This is an opinion column

In the history of our democracy, we’ve had many challenging periods and swings in our politics. But, the horrific events of January 6, 2021, fundamentally changed our nation in many ways – from the way people of different political persuasions view each other to the notion some now have that violence is an acceptable means to pursue one’s political agenda to the most basic understanding of the rule of law.

But the shocking scenes of the attack on our Capitol, to subvert a national election, also served as a wake-up call. For many, like us, it was clear that for the sake of our democracy and its future, we could no longer remain on the sidelines—our community was ready for change

That is how our organization, Stand Up Mobile, was born. We started by focusing on education and advocacy in the Black community because we saw how damaging the decades of underrepresentation at every level of government has been.

As a result of not having a seat at the table, our concerns and needs have been ignored for far too long. At the local level, too many of our neighborhoods have been abandoned – with streets and sidewalks in disrepair hobbling revitalization. At the state and federal level, little has been done to address the healthcare crisis our state is facing with hospitals closing at record rates and others being overextended.

This chronic disregard has also had a detrimental impact on our cities and state as a whole. This is because when any community is neglected, all our communities are affected. We don’t live in a vacuum. The success and failure of our communities are all intertwined.

While we started with education and engagement to encourage voting as one of the key cornerstones of our democracy, our work has continued to expand as we saw needs. And, it has been nonstop.

We believe voting is not an event, it is a process we must engage in every day. As part of that process, we have held town hall meetings and attended countless community events to share information about registering to vote and helping citizens check their voter registration. We have even started a program where we visit schools to talk about the importance of voting and let students visit our mock voting booth to weigh in on the pressing issue of what kind of cookie is best. Our kids and grandchildren are the future; we believe empowering them to use their voice and express their values will create opportunities and open doors. With year-round civic and community engagement initiatives for all, we are able to build a more informed and empowered citizenry.

We have also worked to increase understanding of government including with the release of: The Power is in Your Hands: Your Guide to Representation, which shares key information on government officials and their responsibilities, election cycles, ways to contact your representatives, information on running for office, and even a glossary of relevant terms.

Our hope is that all citizens regardless of their race, zip code or background will be empowered to have a say in the political, social, and economic institutions that shape their lives.

We have also engaged on behalf of the community on several major issues. On the local level, we worked with other advocates throughout the city to ensure the post-census redistricting of city council seats did not dilute the community’s voice and ensured proper representation.

On the state level, with the League of Women Voters, Southern Poverty Law Center and others we submitted an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court urging them to uphold a federal court’s decision that the Alabama Legislature’s redrawing of the state’s U.S. House of Representatives districts was discriminatory breaking Black residents up to avoid appropriate representation. When the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a new map with real representation, we got right to work educating the residents in affected counties of the new district. Today, for the first time in several generations, there are two Black members of Alabama’s federal delegation.

We have done a lot and had much success, but much work also lies ahead. In the city and county of Mobile, we have upcoming elections for School Board, Mayor, and City Council in August 2025. With so much on the line, we are already working to ensure record breaking participation by local citizens in these upcoming elections.

With the state legislature back in session soon, we will once again be advocating for policies that bring progress to our communities and state and against regressive ones that bring harm.

The fight for real representation in our federal delegation is also not over. Following the election, there is a renewed effort to reshape the newly formed AL CD-2 to once again dilute the power of the state’s Black vote with court dates already set for February.

And, on the national level, we are ready to challenge efforts to take us back instead of moving us forward and address as much as we can the continued proliferation of disinformation and misinformation.

On this fourth anniversary of our organization, and as we enter a new era of politics under the incoming presidential administration, we are recommitting ourselves, and we urge our fellow citizens to also engage whether it be just showing up to vote, writing your representatives or a letter to the editor about an issue you care about, or even running for office. We will be best served when more of us actively participate in our democracy.

So, join us and Stand Up! Learn more at https://standupmobile.org.

Amelia Bacon and Beverly Cooper are co-founders of Stand-Up Mobile.