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UAB Excellence in Business Top 25 Class of 2024 Named

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Birmingham Times
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The top businesses owned or managed by University of Alabama at Birmingham graduates are being honored by the UAB National Alumni Society. (Adobe Stock)

| UAB News

This the 12th year of the UAB Excellence in Business Top 25 program. Selection is determined strictly on revenue growth information gathered during the application process. The NAS partners with Warren Averett to rank and verify the nominated companies based on annual growth rate for the three most recent reporting periods.

Join the NAS to celebrate the accomplishments of these outstanding business leaders at a reception and dinner, 5:30-8 p.m. Thursday, June 13, at the Alumni House. Tickets to attend the 2024 awards dinner are $50. Purchase tickets online.

This year, Chief People Officer of MovementX Fred Gilbert, DPT, a School of Health Professions graduate and a 2022 and 2023 Excellence in Business Top 25 recipient, will be the featured speaker. The top three fastest-growing companies with revenues over $10 million and under $10 million will also be also recognized.

Sponsorship opportunities are also available. For more information, email Margaret Whiteside at mdwhites@uab.edu.

UAB Excellence in Business Top 25 class of 2024

The UAB National Alumni Society’s Excellence in Business Top 25 class of 2023. (UAB)

L’Tryce Slade: Birmingham Business Owner and Mom on Work-Life Balance

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Birmingham Times
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L’Tryce Slade started her company Slade Land Use, Environmental and Transportation Planning LLC, in 2006. (Times File)

By Keisa Sharpe-Jefferson | The Birmingham Times

In addition to being “mom” to Baby Slade, L’Tryce Slade’s other title is “businesswoman”—and she gives her all to both roles.

Slade considers becoming a first-time mom at age 45 one of her greatest accomplishments. She is owner of Slade Land Use, Environmental, and Transportation Planning LLC in Birmingham. Her son will turn 2 in June, and Slade, now at the age of 47, embraces motherhood every second she can.

As Mother’s Day—Sunday, May 12—approaches, Slade reflected on work-life balance and being a business owner in a male-dominated industry.

The mission statement of her company, Slade Land Use, Environmental and Transportation Planning LLC, is simple: “We build more than buildings, we build communities,” said the award-winning entrepreneur and Managing Partner for the Birmingham-based firm.

Slade’s company, founded in 2006, specializes in construction material testing, general contracting services, geotechnical services, environmental consulting, and urban planning. Clients include federal and county governments, universities, law firms, nonprofits, transportation consulting firms, and engineering firms. The company is licensed in Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina.

As one of the few Black female contractors in Alabama, Slade knows there are some who doubt her abilities, but she has two prominent ways to respond to doubters: with confidence and top-quality work.

“I am often the only woman at the table, and I feel being a woman is an issue, more so than being Black,” she told The Birmingham Times in a 2017 article. “If I didn’t feel comfortable and believe I am just as equal to others, I would be unable to exude [my attitude] to others.”

Even though Slade has been turned down for jobs and some companies have changed bids on projects to keep work out of her reach, she is determined to press ahead. When a minority company produces high-quality work, it can counter any discrimination, she said.

“It’s not just about you when you’re working that hard,” Slade added. “You’ve got to have a purpose behind what you do and be aware of the impact you will have on other people.”

For more information on Slade or her company, Slade Land Use, Environmental, and Transportation Planning, LLC, visit https://www.sladellc.com.

Birmingham-Southern College Responds to $52 Million Purchase Offer From Alabama A&M University

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Birmingham Times
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The Birmingham Times

Alabama A&M University made a $52 million offer on Thursday to purchase Birmingham-Southern College (BSC) with the intention to retain the school’s credentialed faculty and staff, according to AL.com.

However, BSC said late Thursday “we have no definitive agreements with any entity at this time.”

Alabama A&M was seeking some state funding to help with the purchase, Shannon Reeves, AAMU’s vice president of government relations and external affairs earlier told AL.com.

Under the offer according to AL.com, the university would operate the BSC property as a standalone campus under AAMU’s umbrella.

“If the purchase agreement is accepted by BSC, AAMU makes a commitment that the campus would not be subdivided for private industries or any other for-profit use. AAMU is committed to using the entire campus to provide a quality higher education experience for each and every student,” Reeves said in a statement, as reported by AL.com.

Reeves did not elaborate on the HBCU’s offer to buy BSC.

BSC said late Thursday the school continues to have conversations with “several interested parties.”

BSC, a private, liberal arts college with roots reaching back 168 years, announced in March that it would close May 31 after efforts to obtain a loan from the state Legislature failed.

Reeves said Alabama A&M is growing, with an all-time high enrollment of 6,600 and its largest ever freshman class of more than 2,100.

“Our numbers are up,” said Reeves, according to AL.com. “Our concern is trying to house these students. We’re projected to go over 7,000 in the fall. So the demand for our academic offerings and what we’re doing at Alabama A&M, the demand for students is there.”

Birmingham Group Works to Free Women From Jail; Reunite Families for Mother’s Day

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Birmingham Times
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From left: Rosa Williams, Cara McClure and Gwen Woods, members of Faith and Action, a social justice nonprofit, are bailing Black mothers out of jail just in time for Mother's Day. (Alaina Bookman, AL.COM)

By Alaina Bookman | abookman@al.com

This is another installment in Birmingham Times/AL.com/CBS42 joint series “Beyond the Violence: what can be done to address Birmingham’s rising homicide rate.” Sign up for the newsletter here.

Many parents charged with crimes sit behind bars for months, even years, losing time with family.

Many have not yet been convicted of a crime and are awaiting trial from jail simply because they cannot afford bail. Cara McClure, founder and executive director of Faith and Works, a social justice nonprofit, will begin another round of bailouts Thursday to reunite incarcerated Black women with their families, just in time for Mother’s Day.

“A lot of times they sit in jail, languish in jails only to be found not guilty because that’s how the system is set up. It’s set up to keep us there, to have control over Black bodies. If you are rich, and you go to jail for the same reason, you get to go home and take care of your affairs. But if you’re poor, the system is set up to punish poor Black people,” McClure said.

