Don’t be surprised that people love Birmingham

This is an opinion column

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Today’s guest columnist is Michael Sznajderman.

Hello Birmingham. Why do we have such low self-esteem?

Yes, we have a dark history.

Yes, our steamy summers can be tried.

And yes, we have some difficult problems that are not easy to solve.

i could go on.

But our chronic insecurity – the discomfort we display when we try to say Birmingham is a pretty phenomenal city – may be our city’s most troubling problem.

Because if you ask first time visitors to Birmingham what They Think about it, they’ll tell you this is a pretty cool place. Just maybe, we could learn something from them.

Last month we got a huge dose of Birmingham love from thousands of foreigners who came to our city – many of whom had never been here before.

They came for 2024 Main Street Now conference – an annual gathering of community planners and designers, architects and others dedicated to revitalizing cities and neighborhoods of all sizes across the United States. The conference was hosted by Main Street Alabamacoordinating program for Main Street communities across our state.

Main Street Now usually picks cities much larger than Birmingham. Last year, they were in Boston; next year, it’s Philadelphia.

And yet, Main Streeters flocked to Birmingham in force, breaking attendance records.

Main Streeters packed a ton into their four days here. Beyond the more than 140 educational sessions at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex and the Alabama Theater, there were “mobile workshops” (field trips) to youth communities in central Alabama, as well as bus and walking tours of downtown Birmingham, led by experts, Woodlawn, the city’s historic churches, Sloss Furnaces and Vulcan Park and Museum.

I have had the privilege of volunteering at some of the Main Street Now events. I met people from small towns in Utah and Colorado and Maine and Montana. I also talked to people in big cities like Atlanta and Milwaukee, Detroit and Miami. For one, they were in awe of our city and state and the innovative ways that cities as diverse as Montgomery and Jasper, Wetumpka and Gadsden are redeveloping and enhancing some of their unique and authentic spaces and places.

In terms of how they felt about Birmingham, those we spoke to for the first time were blown away by our community’s natural beauty, its architecture, its cultural and historic attractions, its expanding parks and greenways, its amazing food and dining options. cool night They really had no idea.

They had a great time and were absolutely charmed by our warmth and hospitality. And, they said, they want to go back.

Again, I’m not saying that Birmingham and other cities and towns in Alabama — and our state — don’t have challenges. We have a lot of difficult, unsolved problems.

But these visitors reaffirmed to me how Birmingham can amaze the outsider, in a good way. And how our city and state can impress even the most jaded big-city dweller or world traveler. All we have to do is bring them here.

Last year, the reaction of the newcomers was the same when National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) brought their annual conference to Birmingham. Like Main Street Now, NABJ usually descends on much larger cities. They chose Birmingham in 2023 because it was the 60th anniversary of the human rights campaign that took place here and changed the world for the better. That conference also broke the organization’s attendance record.

Next year, the Birmingham area will host World Police and Fire Games, which will attract more than 8,500 athletes from more than 70 countries, plus thousands more who want to root for their friends and loved ones competing at the games. This global event is even bigger than World Games which took place in the city in 2022.

I love how all these people find their way to Birmingham and Alabama. We have a lot to show and I know we can pleasantly surprise many of them.

So love this place. It’s actually pretty cool and worth working on to make it even better.

Don’t take my word for it. Main Streeters raved about their trip to our awesome place. And that was great to hear.

Now, swallow your insecurities and spread the word.

Michael Sznajderman is a retired public relations professional and former reporter, columnist and editor. Lives in Birmingham.

David Sher is the founder and publisher ComebackTown. He was Chairman of Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce (BBA), Operation New Birmingham (REV Birmingham) and City Action Partnership (CAP).

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Invite David to speak to your group for free about how we can have a more prosperous metro Birmingham. [email protected].