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Photo by Sarah Finnegan
Community members fill the LJCC library for a Mountain Brook Democrats meeting.
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Photo by Sarah Finnegan
Mountain Brook residents sign up to become members of the newly-formed Mountain Brook Democrats at a community outreach meeting June 25 at the LJCC.
While some people feel like there’s never a good time for political conversations, for Mountain Brook Democrats, now is the right time to talk.
“We really formed … in anticipation of the upcoming midterms. We wanted to make sure everybody has a voice and everybody knows that they’re not alone,” said group chair Kim Fasking.
The organization, Mountain Brook Democrats, was formed by a small group of individuals, including current candidates Felicia Stewart and Alli Summerford, in late May. Together, they created a forum for all who were interested “in driving positive change.”
“The idea just kind of grew from there,” Fasking said. “We each pulled in a couple more people and we planned our kickoff and went from there.”
And the idea was simple, yet grand: affect positive change.
Fasking said the organization was first met with surprise — “The reaction I got most often was, ‘Are there any [Democrats] in Mountain Brook?’” she said — but people have also been responding positively. She deemed their May 20 kickoff party a success, and as part of their aim to help educate voters, they brought in candidates to talk to residents one-on-one.
“We do recognize that we’re likely a minority in Mountain Brook, but, you know, Doug Jones won Mountain Brook and I feel like it’s really important for all of us to kind of work together to affect some real change in our local, state and national governments,” Fasking said. “We’d like to have more Democrats elected, that’s the bottom line.”
The organization recognizes that changes typically start at the local level, she said. All members are active in groups within the community regardless, and Fasking said this is a way to create change outside of those individual groups they’re already a part of.
The Mountain Brook Democrats plan to hold additional community events and monthly meetings, during which they can bring in speakers and candidates.
Fasking said they also want to help Democratic candidates in future elections any way they can — including delivering signs, scheduling events or canvassing — and to work with the surrounding Birmingham community to get residents to register to vote and get more people to the polls.
“First and foremost, we all care deeply about the community,” Fasking said. “We are concerned … about the state of our country, [and] change begins at home.”
She’s also hoping younger voters will become involved in their group and politics in general.
“We have been so inspired by the young people here in Birmingham and across the country standing up and speaking out,” she said. While politics were typically a taboo subject during her childhood, Fasking said she wants to see a continuation of the movement of speaking out that is prevalent now, as well as an understanding amongst those with opposing views.
“I shouldn’t have to be scared for my neighbor to know that I am a Democrat, and the fact that they are a Republican shouldn’t trouble me,” she said. “We should be able to talk about issues and seek common ground with each other.”
Fasking, as well as the other members of Mountain Brook Democrats, want to make this a lasting organization that takes hold in the community, she said. She’s hoping the group evolves with the times and stays involved to help move everyone forward together.
She also wants people to know they’re not “just a bunch of angry liberals.”
“We love our community, just like anybody else,” Fasking said. “We aren’t just oppositional, we aren’t just against anybody, we aren’t just out there to be defeating or contrarian. We are looking to make positive changes.”
To learn more about Mountain Brook Democrats, find them on Facebook or on Twitter @MtnBrookDems.