SPLC's Alabama State Office Launches Advocacy Institute

MONTGOMERY— The Alabama State Office (ALSO), a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), is excited to announce the launch of its Advocacy Institute. Applications for the inaugural training program are being accepted through April 30, 2024.

The program will guide Alabamians in advocating for and advancing issues critical to improving their communities. The curriculum includes lessons on supporting change at the local level, community organizing and connecting participants with the tools, resources and partners needed for success.

“Eradicating poverty, protecting voting rights and democracy, championing criminal justice reform, and ending white nationalism are key issues that affect us all. A lack of knowledge fuels injustice, so citizens must be deliberate when addressing systemic racism and other forms of inequality built into Alabama’s longstanding power structures,” says Tafeni English-Relf, director of the ALSO. “Rebuilding and reclaiming our power starts with understanding the rules of engagement, which informs power building, mobilization and advocacy in our communities."

Up to 15 participants will be selected to meet one weekend each month beginning June 20 and ending in September. Transformative change and collective action will be a consistent theme as students travel to locations across the state to identify and tackle issues. “Urban and rural areas require different levels of engagement and advocacy,” explains English-Relf. “We will equip grassroots leaders to not only address inequities in their communities but think about how they can positively contribute to the success of their fellow citizens.”

Click here to apply to the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Advocacy Institute!