Have Birmingham’s young professionals failed their city?
By Wade KwonYoung professionals were once an afterthought in Birmingham. Residents age 20 to 40 weren’t even a group — they were merely the bar hoppers and the laborers that made life easier on established generations.
Within the last decade, they have become an established brand. YPs have formed civic groups, held social events and candidate forums. But beyond that, this is a group that is worshiped.
In the past 8 months, two awards ceremonies focused on top young professionals. Blueprint Birmingham, the Birmingham Business Alliance’s still-forming economic development plan, singled out YPs for one of its focus groups. Not surprisingly, the alliance’s early report includes attracting and retaining young professionals as one of the area’s top challenges.
In the 2009-10 special mayoral election, several candidates went out of their way to court YPs and include their issues in their platforms, even as YP issues overlap other voters’ concerns.
And yet, we must ask why.
Why are YPs coveted? What have they done for the city in recent years that earns them this adulation?
Comparing 2000 to 2010,
the city is in more dire shape
economically and politically.
To be sure, a few individuals have stood out in service, in leadership and in accomplishment, not unlike the same distinguished handful in every generation. But as a demographic, as a group, as a movement, have YPs lived up to their promise in Birmingham?
Comparing the Birmingham of 2000 and the Birmingham of 2010, the city is in more dire shape economically and politically. The school system continues its long downward slide. City government seems determined to continue its tried-and-true mismanagement and shoulder shrugging.
YPs do not deserve the blame for these persistent issues any more than the yuppies, the natives or the CHUDs.
And amidst the air of doom hanging over the city’s future, a few bright spots still manage to emerge: the grand opening of Railroad Park, the recent push for more thoughtful zoning and development (especially with respect to neighborhoods), the slow growth of downtown life.
Again, YPs do not deserve the credit any more than any other group.
For all the special attention paid to young professionals in Birmingham, it seems rather misplaced. The city still has enormous challenges to overcome, a leadership vacuum and a damaged psyche to boot. The better course would be to develop and follow leaders of any age and background committed to leaving the city better than they found it.
Could YPs yet rise to the occasion and provide some initiative to fix these problems? Of course.
Have they done so? Not at all.
• • •
What’s your take? Have Birmingham’s young professionals lived up to their promise?
Friday, July 9, 2010, 11:49 am
these YP groups are a scam. i went to a mixer at Old Car Heaven for Pavo and everyone just hung out in the VIP section. it seemed more like a meat market than a place where any sort of meaningful interaction was taking place… Well, unless someone got laid.
oh: and SPR (who provided the catering) didn’t get paid.
Friday, July 9, 2010, 11:54 am
I’d say that empowering the existing young professional community was once a major issue. Nowadays, I think part of the issue could be helped by introducing outsiders with new ideas into the fold or getting some who grew up here to come back and help shape the future. This has happened, though not at the rate that many thought or hoped it would.
I also think that because we still have a narrow definition of what a young professional is. There are a lot of young creatives in this city that are holding on through The Great Reset that have incredible ideas; they just don’t feel as though they are being listened to.
Perhaps the YP community needs to stop waiting for permission to step up (at least those that are still waiting) and do. We look elsewhere for solutions and good examples because we’ve been told what’s not here instead of taking that opportunity to bring it to the city.
Maybe that mindset will change and people will stop celebrating our failures and problems, though it doesn’t seem to be happening soon enough.
Friday, July 9, 2010, 1:55 pm
I’m not sure that we’ve seen an authentic, “grassroots” YP movement to date in Birmingham. Instead, we see these attempts to organize young professionals born out of other groups like the BBA and several non-profit boards, all with their own agendas.
These faux groups talk at YPs rather than with them. They love to describe their groups and events as “hip,” a term that was never trendy among our generation. They assume we drive imports, drink martinis, live beyond our means in Homewood and want to be marketed to with ads for products we probably cannot afford.
The whole effort is pathetically transparent, really.
