & Jelani Moore

Elba is a small town with a large range of assets for prosperity. The assets are not only places and things, but people as well. It takes many types of people to make a community work, including the “movers and shakers.”

Movers and shakers are people who make change happen. Most often, they would be described as unofficial leaders. And Philip Box and Justin Maddox, founders of the nonprofit group Restoration 154, are shaking up Elba.

Restoration 154’s accomplishments in Elba include opening a canoe and kayak shop called Pea River Outdoors right beside the boating dock on the river that runs through town. They are also working to restore the old downtown theater to its former glory.

“We’re hoping that they’ll become two gathering places in the community and that people will come by just to see what’s happening,” Box says.

Yet, their dreams don’t stop with these two enterprises.

Box envisions restaurants they could start, programs to run and stores to open. Both speak of smaller projects as well, such as putting up mile markers for the river. They explain that Restoration 154 has a dual meaning, standing for the

154 projects they plan to do as a nonprofit and the 154 miles of the Pea River.

“Do we want to start 154 businesses? Yes. Could we run 154 businesses? Not effectively,” Box says. “But if we can provide 154 stepping stones for others to join our community and help them out, then that’d be perfect.”

Maddox is a long-time resident with deep family history and ties to the town, and Box is the pastor at Elba Church of Christ. Each has their own relationship with the community and a drive to pursue projects. Each new idea is full of excitement, and nothing is too outrageous to consider with Restoration 154.

The excitement for Restoration 154 projects is contagious, and people constantly walk up and ask them how the theater is doing or how Pea River Outdoors is progressing.

One project in the works for 2014 is a community garden on one of the 37 plots of land the city received from FEMA after past floods. The garden, Box and Maddox say, will give residents access to homegrown food while encouraging community involvement and teamwork.

“We’ve decided on squash, tomatoes, onions and

ELBA

“The worst thing you can do is appear stagnant. We’re always planning and creating.” strawberries. We’re thinking about doing some rows of corn and peas and probably some potato boxes. The plan is that if you work it you can take some,” Maddox explains. The food that is not harvested by locals will be donated to the food bank.

Along with the community garden, Restoration 154 is working with Living Democracy student Jelani Moore this summer to host community events such as music performances, art shows, silent auctions and more. Most of these projects will focus on raising funds for the restoration of the Elba Theater.

Maddox purchased the abandoned theater years ago, which ultimately gave birth to the entire Restoration 154 organization. The theater was once a central hub in Elba but now stands empty on the downtown square.

The biggest drawback that Restoration 154 faces is a lack

of funds, but the town continues to support them steadily.

This doesn’t deter Box and Maddox from pushing forward.

“The worst thing you can do is appear stagnant,” Box said.

“We’re always planning and creating.”

Both have faith that generous donors or sponsors will come along or something will work out. Maddox says that sometimes they don’t get from one point to another as fast as they’d like, but the movement in their projects is consistent and, with time, new ideas form to help pick up the pace.

How long does Maddox think it will take to finally scratch project #154 off the list?

“Probably the rest of my life,” he said. “And that’s fine.”

Restoration 154 promises 154 projects while giving Elba 154 miles of hope to believe that anything is possible. LD

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A Colorful

Transforming a blank wall into a bright community canvas was a challenge Living Democracy student Jelani Moore and citizens of Elba accepted this summer.

The result is a stunning, traffic-stopping creation that captures the story of Elba’s past and reflects a comunity that knows how to work together.

When Moore arrived for his summer of living democracy he came with a plan to help his community partners, Restoration 154’s Philip Box and Justin Maddox and Covenant Community Church’s Mart Gray, with projects.

His plan went into high gear when he met Millie McCollough, owner of My Happy Place in Elba. It turns out the business owner and others had a vision for a wall mural in place and just needed helping hands to make the dream a reality.

That’s when Moore jumped in to a process that was much more rewarding that he could have imagined. The mural project turned into a weeklong Renaissance festival with

bands, entertainment and plenty of paintbrushes to share.

The wall on McCollough’s building at 214 Factory Ave. N became a larger-than-life canvas the week of June 1621. According to Moore, the work was a true community mural. He explained that a community mural is drawn out in a simple yet sophisticated design so that anyone—artistic background or not—can participate. In a nutshell, he said, “It’s a giant coloring page.”

While it sounds simple, the planning process was grueling. Moore designed the final version of the sketch based on McCollough’s original plan. Working with volunteers and Restoration 154 partners, the image was then projected on the wall.

