Tag Archives: Birmingham

Birmingham is surprisingly awesome

Rotary Trail--Birmingham is surprisingly awesome
Rotary Trail–Birmingham is surprisingly awesome (Photo courtesy of Rotary Club of Birmingham)

Surprisingly Awesome is my favorite podcast.  Each episode explores topics that would put most people to sleep, but the show makes boring topics interesting and fun.

Subjects like pigeons, mold, or concrete become fascinating.

Birmingham, Alabama would be the perfect topic for the show.

Birmingham may sound boring—but Birmingham is Surprisingly Awesome. Continue reading Birmingham is surprisingly awesome

We moved from the suburbs to Avondale and love it

Claire Parker
Claire Parker

ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is Claire Parker.  If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

It was the energy.

The energy we felt when we drove in to the city for dinner, music, theater, walking or picnics.  That energy drew us in frequently, and ultimately we moved in to Avondale from the suburbs over a year ago.

It’s been everything we were looking for and much more. Continue reading We moved from the suburbs to Avondale and love it

When white people tell black people what to do

Race is the big elephant in Birmingham's room
Race is the big elephant in Birmingham’s room (Photo courtesy of Birmingham Zoo)

If you want to measure the financial vitality of a region–look at job growth.

Our Birmingham seven county metropolitan areahas fewer people employed today than in 2007.

That’s nearly a decade with a net loss of jobs.

Nashville, Charlotte, and Austin have had double digit increases.

According to the Birmingham Business Journal, (Metropolitan) “Birmingham is down about 19,100 jobs from its pre-recession peak.”

Much of the blame belongs to our racial divide–provoked by our fragmented government structure.

Angry blacks rail against white government Continue reading When white people tell black people what to do

Why raising the minimum wage won’t work for Birmingham

Two fireworks superstores on I-20 in Alabama near Georgia line; one on each side of Interstate
Fireworks superstores on I-20 in Alabama near Georgia line on each side of Interstate

Before you folks who favor raising the Birmingham minimum wage start beating me up…please listen to what I have to say.

This piece is not about whether raising the minimum wage is a good idea or not.  I’ve read arguments for and against and I’m not taking sides.

This is about raising the minimum wage specifically for the City of Birmingham. Continue reading Why raising the minimum wage won’t work for Birmingham

Children’s of Alabama: the 10th busiest pediatric center in America

Mike Warren
Michael Warren, CEO of Children’s of Alabama

ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

Today’s guest blogger is Mike Warren.  If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

After having been at Children’s of Alabama for over eight years, I want to share some thoughts.

Over 100 years ago a small group of dedicated volunteers recognized a great community need and began what would become Children’s of Alabama.

I think our organization today would make them extremely proud as we have grown to be a tremendous asset for the health of children throughout Alabama and the surrounding area.  Continue reading Children’s of Alabama: the 10th busiest pediatric center in America

Did Birmingham blow its one big chance?

Alabama's four largest cities
Alabama’s four largest cities–Birmingham’s population has been in free fall

I got into a heated conversation with a good friend.

She told me she read that Huntsville may soon pass Birmingham as the largest city in Alabama–and was sure Birmingham would soon be relegated to second place.

This made no sense to me.

Who really cares if the City of  Huntsville is bigger than the City of Birmingham because Metropolitan Birmingham is nearly three times as large as Metropolitan Huntsville.

Huntsville’s not even in the same league as Birmingham.  Continue reading Did Birmingham blow its one big chance?

Let’s step out of our ‘Little Kingdom’ and unite for a better Birmingham

Little KingdomComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham

Today’s guest blogger was written by a commenter who calls him/herself ‘bhamthoughts’.  

(ComebackTown generally does not publish anonymous blogs–but it’s difficult to find people willing to include their name when the content may be perceived as negative.)

 If you’d like to be a guest blogger, please click here.

I am not from here.

I wasn’t born or raised here, I didn’t go to a school that starts with an “A,” and you wouldn’t know my parents if they were standing right in front of you.

I am one of those rare people who have moved TO this city from somewhere else.  Now that I have been here a while, it’s no wonder our city isn’t growing and competing with the Nashvilles and Charlottes of the world.

Everything I mention below comes from a good place, these are just the realities of our community that we need to overcome if we ever want to grow like the rest of the country. Continue reading Let’s step out of our ‘Little Kingdom’ and unite for a better Birmingham

No need for Birmingham to be a media laughingstock

Even Vulcan is embarrassed--drawing by Adam Stermer
Even Vulcan is embarrassed–drawing by Adam Stermer

I’ve agonized whether to publish this piece about our region’s propensity for humiliation.

One of my best friends warned me, “Why bring it up?…move on and forget it.”

I think we can be fairly certain, however, we are just around the corner from another embarrassment, and another, and another.

You probably think I’m going to write about fights at City Hall, pricey cell phone bills, or unexpected City Council pay increases, but Birmingham politics is only the tip of the iceberg. Continue reading No need for Birmingham to be a media laughingstock

Birmingham NOT one of the most dangerous cities in America

Sometimes I feel invisible.

No one seems to hear me when I insist that Birmingham is NOT one of the most dangerous cities in America.

We hear that Birmingham has historically been a rough and tumble town.  Our media bombards us with one homicide story after another.

Every year respected publications like Forbes include Birmingham in its list of one of the 10 most dangerous cities in America.

Our propensity to crime is just accepted as part of our DNA.
Continue reading Birmingham NOT one of the most dangerous cities in America

Atlanta more screwed up than Birmingham

I have mixed emotions about Atlanta.

There’s no doubt I feel a certain amount of envy —probably because I grew up in the ‘50’s when Birmingham and Atlanta were about the same size. I have fond memories of my dad taking me to Rickwood Field to root for the Birmingham Barons when we played the evil Atlanta Crackers in Southern League baseball. Continue reading Atlanta more screwed up than Birmingham