I’m Carey Fountain, your new Director of Programs and Partnerships. With a deep-rooted passion for arts administration and community engagement, my journey has been richly shaped by my experiences in Selma, especially during my tenure as Programming Director Intern at ArtsRevive. My work at the Birmingham Museum of Art and initiatives like The Black Cherry Tree Project have honed my skills in creating impactful programs that resonate with community values and historical significance.
I’m thrilled to return to Selma and contribute to preserving its vital civil rights legacy while fostering economic and cultural revitalization. I’m eager to meet all of you and work together to continue the fight for social justice. Please feel free to reach out and say hello at carey@footsoldierspark.org.
Looking forward to making a meaningful difference together!
We were two rounds in on our Community Visioning Sessions when we gathered again in March. During the latest session, the design team presented their initial concept sketches, incorporating the FSP planning and ideas from residents who had participated in previous sessions.
To facilitate interactive discussion, the campus design was segmented into four distinct areas within the meeting space, allowing attendees to circulate, engage with the designers, and offer their feedback and modifications.
Many were pleased to see their proposals from prior sessions come to life in the plans, including ideas for a social media hub, green spaces with trees, casual hangout spots, study areas, a memorial space, a children’s playground, and accessibility for individuals with special needs.
FSP CEO, Kimberly Smitherman, expressed her gratitude towards the community members for their active involvement and contributions. The meeting was a thorough discussion of the visual and functional aspects of the design, including aesthetics, greenery, and the practicality of the layout.
By addressing questions about everything from furniture and texture to spacing and landscaping, the FSP team is committed to realizing a vision that encapsulates the best for Selma residents and visitors.
The gap between white and nonwhite voter turnout has grown steadily since the Supreme Court gutted Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) in its 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision, a new report has found. Section 5 required nine mostly Southern states with a history of racially discriminatory voting policies to obtain federal approval before making changes to their voting laws and processes. The report, which examines the impact of the dismantling of Section 5, found that the gap in voter turnout is growing fastest in states formerly covered by Section 5 – and between white and Black voters in those areas.
On the same day that the Supreme Court announced its Shelby decision, Texas passed a discriminatory voter ID law that had previously been blocked by the federal government. Similar laws designed to disenfranchise Black voters were quickly passed by Alabama, Mississippi and North Carolina.
In the 2022 midterm elections, the gap between white and nonwhite voters reached 18 percent – representing nearly 14 million uncast ballots from voters of color that year.
Read the report: Brennan Center for Justice: Growing Racial Disparities in Voter Turnout, 2008–2022
March has been a busy month for the FSP National Youth Advisory Board (YAB). Take a look at their activities as they strategically move into Phase II of their action plan which focuses on social injustice and advocacy.
YAB took this time as an opportunity to hone in on their Y.O.U.R.S. initiative. Started by Ms. Bland, YOURS stands for You Owning Up (to your) Responsibilities (to the) System. YAB members served as onsite facilitators focused on getting unregistered and eligible 18-year-olds hyped about participating in the voting process. They also took part in a mock trial that dealt with real social injustice issues and other activities during the 59th anniversary of the commemoration of Bloody Sunday and the march from Selma to Montgomery.
Civic education and engagement are requirements for YAB. Members fulfilled this obligation recently by participating in full-day hosted events at the University of Alabama Law School and the State Capitol. They tackled real issues related to social injustices and voter suppression. In addition, YAB had the awesome opportunity to interact with original foot soldiers who participated in the 1965 movement that made history.
Back to Selma, YAB jumped in to support FSP’s 3rd-anniversary activities. In five days, the group added the following accomplishments to their growing list:
- Completed a service project painting a shelter for homeless citizens
- Traveled to two cities for professional development
- Hosted a parent welcome reception
- Facilitated a panel discussion with the Alabama Conference of Black Mayors
- Sat in a courtroom and defense, prosecution, and jury
- Marched in the annual Jubilee parade
- Greeted attendees at the Excellence Brunch of Salute Selma
- Marched in the Annual Bridge Crossing and remembrance of Bloody Sunday
This deserves applause, appreciation, and support. Kudos to our YAB for showing up and showing out! Your financial support helps us keep the dream alive for YAB!
Congresswoman Terri Sewell invited Foot Soldiers Park Founder and COO, Jo Ann Bland to join other distinguished guests on March 7, watching the President of the United States deliver the State of the Union address live from the U.S. Capitol Building!
It was an honor well deserved as Ms. Bland has dedicated much of her life from childhood to now fighting for civil rights. Ms. Bland’s presence at the event serves as a poignant reminder of the continued importance of grassroots movements in shaping the nation’s political discourse.
We believe Dr. King would be proud to see how this generation of youth is engaged and involved.
The National Youth Advisory Board made service a priority this MLK Day. Members volunteered their time at the 31st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Breakfast sponsored by the Selma Chapter of The Links Incorporated. The annual event commemorates the life of Dr. King and raises funds to support youth scholarships for local YAB students. This year’s breakfast, themed Black KARE, focused on kidney awareness, resources, and education.
Youth Advisory Board members served breakfast and helped prepare the event for attendees. Members received several invitations including:
- A visit to the University of Alabama School of Law by Professor Bryan Fair, JD
- A sit-in on court trials from DA Robert Turner, Jr.
- A trip to the Selma City Council Chambers by President Billy Young, who is also the Assistant Attorney General
- A reminder of a pending tour of The Hill in Montgomery by Senator Robert Stewart
Kudos to the up and coming generation of foot soldiers who are moving the needle from being the next generation to be generation now!