Community

ELBA

Moore said, “One would think it’d be that easy, but it the crowd grew larger and larger. We were even forced to takes some serious math to project something that large on make additions to the mural due to an excess of eager a wall using nothing but pencils and rulers. But, after hours participants wanting to make their mark in Elba history.” of arguing, scaling, drawing, then rescaling, we got it done Now, the mural, described by Debra Coon Rivera as “a all in a day’s work.” wonderful addition to our town,” will hold colorful For opening memories for those who participated “These were no Warhols or night, Moore’s and inspire visitors who happen to be Michelangelos. They were just father, artist Brant and Becky from two houses traveling through town on John Moore, Highway 84. down. Yet, in this moment they came to help Work on the wall continues and were creators.” will surely spark other creations. Moore said, “From start out. After to finish, this vision was conceived by the power of many Mayor Mickey Murdock painted the first section, dozens minds joining together to conquer the unconquerable. jumped in to help. Throughout the week, smiles danced This project has been the best example of democracy across every face as they saw a blank wall come to life.

I have ever witnessed.” LD Moore said, “These were no Warhols or Michelangelos.

They were just Brant and Becky from two houses down.

Yet, in this moment they were creators. As the days passed,

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Jelani J. Moore (LD 2014) plans to pursue a career as a writer/film producer/ artist after graduating in 2016.

“Through Living Democracy I have learned the value of teamwork and my personal niche for bringing people together. The projects completed thus far have been a great experience for both the city of Elba and myself.

I witnessed people of all backgrounds come together for a single purpose.

That’s the basis of democracy.”

Sierra Lehnhoff (LD 2013) is a junior who hopes to combine her love for art, design and community in the future.

“My summer in Elba was filled with ups and downs and personal growth. It has never been easy for me to ask for help. Although I’m driven and will work hard, I previously put off any task that required me to ask for collaboration. I didn’t think there was anything more nerve-wracking.

Surprise, surprise…this is a lot of what Living Democracy is about.”

Alexis Sankey (LD 2012) graduated in May 2014 with a psychology degree and minor in community and civic engagement. She is working with the East Alabama Mental Health Center as a community education and prevention specialist.

“I used to look at community organizations and wonder who took on all those responsibilities. Now I can see myself taking on those same roles. Living Democracy helped me understand progress is a step-by-step process, not a huge daunting task. All the skills and experiences I had are directly applicable to learning how to make a difference.”

Linden

linden Linden is the county seat of Marengo County in west-central Alabama and has a population of just over 2,000. French settlers from the nineteenth-century Vine and Olive Colony (near present-day Demopolis) named the town Hohenlinden to honor a victory by French Emperor Napoleon in Bavaria in 1800, and the name was eventually shortened to Linden. The Marengo County Cooperative Extension Office offers educational opportunities for people of all ages and interests, and the Marengo County Economic Development Authority assists local entrepreneurs and prospective industry leaders with opportunities for success in Linden and throughout the county.

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Cristiana Shipma (LD 2014) is a public relations major with a minor in Spanish and community and civic engagement. After she graduates in May of 2017, she hopes to work with a college ministry.

“Living Democracy is not meant to be a ride in the park. If it does not challenge you, change you, or grow you, it has done nothing at all. I think that this summer has taught me that there are so many meaningful relationships to be found. Of all the lessons I’ve learned, this might be the most important: small towns are like family, and when you’re with family you’re never alone.”

Kaleb Kirkpatrick (LD 2013) graduated with a degree in public administration and plans to continue his education in graduate school.

“Ten weeks of living in a rural community seems like a long time but it really isn’t. So much of it flies by in the small moments.

Things like visiting the senior center or interviewing local citizens or attending the City Council meetings were extremely beneficial.

I’ve learned some great life lessons, especially that relationships count.”

Blake Evans (LD 2012) earned a degree in communications in 2013 and will graduate with from Auburn’s Master of Public Administration Program in May 2015.

“The community interactions I saw during my summer helped me realize the important role of citizens in government and politics.

It was a major influence in my decision to pursue my master’s in public administration. It gave me a strong foundation for my transition into the field of elections administration since fair elections are essential to preserving the citizen voice.”

Linden

Life in Linden

L

ocated 59 miles from Selma, Linden, Ala., lies at the heart of Marengo County. As the county seat, people come from all over the county to take care of business at the courthouse. Afterward, they might grab a bite to eat at Screamers or Pops for lunch.

Kathryn Friday, a former mayor of Linden, now serves as a county extension coordinator with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES).

Linden, like many rural towns, is fighting what Friday calls “brain drain,” a problem that causes high school graduates, “many of our bright young people,” to move away in search of jobs.

