If you think there’s nothing to do in Birmingham, Antwon Ervin is eager to prove you wrong.

In the fall of 2012 Ervin launched Discover Birmingham, a website that celebrates what’s going on in the city — from concerts to food festivals, gallery openings to fitness classes, and so much more.

We recently had a chat with Ervin about his vision for Discover Birmingham and his vision for the city.

What inspired you to start Discover Birmingham?

Two things have always been true for me, first being my love of Birmingham and the second is being assigned the weekend planner for my friends. One day after making a case for how cool Birmingham was and was becoming, I decided to show the world and Birmingham just how great this magic city really is and could be.

What do you love most about Birmingham?

I love many things about Birmingham but the thing I love most is the diversity in people, places and events. There is a little bit for everyone here in Birmingham and I love that.

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What do you wish you could change about Birmingham?

I would be the first to tell you that Birmingham is a beautiful mess. We have some hills to climb as we embark upon a renaissance. If I could change anything about Birmingham I would change Birmingham’s perspective of Birmingham. I think there is a large part of the city slow to appreciate the comeback Birmingham is making because of outdated perceptions.

What things have you learned about running a website that you wish you’d known before you started?

The time commitment has slowly grown over time but as we work to offer more, of course, it takes more. I wish I had known how fun this would be, I would have started earlier.

What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of running a hyperlocal website?

A disadvantage can be running the risk of creating an echo chamber- hearing and saying the same thing to the point of lacking clarity. A great advantage is being able to step out from behind the keyboard and getting to know the people you are creating content to serve.

What advice would you give to someone hoping to start a hyperlocal website?

I would suggest that you have a vision and passion for the website and people that visit it. People connect to people — that energy behind the words and content. As Simon Sinek says, “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.”

For our Man of the Hour feature we take down the “No Boys Allowed” sign and share stories of men who are doing great things in the writing world or blogosphere. Send your nominations for Man of the Hour to javacia@seejanewritebham.com

Over the years Yakinea Marie Duff has met so many women in Birmingham, Alabama with great passion and bold dreams.

“But they were paralyzed by a lack of support, resources, information, and exposure,” Duff says.

So she decided to do something about it. She launched the I Am Woman Network, designed to connect, equip, and promote businesswomen and female entrepreneurs and professionals who desire to develop and grow their products or services.

Based in Birmingham, I Am Network offers various workshops and seminars and a membership program to help emerging and aspiring entrepreneurs.

Benefits to the I Am Woman Network membership program include:

• Ability to network within the network with like minded women.
• Access to free coaching and resources to develop and grow your vision or business.
• Discounts to regional and annual IAWN Visionaries and Innovators Impact Conference.
• Invitation to participate as a speaker, panelist, or workshop facilitator.
• Brand Awareness – Display company business banner as advertisement for 6 months on IAWN’s website.
• 20% discount on coaching and consulting products and services.

Duff is an author, motivational speaker, and business strategist who has received numerous awards for leadership, including the 2008 Coretta Scott King Humanitarian Award for outstanding leadership. Under the leadership of Pastors Dr. Michael D. and Kennetha Moore of Faith Chapel Christian Center Duff received her ministerial license and is a vision partner at Faith Chapel Christian Center and serves on the ministry of intercessory prayer.

Born in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Duff has lived in Birmingham since she was 5 years old and she is confident that the I Am Woman Network will help make her city a better place.

“Our mantra is ‘When You Empower One, You Empower Many,”” Duff says. “By empowering women with the necessary resources to participate in economic development within the city of Birmingham it will continue to increase a level of leadership that offers strength, coupled with compassion and nurturing.”

The Birmingham Jane is a See Jane Write series of profiles on women in Birmingham who are making a difference in our city. If you know of a woman who is making a difference in Birmingham please send your nominations to javacia@seejanewritebham.com. And don’t be ashamed to nominate yourself!

What would you do if you weren’t afraid?

Would you quit your day job?

Would you finally start a blog or use the blog you have to build a business?

Would you write a pitch letter to your favorite magazine or a query letter to the agent you dream of representing you?

Would you write and publish that book you’ve been carrying in your heart for years?

Or have you already written and self-published a book, but you haven’t had the courage to market your work the way you know that you should?

What would you do if you weren’t afraid?

I have another question for you: What could be your game changer? 

Consider all your goals, dreams, and aspirations. Now pick one. What goal – that you could accomplish in 6 months – would have the greatest impact on your personal and professional life?

That’s a game changer goal and that’s the goal I want to help you reach.

Introducing the See Jane Write Mastermind, a 6-month personalized coaching program designed to help you achieve your game changer goal.

A mastermind group is a group that offers accountability, support and a safe space for brainstorming to help you achieve your goals.  But the See Jane Write Mastermind program offers this and so much more.

