birminghamal.gov
Alanah Melton, Director of Special Projects in the Mayor’s Office, has been selected to join the 2025 Next City Vanguard Class. Melton will be among 45 rising urban leaders from across the country convening in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from October 6–9, 2025, for Next City’s 17th annual Vanguard conference.
As the City of Birmingham’s point person on homelessness strategy, Melton has led with vision and compassion, advancing policies and programs that improve quality of life for the city’s unhoused residents. Her inclusion in the 2025 cohort is a testament to her commitment to equity-driven public service and her ability to forge creative, community-centered solutions to systemic challenges.
The Next City Vanguard Conference brings together urban professionals from sectors including food justice, affordable housing, climate resilience, public space, and community development. This year’s fellows represent trailblazing organizations such as the Center for Community Progress, Self-Help Credit Union, BlackSpace, and the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation.
“It’s an honor to represent Birmingham and be part of a network of changemakers who are passionate about building more equitable cities,” Melton said. “Homelessness is a complex, deeply human issue, and I’m excited to both learn from and contribute to national conversations about justice, housing, and belonging.”
Hosted this year in Philadelphia—home to Next City’s headquarters—the four-day Vanguard conference features interactive workshops, neighborhood tours, and peer-led sessions, all focused on reimagining cities through a lens of economic, environmental, and racial justice. The program will also spark a year-long reporting initiative on urban solutions in partnership with Resolve Philly and supported by the Knight Foundation.
The 2025 cohort joins a dynamic alumni network of more than 600 city-builders working to transform urban communities around the globe.
To learn more about the 2025 Next City Vanguard Class and view the full list of fellows, visit: www.nextcity.org/vanguard.