Paper mills have long been the driving force of the Marengo County economy. The housing crisis of 2008 hit the mills hard. Linden’s local mill, Linden Lumber, went from employing 760 people to fewer than 100.

When Joe Friday, Friday’s husband, started working for

By Cristiana Shipma

Georgia Pacific, the mill employed 2,500 people. Now they employ about 1,200.

According to Friday, when good paying jobs are lost, people are forced to move, and the town ultimately suffers.

“And that’s true nationwide…small towns struggle,” Friday says.

Economically, Linden and nearby Demopolis aren’t doing horribly. But they aren’t doing great either. “We have things going for us, but yet it’s a constant challenge,” says Friday. Through the Economic Development Association of Alabama (EDAA) and ACES, Linden is welcoming a small business incubator, which could help transform the local economy. Slowly but surely, jobs are beginning to stream back. “Things are changing, but they’re changing gradually,” Friday says. LD

25

Active Citizen:

Joe Friday

by Cristiana Shipma

As the husband of Kathryn Friday (who has been mayor, high school principal, and is now Marengo County Extension Coordinator), it seems that Joe Friday has little room to make his own impact in Linden.

That’s far from the truth.

Joe Friday was born in 1944 in Perryville, Ala., a place he refers to as a “spot in the road.” Friday moved to Linden in August of 1969 to work for the paper mill. He worked for Georgia Pacific for more than 40 years, but retirement hasn’t stopped him from working from dawn until dusk.

Friday grows everything from squash to multiplying onions to tomatoes in his garden. He’s even growing lemon trees. Friends of the Fridays know that they can always get a bit of whatever Joe is growing, and they know it will be good. Friday always makes sure that people feel welcome in his home and on his property, which is how he affectionately earned the name “Pappa Joe” from friends and family.

Active in both his community and his church, Friday has been a member of Linden Methodist Church for the past 45 years and a deacon for the past 40. His pastor, Anthony Antonelli, says that Friday is a person who “does anything you ask him to,” a true servant.

Friday does everything from turning on the lights on Sunday mornings to volunteering at church events. By choice, all that he does is done with no expectation of recognition.

During his wife’s term as mayor of Linden, Friday jokingly referred to himself at the “First Man of Linden.”

Today, Joe officially holds a different title: chairman of the Linden Industrial Development Board (IDB).

The mission of the IDB is to bring jobs to the community.

Brenda Tuck, executive director of the Marengo County Economic Development Authority (MCEDA), and Friday meet with business owners interested in locating in Linden’s Industrial Park.

The IDB is now working to pave the road into the Linden Industrial Park. Friday and Tuck regularly meet with Mayor Charles Moore and the Linden City Council.

Moore recommended Friday for the job. He admires Friday’s work ethic, saying that it’s hard to find people willing to serve when it’s not a paying job. He’s personally known Friday for 40 years. The mayor says, “He’s always been involved. He’s always been a hard worker.”

Friday volunteers outside of his position on the IDB as well. Tuck says, “He’s basically spent his entire

life volunteering.”

When Alabama County Extension System (ACES) and MCEDA moved into their new location at the National Guard Armory in 2014, Friday was a constant helping hand.

Even now, Friday makes his way out to the office several times a week to visit with the employees and to see what he can do.

There are many ways to describe Joe Friday: dependable, hard working, proactive, serving. But perhaps Tuck says it best: “I think Joe is the kind of person who’d give you the shirt off his back if you needed it.” LD

Linden Forum

Twenty-two students from Marengo Academy and Linden High School got together to brainstorm about “Finding the Good Life in Linden” in a May 15 forum led by the David Mathews Center for Civic Life.

The forum, sponsored by the Marengo County Economic Development Authority and the Extension Office, focused on how young people can make a difference by investing in their community.

Linden High cheerleader and student council member Adriaunna Alston said the forum “opened our minds for different ideas that could better our community.” Haley Mitchell of Marengo Academy added, “It’s good to get the two schools together.”

Chris McCauley, executive director of the Mathews Center, along with Robert Turner, assistant program director, guided the conversation.

To start the morning session, McCauley led the students through three approaches and examples of different projects that could improve life in Linden, focusing on what the students wanted for their town.

McCauley asked the students how they could be better citizens and then focused on how students could be active participants in making life better in Linden.

The teens said local assets included the small-town feel, good sports teams, active churches, and events such as the Chilly Fest.

Cristiana Shipma, Auburn University Living Democracy student, organized the event with the assistance of Mitzi Gates of Linden High School and Leigh Griffith of Marengo Academy. Both educators agreed the forum was important for local high school students.