The See Jane Write Mastermind program includes the following:

• You‘ll get 6 monthly one-on-one consultations, which means we’ll work together to develop a personalized plan to help you achieve your game changer goal and I’ll guide you through each step of that plan.
• You’ll get 6 monthly live group coaching sessions with the other members of the See Jane Write Mastermind, which means you’ll have the support of a community of like-minded women who will also provide insight and inspiration along this journey.
• You’ll get access to a private Facebook group to communicate and collaborate with me and the other See Jane Write Mastermind members as often as you’d like.
• You’ll get free admission to See Jane Write events (excluding Blogging Boot Camps) that take place between June 1, 2015 and November 30, 2015 – including our annual blogging conference, The Bloganista Mini-Con. These events will give you access to even more resources and networking opportunities.
• You’ll get a free one-year membership to See Jane Write, which means you’ll be able to register early for events with limited seating, invitations to private members-only events, the opportunity to be featured as a See Jane Write Member of the Month, and the chance to be assigned an accountability partner for even more support.
• You’ll also get additional online training, worksheets, and personalized weekly assignments to help you achieve your game changer goal.

And in December we’re going to party! We’ll have a special event to celebrate what you accomplish during our six months of working together and have a goal setting workshop to help you make plans for 2016.

The ideal mastermind group consists of only 8 to 10 people, so less than a dozen spots are available and I can’t guarantee I will offer this opportunity again.

The See Jane Write Mastermind program will begin June 1, 2015. Registration will close May 31, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. Sign up by May 15 and I will also critique up to five writing samples for you during our time together.

Are you interested? Then, let’s chat! I’m offering a complimentary 15-minute strategy session for anyone interested in this program. This session should help you determine if this program is right for you. During this session we’ll decide what your game changer goal should be.  We’ll also discuss the monetary investment for the program.

Click here to schedule your free strategy session today.

What would you do if you weren’t afraid? 

I have a long list of answers to this question: do a one-year blogging challenge, write and publish a book, strive to run a profitable small business, launch a Kickstarter campaign. But my list could be summed up with one statement: Be Carrie Rollwagen.

Rollwagen is a small business owner, a prolific blogger, a social media guru and much more. She also has the cutest nails in town. And now she’s about to add something else to her resume — published author.

Rollwagen, co-owner of Church Street Coffee and Books and the writer behind the Shop Small blog, is now about to publish The Localist, a book that’s all about shopping locally. Rollwagen decided to self-publish the book and recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to help fund her project. She reached her fundraising goal in less than a month!

I had a chat with Rollwagen recently — at a locally owned coffee shop, of course — about her book project and her secrets to success.

Becoming a Localist

Rollwagen’s interest in local shopping began when she managed a small book store in Mountain Brook. She believed that the camaraderie she experienced at that store was unique to locally-owned shops. But then she worked at Starbucks and found the same sense of community there as well. Rollwagen, a former full-time journalist, wanted to investigate.

“I’m a frustrated journalist,” she says.

And so in 2011 she challenged herself to only buy from locally-owned stores for one year. She launched the blog Shop Small to chronicle her adventure.

Rollwagen admits that she thought her “Shop Small” challenge would be extremely difficult and extremely expensive.

She was wrong.

“I spent far less money that year than I usually do,” Rollwagen says.

She explained that when you shop small there’s less of a chance for impulse buying. There are very few, if any, displays set up in locally owned shops to entice you to purchase things that aren’t on your shopping list. Furthermore, because local shops weren’t as easy to get to as big box stores, Rollwagen would often talk herself out of buying things. And she wasn’t eating any fast food.

Finding stores at which to shop was easier than she expected. She often found what she needed simply by asking friends or doing a quick Google search. Rollwagen was even able to go to the movies thanks to the Birmingham-based theater The Edge opening that year.

What was Rollwagen’s conclusion after this year of shopping small?

“Local is almost always better,” she says.

Rollwagen is a localist, but she’s also a realist and she makes no claims that small business owners are somehow better people than the owners of big box stores.

“It is in the financial interest of a small business owner to be a nice person,” she says. “Small shop owners have a better incentive to treat people well and build community.”

If you have a bad experience at Target most likely you’re going to go back to Target nonetheless and even if you don’t chances are the Target employee you had a bad interaction with doesn’t care. Small shop owners know that it’s good customer service and a sense of community and camaraderie that will bring you back.

While Rollwagen doesn’t recommend that other people take on her extreme shop small challenge, she does stress that we should all buy local as often as we can as this is a great way to improve your community.

As Rollwagen explains in her Kickstarter campaign video, for every $10 spent at locally owned stores four to seven dollars goes back into your community. When you shop corporately only three dollars, at the most, goes back into your city.

Think of the local place first, she says. Amazon doesn’t pay taxes in your state.

Deciding to Self-Publish

Rollwagen admits that she hasn’t been a fan of self-publishing in the past — and for good reason. As many avid readers know, a book needs good editing, good design and a good marketing campaign to be successful. Most self-published authors don’t have all these skills or the resources to hire someone who does.

But Rollwagen’s book is centered on Birmingham and she thought a book a that was this, well, “localist” wouldn’t appeal to traditional publishers.

