During Empowerment Week, the City of Birmingham will be a part of a global effort commemorating the 20th Anniversary of UNESCO Slave Route Project, launched in 1994 in Ouidah (Benin). As a result of Birmingham’s emergence from the civil rights movement to leading the continued human rights movement, it has received the Memory Site Designation as part of UNESCO Slave Route Project. The main objective of the project is to ‘break the silence’.

Mayor William A. Bell, Sr. said, “Concealment of major historical events constitutes an obstacle to mutual understanding, reconciliation and cooperation among peoples.” UNESCO has decided to break the silence surrounding the slave trade and slavery that has affected all continents and caused the great upheavals that have shaped our modern societies.

“This history is part of the universal fight for human rights and equality and is an integral part of what we are remembering and recognizing during Empowerment Week,” Bell says. “This history can nourish our thinking about our multicultural and multiethnic societies today. It inspires the struggles we lead today against racial prejudice and discrimination, and against all forms of slavery that still affect more than 20 million people worldwide,” he continued.

It all starts with a dialogue

Equitable exchange and dialogue among civilizations, cultures and peoples, based on mutual understanding and respect and the equal dignity of all cultures is the essential prerequisite for constructing social cohesion, reconciliation among peoples and peace among nations.
Students of WJ Christian were invited to experience the Slavery Route Project. As a part of this program, students participated in a compelling demonstration on Monday, September 15 at 10 a.m. in Railroad Park. Students assembled in the formation of a slave ship as a reenactment. The students then participated in a history lesson and discussion of their experience.

“The challenge of ‘living together’ in our multicultural societies implies recognition of each person’s history and memory, and at the same time the sharing of a common heritage, in order to transcend past tragedies,” said Moussa Iye of UNESCO.
Part of UNESCO’s five specialized sectors is to advance knowledge, standards and intellectual cooperation by:

·         protecting, conserving, promoting and transmitting culture, heritage and history for dialogue and development; and
·         supporting and promoting the diversity of cultural expressions, the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage, and the development of cultural and creative industries.

“We have to recognize that historical injustices have had an unquestionable contribution to poverty, economic inequality, instability and insecurity of many of African descent, not only in Birmingham, Alabama but in every part of the world,” says Bell. “This initiative is one of many throughout Empowerment Week that has been designed to bring people together.”

UNESCO’s mission has been to contribute to the building of peace, poverty eradication, lasting development and intercultural dialogue, with education as one of its principal activities to achieve this aim. The Organization is committed to a holistic and humanistic vision of quality education worldwide, the realization of everyone’s right to education, and the belief that education plays a fundamental role in human, social and economic development.

Approved a Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute a Professional Engineering Services Agreement, in an amount not to exceed $160,000.00, between the City of Birmingham and Volkert, Inc., under which Volkert will provide professional engineering services related to the preparation of permit applications and reporting documents to the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, Jefferson County Health Department and the Environmental Protection Agency for the New Georgia Landfill and the Eastern Area Landfill Landfills. For more information please contact the Office of the Mayor at 205.254.2771.

Other items approved by the Council at today’s meeting include the following:

Approved a Resolution determining that the Birmingham Business Alliance Luncheon to be held September 12, 2014 at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, East Ballroom, serves a public purpose that promotes goodwill and serves a public interest, and requesting that City funds be administered to pay for this event in accordance with Section 3-1-7 of the General Code of the City of Birmingham. For more information please contact the Office of Council President Johnathan Austin at 205.254.2679.

Approved a Resolution determining that the Annual District 5 Fun Day to be held October 19, 2014 at Railroad Park serves a public purpose that promotes goodwill and serves a public interest, and requesting that City funds be administered to pay for this event in accordance with Section 3-1-7 of the General Code of the City of Birmingham. For more information please contact the Office of Council President Johnathan Austin at 205.254.2679.

Approved a Resolution determining that the Community Policing and Revitalization 5th Annual Award of Excellence Banquet to be held September 20, 2014 at the Birmingham Sheraton Hotel serves a public purpose that promotes goodwill and serves a public interest, and requesting that City funds be administered to pay for this event in accordance with Section 3-1-7 of the General Code of the City of Birmingham. For more information please contact the Office of Councilor William Parker at 205.254.2464.

Approved a Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute a Construction Agreement with CSX Transportation, Inc. under which CSXT will permit the City of Birmingham to perform certain improvements on CSXT property, located at the Amtrak Station, for the facilitation of the Birmingham Intermodal Station Project. For more information please contact the Office of the Mayor at 205.254.2771.

Approved Resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute a First Amendment to Contract for Professional Services with Daryl Perkins, d/b/a Master Solutions, LLC, under which Daryl Perkins will provide state government lobbying and to represent the City as a lobbyist in Montgomery, Alabama, for the 2015 Regular Session of the Alabama Legislature and other government relations services for the benefit of the City of Birmingham for a professional services fee in an amount not to exceed $75,000 during a term from September 16, 2014, through June 30, 2015, to be payable on a monthly basis following a submission to the City of an invoice detailing the services undertaken during the preceding month, with such Contract to be renewable by mutual agreement of the parties for up to one additional term of one year, subject to the appropriation of funding for the Contract in the City’s budget for the 2016 fiscal year. For more information please contact the Office of Council President Johnathan Austin at 205.254.2679.