When asked what was of common importance to both high schools, students agreed that sports and

Linden

the need for a youth center were priorities. For specific action, students suggested hosting a color run and a sports camp.

McCauley encouraged the students to take their ideas to the next level and work together with Shipma to bring their dreams for Linden to fruition. LD

27

Community KATHRYN FRIDAY

by Cristiana Shipma Having been mayor, schoolteacher, principal, and now County Extension Coordinator with Alabama Cooperative Extensions System (ACES), Kathryn Friday is a well-known figure in Linden.

Over the last several decades, Friday has made a meaningful impact on her small community. Nowadays, her husband Joe says, “Everyone in west Alabama knows her.”

Friday’s journey toward her current position with ACES began at the University of West Alabama, where she earned a master’s degree in education. She says that she attended UWA to follow a sort of family legacy. Her great-grandmother and grandmother both attended the university.

With her degrees in education, Friday went on to teach history and senior English at Marengo Academy, a position she enjoyed until she retired with 32 years of teaching under her belt. From 1996 to 2000, Friday served as the mayor of Linden. According to Jeff Laduron, the current mayor of neighboring Thomaston, Friday “brought the city out of some rough times. When she left the mayor’s office, the city was in much better shape than it was when she took over.”

Today, Friday is able to use connections she made as mayor in her current efforts. In 2005, Friday began to work for ACES, a position she has held for the last 10 years. As a county extension coordinator, Friday works with regional economic agents in their respective areas of the county. She also works with 4-H and other youth programs.

Friday says that she believes her job makes a tremendous difference to Linden and to the county. She helped coordinate TGIF (Teens Getting Involved for the Future), a sexual abstinence program. As a result of this 4-H program, the teen pregnancy rate dropped from 35.5 percent to 27 percent in the county. “That says a lot,” she says.

Though there are drawbacks with any job, Friday considers the success stories, like TGIF and other 4-H programs, completely worth it. She says the most

rewarding part of her work is “the individual things you do with people that just make their lives better.”

Financial constraints can be a problem for rural communities especially. Part of her mission is to help others use available resources effectively. “Any town can come out of an economic slump,” Friday says. But, she emphasizes, “It takes hard work, and it takes a lot of vision.”

In her role as a community partner for Auburn University students who live and work in Linden through the Living Democracy program, Friday shares her wisdom and experience as an educator, local politician and Extension employee. According to Friday, the Auburn students “bring in new ideas…a new perspective.” And, she adds, “They bring enthusiasm, a quality that any town needs.”

Friday has lived in Linden long enough to get to know the people really well. She says she loves living here because the people not only know each other by name but also really care about each other.

She says Linden needs to focus on its strengths as a town, not its weaknesses. And she is dedicated to drawing out those strengths and putting them on display for all to see. LD

Engagement

Linden

BRENDA TUCK

by Cristiana Shipma Economic development is the “bread and butter” of small towns like Linden. When a community struggles from an economic recession, people like Brenda Tuck roll up their sleeves.

Tuck, executive director for the Marengo County Economic Development Authority, is focused on bringing quality jobs to West Alabama. Originally from Athens, Ala., Tuck holds degrees in business administration from Faulkner University and political science from Auburn University Montgomery.

She started her work life at a candy company in Dallas County, which had to close after almost 100 years in business. She received her first taste of economic development when she got a call from Pioneer Electric Cooperative asking her to join their economic development team.

She quickly found her niche in small town development.

“It’s a relationship business,” she says. But it’s not just about “taking people to lunch,” Tuck says. “Economic development is helping bring jobs into your community.”

She explains that her work is mainly focused on providing information and tools necessary to transform an idea into a reality. Starting a business can be challenging, which is why she works so hard to make the process manageable.

One step toward making that process easier is the development of what is known as a “small business incubator.” A small business incubator is meant to strengthen a small business until it is ready to grow on its own.

Ultimately, incubators are “a kind of one-stop shop,” Tuck explains. “People come in and say, ‘I have this idea. What do I do now?’”

After Gov. Bentley approved a $250,000 grant allowing the Marengo County Commission to buy the vacant Alabama National Guard Armory in Linden, Tuck and others realized the space off of Alabama Highway 28 could be a perfect place to grow businesses.

Wherever a person may be on the path toward a successful business, Tuck and the Economic Development Authority help them navigate the obstacles. Whether it is managing legal issues, financing, or the tools to write a business plan, a small town business incubator basically does it all.

Tuck says she believes Linden is great place for businesses to grow. “We have a lot of natural and man-made resources.”

Tuck says she believes bringing new businesses to Linden will help young people. “Every business offers another job,” she says, and every job means that another high school or college-aged person has a reason to stay in town.