“Money should not be a determining factor in freedom. We’re bailing these women out, Black mamas, to bring awareness to the harms of cash bail and pretrial detention.”

About two-thirds of people in jail in the United States – an estimated 500,000 people, according to The Marshall Project – are incarcerated because they can’t afford bail or a bond. The median bail amount for felonies is about $10,000.

According to a 2024 Prison Policy Initiative report, 190,600 women are incarcerated in the United States and 80 percent of women in jails are mothers, and most of them are primary caretakers of their children.

Faith and Works did its first round of bail outs in 2017 after seeing the work done by the National Bail Out for Black mothers.

“I remember it was so special. We found multiple women that day in the system. And we just bailed them out,” McClure said.

In its first two years, Faith and Works raised over $1 million for community bail funds.

Since its inception, Faith and Works has evolved. Using the National Bail Out toolkit, they found better ways to support mothers once they are out of jail by providing resources and support services such as money for groceries, bills, rent and transportation.

“When a woman, a Black mother, just sits there caged because she’s poor, they lose their car, their benefits, their homes and a lot of times they lose their children,” McClure said.

Volunteers go through the Jefferson County inmate portal searching for red flags: an unusually high bail, no bail listed at all or women who have been in custody for a long time. Once they identify a mother, volunteers set up an interview to identify a woman’s needs after jail, as well as addiction or support services she might need.

“What we’re trying to hear is what are some of their needs. We’re not there to just talk about their crime. We’re there to find out who’s taking care of their children. Do they need clothes? Do they need transportation, groceries,” McClure said.

After ensuring that she wants to be bailed out, volunteers reach out to the woman’s family members.

The nonprofit is taking donations to bail out Black women and reunite them with their families for Mother’s Day. So far, Faith and Works has raised $147,000.

McClure said Faith and Works has already identified two women for the bail out.

The Mothers

In 2021, Yolanda, a mother who spent six months in jail before being bailed out by Faith and Works, was found not guilty of a domestic violence charge. Now, Yolanda has her own apartment in Decatur, close to her oldest son and grandson. AL.com is not using her full name because her court file is not public and because she was found not guilty.

Upon bailing Yolanda out of jail, Faith and Works got Yolanda a bed at the Lovelady Center, where she also enrolled in a rehabilitation program.

“I got closer to God and built up my faith. Even in that time, Faith and Works, Cara was still contacting me. I completed the program there and everything has just been going well. I got the help I needed. They saved my life,” Yolanda said.

“They kept in contact with me and kept up with my progress, and my court dates. Eventually, all my charges was dropped and I was found not guilty. And still to this day, I still keep in contact with everybody. What they did for me was just really awesome.”

Yolanda is just one of many mothers who have had to sit in jail simply because they could not afford bail.

In 2022, JaCari Letchaw, a single mother of five children, was arrested for a nonviolent offense. Her bail was set at $60,000, more than what Letchaw would make in a year.

Letchaw spent two weeks at the Jefferson County Jail. She lost her job and was facing eviction.

“There had been an evicti on notice for six days. So we were able to find out who we needed to talk to and help her save her home,” McClure said.

Had Faith and Works not bailed her out, Letchaw likely would still be awaiting trial from jail, two years after being arrested.

“She could have lost everything, including her kids,” Rosa Williams, a Faith and Works volunteer, said.

“Our system says that we are innocent until proven guilty. However, that’s not what they’re practicing. Courts are backed up for years. You’re taking someone’s life from them just to go to trial and say, ‘now you’re not guilty,’ but they’ve lost everything. Their kids, their jobs, their reputations. Why should you have to sit in a cage if you’re innocent until proven guilty?”

McClure and Faith and Works volunteers reunited Letchaw with her children. The word “mommy” echoed off the walls of the room as Letchaw was reunited with her children as they hugged and cried.

“I look at some of the women and I’m thinking, how many kids do you have, who got your children, is anybody there for your kids. You’re losing your home, everything, while you’re sitting in jail because you don’t have the money to get out. And the bonds are set so high,” Gwen Woods, a Faith and Works volunteer, said. “It needs to be changed. It needs to stop. I think it’s sad, it’s really awful.”

Around Thanksgiving 2023, Faith and Works bailed out a mother with five children. While the mom was in jail, her oldest daughter, who was in high school, had to quit her job to take care of her siblings. And their grandmother worked to support the family.

Faith and Works gave the grandmother $1,000 in cash to pay for groceries and bills.

“This really touches my heart because I know people that have been incarcerated and had to sit. None of the family members had any money. Nobody could get them out. So now we got to figure out who can take the children. The home is gone. No furniture, nothing. There’s a lot of work to be done. And I’m glad to be a part of it,” Woods said.

Business Owner L’Tryce Slade Reflects on IVF Journey, Finding a Balance in Motherhood

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Birmingham Times
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Business owner L’Tryce Slade at Birmingham Botanical Gardens with her son who will turn 2 in June. (Amarr Croskey, For The Birmingham Times)

By Keisa Sharpe-Jefferson | The Birmingham Times

After building a successful Alabama construction company, earning a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and being honored by more than a dozen local and national organizations, Birmingham business owner L’Tryce Slade considers becoming a first-time mom at age 45 one of her greatest accomplishments.

Slade is the owner of Slade Land Use, Environmental, and Transportation Planning LLC in Birmingham. Her son will turn 2 in June, and Slade, now at the age of 47, embraces motherhood every second she can.

As Mother’s Day—Sunday, May 12—approaches, Slade reflected on being a business owner in a male-dominated industry, finding work-life balance, and having a baby through in vitro fertilization (IVF).

One of the biggest challenges she faces is juggling it all, she told The Birmingham Times.

“I am trying to find work-life balance,” she said. “I am working toward building a village around me.”

Another challenge is simply leaning on others, said Slade: “I have experienced guilt when I feel like I have to ask someone to pick up [Baby Slade] in the evenings.”

