Birmingham ranks among best at sharing its growth but doesn’t have enough growth to share: op-ed
Real change takes decades. But five years in, we’ve made progress.
Mason Reed 
This is a guest opinion column provided for 205focus.com.
Five years ago, Birmingham’s leadership took a hard look at the region’s trajectory and saw a stalling economy that left too many people behind. They made a bold bet: Birmingham didn't have to choose between economic growth and inclusive prosperity. They believed the two were fundamentally linked.
Tracking Five Years of Progress
The goal was to build a future where a child's potential wasn't dictated by their neighborhood. Today, those kindergartners are heading into middle school, and the vision is becoming reality. The city now features a bus rapid transit line, while the Birmingham Promise scholarship has already invested $11 million in tuition for over 1,600 graduates. Furthermore, school performance is climbing, with failing schools reduced from 15 to just one over the last three years.
Where the Rankings Stand
The effort has moved the needle on inclusion. Brookings’ Metro Monitor ranks Birmingham No. 10 among its peers for overall inclusion and No. 7 for racial inclusion. The region also ranks No. 6 in the speed at which the racial poverty gap is closing.
However, the picture is complex. As costs rise, many families are struggling to reach true self-sufficiency. Two in five city children still live below the poverty line, highlighting that a ranking does not replace the immediate need for stable housing and quality jobs.
The Growth Challenge
Birmingham still trails in overall prosperity, ranking No. 36 and No. 38 among peers, and sits at No. 43 in job growth for young firms. The focus has shifted toward building a stronger support infrastructure. Groups like Harmony Venture Labs, gener8tor Alabama, the Alabama Venture Club, and Innovate Alabama—backed by $125 million—are now working to bridge that gap.
Real change takes time, but momentum is building. Federal Recompete funding and a $50 million HUD Choice Neighborhoods grant are currently pouring into North Birmingham, Northside, Pratt, and Smithfield. Success stories like Sarah Granderson—a Ramsay High graduate who used the Birmingham Promise to launch her career in government—prove that the strategy is working.
As we look toward 2034, when the current middle school class graduates, the work continues to ensure that the talent inherent in our region finally thrives alongside the growth we are fighting to create.
About the Authors
J.W. Carpenter began his tenure as the inaugural president of Prosper in February 2021. He previously led the Birmingham Education Foundation and served as the inaugural executive director of Teach For America-Alabama.
Emily Jerkins Hall, CEcD, is the founder and principal consultant of Bloom Economy Labs. She is one of only a handful of Certified Economic Developers in Alabama and has been recognized as one of North America’s top 50 economic developers.