“Economic development is what I do,” Tuck says.

“Community development is the rest of it…you can’t do either/or.” She says her job is about making known the opportunities available in Linden.

“At the end of the day, I help people have jobs. And that’s a very rewarding thing to do.”

Linden needs to grow economically, but when, where, and how is up to the town. “The sky’s the limit. It just depends on what the town wants,” Tuck says.

Ultimately, if people love their town, Tuck says, they will fight for it. LD 29

Artists paint Two students who lived democracy in Linden are hoping their efforts to help establish a showcase of local artistic talent continues to grow and improve each year.

In 2013, Kaleb Kirkpatrick helped develop the first art workshop for local children and teens and Linden’s first downtown art walk.

Cristiana Shipma, working with her community partners Kathryn Friday of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and Brenda Tuck of the Marengo County Economic Development Authority, continued to build the event in 2014.

This summer, the event featured more than 100 pieces by 20 artists from Marengo and Dallas counties. Ceramics, pottery, woodwork and paintings were displayed in downtown businesses.

The local quilters’ guild, the “Piecemakers”, displayed more than 20 quilts and wall hangings. New guests this summer included three Gee’s Bend quilters who displayed some of their handiwork.

The downtown art walk provides a venue for young artists in the area as well. Their art, produced in summer workshops, is prominently displayed on the outside of storefronts. LD

Linden

the town For summer event

31

Selma Selma, 50 miles west of Montgomery, played a significant role in United States history during the Civil War and modern civil rights era. The population of Selma is just over 20,000, and the city has a mayor-council form of government. Just a few miles south of Selma is Old Cahawba, the site of Alabama’s first state capital and a once-thriving antebellum river town. Old Cahawba is a popular attraction for visitors interested in historic architecture, archaeology, hiking and biking through the ghost town as well as bird watching and canoeing in and along the Cahaba River.

Selma

Lowery McNeal (LD 2014) is a senior studying history and community and civic engagement. After graduation in May 2015, she hopes to explore the community development field and eventually attend graduate school.

“The Living Democracy experience has taught me how to listen to all parts of a community. People will tell you their story if they know you’ll listen. They will also tell you about their wants, needs, and their abilities, which can be helpful if you are looking to be an active citizen. Part of Living Democracy’s mission is to “address issues that concern Alabama,” and I’ve found the best way to really know about the issues, large or small, is to listen to people they matter to.”

Taryn Wilson (LD 2013) will graduate in May 2015 with a degree in accounting. She plans to pursue her master’s degree in accounting and hopes to work in governmental or non-profit accounting.

“I don’t know that I could truly have appreciated the hard work of citizens before coming to Selma. I could have read about them or had a discussion in a class about them, but nothing compared to seeing them first hand. And that is what makes Living Democracy here, and in any other community, so important. Some things can be taught. Other things have to be discovered.”

Andrew Odom (LD 2012) will graduate from the Thomas-Goode Jones School of Law in Montgomery in May 2015. He graduated with a degree in political science and minor in community and civic engagement in May 2012.

“Living Democracy had a major impact in shaping how I view the world.

I work predominantly in the field of family and domestic law today so I am in touch with the challenges facing young people. Living Democracy taught me that if we just work together, hand in hand, amazing things will happen. It just takes courage and persistence.”

33

Selma forum Eighteen Selma and Dallas County teens gathered for a May 30 forum on “Strengthening Selma’s Future” that gave students a chance to talk about what it would take to help them find “the good life.”

Callie Nelson, director of Dallas County Extension Service, and Lowery McNeal, Auburn University Living Democracy fellow, hosted the event.

Cristin Foster of the David Mathews Center for Civic Life led the participants in a discussion of Selma’s assets and needed improvements. Students saw the area’s history as an important asset, along with gathering places like the YMCA, the library, churches and city parks.

Examples of needed improvements ranged from lowering crime to attracting more jobs, restaurants and entertainment options.

Discussion revolved around three approaches to community betterment: investing in community, equipping the next generation, and promoting healthy living. The students brainstormed about ways to accomplish these goals.

To end the forum, students were split into small groups and asked to come up with an idea or project that would benefit youth. They then presented the “who, what, where, when, why” of their ideas.

All of the groups came up with some variation of a community center for young people. This followed previous discussions about the students’ desire for more shared space in their community and places to meet new people. They all agreed that open spaces could foster unity and collaboration and give them more chances to talk and listen to other young people.

The Mathews Center’s Robert Turner and Anne Banks Black, several agents from Dallas County Extension and Selma City Councilwoman Angela Benjamin attended.