There are only so many hours in a day, and parenting is a role that involves many adjustments. A typical day for Slade begins with going to work. Then she drops off her son at daycare and picks him up after work.

Having never been “a stay-at-home mom … [I make sure I] leave work by 5 p.m. in order to pick up my son on time. In the past, I could stay at my office as long as I needed,” said Slade, who established her construction company in her apartment in 2006.

“In the evenings, he wants my attention, so it is difficult to work on things I do not get done during the day,” she added.

Becoming a mother was a tough journey, said Slade, but having her child was such a joy, and she wants others who are thinking about it to have “the courage to keep pushing through.”

L’Tryce Slade’s research and search for a medical team for the IVF procedure led her to the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). (Amarr Croskey, For The Birmingham Times)

Dream Come True

For Slade, having her son through IVF was a dream come true.

During [IVF], mature eggs are collected from ovaries and fertilized by sperm [from a partner or donor] in a lab. Then a procedure is done to place one or more of the fertilized eggs, called embryos, in a uterus, which is where babies develop,” according to the Mayo Clinic and, hopefully, result in a successful pregnancy.

Slade said she never considered the process until she turned 35, after a conversation with her stylist during a salon visit. Her stylist said, “You know you’re getting a little older, and you may want to consider getting your egg reserves checked if you want to have children.”

“Apparently, she had gone through some fertility challenges, and so it began as a casual conversation with her,” Slade recalled. “My stylist is married, and she shared that she’d had a miscarriage and wanted a child. She asked me if I had ever heard of IVF or if I’d considered freezing my eggs? I had no clue what she was talking about.”

From that instant and conversation, the ideological seed was planted.

How It All Began

Slade’s research and search for a medical team for the IVF procedure led her to the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and in 2015 she was ready to begin the route of IVF. The medical procedure made headlines recently in Alabama when, in February, the state Supreme Court ruled that embryos created through IVF should be considered children.

During her IVF journey, Slade had two miscarriages; an embryo transfer and negative pregnancy, which likely means the implanted embryo did not reach the stage of development to attach to the womb (uterus); and another embryo transfer with a negative response. In addition, her IVF cycle was cancelled twice: once due to a follicle response (meaning the follicles in the ovary do not respond in a manner that is suitable for retrieving eggs) and another time due to fluid in her uterus.

According to the Mayo Clinic, “One full cycle of IVF takes about two to three weeks. Sometimes these steps are split into different parts and the process can take longer.”

She also had to undergo three hysteroscopy procedures, during which a hysteroscope (a thin, lighted tube) is inserted through the vagina and cervix so the doctor can see inside the uterus.

After having been through all of that, Slade said, “That’s why you would go get a surrogate. … You go get a surrogate when you’ve been through a lot of things, and that’s your last option.”

Her medical team suggested that she look for another option outside of carrying her own child.

L’Tryce Slade says one of the biggest lessons she was learning in motherhood was how to ask for and receive help. (Amarr Croskey, For The Birmingham Times)

Beating the Odds

During the process of seeking a surrogate mother, which she began in 2018, Slade lost her mother in 2020. After taking time off to work through that life event, she eventually chose a surrogate in the same year.

The next steps would involve Slade’s remaining fertilized eggs being implanted into another woman’s body. The chosen surrogate stood out because she was married, vegan, and had two children of her own, Slade said.

“You have to take your time and research what agency is best for you,” she said. “I interviewed three different surrogates. These surrogacy, or matching, agencies are essentially a one-stop shop for parents who’ve decided to extend their families via surrogate.”

For Slade, the road to motherhood, although challenging at times, was a victory, even though she faced many tests along the way.

“I even attended doctor visits for [Baby Slade] via Zoom to follow his growth journey,” she said, adding that she remembers the whole process—from making travel arrangements to meeting the surrogate mother—as overwhelming.

Slade kept and nursed her baby boy immediately after he was born, while still in the hospital.

“When the baby was born, they gave me my baby,” she said. “It was like, ‘Here’s your room. You and your baby can go in here.’”

When that whirlwind was over, Slade had to navigate flying back to Birmingham with her infant, who was three days old. Once home, she had to understand how to manage her life and career while adjusting to her newborn. One of her biggest lessons was learning how to ask for and receive help, she said, adding that she leaned on the support of her family and church members.

Main Priority

L’Tryce Slade considers becoming a first-time mom at age 45 one of her greatest accomplishments. (Amarr Croskey, For The Birmingham Times)

For other women considering this path to motherhood, Slade suggested that they be financially prepared and respect the process.

“It’s a very deep and winding road when you talk about this path,” she said. “Nobody told me I had to make all these decisions”—including being present daily in his life, reading to him daily, and raising him in a Christian environment.

“Oftentimes, other people ask me if I plan to hire a nanny or an au pair. I have decided not to, in order to keep him as my main priority,” she added.

Slade advises women to keep adoption as an option and also consider the bedside manner of your medical team carefully.

“Kindness counts,” she said.

Slade recalled an older male doctor who took time to talk to her face-to-face about medical procedures on the motherhood journey versus a younger female doctor who communicated about medical procedures via a web portal online. Slade said she really appreciated the personal touch with the male doctor.

Slade, who’s engaged to be married, encouraged women to lay aside any negative myths about having a baby at a more mature age. She also advised against basing the decision to become a mother on existing relationships or relationships that may happen in the future “because [relationships] can come and go,” she said.

Slade added that a woman should not worry about whether having a baby would make men less likely to date her.

“[I asked myself], ‘Would I be as marketable with a child versus without a child?’ Then I got to the point where I saw other women who have kids getting married so I don’t think it makes a difference,” she said.

Still, Slade said, there’s nothing like being a mom: “I hug him and squeeze him so tight,” she said of her baby. “I tell him I love him every day.”

To learn more about the in vitro fertilization (IVF) process, visit the Mayo Clinic or the American Pregnancy Association. For statistics and information about IVF and surrogacy, check out the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services “Fact Sheet: In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Use Across the United States.”

