Category: Uncategorized
The Cottages on Georgia Road: A New Beginning
This groundbreaking was years in the making, and worth the wait.
The vision for these homes began back in 2019. Then came the global pandemic. Plans slowed, costs climbed, and progress came to a halt. But the need for safe, affordable housing in Woodlawn never went away.
When the world opened back up, our team went back to work. Staff members Joe Ayers and Leigh Hancock re-engaged every partner and renegotiated every detail. Their persistence ensured the project stayed alive. And in many ways, the delay brought an unexpected silver lining. With time came new opportunities for support. The City of Birmingham and the Alabama Housing Finance Authority stepped in with additional resources, strengthening the project for the future.
Last week, that persistence paid off. More than 100 neighbors, stakeholders, elected officials, business leaders, and nonprofit partners gathered, some traveling from as far as Huntsville, to witness the groundbreaking at The Cottages on Georgia Road. What could have been just another ceremony became a true community celebration.
“This groundbreaking represents more than the start of construction. It’s the beginning of new possibilities for families in Woodlawn. We are deeply grateful to our partners who share our vision of creating thriving, connected communities.”
— Mashonda S. Taylor, President & CEO, Woodlawn United
This milestone was made possible through the power of partnership. Together with Navigate Affordable Housing Partners, the Alabama Housing Finance Authority, the Housing Authority of the Birmingham District, the City of Birmingham, SouthState Bank, the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, Syms Contractors, Dynamic Civil Solutions, and Cohen Carnaggio Reynolds, we are building toward a vision where every resident has access to safe, affordable housing and a true sense of belonging.
The Cottages are more than buildings. They represent stability for families, opportunity for growth, and a future where Woodlawn continues to thrive. What began as plans on paper is now a living promise, a promise that together, we can create homes that nurture both people and community.
13 Years of Service and a Neighborhood Still Rising
Change doesn’t happen overnight. It happens when people stay committed, remain present, and continue showing up for their community.
At Woodlawn United, we’ve spent the last 15 years walking alongside neighbors, partners, and advocates with a shared vision: to help this community thrive in place. That vision has taken shape not just through plans and programs, but through people. People who serve. People who lead. People who believe.
One of those people is Mashonda Taylor.
Thirteen years ago, Mashonda joined Woodlawn United as an office administrator. Today, she serves as President and CEO. Her steady commitment over the years has helped shape the organization’s growth and deepen its connection to the neighborhood we serve.
“Every step of this journey has been guided by trust, community, and an unwavering belief in the power of place.” — Mashonda TaylorHer exceptional leadership has garnered widespread recognition. In 2023, she was named Non-Profit CEO of the Year by the Birmingham Business Journal. She is also a 2023 Leadership Birmingham Class member, a Class I member of the Alabama Leadership Initiative, a member of the Rotary Club of Birmingham, a 2025 Mosaic Fellow with Mosaic Changemakers, and a charter member of the National Council of Negro Women – Birmingham Chapter.
Her path is just one part of the story, but it reflects the values that have made our progress possible: consistency, humility, and a commitment to the people who make up Woodlawn.
Over a Decade of Steady GrowthOver the last 15 years, we’ve worked together to make long-term, community-rooted progress. Here’s what that progress looks like:
- – Grown service reach from 5,000 to 8,000 residents
- – Increased the partner network from 40 to more than 70 organizations
- – Built and supported community assets including housing, schools, and infrastructure
- – Developed mixed-income housing to expand access to quality, affordable homes
- – Launched more than 20 new businesses, strengthening the local economy
- – Increased homeownership from 18% to 28%, building generational stability
- – Reduced crime by 36% through holistic public safety efforts
- – Created and advanced public policy that reflects community priorities
- – Helped change charter school legislation to give Woodlawn residents enrollment priority
- – Hosted policymakers from across the Southeast to share local strategies
- – Hosted the Purpose Built Communities ® conference in 2016 and 2020
- – Expanded wraparound support across the entire Woodlawn feeder pattern
- – Graduated more than 50 emerging leaders through the WE Lead program
On Saturday, October 4, we’ll gather to celebrate 15 years of Woodlawn United at our signature event, Woodlawn Saturday Supper. This isn’t just a meal. It’s a moment to reflect, reconnect, and honor the people and progress that got us here.
We’ll be back on the block at Woodlawn Street Market with food, music, storytelling, and space for neighbors and partners to come together.
Want to see what makes this event special?
Catch the energy from last year on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBJl6ymRzdP/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
We hope you’ll join us as we celebrate how far we’ve come and look ahead to what’s possible next.
