All Resources
Letters & Testimony
To strengthen the common good: Six principles for allocating Alabama’s ARPA funding
Introduction Dear Governor Ivey, One of the darkest years in recent memory has put Alabama’s families, communities, health system, businesses – and our leaders at all levels – to the test. Thank you for all your efforts to keep Alabamians safe and secure during this unprecedented emergency. Now that a post-COVID world is dawning, the [...]
Blog
Voting rights reforms face uphill climb, anti-democratic political sentiments
All Alabamians should be able to exercise the right to vote without facing suppression, administrative hurdles, or manipulation by elected officials. But the infrastructure of democracy in Alabama falls short of that standard. Efforts to protect and expand voting rights for Alabamians in the past session took place amid a national atmosphere of outlandish conspiracy [...]
Blog
Incremental isn’t enough: Alabama’s continued need for criminal justice reform
Alabamians deserve a criminal justice system that treats people fairly when they are accused of crimes, rehabilitates people as quickly as possible and releases people once they’re ready to rejoin the community. But Alabama’s criminal justice system doesn’t meet those standards, and the state’s prisons are dangerous warehouses, not rehabilitation centers. Three inmates were murdered [...]
Blog
Federal relief funds could transform Alabama’s future
How often have we gotten to say that it’s raining money in Alabama? That’s the image that comes to mind as the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), passed in March, begins to direct more than $4 billion in new federal funds into the state over the next three years. The funding could help Alabama make [...]
Blog
The dark road not taken in the 2021 regular session
Predicting actions and outcomes of a legislative session is never an easy bet. When the Alabama Legislature opened its 2021 regular session in February, our crystal ball was even cloudier than usual. Strong currents of anxiety were sweeping the country amid fear and frustration over COVID-19 and precautionary measures, conflicting beliefs about racial justice and [...]
Blog
Arise advances justice in a pandemic session
Advocacy barriers for Alabama Arise members were extraordinarily high during the Legislature’s 2021 regular session. The COVID-19 pandemic limited physical access to the State House and made a difficult policy landscape even rockier. But Arise members were undeterred. They spoke out forcefully and repeatedly for justice and opportunity. And the result was real, meaningful progress [...]
Newsletter
June 2021 newsletter
Arise advances justice in a pandemic session By Chris Sanders, communications director Advocacy barriers for Alabama Arise members were extraordinarily high during the Legislature’s 2021 regular session. The COVID-19 pandemic limited physical access to the State House and made a difficult policy landscape even rockier. But Arise members were undeterred. They spoke out forcefully and [...]
Blog
You’re invited to Arise’s 2021 Town Hall Tuesdays!
Arise’s statewide online summer listening sessions are a chance to hear what’s happening on key state policy issues and share your vision for our 2022 policy agenda. Register now to help identify emerging issues and inform our work to build a better Alabama. We’d love to see you at any or all of these sessions! [...]
Blog
Arise legislative recap: May 27, 2021
Arise's Robyn Hyden recaps the Alabama Legislature's 2021 regular session. She discusses several policy wins that Arise members should celebrate, including the defeat of legislation that would limit the right to protest and passage of a bill to promote equitable access to broadband.
Blog
Arise legislative recap: May 21, 2021
Alabama Arise held a legislative wrap-up event Tuesday night to go over what happened – and what didn't happen – during the Legislature's 2021 regular session, which ended Monday. This is a recording of that wrap-up where Arise staff detail the good and bad from the session – and discuss the next steps to continue [...]