Birmingham Mother, Daughter Embrace the Sweet Life Together

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Birmingham Times
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Evelyn Sherard, left, and daughter Kenya Pickens, owner of Velvet Kake LLC, with a slice of their popular cake. (Amaar Croskey, For The Birmingham Times)

By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times

Evelyn Sherard and daughter Kenya Pickens are having fun inside Velvet Kake LLC, owned by Pickens, at 2466 Old Springville Road in Clay, Alabama. As Mother’s Day—Sunday, May 12—approaches, the two pose for a photoshoot and talk about a range of treats the shop offers.

“My main thing is to help,” said mom Sherard. “I get a chance to be creative and do my own thing as well. I have my own identity in it. She has her thing; I have my own.”

What started as just a hobby for daughter Pickens has turned into a business, officially licensing Velvet Cake LLC in 2016 where the two come together to create a wide variety of delicious baked goods that range from cake slices to fried pies.

“We have some people come in and help from time to time but basically, it’s both of us,” said Sherard. “I work here but she’s the one that really started it, it was her brainchild, but I did help create the name. I understand that it is her thing. However she wants it to go, I just follow along …”

Pickens, 38, said the business used to be called Mary Cakes, which came from an ex-boyfriend. “I didn’t like it because I felt like it was little girl name,” she said. “Grown women would approach me and say ‘aw, how cute.’ Prior to my mother moving here, one day we were on the phone and I was telling her how I’m always making a lot of red velvet cakes so she said call it ‘red velvet cake and you can put the k in front,” said the daughter.

The shop offers cake slices, cookies, key lime pie, banana pudding, strawberry shortcake, bread pudding, cupcakes and fried pies on Saturday. Flavors include vegan strawberry, chocolate, vanilla, lemon and red velvet and for cakes those flavors are in addition to vegan German chocolate and caramel.

Evelyn Sherard, and her daughter, Kenya Pickens, inside Velvet Kake LLC. (Amaar Croskey, For The Birmingham Times)

Savory Or Bakery

Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Pickens got her inspiration to cook not from her mom but watching videos of Emeril, the famed chef. After graduating from high school in 2004, she moved to Birmingham where she attended Virgina College.

“I went to Culinard, the Culinary Institute of Virgina College. At the time, it was a new program. I graduated May 23, 2004, and I was [in Birmingham] by June of that same year. School literally started a few days after I moved.  I came here with no money, but I told myself I was going to figure it out. They had these student apartments right next to school and I stayed there. I made sure that I got up every morning. “

She continued, “When I got to Culinary School you could pick between savory or pastry. I ended up choosing savory. I didn’t have a baking bone in body.  After graduating in 2007, I had a baking job, at a bakery and started working at [a restaurant] at night. In 2008 I left that baking job and I told myself, I could do this. I can be a baker. It was probably the craziest thing I’ve ever told myself.”

Pickens, 38, who has an 11-year-old son, said she also moved to Birmingham from Atlanta because she wanted to get out on her own.

“I knew people that lived here in Birmingham, and they looked after me. They made sure I was okay. I’m glad that I chose to come here because Atlanta is so overpopulated. Everyone is pretty much doing the same thing. Everyone has a hustle. If you are doing something, you can find a hundred other people doing the same thing. Even if they are doing it, a different way, there are doing it too.”

Evelyn Sherard, left, and daughter Kenya Pickens, owner of Velvet Kake LLC, with plate of bread rolls. (Amarr Croskey, Fo The Birmingham Times)

‘Knack For Cooking’

Sherard, 72, followed her daughter to Birmingham after retiring from the Shepard Center, a private non-for-profit hospital in Atlanta, Georgia in 2015. It was there that she started her cooking journey.

“In 1982 I moved to Atlanta and went to work has a computer operator. I did that for almost 14 years. After the tech crash of 2002, I landed a job in the health care system in food preparation.  I aways had a knack for cooking but I never baked, expect for cornbread. I think I picked up more of my baking skills from [Kenya] than she did from me. When she decided to turn it into a business, I said I was ready to retire” from her job in Atlanta and be closer to her daughter and grandson, said Sherard.” said Sherard.

Unlike her daughter Sherard comes from a big family. Originally hailing from Selma, North Carolina, she grew up, “a farm girl.” Most of her family still live there today.

“When I would come and visit before I moved here, [Kenya] said she’d never come back to Atlanta because she liked it here and I’ve grown to like it too. It has a North Carolina feel to it. Birmingham is the next best thing to it,” said Sherard.

Arriving in Birmingham Sherard said she found out that farmer markets were pretty popular “and so I started doing different things and one of those things that I took on was fried pies. It’s a challenge but I really enjoy doing it. I enjoy the challenge. All the customer that supports us at the markets are some good loyal customers. They come every year to support us and it’s just been so good. It’s like getting a chance to see old friends that you haven’t seen in six months. Everybody is so friendly,” said Sherard.

Even though they work together Pickens said she and her mother are never in the kitchen at the same time. “She is usually here one day out of the week. We take turns.”

However, when they do have free time they love to explore what the city has to offer. “I like to go to other farmer’s markets when I do have the chance, “said Sherard.

In addition to Farmer’s Markets their good can be found at The Barking Bee coffee shop in Pinson, Alabama.

Mostly recently, Velvet Kake participated in Birmingham’s Vegan Feast 2024 at Cahaba Brewing in April.

“We do our pastries there. I make a puff pastry. It’s like a hot pocket. I also make cookies Kenya supplies the cakes for them.

Velvet Kakes is open Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and can be reached at 205-407-4330.

Bill Allowing Cameras to Help Curtail Exhibition Driving in Birmingham Headed to Governor

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Birmingham Times
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Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin said passage of HB 474 to allow cameras to help law enforcement address dangerous exhibition driving will “make a major impact.” (Adobe Stock)

The Birmingham Times

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin.