The bulk of Birmingham’s young professionals don’t resemble Sex and the City, though we’re still a valid audience to market to and court. We grew up (and still live) in middle class suburbs. We’re married and have kids. We may have college and graduate degrees, but we’re fighting the same bad economy as everyone else.
How do you get us involved? Start a dialogue. In our language. Be genuinely interested. Listen. Try getting us together with something besides the requisite martini mixer. Let us lead from within, identifying the causes and tactics.
Friday, July 9, 2010, 3:25 pm
Jim: Some YP groups do more than others. I don’t have a problem with the social aspect, I just want more substance.
André: Love your insights. If I’ve read it correctly, YPs need more inclusiveness, better listening skills and more audacity to make a difference.
Ed: It sounds like a good plan you’ve developed. Discuss. Listen. Organize. Lead from within. I’d also add holding on to the passionate ones, let the poseurs play elsewhere.
Friday, July 9, 2010, 3:44 pm
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by bhamterminal. bhamterminal said: @WadeOnTweets asks if #bham's YP community has failed their city; what are your thoughts? | http://bit.ly/a6t0bk […]
Friday, July 9, 2010, 5:59 pm
I had to think twice before starting to write my comments because of why my wife and I left JeffCo 3 years ago in the first place. In a nutshell, we threw in the towel.
We lived all our lives in JeffCo (and Bham) and when we became adults, married, started a family and began to form opinions on what was going on around us, we became increasingly concerned about our surroundings. The political climate was bizarre to put it mildly.
With all the goings on in the city, there was no one listening for voices of change. For fresh perspectives on old cliche’s. For ideas on moving forward.
Birmingham seemed to like sitting in it’s own past.
“Maybe that mindset will change and people will stop celebrating our failures and problems, though it doesn’t seem to be happening soon enough.”
This is what’s happened from being ignored and felt shut out for so many years Andre. Simply put: the citizens don’t expect much else. So they heap sarcasm upon sarcasm whenever something else fails or falls short of expectations.
Sure, there’s a minority that wants change, wants to see B’ham develop into the city it should be. However, I feel there’s a long, long road ahead of us before that day dawns.
Whether this applies to YP’s in general I have no clue. I do believe them to be genuinely interested in what’s going on around them but possibly, they’re tired of being spoken AT instead of spoken TO much like Ed stated above.
I agree with Ed as well on his points of discussion, listening and genuine interest. Without these in place first, I’m afraid it’s another failure in the wings.
I sincerely wish the absolute best for Birmingham and it’s citizens. Wherever the initial push needs to begin from, it needs to begin soon.
Friday, July 9, 2010, 6:05 pm
Ideas are easy and can be accomplished over (even a very strong) martini. Execution is hard.
Saturday, July 10, 2010, 10:24 pm
Scott: Everyone has a point where they can take no more. I know that if I ever have kids, it’ll be time to head beyond the city limits.
I don’t know if it’s a minority or a majority that wants to see better things for Birmingham. I do know that many who want change don’t know where to begin.
Jen: You have a point. Though for many, their ideas stop at “How can exploit this for personal gain?”
Sunday, July 11, 2010, 5:12 am
“I don’t know if it’s a minority or a majority that wants to see better things for Birmingham.”
I really don’t either Wade. It oftentimes feels like a minority though.
“I do know that many who want change don’t know where to begin.”
Actually, a good start is happening right now with the neighborhoods coming together to voice their opinions on the fire station and Chic-fil-a issues. It’s a start and all it takes is a catalyst to get it going. Keeping it going and not losing momentum to apathy or indifference is the real issue I think.
Sunday, July 11, 2010, 9:13 am
I think that ageism has been a problem. Young professionals who really want to do more than socialize are often discouraged by the powers that be. Many of the creative individuals move. Those that stay sacrifice a great deal. I have watched this phenomenon for 20 years.
I have been writing a series of posts about leadership development in Birmingham. I have only published a couple of them.
