Welcome New Board Members

January 25, 10 • By: Lee Corte

The following individuals will represent the organization and its mission in 2010: Lee Corte Chair Deloitte and Touche, LLP Patricia Mattison Craft Immediate Past Chair Ronald McDonald House Charities of Alabama Caprenia Anthony Vice Chair WAVE, Inc. Laura Saliba Treasurer Zoe's Kitchen Rebecca Beers Secretary Haskell Slaughter Young & Rediker, LLC Keri Till Membership Development Chair ProEquities Inc. Audrey Pannell PR Chair Wilbanks Agency Elite Public Relations & Marketing Danae Boyd Graphics/IT Chair Design Display,... [+] More

2010 Catalyst Board Member Recruitment

October 27, 09 • By: Patricia Mattison Craft

The time for talk is over. It’s fun to talk about how to make Birmingham a better place to live. It’s thrilling to actually do it. Catalyst is a place to take your dreams and figure out how to turn them into reality with the support of an entire board. Just in the past 2 years, our board members dreamt of having local government be more responsive to our generation’s concerns. So we launched Kids Got the Vote, a peer-to-peer voter registration and education drive. We wished to get inside the heads of female elected officials, and instigated that conversation in the form of 9 Minute... [+] More

Catalyst TV- Know Your Vote with Green Third Thursday

August 23, 09 • By: Gail Harper Yeilding

Check out the candidates for City Council speaking about education, sustainability and Birmingham's most pressing issues. Great event! Thanks to the candidates, Rogue Tavern, and all that attended! http://catalysttv.blip.tv

Community Farm Table at Little Savannah

August 23, 09 • By: Gail Harper Yeilding

Imagine sitting in a Paris cafe at a long white table decorated with beautiful, fresh produce. Enter devastatingly handsome servers and the best hosts in town with the hottest love affair going. Consider arriving at a table of people from all walks of life after arriving or returning to a new city with unsurpassed charm and enchantment. Now imagine sitting at a table next to the person who grew the vegetables you are eating, passing this food family style with the owners of the restaurant and other new members of the community you may or may not have known otherwise. Sound... [+] More

Witness- See it, Film it, Change it

August 23, 09 • By: Gail Harper Yeilding

Witness is an organization that uses film as a means for social justice and change. They have a good amount of film on many causes throughout the world. One extremely moving is called "Hear Us" which calls us to stand with the women from Zimbabwe against sexual violence. Their website is http://www.witness.org. Another group that is doing great work against human trafficking here in Birmingham is called Rescue and Restore Alabama. Take a trip to probation services with Sara Jana Camacho and Laura Mitchell who have spearheaded this non-profit coalition and you will see the... [+] More

Birmingham Development needs to take a spin (by Jimmy Stout)

August 3, 09 • By: Crispin Piazza

Suburbs are ceding their market share of the American dream, and it seems folks are moving back to town. In Birmingham, moving back means to downtown and surrounding neighborhoods. Why? Young professionals are taken with the idea of being closer to work. Empty-nesters don't need the mini-ranch anymore. Both are enamored with the increasing array of cultural opportunities that come with city life. More development is in the pipeline also. Multiple private and public building projects such as CityVille Block 121, the hospital district expansions, an indoor rock-climbing gym and the... [+] More

"The Run of my Life"

May 20, 09 • By: Gail Harper Yeilding

At the permission of Tre'darius Ratcliff I would like for you to read his story about walking home from lacrosse practice at Crestwood Field. 4/24/09, Tre'darius Ratcliffe It was late at night and we were walking. It was Jarvis, Damon, Troy and me. We were coming across the train tracks and Jarvis was listening to music. Damon had a lacrosse stick and I think Jarvis was trying to argue with me about which way to go. Damon, Troy and I went one way and Jarvis went one way. Then we met out on the tracks and Jarvis still had the MP3 player, singing. We saw a truck... [+] More

Education first!

May 19, 09 • By: Patricia Mattison

It all starts with education. Catalyst supports young professional’s involvement in the Birmingham City Schools Superintendent Search Community Conversations. Get involved and help keep the conversations going. Times and places for the conversations are as follows: May 9 10:00 am Bethel Baptist Church 3200 28th Ave. N. B’ham, 35203 May 11 6:30 pm 5 Points West Library 4812 Ave. W. Ensley, 35208 May 12 6:30 pm Birmingham Chamber of Commerce 505 20th St. N B’ham, 35203 May 18 6:00 pm Huffman High School 517 Huffman Rd. B’ham, 35215 May 21 6:00 pm Woodlawn High... [+] More

Nine-Minute-Networking

April 1, 09 • By: Rebecca Schiffman

“While women have made inroads to the once almost all-male world of elective office in Alabama, a survey late last year showed Alabama with the fourth-lowest percentage of women legislators among the 50 states. That survey, performed by the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University, showed only South Carolina, Kentucky and Oklahoma with lower percentages of women in their legislatures than Alabama.” In order to highlight local female elected officials who are inspiring change in their communities and inspiring Alabama’s future leaders, Catalyst for Birmingham is hosting... [+] More

My Green Birmingham.com

March 31, 09 • By: Crispin Piazza

Birmingham's only green living website recently launched to open the city up to everything green! My Green Birmingham.com is the local guide to green living and is dedicated to promoting lifestyles that are sustainable and eco-savvy! Check out My Green Birmingham.com to read the latest articles and news on green living and search the Green Guide to connect with local environmentally friendly businesses. My Green Birmingham.com will also have regularly posted quick tips throughout the website to help you green your life, and will feature a free giveaway every month! Local events can... [+] More

Petition for Conscious Evolution

March 6, 09 • By: Gail Harper Yeilding

A petition to sign in support of CONSCIOUS EVOLUTION! INSPIRING!!!... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/248704259 Obama Administration Requests Info on Planetary Challenges Sat Feb 7, 2009 1:04 pm (PST) The Obama Administration has asked the "Evolutionary Leaders" to communicate about what is transpiring on the planet, and how we can change the course of the unprecedented events that are challenging this planet. This is a window of opportunity that must be... [+] More

Why should I become a dues paying member of Catalyst?

February 6, 09 • By: Patricia Mattison

5. Our Kids Got the Vote voter participation campaign brought nearly 500 new voters into the system. 4. We helped engaged young people in the Yes We Can! Birmingham campaign to create a new vision for the Birmingham city schools. 3. Green Third Thursdays features cutting edge guest speakers, free food and interesting conversations. Did we mention free food? 2. Our diverse membership. Just look around the room. 1. Because it's hip to be civic.