Birmingham Mayor Randall L. Woodfin said late Wednesday that passage of HB 474 to allow cameras to help law enforcement address dangerous exhibition driving will “make a major impact.”

The bill now goes to Gov. Kay Ivey’s desk for approval.

“Birmingham’s response to illegal and deadly exhibition driving continues each week with more arrests and vehicles towed,” the mayor said in a statement. “While police are committed to enforcing the laws, the additional tool of cameras to halt this criminal activity will make a major impact.

“I want to personally thank the leadership of the House and Senate, the Jefferson County Legislative Delegation and bill sponsors Rep. Allen Treadaway and Sen. Rodger Smitherman. The streets of Birmingham and cities across the state will be safer with this law.”

Treadaway, a former Birmingham assistant police chief who sponsored the bill, has said “the technology is there. We’re going to use the cameras, we’re going to identify the vehicles, the tags and be able to seize the vehicles involved in the criminal act.”

DeWayne Bailey’s Mission to Help Alabama’s Rural and Public Hospitals

By
Birmingham Times
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DeWayne Bailey serves as the Director at Alabama Rural Health Collaborative, UAB Health System, a nonprofit designed to help rural and public hospitals across the state. (Provided)

By Sym Posey | The Birmingham Times

Don’t ask DeWayne Bailey what it’s like to be named one of Birmingham’s 40 under 40, an honor bestowed by The Birmingham Business Journal (BBJ) this year on up-and-coming local professionals who have distinguished themselves in the metro area. Bailey, along with 39 others were honored at a special event in February at The Haven.

“I still don’t know yet but ask me again in a few months,” Bailey said. “It’s hard to talk about myself. I’ve found myself having to do it (talking about myself) more often but it’s not something I like to do,” said Bailey.

He may not like to speak about himself, but his resume certainly speaks for itself.

Bailey currently serves as the Director at Alabama Rural Health Collaborative, UAB Health System, a non-profit designed to help rural and public hospitals across the state.

Created in AHRC was formed by the Alabama Legislature in March 2018 to “increase access to high quality care for rural Alabamians and improve health” in the wake of hospital closure. “As the first rural hospital resource center, we have resources such as a mobile simulation which goes to all the rural hospitals and train the clinicians, nurses, radiologists, any type of support staff at the hospital on different things such as CPR. A lot of the trainings are related to OB care,” said Bailey.

“We also help them with our technical support in the form of revenue cycle assistance. We help a lot of hospitals with their revenue cycle,” he added.

Baily has also worked at UAB Callahan Eye Hospital & Clinics as an organizational effectiveness manager during the height of the pandemic in March 2020; UAB as a facilities administrator and quality assurance coordinator and various roles with the Alabama chapter of the NAHSE (National Association of Health Services Executives).

“You can get a master’s in health care administration and sometimes people go back and do administrative residencies and fellowships to actually get kind of a hands-on experience at being a health care admin,” said Bailey.

A Birmingham native, Bailey attended John Carroll High School where he graduated in 2002. After high school, he spent a year at Auburn University before transferring to the University of Alabama- Birmingham (UAB) where he finished his bachelor’s degree in biology in 2007. He would go on to pursue his Master of Business Administration.

“Recently in the last two years I have started a mentorship program under that organization. It caters to graduates and early careerist who are interest in pursuing careers in the health care administration,” said Bailey.

Mentoring is not new. Five years ago, he was part of Determined 2 B (D2B) Birmingham where he helped reach out to young men of Birmingham metro areas “in hopes of teaching them the quality of both a spiritual and physical life.”

Bailey said his interest in the medical field came from his mother, Valerie Bailey. “She was already in the health care field. She was nurse, but I knew that I didn’t want to be a nurse. She also had kidney failure, so she was on dialysis the entire time I was in undergrad.”

Shortly after graduating from his undergrad, Bailey said he was,” fortunate enough to be able to donate her a kidney. It was done at UAB, and I thought the experience was efficient. I thought from an administrative standpoint or operational standpoint the entire process was smooth and that kind of sparked my interest in wanting to be a healthcare administer.”

His mother is doing well today, said Bailey, a member of the National Kidney Foundation.

“She’s proud of me. I am the first person in my family to get a master’s degree and the first person in the family to have a leadership role. Just thinking about all the sacrifices she made for us. From going to private schools, trying to make sure that we stayed on top of our education, she’s starting to see it payoff in my awards,” said Bailey.

Bailey, who has one brother who currently resides in Texas, said he loves, “spending time with my family, friends, and church. I enjoy running, lifting weights. I just got into running during the pandemic. I used to do short distances, but nothing long. “

Bailey said he participated in his first half marathon in 2022 during the Mercedes Half Marathon event and his second one in 2023 with the group, Black Men Run.

Bailey is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Incorporated recently got his life membership, said Bailey.

Asked about his proudest accomplishments Kulture City was the first thing that came to mind, he said.

“Kulture City caters to individuals with sensory needs, individuals that are autistic … I played a part in helping to make sure all their clinics were sensory inclusive, so that putting up the signs, making sure that they had toys for the kids that might have sensory needs such as sensitivity to light and sound. “

He also told the BBJ he was proud to pivot at the beginning of “the pandemic into my first health care administration role. It was not the most ideal time to start a new career, but it was the perfect opportunity to learn and grow as a leader.”

And asked where he sees himself in 10 years he said, “as an influential leader that drives change within my organization and the community.”

Is Artificial Intelligence a Friend or Foe?

By
Birmingham Times
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0

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology is advancing so fast that our government and private companies are rushing to try to get ahead of the curve. This new age of AI technology has ushered in a new electronic criminal that has endless scam possibilities at the users’ fingertips. This week’s safety tip will review this new imminent criminal.

Scientists have been programming computers to think and predict for decades, but only in recent years has technology gotten so sophisticated that a computer can actually mimic human voices, movement and writing style.