Sunday, July 11, 2010, 11:31 am
Scott, this is the first time I have checked out your blog. You post some interesting articles. I think an honest debate about the YP involvement in the city is warranted. I took particular interest in this post due to my involvement with several YP organizations. Maybe I can give you an inside perspective of the YP culture as I am the head of the Auburn Young Alumni group in Birmingham as well as sit on the YP Roundtable with the BBA, the one that you spoke of. I can only give you my personal perspective since I have been involved in 2007.
First it should be stated that YP organizations were not originally created to make a change in Birmingham but rather as a social networking device for those in Birmingham. The majority of YP’s who attend the events are single who looking to meet other in the city who are more like them and mostly to help advance the YP’s career. A lot of the organizations are set up to do nothing more than cultivate this environment such as the Birmingham Young Professionals organization.
Once these groups were created we realized that through the power of numbers we can affect change in Birmingham to help give a voice to the Young Professionals. People can say what they want but through the presidential election YP’s realized the power they had when cultivated as shown by Obama. Therefore, in the past we have been working hard to do nothing more than gain a meaningful voice. The city council and those of the past with the Chamber of commerce never seemed to listen to the Young Professionals. The same people always had a say which never created any new involvement and fresh ideas. One could say that is a major reason Birmingham is still behind all other benchmark cities as they moved forward and we stayed the same. Through the BBA, we have finally got a voice and a lot of thanks goes to Dalton Smith for giving that to us.
Currently, on the YP Roundtable we are putting together several focus groups that the heads of each of the YP organizations will be a part of. I don’t know all of groups as I am only going to work with “attracting and retaining college graduates” and “Help move the BBA plan forward”. These groups will finally give Young Professionals the voice that they have been after. Therefore, I respectively ask that you give the YP’s another chance as we finally have a voice, and we plan to use it. Yes, there will still be those events that seem more like a “meat market” as one person put it but just know that the real work is not being done at those events but rather behind the scenes where all real work takes place.
Sunday, July 11, 2010, 5:06 pm
Maybe I’ve become a tad jaded after all these years Phillip. I’ll admit to having a bit of doubt when it comes to any news of improvement in Birmingham. I’ve tended to take it with a grain of salt.
Until recently.
I’ve begun to notice a ground-swell of interest develop in Birmingham. Interest in taking action in people’s neighborhoods, their livelihoods and in city business. I see this as a change for the better. Birmingham needs to get caught up with the rest of it’s sister cities or be left so far behind there will be no way to catch up.
“…I respectively ask that you give the YP’s another chance as we finally have a voice, and we plan to use it…”
I’m all about 2nd chances Phillip. If not, we’d have left the state behind as well. Like I said above, I sincerely wish the best for Birmingham and all it’s citizens. That sentiment will never change.
One other thing too if Wade will allow me: WAR EAGLE!
Monday, July 12, 2010, 12:14 am
I think a lot of it has to do with what Ed Noles was mentioning and a disconnect between Young Professionals (big letters) and young professionals (little letters). The expectation seems to be that the future lies with young people who live over the mountain, wear suits to work, drink at wine bars, and fashionably androgynous first names. And I’m not implying that such people aren’t valuable to city improvement efforts (or that all YPs are of that type). But most of the efforts with which I’ve had any personal involvement have been based on the cooperation of entire communities–young professionals, young families, older retired people, college students–that use their respective resources and perspectives to get things done.
It seems that segregating one certain group to nurture as Birmingham’s hope for the future ignores the fact that some of us can’t really accomplish anything without all of us.
Monday, July 12, 2010, 3:36 pm
I think the problem is that the young professionals who are involved in Birmingham politics advocate for public parks and zoning laws (Railroad Park and the Chick-fil-libuster). That stuff isn’t going to revitalize Birmingham. What built Birmingham, and builds any city? Industry! The best thing Birmingham young professionals could do to help Birmingham is 1) work hard to make our industries profitable so they’ll grow 2) work on repealing lame, illegal occupation taxes and other barriers to entry for businesses considering moving to Birmingham.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010, 11:39 am
What industries would you like to see, Cathy?