Nelson, Benjamin and McNeal all agreed that the students presented good ideas, many of which can lead to practical projects. They said they hope the forum could spark more youth involvement in civic activities. LD

Selma

This photo by Jay Sowers with the Selma Times Journal shows Lowery McNeal standing with other extras on the Edmund Pettus Bridge during filming of “Selma”.

Role in “Selma” transports extra to another time

by Lowery McNeal

This summer I stood in front of Alabama’s Capitol building and listened to Martin Luther King Jr. deliver a roaring speech on voting rights. Women with beehive hairdos and cat-eye glasses and men sporting skinny ties and penny loafers surrounded me. Anyone would have believed it was 1965 all over again.

But it wasn’t. It was 2014—almost 50 years after the Selma to Montgomery march.

I was on the set of “Selma,” a Paramount Studios film that is set for release early next year. The movie, produced

by Oprah Winfrey and Brad Pitt, follows Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through events that led up to the marches in Selma and the passage of the Voting Rights Act. The movie also features storylines of other fascinating figures—President Lyndon Johnson, attorney Fred Gray, Rev. Ralph Abernathy, Gov. George Wallace, Amelia Boynton and many others.

I had the privilege of being cast as an extra in the movie in the role of “anonymous white marcher” and was on set for scenes filmed at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma and in Montgomery.

Throughout the week, I talked with several people who participated in the original marches, and many others who remembered seeing and hearing about them. They all said how realistic the filming seemed and how glad they were to be a part of telling this story for the world to see again.

Simply having the chance to visit these historic landmarks can be moving. However, cheering for MLK’s speech at the steps of the Capitol and singing “We Will Overcome” as I marched across the bridge amidst a crowd of hundreds are experiences I will never forget. LD

35

Linda Derry:

Archaeology, History, Ghosts

By Lowery McNeal

Phones ring and papers fly in Linda Derry’s office.

The site director for the Old Cahawba Archeological Park hardly ever has a day off. “My husband says I work too much,” she says with a bright laugh.

Derry, a child of the Midwest, spent much of her young adulthood traveling and living in various parts of the country and eventually found her way to Selma, Ala. For almost 30 years now, she has been working to preserve Alabama’s first state capital, Old Cahawba, and increase tourism in the state’s culturally rich Black Belt. She continually strives to educate people about the importance and relevance of history.

Derry, born in central Illinois, says her adventurous spirit was fostered by her parents who enjoyed summer road trips along Route 66. These “exotic” trips away from corn country coupled with her older parents’ stories of life in the early twentith century gave her a love for history that has burned ever since.

These trips also led to her career path in archeology.

During a stop in Mesa Verde National Park, a 6-year-old Linda met her future. “I just knew I wanted to be a park ranger,” she recalls. The path to this dream was difficult though. In high school, Derry had to fight for a space at an archeological science camp when she was discouraged from attending the camp because she was a girl.

The same thing happened during her undergraduate studies at Southern Illinois. She and her two best friends

were called into a “family talk” where they were told archeology was not a family-friendly field and were encouraged to reconsider their path. Fortunately, these warnings didn’t stop Derry from following her passion.

Studies at William and Mary and University of California, Berkeley led to archeological work in Philadelphia, California, Plymouth Plantation, Colonial Williamsburg and many places in between.

Her love of public history and archeological interpretation brought her to Old Cahawba in the late 1980s. These days, Derry is a fossil finder, history teacher, archeological interpreter, nature guide and all around engaged citizen. Every day is a new adventure at Old Cahawba, and Derry says her love affair with this place will never end. “I get to study archeology, the environment, history, ghosts - this job is never boring!”

When Derry arrived in Dallas County, the Alabama Historical Commission (AHC) had just begun buying land and creating a state park at Cahawba in Orrville near Selma.

“We didn’t own a single acre of the land yet,” recalls Derry.

Today, the AHC owns over 400 acres at the site where the Alabama and Cahaba rivers merge. The Forever Wild Land Trust also owns and protects an adjoining 3,000 acres of

Selma

riverfront land.

“What Linda has done here, for Selma and Old Cahawba, is really amazing,” says Sheryl Smedley, executive director of the Selma-Dallas County Chamber of Commerce.

She adds, “She just never stops. She’s always working on a new project and trying to make Cahawba the best it can be.”

For instance, Derry recently oversaw the reconstruction and restoration of several buildings in the area, including the St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. The AHC and Auburn University’s Rural Studio rebuilt the church in 2007 using the original, seasoned gray boards. The dignified chapel now sits quietly amongst the trees near the entrance to Cahawba.