Even more concerning is that they can even predict what a person might say or do next. The public release in the past two years of tools such as OpenAI’s Chatgpt and DALL-E, Google’s Gemini (formerly Bardi), Microsoft’s Copilot and other readily available generative AI programs brought some of these capabilities to the forefront for the masses.

AI has the potential to be very useful, but it can easily be weaponized by criminals to create realistic, yet bogus voices, websites, videos and other content to perpetrate fraud. Many fear the worst is yet to come. They believe we are entering an ‘Industrial revolution for fraud criminals.”

A few examples of how criminals have already used AI’s endless capabilities are:
• Celebrity Scams – A “deepfake” (that is, a computer-generated fake version of a person) video circulating showing chef Gordon Ramsey apparently endorsing HexClad cookware. He wasn’t. Later, a similar deepfake featured Taylor Swift advertising Le Creuset. The likenesses of Oprah Winfrey, Kelly Clarkson and other celebrities have been replicated via AI to sell weight loss supplements.

  • Fake Romance – A Chicago man lost almost $60,000 in a cryptocurrency investment pitched to him by a romance scammer who communicated through what authorities believe was a deepfake video.• Sextortion – The FBI warns that criminals take photos and videos from children’s and adults’ social media feeds and create explicit deepfakes with their images to extort money or sexual favors.

So, is AI a friend or foe? In the fight against AI, it may become the friend in the battle to fight against AI. When used properly it is extremely beneficial, but ultimately you must Keep an Eye on Safety for yourself and your loved ones.

PEOPLE, PLACES & THINGS

By
Birmingham Times
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0
Logan The Entertainer (Provided)

BY GWEN DERU | The Birmingham Times

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY…from all of us…to all of you that are in the shoes or filling the shoes!!!! ENJOY !!!

TODAY…
**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!

**JOB FAIR with the Alabama Department of Human Resources, 9 a.m. – Noon at the Jefferson County Department of Human Resources, 2001 12th Avenue North. Dress professionally. No children. Take your resume. Visit www.personnel.alabama.gov to complete an online application.

**BLOOMS & BUBBLY at Lane Park.

**ALABAMA BLAZIN BINGO, 6 p.m. at Overtime Grill and Bar.

**FILM – 7 p.m. at the Sidewalk Film.

**IAN CUTHBERTSON and LENNY NIGHT at the Nick.

**BRAHMS’ BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION, 7:30 p.m. at Brock Recital Hall.

**SECOND CHANCE Jefferson County Hiring Fair, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Boutwell Auditorium.

**LIVE BAND KARAOKE with DOMINIQUE at Perfect Note.

**THIRST TRAP THURSDAY, 5 p.m. at 2400 7th Avenue South.

**LIVE BAND KARAOKE hosted by ELLE JAI at Perfect Note.

**KIKSTART at Water Mark in Bessemer with Free Food Boxes, 9 a.m.

**COMPUTER CLASSES AT THE FIVE POINTS WEST LIBRARY every Tuesday and
Thursday.

**EACH AND EVERY THURSDAY HAPPY HOUR, 5-8 p.m. at D’ZIRE with SPECIALS.

**THIRSTY THURSDAYS at D’ZIRE Bar and Lounge.

**KARAOKE, 5-9 p.m. at Courtyard Alabaster Bar and Grill.

**THIRD THURSDAY BLUES JAM, 7 p.m. at True Story Brewing.

**TASTEMAKER THURSDAY – Every Thursday at Blaze Ultra Lounge, 228 Roebuck Plaza Drive, 8 p.m. – 12 a.m. with DJ Ace Twon (95.7 JAMZ) in the mix hosted by Audio Life and GMC Promo.

**THIRSTY THURSDAY at Hookah 114 17th Street No.

**TEQUILA THURSDAY at the Vibe Bar & Lounge.

**THROW BACK THURSDAY at Tha Vibe Bar & Lounge, 3801 Richard Arrington, Jr., Blvd.

**FILMMAKER HAPPY HOUR- Every 3rd Thursday, at Sidewalk Film Fest. Meet with other filmmakers and discuss your newest projects.

**EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT KARAOKE, 6:30 at Ruth’s Place hosted by LADY WOO and with DJ SHAY.

FRIDAY…
**COFFEE WITH CREATIVES, 8:30 – 10 a.m. at Miles College’s C.A. Kirkendoll Learning Resources Center with ERIKA MIXON, EBONE’ GILBERT and LILLIS TAYLOR.

**MAGIC CITY POP-UP PLAZA at Railroad Park.

**FRIDAY NIGHT WRITES, 8 – 11 p.m. at 7611 1st Avenue North.

**JOHNNY MANCHILD WITH HOLDFAST & CALL ME SPINSTER at The Nick.

**FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE WITH SHARRON COLLINS at Perfect Note.

**AUGUST BURNS RED at Iron City.

**JAZZNET MOTHER’S DAY POP UP SHOP with 35 vendors, live jazz and a DJ at the Dannon Project, 5:30- 9 p.m., hosted by AAJENE ROBINSON and BRIA CHATMAN WBRC FOX 6. For more 205-873-4572 or hatcherdonnie@gmail.com.

**EVERY FRIDAY R&B at The Chandelier, 212 Cahaba Valley Road in Pelham with DJ MANISH mixing live. FREE Entry.

**EACH AND EVERY FRIDAY HAPPY HOUR, 5-8 p.m. at D’ZIRE with SPECIALS.

**LIT FRIDAYS WITH RIPCORD, 8 p.m. – 2 a.m. at 4501 Gary Avenue in Fairfield.

**AFRO CARIBBEAN NIGHTS (Every Friday Night) at Ash’s on 2nd, 7 p.m. until with Reggae, Afro Beats, Dancehall and Top 40 Hits.

**FIREBALL FRIDAY at Tha Vibe Bar & Lounge.

**FRIDAY NIGHT RAP, Every 1st and 3rd Friday at Crescent Cultural Center, 1121 Tuscaloosa Avenue, W.

SATURDAY…
**MOTHER’S DAY MARKET at Cahaba Brewing Company.

