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Mayor Woodfin announces Rise Up Birmingham paid leadership program, entrepreneurship training and Juneteenth pop-up support
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Summary
Mayor Randall L. Woodfin told the Birmingham City Council on June 17 that the city will launch a five-week paid leadership and violence-prevention program for 50 teens and young adults this summer, plus an adult entrepreneurship initiative and a community practitioner-in-residence program.
Mayor Randall L. Woodfin on June 17 told the Birmingham City Council that the city will launch three summer programs aimed at workforce training and entrepreneurship, and he invited two small-business owners to describe a Juneteenth pop-up that will raise funds for scholarships.
"The Rise Up Birmingham program will be a five-week paid leadership and violence prevention program for 50 teens and young adults," Woodfin said during his report to the council. He described additional programming called "Flipping the Game: From the Hustle to Enterprise" to help adults transition from informal work to sustainable legal businesses, and a community practitioner-in-residence program for grassroots leaders to receive training and engage in field work. Woodfin said the programs will begin this summer and noted a partnership with Miles College on elements of the initiative.
At the start of the mayor’s remarks the council invited Naima Elmore, owner of Alicia's Coffee inside the A.G. Gaston Motel, and Raymond Lassiter, owner and designer at Voltron Printing in Woodlawn, to present a Juneteenth pop-up event they are organizing. Elmore told the council their event aims to support entrepreneurs and college-bound students; Lassiter said sales of printed merchandise will help establish a scholarship fund for creatives and entrepreneurs in Birmingham.
"Imagine equipping teen moms, supporters, and players themselves with screen printing, design skills," Lassiter said, urging the council to support collaborations that pair youth sports, creative training and entrepreneurship.
The mayor also read a proclamation recognizing Cigar Men of Distinction’s decade of community service. Councilor JT Moore and members of the organization were on hand to accept the recognition; the mayor noted the group has awarded 12 scholarships totaling $18,000 to seniors in the Birmingham metro area and described several signature community events the group has held.
Why it matters The announced programs are city-supported workforce and entrepreneurship initiatives that the mayor said will begin this summer and include paid participation for youth. The Juneteenth pop-up and the Cigar Men of Distinction proclamation are civic events the administration highlighted as part of the city’s observance of Juneteenth and local community partnerships.
What the council recorded No formal votes were required to announce the programs. Councilors acknowledged the announcements and accepted the presentations and proclamation by voice vote or unanimous consent where the agenda required formal recognition.
(Reporting from the June 17, 2025 Birmingham City Council meeting.)
