Alabama Arise strives to center the experiences and needs of low-income and working-class members in our work. We invite our members to participate in listening sessions, propose new legislative priorities and vote to set our legislative agenda during our Annual Meeting each fall.

It’s important that you, our members, drive and determine our legislative priorities. When member groups propose new issues and make the case at our annual membership meeting for them to join our agenda, participants have to make hard choices about which issues you think matter the most.

But this year, we didn’t receive any new proposed legislative priorities to add to our agenda. Rather, several groups have proposed adding new strategies under our existing priorities.

We still value your feedback and participation in setting this agenda. But this year’s voting will look a bit different. During the Annual Meeting, our staff will update you on the strategies and bills we have pursued under each of our current legislative priorities, which also are outlined in this month’s newsletter.

We will send you an electronic ballot to endorse the current legislative agenda. We’ll also ask you to rank the individual bills and strategies under each issue that you would like to see Arise prioritize in our collective advocacy.

Our agenda is stronger with your participation. Thank you for all the time and experience you share with us to shape our agenda and make our vision a reality.

Things to know for our Annual Meeting

When:

Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where:

This is a hybrid event with options to attend in person as well as remotely via Zoom. The in-person meeting will be at The Legacy Annex, 115 Coosa St., Montgomery, AL 36104. This is the former site of the Equal Justice Initiative’s Legacy Museum. Visit alarise.org/annualmeeting2024 to find more details and registration information. There is no cost to attend, though donations are welcome.

Proposed bylaw change:

Arise members will be asked to vote on the following bylaw change:

Proposed revision: “All members of the Board of Directors shall serve a term of three years and terms will be staggered. Successive terms are permitted.”

Current language: “All members of the Board of Directors shall serve a term of three years and terms will be staggered. One successive term is permitted. After a one-year absence a person would be eligible to serve again.”

For more information:

If you have any questions, call 334-832-9060 or email info@alarise.org.