Birmingham is located in the north central region of Alabama and is an important hub within the Deep South, Piedmont and Appalachian regions of the nation. It developed as an industrial center, based on mining, the new iron and steel industry, and rail transport. Birmingham gained national and international attention as a center of activity during the Civil Rights Movement. Today, banking and healthcare are major economic drivers.

Today in Birmingham, 75.4 percent of the population is people of color30. Racial economic gaps are wide and persistent. The median hourly wage for white workers is $20 while people of color only earn $14. Birmingham is facing a serious skills gap. While 37 percent of jobs require some college education, only 23 percent of black residents are prepared to compete for those jobs. In Birmingham, we hosted three focus groups to hear the opinions of non-college-educated black and white residents and college-educated black residents. Learn more by reading the full report.