The H.I.V.E. has partnered with the three Homewood Elementary Schools to sponsor a holiday book drive featuring anti-bullying and anti-bias books. Each school has created a wish list of books that fit into this category.
Please click here to donate a book (or books!) of your choice to these libraries. Please choose your book(s) and write your checks directly to the school(s). We will be in touch to collect your checks before Wednesday, December 13th. Thanks so much for your support!
Friends, my heart is heavy over the news of the past few days. We can not stand by as folks normalize and defend horrible actions. We MUST hold folks accountable. Not just the accused but all who defend and look the other way. I know we are all busy. But NOW is the time to take a stand and DO OUR PART to elect representatives that we can be proud of. Not just on December 12th but next year and the year after and beyond. Please JOIN US.
Click here for a link of actions this week that you can do to support Doug Jones (many you can do from the comfort of your own homes). Then JOIN US as we phonebank for the fabulous VOTE Felicia Stewart this Monday, 11/13. JOIN US Tuesday, 11/14 to write postcards to urge friends to vote for Doug Jones. JOIN US Tuesday, 12/5 as we march in the Homewood Christmas parade to stand up for what is right for our state and fellow Alabamians. We can do this together. Unite for better.
We hope that we are able to continue these conversations with our friends, family and neighbors over difficult topics to help us grasp a better understanding of other viewpoints and bring us together. Be on the look out for more “across the aisle” events in the near future.
The Homewood H.I.V.E. is excited to host its first Open Ears and Beers listening session on Wednesday, October 25, 2017 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Good People Brewing Company, 114 14th Street, S, Birmingham, AL 35233. The event brings together people and organizations from all sides of the aisle to participate in a casual and respectful conversation. The evening is free and open to all.
Open Ears and Beers will be a meet and greet with broad and non-confrontational questions announced throughout the evening for discussion. The evening will emphasize respect, listening and exploring a way to talk about differences without debate or conflict.
Join the H.I.V.E. before the event from 5:30-6:00 p.m. as local yoga instructor Mollie Erickson leads a mind clearing, soul energizing standing yoga flow. Breathe in and out, connecting with yourself, your neighbor and your community.
H.I.V.E. will be gathering to phone bank for Doug Jones and Felicia Stewart this month. Join us to make some calls for these fabulous candidates. No experience needed (we’re newbies too!). Bring an adult beverage and/or snack to share. Please let us know if you can attend any of the dates.
Tuesday, October 10 – 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Phone Banking for Doug Jones with the Greater Birmingham Democrats
Doug Jones’ Headquarters (4500 5th Ave, S, behind Cahaba Brewing)
* Bring your cell phone, scripts provided
Monday, October 16th – 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Phone Banking for Felicia Stewart at Laura Williams’ House (Homewood)
* Bring your cell phone and laptop if you have one
Tuesday, November 7th – 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Phone Banking for Doug Jones with the Greater Birmingham Democrats
Doug Jones’ Headquarters (4500 5th Ave, S, behind Cahaba Brewing)
* Bring your cell phone, scripts provided
The H.I.V.E. welcomed Emerge Alabama’s newly appointed Executive Director Stacie Propst to our September meeting on Thursday, September 21, 2017. Emerge America is a national organization that serves as a training ground for Democratic women. Their goal is simple: to increase the number of Democratic women in public office. They differentiate from other training programs such as Emily’s List as they are a grassroots organization that recruits and trains women in EVERY position of government from local school boards to national offices.
The Alabama chapter is just getting started! Dedicated women in the state had to raise $50,000 just to get going. Once fully funded, Emerge Alabama will offer a six month training program to 25 Alabama women looking to make a difference. They will receive over 70 hours of training that will demystify the process of running for office and provide them the tools to succeed. In 2016, 70% of Emerge’s alumnae on the ballot won their elections.
What can we do to help?
The rest of the meeting was spent chatting about H.I.V.E.’s current and upcoming projects including:
H.I.V.E. is excited to host its first Open Ears & Beers event on Wednesday, October 25, 2017 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Good People Brewing Company. We’ve heard every month from our speakers that we need to be talking and listening to each other to truly evoke change and goodness. Open Ears & Beers is an evening that brings together groups with differing view points to casually and respectfully chat with each other.
We are currently recruiting organizations from all sides of the aisle to host the event with us. If there’s an organization that you work with or groups your know of that would be interested in participating, please let us know.
The H.I.V.E was thrilled to welcome a panel of rockstars to our August meeting focused on eduction.
Larry Lee (www.larryeducation.com) educated us about the Alabama State Board of Education and the continuing controversy involving the hiring, performance and potential dismissal of the current State Superintendent of Education, Mike Sentence. He is a wealth of information about the topic. A more in depth look at the “spectacle” surrounding the Superintendent office can be found here on Larry’s blog.
Trisha Crain (Al.com State Education Reporter) discussed the persistent segregation of teachers and students in Jefferson County, Alabama, and the Black/White academic achievement gap. She talked about the disparities in the Jefferson County schools, a county with over 12 school districts, where several cities have broken off and formed their own districts. She stated that one in three African American students go to school with all African American students and one in four white students go to school with nothing but white kids.
Trisha also discussed the role of public education versus private education and posed the question “Is education a private pursuit or a public good?” Many people don’t seem to want to spend money to educate other peoples’ kids. What do we want our public schools to do?
Susan Remick (Adamsville Elementary School Principal) spoke to the group about her work for over 25 years in education as a special education teacher, an instructor in Mountain Brook Elementary schools and currently as principal of the Title I school Adamsville Elementary in Jefferson County. She discussed the importance of building relationships within the school as a bridge to higher parental involvement and student achievement. She also chatted about the importance of public education and the constant changes in education policy with new administrations at the local, state and national level.
A huge thank you to these rockstars who took time out of their busy schedule to educate and enlighten us. And mark your calendar for the next H.I.V.E. meeting on Thursday, September 21, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. at the Homewood Library!
The election is just around the corner and it’s time to get fired up and get yourself (and your neighbors and your friends and your family across Alabama) to the polls. The Secretary of State has predicted a very low voter turnout (only 20-25%) and every vote matters.
Here’s what we need to know:
HIVE Alabama 