On Monday, Alabama Arise and Alabama Values announced a new four-part advocacy training program, Think Big Alabama: Empowering Voices for Change. 

It will run from July 13 to Aug. 24, aiming to empower underrepresented and underserved communities across the state, and 20 participants with essential skills in media, public policy and grassroots organizing will be selected.

Chosen participants will begin with a foundation into the intersection of media, policy, and grassroots organizing marking a crucial starting point for the Think Big Alabama program. Through virtual and in-person classes, participants can develop a holistic approach to advocacy and community engagement by understanding how these elements influence one another.

By the end of the program, participants will finalize action plans addressing local or statewide issues. These skills will go beyond this project and will instill engagement strategies for future community impact.

Both Alabama Arise and Alabama Values are versed in policy advocacy and hope to combine their areas of expertise in this new endeavor.

“Through this collaboration, we are demystifying the legislative process and providing essential advocacy skills to people who want to improve their communities’ well-being and make Alabama a better, more inclusive place for everyone,” wrote Presdelane Harris, organizing director of Alabama Arise.

Alabama Arise will provide its policy advocacy and grassroots organizing knowledge, equipping participants with practical tools to navigate the legislative landscape. Alabama Values will contribute its expertise in narratives for social change, aiding participants in crafting stories that motivate action.

“Think Big Alabama is more than a training program; it’s a movement to empower marginalized communities and amplify their voices in public policy debates,” wrote Anneshia Hardy, executive director of Alabama Values.

 Collaboratively, these organizations aim to foster a dynamic and supportive learning environment, empowering participants to inspire change in their communities. This initiative reflects both organizations’ dedication to growing ideological influence and promoting equal opportunities for all.

Providing knowledge, skills and tools to address impactful issues is necessary to empower communities. By transforming the discoveries of the Think Big learning community into actionable steps, Alabamians can become active participants in shaping policies. 

The Think Big learning community launched in 2022. The group consists of over 1,000 members focused on platforming communicators and their strategies at varying levels of communities to tackle challenges nationwide.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) – After leading Bob Jones to a 7A State Baseball Championship, standout Braden Booth was honored as the Gatorade Alabama Baseball Player of the Year.

Booth recorded 13 wins as a pitcher for the Patriots, and also batted .429 at the plate. He also recorded 10 Home Runs, and 49 RBI’s

Bob Jones finished 44-9 and won the school’s first ever State Baseball Championship over Central-Phoenix City.

Booth will attend Mississippi State to continue his baseball career.

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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — It was the greatest run in college football history, and the dynasties of dynasties.

When Nick Saban left the Miami Dolphins for the University of Alabama football program in 2007, his critics and detractors didn’t hold back. They questioned the declaration that he wanted to be a college coach, predicted his stay with the Crimson Tide would be brief, and waited for the day they could say “I told you so.”

It never happened. During his just second year, Saban’s new program was in the SEC Championship Game. A year later it won the national championship, the first of six during the magical era, giving the coach the all-time lead with seven.

But that was only the beginning. Consider a sampling of what his players accomplished:

• 133 players selected in the NFL draft, including a record 44 in the first round. For 16 straight years, the Crimson Tide had at least one player selected in the first round, topping the remarkable string set by Miami (1995-2008).

• 46 selections as consensus first-team All-Americans, by 41 different players. The 41 along would tie for the 17thmost by any program in NCAA history.

• 109 first-team All-SEC selections, with another 68 second-team honors, 175 total over 17 seasons. That’s nearly half of the starters of given team for an average.

We could sit here and tell you that from 2008, until this last season when overtime was needed to eliminate the Crimson Tide in the College Football Playoff, Alabama was ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press Poll at some point of every season — 15 years. Previously, the longest streak was seven years (Miami, 1986-92).

However, Saban’s greatest asset, on top of being a game-planner, decision-making and maybe the best recruiter of all-time, was as a teacher. To truly put a cap on what the coach accomplished, we’ve gone back and updated our list of the top 100 Crimson Tide players during his era, initially composed in 2020. Only now it’s 250 players, which will be released as a series prior to SEC Media Days in July.

We knew with the Saban Top 100, it was anything but the final word. That subsequent season, DeVonta Smith won the program’s third Heisman Trophy, Mac Jones posted the strongest single-season passing numbers in program history, and Najee Harris was on his way to becoming Alabama’s all-time rushing king.

But now Saban has coached his last game, so at least the active body of work is completed. It’s time to go back and re-rank the players. This time, we’re listing the top 200 in order: 95 offensive and defensive players, plus 10 on special teams.

Circling back to those draft, All-American and all-conference numbers, they’re a very strong indication of where the cutoff line was drawn.

Here’s how the rankings were composed:

As for the final 50, the first three days of the series will be a sort of “players to remember” section, with statistics often taking a back seat in importance. It includes those who made significant contributions in a variety of ways, plus some fan favorites. There will be 20 offensive and defensive players, along with 10 from special teams.

The initial version of this project began with: ”Those reading this entire series will probably have the same reaction over and over again …‘That guy should be higher up on the list.’ And the person will be correct, nearly every time.”

That’s the point. Enjoy, and have fun both reminiscing and debating.

The Saban Legacy: By the numbers

Tomorrow: 20 Defensive Players Not to Forget …