A Legacy That Launched Woodlawn United: In Memory of Tom Cousins
Message to Woodlawn United Board Members and Community on the Passing of Tom Cousins
It is with great sadness that I inform you of the passing of Tom Cousins at the age of ninety-three. Tom was a great friend and mentor. In 1995, he established the East Lake Foundation to revitalize the East Lake neighborhood, one of Atlanta’s most dilapidated communities at the time.
When I retired in 2008, Gillian and I visited Tom and his wife, Ann. Tom explained his holistic model of neighborhood revitalization: an education pipeline from cradle to college and career, mixed-income housing, and wraparound services, all essential components of a vital and vibrant neighborhood. He later created Purpose Built Communities®, inspired by the East Lake model, to help revitalize neighborhoods across the country.
That visit sparked the beginning of what would become Woodlawn United. Gillian and I began planning its creation based on the Purpose Built Communities model. Today, the Woodlawn neighborhood stands alongside nearly thirty others as part of the Purpose Built Communities Network. These communities are now vibrant and thriving thanks to Tom’s vision and passion.
Tom was a unique individual who not only had the foresight to dream of a better future but also the determination and ability to bring those dreams to life.
We will miss Tom dearly and send our deepest condolences to his wife, Ann, and the entire Cousins family.
T. Michael Goodrich, Sr.Founding Chairman, Woodlawn United
Policy in Proximity: What the Southern Legislative Conference Taught Us About Listening, Leading, and Building Stronger Communities
At Woodlawn United, we believe real change starts with presence — listening closely to residents and working together to shape policies that reflect real needs. That belief came to life as we hosted a delegation of lawmakers during this year’s Southern Legislative Conference (SLC), right here in the heart of Woodlawn.
The SLC brought together legislators from across the Southeast to share ideas, learn from one another, and explore the issues impacting the people and places we serve. As one of the selected host sites, Woodlawn United had the opportunity to spotlight the power of place-based work and community-rooted partnerships.
Our President & CEO, Mashonda S. Taylor, moderated a timely and impactful fireside chat on how public policy shapes neighborhoods and quality of life. The panel featured Rep. Leigh Hulsey, Rep. Neil Rafferty, Rep. Kelvin Datcher, and Sen. Robert Stewart — leaders focused on shaping policy through the lens of impact and inclusion.
Together, they explored how policy intersects with daily realities like housing, education, infrastructure, and economic opportunity. Whether in Birmingham or in rural communities across Alabama, the issues may look different — but the core challenges (and the opportunities) are often the same.
Proximity is power. When we’re close to the problems, we can co-create solutions that are effective, sustainable, and rooted in trust. The issues residents bring forward — affordable housing, quality schools, safe streets, reliable transit — aren’t theoretical. They’re real, and they deserve policy grounded in empathy and shared vision.
The Conference reminded us that deep listening matters. Not just to data, but to people. It also created space to build meaningful relationships with legislators who are committed to doing this work alongside communities. Good policy is a team effort. And when residents, elected leaders, and organizations like Woodlawn United move together, real transformation is possible.
We’re thankful to the Southern Legislative Conference for giving us the space to share our story — and even more energized by what’s ahead. When policy and proximity align, lasting change takes root.
Returning to Lead: Why Breakthrough Birmingham and Its Fellows Give Me Hope
From Storefront to Strategy: Building Woodlawn’s Business Ecosystem from Within
The Strength to Lead: Honoring Women Who Build Trust and Inspire Change
Today, we’re celebrating Myeisha Hutchinson for the bold, people-centered leadership she continues to model in the Woodlawn community. Her story is a powerful reminder that leadership doesn’t always begin with a title. It grows through consistency, courage, and connection.
Throughout Women’s History Month, we’ve been honoring the women who helped guide Woodlawn forward—those who shaped its vision, supported its transitions, and built trust that continues to sustain the work. Myeisha’s journey is part of that ongoing story. She reflects what it means to lead from within the community by showing up, listening deeply, and working to bridge generations.
A proud Woodlawn native, Myeisha returned to her childhood neighborhood ready to serve. She began by attending neighborhood meetings, simply wanting to know what was going on. Before long, her commitment and voice led her to become one of the youngest neighborhood leaders in the area.
“You can’t go faster than the trust you build,” she said.
“Leadership grows over time. And it’s always about people.”
She faced skepticism early on, but over time, her presence and persistence earned her the trust of older residents. In return, she learned to challenge her own assumptions about what leadership looks like and how deeply it’s rooted in relationships.
“We all want the same things—quality of life, safety, and a neighborhood that feels like home,” she shared.
“That’s what brings us together.”