Tuesday, July 13, 2010, 12:55 pm
Profitable ones! Haha. Really I’m not picky. I work in internet marketing so I’d like to see more of that. I like the tech industry. Really I’d like to see such a diversity of industry that nearly anyone graduating from a Birmingham high school or college could find work and stay. Do you have any preferences Jim?
Tuesday, July 13, 2010, 2:35 pm
Ed Noles has revealed his wisdom. I enjoy attending those YP functions, where resume building and networking masquerade as civic-mindedness. But suppose you round up 500 or so sincere YPS to rescue B’ham; now what?
They still must work with City Hall and all that it entails.
Suppose a YP new to town visits that building, roams around for a spell, and notices who works there.
Or listens to the language they use.
Suppose the YP observes their actions and words when they function in their respective official capacities.
Once that YP has a basic notion of the cultural and ethical values at City Hall, he or she will trudge back home in despair.
The “creatives” in town that I speak with about community involvement, urban planning, et al.,invariably give the impression that they have never set foot in City Hall.
So I suspect that they are a bit starry-eyed where the Magic City is concerned…until that day when they are not, at which time they move on to better places and things.
I would feel a wee bit sheepish suggesting that they stay.
In fact, if we did not have family here, we would move next Saturday. (How many times have you heard that?)
On the other hand, I do spend a huge amount of energy explaining to visitors and new arrivals all the good things about the area, and not just because that’s sort of a job-related endeavor. I have a pretty good life here, but I feel like I’m doing some special pleading when I attempt to convince twenty and thirty-somethings of that fact.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010, 1:50 pm
I’m loving the discussion on this topic. Wade, thanks for writing such a thought-provoking post.
I think a few folks are doing things right and we can learn from them.
Birmingham Rotaract (http://www.birminghamrotaract.com/) is doing some fantastic work and emphasizing service and social aspects well.
I really like the openness with which Wade started and managed Media of Birmingham. Though not technically a YP group, he invited all comers, even plenty without an official media background. The openness was and is refreshing at a time when everybody’s trying to be exclusive.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010, 4:45 pm
You’re welcome, Ed. Thanks to everyone who has participated in the ongoing discussion. I’ve learned a lot.
Media of Birmingham, for those not familiar, is a networking group founded by several people. It started out as the Young Journalists Club, but we expanded it to reach out to media professionals across town. Expect to see great things from the MOB with the new board.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012, 8:56 am
Young professionals are seen as a barometer of the health of a city b/c they, generally speaking, want to be in places where they feel there is professional/personal/etc opportunity. So at least in that respect, that’s why they are of particular importance.
If I were in the business of cherry picking demographic groups to focus on, it would be families rather than young professionals. The things that continually frustrate Birmingham’s efforts to improve (school quality, perceived safety, urban amenities) are things that young professionals are not particularly sensitive to, but which are immensely important to families.
Of course, these are structural changes in how Birmingham and the region surrounding it operate, so it’s far easier (and preferable) to hold some mixers and perform vanity exercises like the blueprint birmingham project.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012, 2:10 pm
Brad: It appears the metro area has catered more to YPs than to families.
It’s a shame that Blueprint Birmingham resembles a vanity project, since it was intended to be a long-term regional transparent economic development plan of action.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012, 5:08 pm
It’s cool to see this thread circling back around again. The recent Birmingham BOE takeover illustrates just how far the city will need to go to win back families to reside within its borders. Perhaps focusing on YPs is more realistic, though it’s not a sustainable long-term option. The youth will invariably mature and seek quality schools and other amenities that families value.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012, 8:14 pm
From my perspective, many citizens appeared to be OK with “business as usual” at the board, and that the only thing that saved Birmingham from itself was outside intervention.
That’s a common theme throughout the troubled history of the city.