A scenic bike trail and a canoe tour, projects Living Democracy students Andrew Odom and Taryn Wilson worked on with Derry, are recent projects. She hopes these new outdoor adventure options will draw folks interested in ecotourism to Old Cahawba.

Derry says she hopes to use archeological, environmental and cultural resources to highlight the positives of west Alabama, to enhance tourism in the area and to give back to her community.

She currently serves on the Selma Historic Commission, the Black Belt Heritage Area Task Force, the Cahaba Foundation and the editorial board of the Journal of Community Archaeology and Heritage.

Public history can remind people of the triumphs of the past and renew a spirit of progress in communities.

Derry says she wants to show people how relevant the past is and how to value the natural and historic treasures of Old Cahawba. Derry says, “We need to appreciate what is here because there is a lot of greatness in this area.” LD

37

Active Citizen: Callie Nelson Aim Dallas County Extension coordinator Callie Nelson has been working for the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) for more than 20 years. In that time, she has had her hand in agricultural management, 4-H projects, youth development, leadership training, disaster relief, health education, and much more.

While ACES’s programs have always improved communities, many Extension offices are now working toward specific civic partnerships to directly address issues.

Nelson is a trailblazer in this push for civic connection.

The agent says that her goal is always to get people working together to create a better community for all. She says that partnerships and cooperation are the best way to get Selma past historically tough issues and on to a better quality of life.

One of Dallas County’s most successful civic programs is Study Circles. Nelson implemented this program throughout the county in 2009 after learning about it at a conference. The discussion-based curriculum gives people a chance to have focused conversations about povertyrelated issues and can spark action planning so the conversations don’t stop when the cars leave the parking lot.

Study Circles promote the empowerment of citizens and cooperative action to sustain projects.

Dialogues in Dallas County led to new opportunities, including the creation of a 501(c)(3) Community Development Corporation in Selmont and the Dallas County Family Resource Center based in Selma.

Nelson says she started thinking about the value of community dialogue after attending a Kettering Foundation workshop on community development. The workshop led her to think about the importance of sharing diverse perspectives in communities and educating people about the various approaches there may be to solving problems.

She also learned about the impact that safe space, diverse discussions and action planning can have.

Today Nelson is proud to say that citizens have mobilized around issues because of dialogue events. She says she has seen powerful results from projects that address specific

needs and are backed by citizens who are informed on the issues.

A real example of this progress is the Tipton-Durant walking trail and playground built in the Selmont community in 2013. The trail exists today to serve everyone in the community, and Nelson says it is a great example of citizens seeing an area of need in their town and working together to meet it. For more on how citizens worked together to create the trail and other opportunities see vimeo.com/85177195.

Another successful need-meeting project was “Turning the Tide on Youth Violence,” an educational forum centered on a current hot topic: bullying. Nelson says that many youth participants in the Study Circles program expressed concerns over bullying in their schools and communities. So last year, Dallas County Extension, the David Mathews Center for Civic Life, and others collaborated to host the anti-bullying summit in Selma.

The session was attended by more than 200 people and led to several plans to address bullying.

Nelson says she plans to continue expanding the community engagement services offered by Dallas County Extension because she has seen the real effects that authentic citizen involvement can have. It will take the work of many people for Selma and Dallas Counties to see positive community change, but it can be done. Nelson believes that Extension can play a role in this change by continuing to offer educational services, capacity building and leadership training, and creating space for all voices to be heard. LD

Selma

ms for Community Engagement

By Lowery McNeal

39

Wallof the Street

Selma

South

By Taryn Wilson

improve the social and economic landscape of the town.

As a community that is banding together to press forward and redefine themselves, there are also initiatives to improve the waterfront and encourage tourism, areas which many residents feel could be a huge draw for visitors. Residents desire the expansion of riverfront development in conjunction with private development and renovations east and west of the current riverfront district, including expanded marina and boat docking facilities and completion of Water Avenue restoration.

What really matters to people is letting them know that Selma is a safe, fun place to come visit, and that the city is not defined by the past.

When you drive in and out of Selma, you cross the infamous Edmund Pettus Bridge where Bloody Sunday occurred 50 years ago. But as you cross that bridge you also pass over the Alabama River, which was there long before that fateful day in 1965.

The bridge stands as a reminder to all who enter Selma of its history, but the river remains as a time-honored symbol that reflects the slogan of the Civil Rights Movement, “We shall overcome.”

It has flowed during the struggles and strife the city has faced in its history and has remained persistent, flowing faithfully and progressively changing the landscape around it. The bridge, however, has been marred by racism and injustice, a reputation that will likely remain with it forever.