She reminds us that community work moves at the speed of trust, not ambition. It’s not about rushing toward solutions, but about walking alongside people—across generations, identities, and experiences—to create change together.
“Your purpose will always put you in proximity to the people you’re meant to serve,” she said.
In a month where we’ve reflected on the women who laid the groundwork for Woodlawn’s transformation, we’re also recognizing those who carry that work forward today. Myeisha represents that spirit. Her leadership helps ensure the path forward is not only strong, but shared.
The Path They Paved: Honoring the Leaders Who Guided Woodlawn Forward
Celebrating Patricia Hoban-Moore during Women’s History Month
Today, we’re honoring Patricia Hoban-Moore for the vital role she played in guiding Woodlawn United through a season of transition and preparing the next generation of leadership.
When Pat stepped in as interim executive director in 2019, Woodlawn United was at a turning point. Rather than bring in big changes, she chose to listen — to the staff, to residents, and to the community’s momentum. With decades of experience at HUD, Pat knew that effective leadership starts with humility and a willingness to meet people where they are.
“If you listen hard to the people in the community, they will tell you what’s in their heart and what their goals and aspirations are,”she said.
“Your job is to respond in a positive but careful way to help articulate their dreams.”
One of Pat’s most meaningful contributions was encouraging and mentoring Mashonda Taylor, now the President and CEO of Woodlawn United. She saw Mashonda’s leadership potential and made it her mission to help her step into that role.
“I told Mashonda, ‘Girl, you’ve got to get your name in there.’
When she went through the process, she was clearly the choice.
It was one of my proudest moments.”
Pat also helped refine the organization’s strategic plan, supported key initiatives like the launch of i3 Academy, and strengthened relationships with residents and local partners. She created space for the team to grow and lead with confidence.
She described Woodlawn as “a microcosm of what you want a community to be, one you can walk through and be proud of.”
And that’s exactly where we find ourselves today: a stronger, more connected Woodlawn, led by those who were empowered, encouraged, and equipped by the leaders who came before them.
The Path They Paved: Honoring the Leaders Who Guided Woodlawn Forward
Celebrating Sally Mackin during Women’s History Month
Today, we are honoring Sally Mackin for her foundational role in co-creating Woodlawn United. As the organization’s founding executive director, Sally helped bring together residents and community partners to build trust, shape a shared vision, and lay the groundwork for the collaborative work that continues today.
At a time when the future of Woodlawn United was still being imagined, Sally stepped in not with answers, but with humility and a commitment to listen. She had spent years in business and finance, but felt called to more purpose-driven work. That calling led her to Purpose Built Communities, and eventually to a meeting with Mike and Gillian Goodrich—where the early seeds of Woodlawn United began to take root.
From the beginning, Sally understood that true change wouldn’t come from top-down planning, but through building relationships—with residents, leaders, and the women who had long shaped the neighborhood. She and the team spent more than two years in conversation with residents before any physical changes began. Those early relationships shaped everything that followed.
Sally was also clear-eyed about the complexity of her role. “I mean, clearly, I’m a white woman coming into a predominantly Black neighborhood saying that we want to change it,” she said. “You boil it down, and that’s what we’re doing. Our hearts were in the right place. We wanted to make the changes that would benefit and uplift the community. We wanted to do it differently than it had been done before. We wanted to include the residents. We wanted to empower the community to do what it wanted to do to better itself. But still, that narrative had been written and implemented so many times, and there was mistrust—rightfully so.”
“Building that trust was the most rewarding and beneficial part of the work because there was no shortcut.”
One of Sally’s greatest contributions was helping unify different organizations under a single, community-centered narrative. “Each group had their own story,” she said. “We came together to write a new one—together.” It was not easy work, but it was necessary. The women of Woodlawn, in particular, were central to shaping that story. Their questions, stories, and expectations helped keep the work grounded.
“The strongest pieces of that tapestry were the women in the community,” Sally shared.
“We’ve lost several of them over the years. But the stories they held and told are what made up that community. Anytime we wanted to do something to uplift or improve the neighborhood, that’s where you went. You go to the women, the leaders in that neighborhood.”
Their wisdom and presence helped guide every decision, and their trust was earned through time and consistency. Sally often described them as the strong fabric you reach for when mending something worn—the durable thread that held the neighborhood together, even in difficult seasons.
Looking back on her leadership, Sally reflected, “It’s a marathon, not a sprint. The work is hard and sometimes lonely, but if you stay committed, it changes you. And it changes everything.”
As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we honor Sally Mackin not just for her role in the beginning, but for how she chose to lead—with openness, deep listening, and a commitment to community voice. The path she helped pave made space for others to lead and for the work to continue forward with care, vision, and unity.