In 2020, organizational leaders from across Birmingham began having individual and small group conversations at the intersection of education and student well-being. As leaders on the front lines of the unfolding crisis in health, the economy and education, we feared for our most vulnerable students. Anchored in the belief that it takes a village to support students, we began to engage community-based organizations
and organizational leaders across the social determinants of health. We engaged faith leaders as well as leaders from higher education, food, healthcare, neighborhood associations, business, government and neighborhoods. The goal of these conversations was to connect the natural work of the leaders to the broader conversation about the educational and life outcomes of Birmingham youth.

Early on, the EmpowerED coalition made the strategic decision to adopt a model of community design and participatory research. We would not mimic traditional coalition structures that only organize the leadership of institutions to make the decisions for the vision and strategic direction of the work. Instead, we developed a process in which a set of local leaders would set a broad vision by consensus. We then handed over that vision to the community to build out the recommendations on how best to enact change in service of students and families.

We found it essential that the community saw their lived experiences and ideas at the heart of our collective vision for change-making. The coalition was intentional in welcoming community members, providing
them with a variety of ways to honestly express their concerns; vision casting around solutions to the problems lifted, and participating in the research and fact-finding related to their agreed-upon change levers. From the very first surveys to subsequent meetings, parents and students have had an active seat at the community table bringing with them power, brilliance, and resilience.

In June of 2021, 18 Birmingham community organizations began to dream together to reimagine education for our young people. The people of Birmingham have power, brilliance and resilience. And we know that together we can make sure all students have access to an excellent education that will prepare them for their next steps in life. After spending time learning from one another, exploring different educational approaches, and interviewing people in the community, three focus areas emerged.

We want to explore these with you and hear what you have to say. We believe if we join our voices together we can empower students and families to make the changes that will create an exceptional educational experience for young people in Birmingham.