**TEA & CHOCOLATE at Chocolate.

**SPRING FAMILY DAY at ArtPlay.

**EVERY SATURDAY at BIRDSONG FARMERS MARKET, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., 2824 5th Avenue South, at Automatic Seafood.

**WINE DOWN HAPPY HOUR, 4 p.m. – 9 p.m. at Saferoom Lounge Bar.

**EACH AND EVERY SATURDAY HAPPY HOUR, 5-8 p.m. at D’ZIRE with SPECIALS.

**EVERY SATURDAY SOLD OUT – THE SATURDAYS JUMP OFF, 10 p.m. at Onyx of Bham, 615 8th Avenue West.

**BOND AND BEYOND, 7 p.m. at UAB Alys Stephens Center

**BITCOIN BEBOP (ISAIAH SMITH & DAVIS LITTLE) & SAM NORRIS BAND at The Nick.

**TRIBUTE TO FRANKIE BEVERLY AND MAZE WITH DEE BRADLEY at Perfect Note.

**RUN IT BACK SATURDAYS at Platinum of Birmingham.

**DAYSEEKER at Iron City.

SUNDAY… 

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!!!

**MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. with full brunch menu by CHEF HICKS of Infinit Eats and Live entertainment by ABRAHAM THE VOICE at Jazzi’s on 3rd. Seating is limited.

**MOTHER’S DAY 11 a.m. – 2 a.m. Enjoy Mother’s Day and treat your mom to a delicious meal at The Margaret.

**WORSHIP AT THE SIXTH, 9:30 a.m. at Sixth Avenue Baptist Church.

*EVERY SUNDAY – SOUL FOOD SUNDAYS, 1-5 p.m. (Every Sunday) at 1918 Catering, 197 Vulcan Road.

**SUNDAY FUN DAY at DZIRE BAR AND LOUNGE, 4120 3rd Avenue South. Call 205-266-2594 for more.

**SUNDAY FUNDAY for the grown Folks Kickback at Tha Vibe Bar & Lounge.

**EVERY 3rd SUNDAY JAZZ JAM SESSION, 4-8 p.m. at the Ferus on 41st.

**EARL WILLIAMS BAND, 4 p.m. at ELYSIAN GARDENS.

**CITY WIDE PRAYER MEETING, Every 4th Sunday, 4 p.m. for one hour at Birmingham Easonian Baptist Bible College. The Lord’s Supper will be served and hosted by the Knights of Pythias & Court of Calanthe.

**PAGEANT & BLOOD MOON RIOT at The Nick.

**MOTHER’S DAY WITH LOGAN THE ENTERTAINER at the Perfect Note.

**KUBLAI KHAN TX at Iron City.

MONDAY…
**BIRMINGHAM BANDSTAND at the Nick.

**RNB MONDAYS, 10 p.m. at Onyx of Bham, 615 Eighth Avenue West.

TUESDAY…
**KIKSTART at Water Mark in Bessemer, 9 a.m. with Free Food Boxes…until all gone.

**COMPUTER CLASSES AT THE FIVE POINTS WEST LIBRARY every Tuesday and
Thursday.

**DIAPER GIVEAWAY every Tuesday, 10 a.m. at the Titusville Library.

**EVERY TUESDAY SPECIAL TUESDAYS with Food, Drinks Specials at 1918 Catering, 197 Vulcan Road.

**EVERY TUESDAY – TUESDAY NIGHT TRAILS 5:45 p.m. at Red Mountain Park.

**EVERY TUESDAY is SOUL CAFÉ Happy Hour introducing the Soul Café Happy Hour, 5:30-9:30 p.m. with Soul Goodies, Soul Spirits and Soul Music including $5 Titos and Redmont, at The Vault.

**JOSE CARR’S JAZZ JAM, 7:30 p.m. at True Story Brewing Company 5510 Crestwood Blvd.

**CARIBBEAN NIGHTS with Reggae, Caribbean and Island Vibes, 9 p.m. – until… with DJ Serious Mixing and hosted by KJ and MANNY at The Vault, downtown.

**TASTY TUESDAYS at Platinum of Birmingham.

**Birmingham Songwriters Round with Host SUSANNAH SEALES at the Nick.

**GRATEFUL SHRED & CIRCLES AROUND THE SUN at Iron City.

WEDNESDAY…
**INTERFAITH NOONDAY PRAYER SERVICES, every Wednesday, at Linn Park, in Downtown Birmingham.

**WORKOUT WEDNESDAY at Five Points West Library at 10:30 a.m. for chair yoga and other chair exercises.

**WEDNESDAY NIGHT POOL TOURNAMENT AND KARAOKE NIGHT, 5 p.m. at
Carter’s Hookah Lounge and Grill, hosted by Jo Sweetz with the Pool Tournament, at 7 p.m. and Karaoke at 8 p.m.

**EVERY WEDNESDAY, YOU, ME & RNB, 6 p.m. at 2206 Bar & Lounge, 2206 31st Street, with DJ You, Me & Playlist.

**THE CROOKED RUGS AND SPEAK IN WHISPER at The Nick.

**D’ZIRE WEDNESDAYS, EACH AND EVERY WEDNESDAY with Free Mimosas, 8- 10 p.m. with DJ GORGEOUS in the Mix at 4120 Third Avenue South.

**WEDNESDAYS WEEKLY JAZZ JAM, 7- 10 p.m. at True Story Brewing Company, 5510 Crestwood Blvd. Food until 9 p.m., Music until 10 p.m. and Drink until 11 p.m.

**EVERY 4th WEDNESDAY at FACE’S LOUNGE KARAOKE hosted by ARETTA, 6:30 p.m. at 7070 Aaron Aronov Dr. in Fairfield.

NEXT THURSDAY…
**READ THE BIRMINGHAM TIMES. Catch up on the news!