Announcements and Reminders:

1. The Joint Budget and Finance Committee and Economic Development Committee meeting
is September 22, 2014 at 4:00 p.m. in Conference Rooms D&E.

2. The Planning and Zoning Committee Meeting will be held Tuesday September 22, 2014 at
4:00 p.m. in the 5th Floor Engineering Conference Room.

3. The Committee of the Whole Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, September 24, 2014 at
4:00 p.m. is CANCELLED.

4. The Administration/Education Committee scheduled for Friday, September 26, 2014 at
1:00 p.m. in Conference Rooms “D & E is CANCELLED.

Are you unable to attend the Birmingham City Council meetings? Watch Council Meetings on demand. From anywhere in the world you can log on to www.birminghamalcitycouncil.org and click on the tab Watch Council Meetings; or from the comfort of your home, tune to Bright House Cable Channel 340. The Birmingham City Council meetings are free and on demand.
The City of Birmingham will make reasonable accommodations to ensure that people with disabilities have equal opportunity to enjoy all city services, programs and activities. If accommodations are required for public meetings, please contact Chiara Morrow, Public Information Officer, with reasonable advance notice by emailing chiara.morrow@birminghamal.gov or by calling 205-254-2055.

The final installment of a $150,000 grant has been issued to Holy Family Cristo Rey by The Community Foundation for Greater Birmingham. The check was given in part to help the school reach its ultimate goal of doubling the enrollment at the Westside institution. But, it also “goes into operating fund to pay teacher’s salaries, operating expenses and buy books. Without this kind of support, this school does not continue in existence,” said Kent Graeve, a board member of Holy Family Cristo Rey. The school has an annual budget of close to 2.5 million dollars.
The Community Foundation gets an average of about 80 requests for help in funds for nonprofits in  Birmingham and only around 20 to 30 get actual donations according to President Chris Nanni. “A three year grant for $150,000 dollars is somewhat unusual. That really speaks to the strength of the program, “ Nanni said.The purpose of this request for funds from the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham is also to help Holy Family Cristo Rey meet the goal of growing the school by 100 percent, simultaneously reducing high school dropout rates for students in Birmingham, raising college acceptance rates and ultimately ending the cycle of generational poverty. The funds will be used to target a goal of 5 million dollars over the next three years. This grant is a challenge grant to leverage funding from other foundations.
Even some of the students were excited about the grant received from The Community Foundation. “I didn’t know it would be such a huge amount for our school.  It makes me feel proud as a senior and them sending that money was like maybe this school has something going on and we want to help out, so it’s a huge deal, “ says senior Ivery Bragg. Other students agreed. Ishmael Dukes, a senior, said, “I feel good about it that I go to a school that gets money from people for a good cause.“ Six students were on hand, along with Graeve to accept the check from The Community Fondation for Greater Birmingham representatives.

Dr. Rex Ellis of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Africa American History and Culture; Ms. Odessa Woolfolk, founding administrator of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI); Congresswoman Terri Sewell of Alabama’s 7th District (which includes Birmingham) and BCRI Interim President and CEO Priscilla Hancock Cooper attend the “Save Our African American Treasures” event on Saturday, Sept. 6. (Smithsonian photo by Michael R. Barnes)

By: Chiara Morrow
chiara.morrow@birminghamal.gov

Councilor Marcus Lundy holds no qualms when it comes to engaging young people and helping them find their strengths, so it comes as no surprise that he is actively supporting and encouraging many to  get hands on learning skills and explore the benefits of the Construction Education Foundation of Alabama also known as CEFA.
CEFA is the training organization created and founded by the three leading construction associations in the state; Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), Associated General Contractors (AGC) and the Alabama Concrete Industries Association (ACIA) as well as many contractors across the state.
“This is a career opportunity for folks – especially the last, the lost and the least of these,” Lundy said. “This is also an opportunity to get on the good foot, learn a trade and be self-sufficient.”
CEFA in conjunction with Jefferson County Office of Workforce Development and the Department of Labor will offer a Nationally Recognized Electrical Pre-Apprenticeship class for qualified 18-21-year-old young adults starting Oct. 13.
In the Pre- Apprenticeship Program, services are provided to individuals in the community that desire to become an Apprentice by giving them the training necessary and job referrals that will lead to Apprenticeship training while offering services that may help with issues such as transportation, child care, housing and many other areas. While CEFA may not directly assist with each of those areas listed above, they do refer students to other agencies who assist students with issues that aren’t addressed.
For more information on how to become involved and learn more about CEFA contact Pam Williams or Byron McCain at 205.956.0146. For more regarding Councilor Marcus Lundy’s involvement with this program please contact 205.254.2302.