Charmin Bates believes her calling is to help girls, like those in Alabama’s Black Belt region, learn to tap into their creativity and discover their self-worth. “We understand that there’s a need to help these girls … build their self-esteem and confidence,” Bates said. “It’s important for them to know as a young girl and […]

With severe storms brewing across Alabama Jan. 12, Alabama Power Distribution Specialist Reid Buster was listening to weather reports on the radio as he drove back to Selma after attending a morning safety meeting in Montgomery. About that time, the forecaster said a tornado was tracking toward Selma Country Club, in the heart of Buster’s neighborhood. […]

Since its discovery in the Mobile River in 2019, the Clotilda, the sunken schooner often known as the “last American slave ship,” has gained worldwide attention. But Darron Patterson said the story is not about the ship. “The Clotilda was nothing but a floating dungeon,” said Patterson, president of the Clotilda Descendants Association. “The story […]

When Christy LeGros saw her students’ artwork adorning the ornaments on the Alabama Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C., she said it left her “awestruck.” Students from Barton Academy for Advanced World Studies in Mobile designed one-of-a-kind ornaments featuring art celebrating the places and things that make their home state unique. Barton Academy was the only Alabama school […]

Many people don’t realize that Alabama has a wealth of forests, parks, woods and waterways, and it all belongs to them. Those public lands are there for all Alabamians to enjoy now and forever. These public properties make up the Forever Wild Land Trust, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this month. Since it was established by a […]

When Thomas Harris learned that the Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial Gallery in Wetumpka was featuring Alabama wildlife during its art exhibit series this fall, he envisioned a bigger, more far-reaching event that would have a greater impact on the city as well as the state. The result: The museum, more commonly known as “The Kelly,” is hosting the […]

Birding enthusiasts from across Alabama and the Southeast will be flying to Greensboro and the surrounding area later this month for the Second Annual Black Belt Birding Festival, and there’s still time to join this growing celebration of nature. Hosted by Alabama Audubon, the event on July 29-30 spotlights the diverse varieties of birds that flock into […]

When members of the Air Force and other military personnel are deployed overseas, they often know little about the people and customs of the country where they will be stationed. Because they may be dispatched almost immediately to their new post, it’s important for them to get up to speed as quickly as possible. The […]

When Lindsey Christina walks the grounds at Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham, she often finds “little pieces of art” that have escaped notice or simply been forgotten. “I find things in sheds, in closets, under the viaduct,” she said. “I found an old rusty coin in the gravel on the road the other day, and it was a […]

Surreal. That’s the word Paul Mielke and Cody Cummings used to describe their feelings as they watched the nationwide premier earlier this month of “Flipping Down South,” the TV show on A&E network spotlighting their talent for turning dilapidated, unloved houses no one wants into warm, cozy havens. Through the efforts of these two young entrepreneurs, communities in metro […]

Randy Sparks said there’s something peaceful and relaxing about taking a boat ride under the stars in the evening. “Sometimes, I go out into the middle of the lake, shut the motor off and just let the boat drift. It’s just a pleasant experience,” said Sparks, an avid fisherman and boater who lives on Logan Martin […]

Doug Taylor saw the pain in his brother’s eyes when he had no gifts to give family members at Christmas. In July 2018, Taylor’s brother, Buford, returned home after 24 years of incarceration. At Christmas, he was still struggling to get back on his feet. “He had no funds to buy gifts for anybody and […]

Melanie Bridgeforth said her leadership journey has led her to the chance of a lifetime. As a newly selected Aspen Institute Ascend Fellow, she is joining hands with other change-makers across the nation who are focused on taking action to improve the lives of families and communities in the United States. Bridgeforth, president and CEO of […]

After a small group of women at Mountain Chapel United Methodist Church in Birmingham hosted a baby shower for a struggling, single mom seven years ago, they recognized the need went far beyond one person. That simple shower led to the launch of Bundles of Hope, Birmingham’s only nonprofit diaper bank. “Some of the women in our group […]

Birmingham’s iconic landmarks – the John Hand, Brown-Marx, Woodward and Empire buildings – are dwarfed by skyscrapers in cities such as New York and Chicago. But when they were constructed at the dawn of the 20th century, those steel-framed towers on the corner of 20th Street and First Avenue North stood as a turning point, marking Birmingham as one of the South’s newest […]

In today’s world, particularly in the midst of the pandemic, Alabamians and people nationwide are spending hours every day online, whether they are job hunting, shopping, taking part in telehealth visits, working or helping their kids with school assignments. But for a rural community like Uniontown, getting online is not so easy, with limited and […]

Children and families served by the Autauga County Department of Human Resources (ACDHR) now have a safe, fun place to play and spend time together during their visits to the facility. It’s thanks to a partnership between the 2020-2021 class of Leadership Autauga County and the Alabama Power Service Organization (APSO). On June 9, the […]

A life-changing event 16 years ago spurred Steve Cabeza to begin reaching out to help others. Now Cabeza is making dreams come true for children and their families by heading an Alabama Power and Southern Company team that has pledged to hike in the 2021 Make-A-Wish Trailblaze Challenge. In 2005, a car wreck left Cabeza’s teenage son, Justice, with a brain injury […]

Excited voices and laughter rang in the air as community volunteers, led by Tres Taylor and his paintbrush, transformed a blank white wall in downtown Marion into a magical tale of hope and light. It’s part of Taylor’s effort to start a “Revolution of Joy” in Alabama’s Black Belt region. “My vision has been to create a route of […]

Thinking back on the tremendous devastation and death toll caused by the 62 tornadoes that swept Alabama on April 27, 2011, Robin Skagen said there’s only one word to describe that dark day: “surreal.” Skagen, an American Red Cross disaster action team responder at the time, was one of the first on the ground after a tornado […]

Astronauts who walk on the moon or take flights into outer space capture lots of attention. But few people think about the people who have spent hours working behind the scenes to make those “giant leaps for mankind” happen. Jeanette Scissum was one of the behind-the-scenes contributors. Like those early explorers of the last frontier, […]

When it comes to feeding the hungry, the state’s two fiercest football rivals are on the same team, working together to offer a helping hand. Last summer, Auburn University’s Hunger Solutions Institute (HSI) launched the End Child Hunger in Alabama (ECHA) County Food Guide Project, a centralized clearinghouse of food resources for struggling families, and then partnered with the University of Alabama (UA) School […]

Children at Adullam House in Wetumpka may have had a white Christmas this year, thanks to a recent donation from Alabama Power’s Southern Division Energizers. Angie Spackman, director of Adullam House, said the unexpected funds will help make it possible for the children to travel to Gatlinburg for the holidays. Adullam House is a ministry […]

Eastern Division Alabama Power Service Organization (APSO) members recently celebrated local health care workers with waves, smiles and a special “thank you” parade. On Oct. 1, 15 Gadsden APSO subarea members hosted a drive-by parade at Riverview Regional Medical Center in Gadsden to thank the health care workers for their dedicated service and long hours of work since […]