The Birmingham Times
The State of the People POWER Tour designed to rally, restore, and reimagine what’s possible for communities across America is traveling to 10 states and will visit Birmingham, on Saturday, May 3 at the Carver Theatre in the heart of the historic Fourth Avenue Business District beginning at 10 a.m.
From Birmingham’s deep legacy of Civil Rights to today’s fights for justice, Alabama remains central to the movement. As Black communities across the South organize against book bans, voter suppression, and economic inequality, the POWER Tour remains rooted in the belief that the Black community doesn’t need permission to be free.
Attendees will experience workshops featuring national and local voices, live music, a community impact fair, wellness resources, and opportunities to connect with organizations building Black political and economic power. All events are free and open to the public. The first 100 attendees will receive free food vouchers. Attendees are encouraged to register online at https://stateoftheppl.com.
SCHEDULE – SATURDAY, MAY 3
- 9 a.m. – Check In – Registration
Location: Carver Theatre - 10:00–10:30 a.m. – Opening: 100 Days of the Trump Administration: Impact on Black Communities
Location: Carver Theater
Speakers: Michael Harriot | Author, Maya Wiley | The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights, April Albright | Black Voters Matter Fund, Angela Rye | Native Land Pod
10:40–11:10 a.m. – Concurrent Plenaries and Workshops
- Opening Plenary: Who We Were, Who We Are, and Who We Must Become: A conversation on the evolving role of the Black Church in today’s freedom movements – from pews to protest.
Location: Carver Theater
Moderator: Onoyemi Williams | Live Free Alabama
Speakers: T. Ellis | The Foundation Church, Rev. Brandon Cleveland | Daniel Payne Legacy Village - NOOW: Not On Our Watch: A focused fireside chat on building Black wealth and investing in cooperative economic solutions.
Location: The Alcove
Moderator: Dr. Calvin Briggs, Southern Center for Broadening Participation in STEM
Speakers: Jessica Norwood | Runway, William Barnes | Urban League of Alabama
11:20–12 P.M. – Concurrent Community Workshops
- Interrupting Cycles of Violence: Community-based strategies for healing and safety beyond policing.
Location: Foot Soldiers Headquarters
Moderator: Uche Bean | City of Birmingham
Speakers: Jacobie Williams | Everybody WENS, Dena Dickerson | Offender Alumni Association
- Farming Cannabis – From Criminalization to Economic Develop.m.ent: Exploring Black equity in cannabis and hemp industries through justice and entrepreneurship.
Location: Datus Henry Industries
Moderator: Samuel Pugh III | Urban Impact
Speakers: Patrick Packer | Datus Henry Industries, Kristy Forman | Healing Hemp, Antoine Mordican | Native Black Farm
11:20-12:30 P.M.
- The People’s Hearing – Testifying for Our Lives: Town hall-style gathering lifting voices on issues like education, public health, and environmental justice.
Location: Carver Theater
Moderator: Jasper Hendricks, III | Executive Director & CEO, Black Legislative Leaders Network
Speakers: Roy Johnson | AL.com, Jerome Dees | SPLC, Barnett Wright | Birmingham Times, Susan Palmer | Central Park Neighborhood, Rev. Everett Kelly | National President of the American Federation of Government Employees, and many others.
12:30-1:30 P.M. – The People’s March + POWER Rally:
Youth-led reenactment of the Children’s Crusade and public rally for dignity, justice, and collective power.
Location: Carver Theater
1:45–2:30 P.M.
Strategy Session: When We Fight, We Win: A dynamic legal and policy session offering critical updates on litigation & grassroots advocacy strategies for voting rights, redistricting, and education justice that demonstrate how organized communities win lasting change.
Location: Carver Theatre
Moderator: Veronica R. Johnson | Alabama Justice Initiative
Speakers: Est Mungai and Jason Barnes | Legal Defense Fund, Anneshia Hardy | Alabama Values Progress, Khadidah Stone | Community Advocate
2:45 P.M.
Black Women Lead the Way: A powerful convening highlighting Black women’s essential leadership in movement building, political power, and community transformation. This session centers healing, strategy, and bold next steps for advancing justice locally and nationally.
Location: Carver Theatre
Moderator: Dr. Nadia Monique Johnson | Black Women’s Mental Health Institute
Speakers: Commissioner Sheila Tyson | Black Women’s Roundtable, DeJuana L. Thompson | SOTP National Strategist, Woke Vote, Arian Simone | Fearless Fund, Angela Rye | Native Land Pod
For more information, visit: stateoftheppl.com
