Leadership Alabama

With profound sadness, we shared the news in March of the death of Mr. J. Michael Jenkins IV, a beloved board member, former board chair and co-founder of Leadership Alabama.  In 1989, Mike Jenkins and Bill Smith, chair of Royal Cup Coffee and Tea, shared the vision of creating an organization that would unite people from all backgrounds, professions and perspectives in order to collectively learn about the state’s challenges and opportunities.  By annually convening a diverse group of state leaders, it would enhance the opportunities of creating solutions and initiatives that would foster the continued growth and success of Alabama.  From this partnership and shared passion, Leadership Alabama was born, and Class I launched in Montgomery in 1990. In honor of Mike’s extraordinary leadership, commitment and vision, Leadership Alabama’s board of directors unanimously voted to establish the “J. Michael Jenkins IV Scholarship Fund” by allocating $10,000 from LA’s operating budget to this newly-created line item for the sole purpose of assisting young professionals (ages 25 – 40) participate in our Alabama Leadership Initiative (ALI) program.  Mike was instrumental in the creation of ALI and felt strongly that rising leaders in our state should be able to participate in this transformative program regardless of their ability to pay.  To make a contribution to this account, click the button to securely give online or mail a check to Leadership Alabama at P.O. Box 131394, Birmingham, AL 35213, and note that it is for the Jenkins ALI Scholarship Fund. Jenkins Scholarship Fund Online Giving

 

LACRE

After an August break, we are ready to jump back into our work.  While it looks like we still won’t be able to host statewide town hall meetings for a while longer, we will soon wrap-up our education-focused work with some written submissions related to education funding and plan our next listening session.  All previous zoom sessions, accompanying material, various resource materials and a list of the commission members are included on the Leadership Alabama website. Click underlined links for resources and members.

ALI Class IV

Commencing in November!

As a nation, we are tired, depressed, divided. We yell, we criticize, we label. We languish in silos, with closed minds and deaf ears, while shouting obscenities at those who think differently, act differently, and most definitely ARE different. Compromise is no longer a viable action; it has been replaced by unyielding resistance, skepticism and stoic determination. Yes, as a nation, we are tired.

America, we can do better; we must do better. Alabama, for the sake of all of us, our neighbors and the future of our state, we simply HAVE to do better. We owe it to each other. We owe it to the thousands of individuals who have selflessly served and continue to serve our nation. And, we definitely owe it to those who died on September 11, 2001 and to those who, following the horror and chaos, valiantly volunteered to protect all of us – without any thought to what divides us.

Do you remember how we, as a devastated and wounded country, shelved our many differences and experiences in unity to defend, protect and extol our incredible nation? And now, twenty years later, as we toil through distrust, discourse and a pandemic, we need to stop. We need to remember and honor those who died, volunteered and ran into the abyss to shield us, ALL of us, from the unknown enemy attacking our country. Through all of our many cracks and fusions, they should always be the reason, the symbol, the reminder to all of us to return to decency – to be thankful that we live in a nation without boundaries, restrictions or punishments, even when we are behaving at our worst, even as we address injustices – past and current.

Alabama, proudly wave the American flag on this solemn 20th anniversary of September 11, 2001, and recognize that even though we are flawed, it stands to symbolize all of us – red, white & blue. It continues to wave in spite of our imperfections, and it continues to be a beacon to the world, even when the world isn’t watching. Most importantly, it continues to represent the freedom of thought, expression and action for each one of us, no matter what we think, where we stand or how we behave. May we all recognize its symbolic power of creating unity and loyalty to a common good by remembering those who died simply because they lived and worked in our incredible country, blemishes and all.

September 11, 2021

We Stand Strong

Dr. Henry Panion III, an extraordinary composer, arranger, conductor and educator, was a member of Leadership Alabama’s Class XII, which was in Huntsville at the Redstone Arsenal during the week of the attack. As he recently noted in an email to some fellow classmates, “This week we will see many images and hear many stories from that horrific day.  Thus, I thought I’d re-share my song, “We Stand Strong,” with you.  And, as I laid across my hotel bed on the Friday night of the retreat, watching TV coverage of people walking the streets of New York looking for their lost loved ones, the words and melody of the song just seem to come from nowhere…yet, everywhere.

We invite you to download a high-res copy of the score to the song, as well as the recording of the song by former Birmingham Police Chief Annetta Nunn.

http://www.music.uab.edu/Westandstrong.pdf
https://www.dropbox.com/s/uq2ybasxo2rob5l/02%20-%20We%20Stand%20Strong.mp3?dl=0

Click here to pay online and register!

Dear LA Members,

To those of you who were able to join us for the first LACRE zoom session on primary and secondary education, thank you for joining the conversation. We appreciated your engagement and value your feedback as we plan the second zoom session on education, which will focus on college and career readiness. As the surveys suggested, the upcoming session will include fewer speakers, allowing more time for Q&A and active engagement. Additionally, all of the presentations will be “live,” and we are honored that the following leaders will be sharing time with us –

• Dr. Jim Purcell                 Alabama Commission on Higher Education
• Dr. Jeremiah Newell     ACCEL Day and Evening Academy (Mobile)
• Ms. Tammy Dunn            A+ College Ready
• Dr. Lee Meadows            The Alabama STEM Council

Please mark your calendars for Friday, April 16, at 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Attendance is free, and if you can’t join us for the entire time, you are welcome to join us as your schedule permits.  If you plan to attend, please click the registration button below to complete the quick and easy registration form.  The Zoom meeting information will be sent within the next week or so.

Register here!

With profound sadness, Leadership Alabama shares the news of the death of Mr. J. Michael Jenkins IV, a beloved board member, former board chair and co-founder of Leadership Alabama. In 1989, Mike Jenkins and Bill Smith, Chairman of Royal Cup Coffee and Tea, shared the vision of creating an organization that would unite people from all backgrounds, professions and perspectives in order to collectively learn about our state’s challenges and opportunities. By annually convening a diverse group of state leaders, it would enhance the opportunities of creating solutions and initiatives that would foster the continued growth and success of Alabama. From this partnership and shared passion, Leadership Alabama was born. Class I launched in Montgomery in 1990, and this fall, Class XXXI will do the same. Since its beginning, approximately 1,700 leaders have participated in the LA program. As we fondly remember Mike, let us all offer heartfelt gratitude for him and Bill for their leadership and commitment to our beloved state.

J. Mike Jenkins IV 

David Nast Board Chair

Kate Cotton Executive Director

2020 – LACRE Commission Members

• 2020-2021 Gold Circle Donors
• 2020-2021 Dues Invoice
• Click to pay 2020-2021 Dues & Contribution Online