Returning to Lead: Why Breakthrough Birmingham and Its Fellows Give Me Hope
Last night, I received a message from Mariohn Michel, Executive Director of Breakthrough Birmingham. She invited me to join her and the summer fellows for a visit to Equal Justice Initiative and its National Monument to Freedom. At first, I wasn’t sure I would make it. My schedule has been full, and the morning was creeping in fast. But I had given my word—and I believe in honoring my word. So this morning, I got myself together, cleared my mind, and joined them.
And I’m so glad I did.
Every summer, Mariohn leads an incredible program that brings college students—freshmen through seniors—from across the country to Birmingham. These fellows serve as mentors and teachers to rising seventh, eighth, and ninth graders, helping them avoid the all-too-common summer learning loss. Some of these fellows are from places like DC or Chicago, but many are products of our own Birmingham City Schools. They’ve left for college, but there’s something about this program, about this city, that draws them back.
I had the opportunity to sit next to Brielle on the bus. A proud graduate of Ramsay High School (go Rams!) and now a political science major at American University, she represents the best of what’s possible when our students are nurtured and supported. As we talked, she asked whether she should consider a dual degree or minor in economics. Without hesitation, I said yes.
I shared with her my belief that to shape a better future, especially for Black and Brown communities, we need to prioritize four things: people, place, policies, and economics. Too often, we’ve been left out of the rooms where decisions about business ownership, generational wealth, and homeownership are made. If we’re going to shift that, we need more leaders who understand how those systems work—and who are willing to disrupt them for good.
As our conversation continued, I told her about my recent visit to Harvard and our discussions on walkable cities. Her eyes lit up—she’d already been researching walkable cities on her own time. She talked about what she loved about DC: the walkability, the access to culture, the freedom to move and connect. When I asked what it would take for her to return to Birmingham after college, she said, “That’s a loaded question.” I didn’t need the answer right then. What mattered was planting the seed.
Because rebuilding communities doesn’t just happen from the top down—it’s co-curated. It’s shaped by people who left and are willing to return. But we have to ask: what are we bringing them back to?
Throughout the day, I also met two young women from Jamaica and Nigeria, both students at Talladega College. They came to the U.S. because they wanted an HBCU experience—and they chose Alabama to find it. Their global perspectives add such depth to our local conversations, reminding me that leadership doesn’t always start at home, but it often finds its way there.
After walking through the Sculpture Park, Mariohn gathered us in a circle and asked each person to share a word or phrase that captured what they were feeling. No repeats. The words filled the air: legacy, seen, powerful, inspired. And standing in the middle of that circle, I realized—these young people are not just learning to lead. They are leading.
So today, I want to say thank you.
Thank you to Mariohn Michel for your leadership, vision, and commitment to nurturing the next generation.
Thank you to Breakthrough Birmingham for creating a space where students don’t just return—they rise.
And thank you to the fellows. Your brilliance, your questions, your courage to come back home (or make this place your own) gives me so much hope.
The future isn’t waiting—it’s already in motion. And it looks a lot like the bus ride I took today: full of passion, promise, and purpose.
This year’s dinner had an extra special touch, thanks to our partnership with REACH, a local event planning business. It all started with a conversation at last year’s dinner when I saw Greg Cole volunteering and said, “Next year, I want you to plan this.” What began as a casual comment became something real. As spring approached, Greg and I talked about his new business, REACH, and how I envisioned them leading the event. For years, my team at Woodlawn United managed the planning, but this time I wanted to step back and give a new local business the opportunity to take charge.
Greg, a proud WE Lead graduate, and his business partner, Brittany Hollis, took on the challenge with creativity and care, bringing their unique touches to make WSD even more special. It wasn’t until the day of the dinner that I fully realized what it meant—this was REACH’s first official event as a company, and I couldn’t have been prouder. By giving them the reins, we provided a platform for a local business to grow, while keeping the economic impact of the event within our own community. Their success is Woodlawn’s success—a true reflection of what’s possible when we support one another.
A huge thank you goes out to all those who made the evening possible.
Bayles Catering and Restaurant, Dirty Red Food Truck, Naughty But Nice Kettle Corn, and our beverage partners, Jazz on 55th and Redmont Vodka, ensured the night was filled with incredible food and drinks that brought our gathering to life. We’re also grateful to Sherri Brown and DJ Rahdu for providing the uplifting live music that set the perfect tone for the evening, and to the Woodlawn Theatre for their invaluable support in helping make the event a success.
Woodlawn Sunday Dinner may happen just once a year, but its impact reaches far beyond that day. It sparks community projects, supports local businesses, and inspires more residents to engage in neighborhood initiatives. Though the dinner lasts only a few hours, the pride and connection it fosters continue throughout the year.
The success of WSD reflects the power of community, and with the support of our donors, we’ll keep building on this tradition. I’m also deeply grateful to Greg and Brittany for bringing this vision to life with such care. Their work made this year’s WSD a success, and I’m filled with optimism for what we’ll achieve together in the years to come. Here in Woodlawn, we’re not just building events—we’re building a place, one Sunday dinner at a time.