Blog
Public policy should make life better for everyone, not just a select few. Throughout the year, Arise tracks a range of state and federal policy proposals and assesses what they would mean for Alabamians who are struggling to make ends meet. Our blog provides quick updates on these proposals and offers tips on what you can do to help build an Alabama where all people have an opportunity to reach their full potential.
Blog
Here’s what Alabama Arise heard from you in summer 2023!
Alabama Arise listens because we deeply value the input we get from members, partners and most importantly, those directly affected by the work we do together. We depend on what we hear to help guide our issue work and our strategies. We held three statewide online events this summer: two Town Hall Tuesdays and one [...]
Blog
Alabama’s grocery tax reduction now in effect
Alabama has taken an important first step toward untaxing groceries. HB 479 took effect Sept. 1, reducing the state sales tax on groceries from 4% to 3%. The law will reduce the tax by another percentage point as soon as September 2024, as long as Education Trust Fund (ETF) revenues grow by at least 3.5% [...]
Blog
Arise legislative update: Update on Alabama redistricting case
The Alabama redistricting lawsuit continued this week as a federal court struck down the state's congressional map once again. The Legislature approved the map in July after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that the state's original map likely violated the Voting Rights Act. But federal judges this week said the new map still failed to [...]
Blog
An Arise tradition: the member-led agenda
Something interesting is happening in the world of policy organizations. After years of many think tanks working behind the scenes to set their policy agendas with little transparency or buy-in from regular people, many of our peer organizations are now realizing the best policies are those informed by the people closest to the problems. Research [...]
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Arise thrives on its membership
When you give to Alabama Arise, you join as a member. We're grateful for your giving: A significant percentage of our financial support comes from people like you. And we’re especially grateful for your membership. Our members are important to us because, as we often say, people are our power. This month, members are coming [...]
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Medicaid expansion would help working Alabamians
Medicaid expansion is a proven solution to help people join and stay in the workforce, a new report from Community Catalyst spotlights. States that have expanded Medicaid have seen a greater increase in labor force participation among people with incomes below 138% of the poverty line than states – like Alabama – that have not [...]
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Arise legislative update: Recap of Alabama redistricting hearing
The ongoing lawsuit over Alabama's congressional map returned to federal court this week. Arise's Mike Nicholson attended the U.S. District Court's redistricting hearing in Birmingham on Aug. 14. In this video update, Mike provides background on the case, which returned to district court after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Allen v. Milligan. He also [...]
Personal Stories
See the Gap: How Medicaid expansion would benefit stylists – and every Alabamian
Over the last year, Alabama Arise has collected the stories of some of the nearly 10,000 personal care workers who would benefit from Medicaid expansion in our state. We spent months getting to know folks in one of our state’s most vibrant industries. And we want to be sure you see the last few stories [...]
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Arise legislative update: Recap of 2023 redistricting special session
Arise's Akiesha Anderson provides an update after the Alabama Legislature's weeklong special session that focused on redistricting. The special session was in response to the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Allen v. Milligan, which found that Alabama's congressional districts likely violated the Voting Rights Act by diluting the power of Black voters. Akiesha also discusses [...]
Blog
At last: Alabama Arise members celebrate grocery tax reduction
The grocery tax bill passed. After more than three decades of persistent advocacy, Alabama Arise members turned that longstanding vision into reality this year. Every Alabamian will benefit as a result, and the benefits will be greatest for families struggling to make ends meet. This breakthrough highlighted a 2023 regular session during which Arise members [...]