The people of Selma have a reputation for being like the bridge, but the drive, love and passion of local Selmanites will prove to you that they are much more like the river. LD

I

f you could put a dollar value on history and culture, Alabama’s Black Belt would be the Wall Street of the South. Cities like Marion, Linden and Selma, which sits nestled between State Route 22 and the Alabama River about 50 miles from Montgomery, have legacies that place them on the list of the few places that have truly changed the course of American history.

Selma, a city characterized by its tumultuous past with the Civil War and the Voting Rights Act, has chosen not to let its past define it and continues to prove that a little hard work can go a long way. Local residents are aware of the reputation of racism and social segregation that cloak much of the Deep South and seek to prove to anyone who visits that it is no longer an issue and that Selma has an abundance of positive things to offer.

A first time visitor might expect the town to be dim and dark like the nature of the history that was created there, but the town is lively and dynamic. Parked cars line the streets and people bustle along the sidewalks waving and greeting many of the people they pass. The town now has a movie theater, a luxury that had left the area for a period, and even has a cupcakery, a cupcake shop owned by a local entrepreneur.

A Mexican restaurant, a South Korean Tae Kwon Do studio, and a historic Episcopal Church all lay within a block of each other.

As the locals put it, visitors always want to come back.

Selma is a place that is aware and appreciative of its past, but hopeful for the future. There is no shortage of museums in the town, with a staggering seven museums within the city’s 13 square miles alone, including the National Voting Rights Museum, Historic Water Avenue Museum, and the Martin Luther King Jr. Street Historic Walking Tour.

There are also boards and committees formed to

41

Ot he r Co m m u n i t i e s i n 2012 / 2 013 . . .

Laney Payne (LD 2013) graduated in May 2014 with a degree in psychology and minor in community and civic engagement. She plans to continue her writing and community work in the Auburn area.

“Living Democracy was a journey like none other, and is a journey that never truly ends. Since my summer in Bayou La Batre, I approach the intimidating title of “politics” in a whole new light. I now possess the confidence to evoke positive change and create an air of possibility for others in whatever community that I call home.”

Bayou

La Batre Angela Cleary (LD 2012) graduated in May 2013 with a degree in interdisciplinary studies in natural resources and environmental policy, sustainability studies and community and civic engagement. She is in her hometown, Birmingham, working at Red Mountain Park as a camp youth advisor and adventure guide.

“Living Democracy gave me real world experiences that shaped my understanding of communities. These lessons in civic life taught me in ways a classroom simply could not.

The places, the people, and their stories of trials and tribulations showed me a willingness to persevere I’d never seen before. I learned so much about what I needed to grow as a person.”

Hobs Audrey Ross (LD 2012/2013) will graduate with degrees in mathematics education and Spanish. She plans to work as a high school teacher.

“I was able to immerse myself in the community and learn how it works. I know that I will carry a part of Hobson City and Valley with me, and it is my hope that I left a little bit of me there.

Living Democracy taught me the true meaning of community and civic engagement and a lot about my personal strengths and weaknesses.”

Valley

son City Marian Royston (LD 2012) graduated in May 2013 with a degree in history and minors in community and civic engagement and political science. She is currently studying rural development in Belfast, Northern Ireland, on a George J. Mitchell Scholarship.

“Living Democracy accelerated my personal development and taught me about the field I have become passionate about. I am now committed to being a part of the policy process for community and economic development of rural areas. Living Democracy really was life changing and strongly influenced my life, the work I am doing, and the work I hope to do.”

Catherine Tabor (LD 2013) expects to graduate in May 2016 with a major in English literature on the pre-law track.

She is also working on minors in community and civic engagement, German and psychology.

“You can’t do Living Democracy and stay in your comfort zone; it’s not possible. When I was in Marion I was able to gain a sense of comfort from going beyond the bounds of what I had previously deemed ‘comfortable.’ I’m sure the summer I spent Living Democracy will always have its influence on what I’m doing.”

Marion Mary Afton Day (LD 2012) graduated with a degree in public administration and minor in community and civic engagement in December 2013. She is currently working in Birmingham for Alabama Possible, a nonprofit agency focused on poverty.

“Living Democracy gives responsibility to college students by confronting them with challenges in the real world. Living Democracy was the greatest learning experience and challenge during my college career. I faced obstacles daily, but the process strengthened my love for Alabama and prepared me for my current position.”

43

735 Extension Loop Auburn, Alabama 36849 auburn.edu/livingdemocracy

Auburn University is an equal opportunity educational institution/employer.