February Meeting Recap & March Events

We had a wonderful conversation with Rev. Dukes last Thursday.  He spoke to us about why we still celebrate Black History Month, and efforts that the Shelby County NAACP will be working on in the coming months.  If you’re interested in getting involved, email Rev. Dukes at revdukes2@hotmail.com, and he will get you the information you need.  For those of you who were unable to make it, MPA Feb 28 Postcard Action is attached – we wrote our state representatives about the gas tax and setting aside funding for the newly established Public Transportation Trust Fund.

In two weeks, there are a couple of events that might be of interest to our membership.  Tuesday, March 12 at 7PM at La Baron Recital Hall, Dr. Melanie Morrison will be speaking at UM as part of the Hallie Farmer Lecture Series.  Dr Morrison is a social justice educator, author and activist, as well as the founder and director of Allies for Change (alliesforchange.org).  Her most recent book is “Murder on Shades Mountain: The Legal Lynching of Willie Peterson and the Struggle for Justice in Jim Crow Birmingham.”

Wednesday March 13 from 6-8 also at La Baron, Dr Morrison will be part of a panel entitled “Confronting Racism in a Divided Nation.”  Some of our Steering Committee members will be serving on the panel as well, so come out to support this endeavor if you are able!

We need volunteers for dinner at the March meeting, which has been changed to March 21 due to Montevallo’s spring break.  If you’re able to bring something, please email Cheryl at cls.patton@gmail.com. Madison Hollon, Montevallo student, co-president of Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity (URGE) and Student Organizer for the Feminist Majority Foundation, will be speaking to us at the March meeting.

Last but not least, the Little Free Pantry outside of St Andrews is in need of donations – please consider dropping off some non-perishables the next time you are heading to the grocery store.

Have a great week!

Montevallo Progressive Alliance Steering Committee