**ALABAMA BLAZIN BINGO, 6 p.m. at Overtime Grill and Bar.

**FILM – 7 p.m. at the Sidewalk Film.

**CAM GIRL, DOMESTICATRIX, KAMIKAZE ZOMBIE at the Nick.

**3RD THURSDAY BLUES JAM, 7 p.m. at True Story Brewing.

NEXT FRIDAY…

**FRIDAY NIGHT WRITES, 8 – 11 p.m. at 7611 1st Avenue North.

**JOE BRANTLEY & THE DAMN RITES W/ GRAHAM HARPER & THE DAMAGED at The Nick.

**FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE WITH R&B DIVA DEIRDRE GADDIS & TONY MCNEAL at Perfect Note.

NEWS TO USE…
**BACKING THE B.A.R. GRANT – NAACP and BACARDI are working together on an NAACP initiative to award grants, education, support and entrepreneurship solutions for minority-owned bars, restaurants, nightclubs, lounges, liquor stores and small businesses in the process of applying for a liquor license. Deadline is May 2024, 6 p.m. Apply at naacp.org.

**GRANTS FOR ARTS PROJECTS: MEDIA ARTS – Interested in receiving grant information, the Second Grants for Arts project deadline Part 1- Submit to Grants.gov is July 11, 11:50 p.m. Eastern time. Part 2 – Submit to Applicant Portal is July 16-23, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Earliest Announcement of Grant Award or Rejection is April 2025. Earliest Start Date for Proposed Project is June 1, 2025. For more information, go to: arts.gov. For questions and help, contact Emma Bartley, bartleye@arts.gov, 202-682-5591 or Avril Claytor, claytora@arts.gov, 202-682-5028.

**NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS (NEA) NATIONAL HERITAGE FELLOWSHIP – The NEA National Heritage Fellowship is the nation’s highest honor in folk and traditional arts. Each year the program recognizes recipients’ artistic excellence, lifetime achievement and contributions to the nation’s traditional arts heritage. The deadline to submit a nomination for the 2025 class of NEA National Heritage Fellows is Tuesday May 28. Go to: Arts.gov for more.

IN MONTGOMERY…

**MONDAY – A DAY WITHOUT CHILD CARE – The Alabama Institute for Social Justice (AISJ) and Alabama Movement for Child Care (TAMCC) will host an event for community change, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. on the Statehouse steps, 600 Dexter Avenue.

IN MAY…
**NEXT SATURDAY – BLUES STAGES CONCERT, 7 p.m. with MICJ KOLASSA.

**CANDYLAND, 2 p.m. at the Carver Theatre with the students of Wykeria’s Dance Studio and Major Performing Arts.

**MAY 24-26 – SYMPHONY IN THE SUMMER at Railroad Park.

**MAY 25 – SEED FEST is a MUSIC FESTIVAL, Saturday, 2-7 p.m., featuring the Grammy Nominated THE WALLS GROUP that will perform at 6 p.m. and with live music and inspiration by Birmingham’s Best Local Artists, food trucks. Free UAB Health Screenings, Free Wills and Power of Attorney. FREE ENTRY. Donate men, women and children clothing on site. It will be in the downtown Birmingham Theater District between Alabama and Lyric Theaters. Bring your lawn chairs.

**MAY 25 – MEN’S DREAM CONFERENCE, 2-4 p.m. at 525 Bradley Road in Gardendale, Alabama, 35071 with DAVID CRAIG, JUSTIN EVANS and ALEX JONES hosted by JAJUAN WIGGINS and AHMAD COLLINS. Call 205 515-0441 for more or email: jajuan_Wiggins@ymail.com.

IN JUNE…
**JUNE 8  – THE MARVEL CITY CARIBBEAN FOOD AND MUSIC FESTIVAL, 11 a.m. at 1623 2nd Avenue North, Bessemer.

**JUNE 10 – YWCA CREW 2024 TEEN ENRICHMENT PROGRAM, June 10 – July 12, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more: FRC@ywcabham.org or 205-949-5550.

FOR BUSINESS LOVERS…
** ENTREPRENEURS & INNOVATORS CONFERENCE is June 20 and 21st at the Tuxedo Ballroom in the Ensley Entertainment District. Registration is $159 before April 19 and $170 afterward until June 18th. The Alabama State Black Chamber of Commerce is the host. To register, and for more, go to www.AlBlackCC.org, OR info@ALBlackCC.org.

FOR GARDEN LOVERS…
AT BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS….

**EVERY FRIDAY – STORYTIME AT THE GARDENS, Every Friday, 10 – 11 a.m. FREE with registration.

**MAY 9 – ORGANIC GARDENING METHODS, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. with William Cureton and his practical approach to gardening and the variety of ways to use compost.

**MAY 14 – HERBAL TEA MAKING, 11 a.m. – Noon in the East Room with Alexis Kimbrough.

**MAY 16 – THE ART OF KOKEDAMA, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. wit h ASTRID JEREZ

**JULY 12 – SUPERHERO TRAINING ACADEMY, July 8 – July 12, 9 a.m. – Noon.

CHURCH HAPPENINGS…
SEE YOU AT THE SIXTH…EVERY SUNDAY!
**EVERY MONDAY MORNING MEDITATION WITH PASTOR CANTELOW, 7:15 a.m. Contact the church at (205) 321-1136 or (205) 321-1137.

**CHILDREN’S CHURCH & COLLISION CHURCH, each First Sunday at 9:30 a.m. for K-5th (Children’s Church), 6-12th (Collision).

**GIFTED CITY CHURCH, Sunday Worship is 10 a.m. at 228 Second Avenue North in the Downtown, City Center. A one-hour service with children’s service and complimentary coffee and tea. For more: info@thegiftpad.org.

COMING SOON…
**OCTOBER 3rd- “AN EVENING OF ICONS with THE COMMODORES, THE POINTER SISTERS & THE SPINNERS” at Mercedes-Benz Amphitheater.

Well, that’s it. Tell you more ‘next’ time. People, Places and Things by Gwen DeRu is a weekly column. Send events, your things of interest and more to my emails: gwenderu@yahoo.com and thelewisgroup@birminghamtimes.com.

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