Blog

Public policy should make life better for everyone, not just a select few. Throughout the year, Arise tracks a range of state and federal policy proposals and assesses what they would mean for Alabamians who are struggling to make ends meet. Our blog provides quick updates on these proposals and offers tips on what you can do to help build an Alabama where all people have an opportunity to reach their full potential.

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Blog

Here’s what Alabama Arise heard in 2024!

Alabama Arise listens because we deeply value the input we get from members, partners and most importantly, those directly affected by the work we do together. We depend on what we hear to help guide our issue work and our strategies. We held two virtual statewide Town Hall Tuesdays this summer, and each featured three [...]
Issues
Budgets, Criminal Justice, Health, Housing, Public Transportation, Tax Reform, Economic Opportunity, Voting Rights, Medicaid Expansion
Date
September 19, 2024
Author
Presdelane Harris
Blog

Pres Harris celebrates three decades of organizing and community involvement

When Presdelane Harris started at Alabama Arise as the phone organizer in summer 1994, she had no idea what the next 30 years had in store. She didn’t intend on being at Arise for long. “Maybe doing this for a little while, maybe one or two years,” she said. Pres makes it clear that no [...]
Date
September 11, 2024
Author
Whitney Washington
Blog

A note on this year’s Annual Meeting voting

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. [...]
Date
September 11, 2024
Author
Robyn Hyden
Blog

Diverse membership is our power

As an Alabama Arise member, you use your power to help create a more equitable Alabama. Every year at our Annual Meeting, our members choose our legislative priorities and fuel our advocacy efforts. Because you are so important to our work, we want you to know who your fellow members are. We have more than [...]
Date
September 11, 2024
Author
Jacob Smith
Blog

How Alabama can build an economy that works for workers

Labor Day is a holiday where we can reflect on the contributions that working people – and the unions that workers form to build power together – have made to the well-being of all people in the United States. These contributions include overtime pay, a five-day workweek, child labor protections and workplace safety standards.

These advances for working people didn’t come easily. Workers won them through strikes, pressure and solidarity. These advances came in the face of overwhelming opposition by bad employers that would have rather seen their workers die than to win workplace democracy.

Issues
Safety Net, Other, Economic Opportunity
Date
August 30, 2024
Author
Dev Wakeley
Personal Stories

Alabama enrollment navigators provide help, but options are limited without Medicaid expansion

As an enrollment navigator for Enroll Alabama, Rebecca Sylvester faces a daily battle with the harsh realities of Alabama’s health care system.

Issues
Health, Medicaid Expansion
Date
June 20, 2024
Author
Whit Sides
Blog

U.S. Labor Secretary calls Alabama Arise ‘truly incredible’ during visit to Birmingham

Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Julie Su laid out a sweeping vision for good jobs, listened to workers’ concerns and offered high praise for Arise during the U.S. Department of Labor’s visit to Alabama last week.

Issues
Health, Public Transportation, Economic Opportunity
Date
June 17, 2024
Author
Chris Sanders
Blog

LaTrell Clifford Wood: Arise’s new star at the State House

LaTrell Clifford Wood started as Alabama Arise’s hunger policy advocate in November. Since then, the Stillman College graduate has worked tirelessly to ensure Alabama’s most marginalized residents have access to food. In her role, she advocates directly with lawmakers for legislation that supports getting food to the Alabamians who need it most. She also convenes the Hunger Free Alabama coalition of 88 organizations.

Issues
Health, Safety Net
Date
June 11, 2024
Author
Whitney Washington
Blog

Summer EBT, Legislative Day energy highlight busy, tough 2024 session in Alabama

You made a difference! Alabama Arise members played a decisive role this year in securing summer food assistance for more than 500,000 children starting in summer 2025. Summer EBT funding brought an uplifting conclusion to the Alabama Legislature’s 2024 regular session, which ended May 9. The Summer EBT victory showed the power of Arise’s policy analysis, [...]
Issues
Tax Reform, Economic Opportunity, Medicaid Expansion, Budgets, Health, Safety Net
Date
June 11, 2024
Author
Chris Sanders
Blog

Summer EBT passage a hard-fought win for Alabama children

Alabama Arise members helped secure a policy change this year to reduce hunger for more than 500,000 children across the state. Beginning in summer 2025, eligible children ages 5-17 will receive $120 in Summer EBT benefits to continue to have school meals through the summer. The state must cover half of the administrative costs, but [...]
Issues
Budgets, Health
Date
June 11, 2024
Author
LaTrell Clifford Wood