“Just because it doesn’t have a national market doesn’t mean it shouldn’t exist,” she says.

Rollwagen’s Shop Small blog was quite successful thanks to her fresh, informative content and effective social media marketing. But she knew she had more to say.

“I wanted to tell this story in a new way,” she says.

So she decided to write a book and self-publish it.

The book is part memoir, focusing on her life as a localist and even offering a few tips on how people can shift their own shopping habits to support small businesses more often.

The book is also a study of buying patterns — why you like big box stores, why they’re not all bad, and the effects of our shopping on us as individuals and on our communities.

The book also offers a behind-the-scenes look into Church Street Coffee and Books.

To ensure that her self-published book would be of high quality, Rollwagen launched her Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to hire an editor and designer.

How to Rock Your Kickstarter Campaign

Rollwagen reached her fundraising goal of $5,000 in less than a month. Now she’s working on her stretch goal. She’s hoping to raise an additional $3,000 so she can go on a book tour to spread the localist gospel to other towns.

Rollwagen offered these tips on how to run a successful Kickstarter campaign:

• Apply the tips that Kickstarter gives you and look at projects similar to yours for promotion ideas.
• Produce a great video and in it be sure to convince people that your project is something that you can actually do. Also, explain exactly how you plan to use the money.
• Have enticing and creative rewards and be sure to include their cost in your project budget. One of Rollwagen’s rewards was nail art! For a donation of $10 or more, Rollwagen would decorate her nails with the name of your company. Nail art was a perfect way for Rollwagen to help promote her project because whenever someone would say “Oh, I like your nails!” she could strike up a conversation about her Kickstarter campaign.
• But these conversations could only happen if she was out and about. So Rollwagen’s other piece of advice is to be sure to network during your campaign. And carry business cards that include a URL for your campaign.

The Birmingham Jane is a See Jane Write series of profiles on women in Birmingham who are making a difference in our city. If you know of a woman who is making a difference in Birmingham please send your nominations to javacia@seejanewritebham.com. And don’t be ashamed to nominate yourself!

This story was originally posted Oct. 6, 2014 at SeeJaneWriteBham.com.

Sometimes we’re too close to excellence to recognize it.

I have a friend who is absolutely brilliant. She has a way with words, an ability to string together sentences in a way that can be meaningful and memorable, yet also utterly hilarious. But sometimes I forget just how smart she is because, well, she’s my friend. She’s a person I giggle and gossip with over scones and hot tea. But on March 1 this friend of mine reminded me of just how brilliant she is when she took the stage at TEDxBirmingham 2014.

Glenny Brock is not only my friend and a TEDxBirmingham speaker, but she’s also been instrumental in the revival of the Lyric Theatre, a historic theater that has been standing in the heart of downtown Birmingham since 1914 and was  once considered the finest vaudeville house in the Southeast.

If you live in or grew up in Birmingham, chances are you’ve passed the Lyric Theatre for years not recognizing the important piece of history in your midst.

Like I said, sometimes we’re too close to excellence to recognize it.

Glenny is our next Birmingham Jane, not because she is my friend, but because she loved Birmingham enough to help “light up the Lyric” and because she’s brilliant.

For people who weren’t at TEDxBirmingham can you briefly summarize your talk and what you hoped people would take from it?

Our talks didn’t have formal titles, but if they had, I would have called mine “Show People.” That’s a reference to the sort of characters who choose show business vocations — I come from a family full of such folks. The phrase is also an imperative, as in, “Show people who you are,” or “Show people what you want them to see.” I think my message was about seeing and doing. The way I conveyed that was to recount the history of Birmingham’s theatre district in general and the Lyric in particular, as well as my personal history with the building.

How have you used storytelling to help raise money for the Lyric?

I like to say that all I did was show people. That doesn’t merely sound good; it’s true. The Lyric is visually very appealing, but the stories of its history really captivate people. In leading tours there for the past five years, I’ve seen hundreds of people grin and clap their hands and gasp in amazement. Then they hear the stories of the vaudeville acts and the old movies, and the place feels powerful to them.

SJW Mag: Why do you think it’s so important to restore and revive the theater? How do you think it will help the city as a whole?

Glenny Brock: The Lyric is a redemption story. Its restoration provides an example of Birmingham getting something right. Birmingham’s Terminal Station — probably the greatest building the city ever had — was demolished in 1969 with relatively little public outcry, although we talk about it all the time now. I believe that the one gift of that building’s destruction was that it started historic preservation in a meaningful way in Birmingham. The Lyric is a counterpoint. We neglected it for a long, long time, but finally managed to save it.

The Lyric anchors the Theatre & Arts District and sits adjacent to the Civil Rights District. I think that makes its seat significant. There are hundreds of abandoned theatres all over this country. The fact that we saved one really makes Birmingham remarkable. I think it was a radical act.

What can other people do to support this project?

While we are under construction, the best thing to do is keep the conversation going. Follow our progress on www.lightupthelyric.com and www.restorethelyric.com. Take pictures of the sign, especially on nights when the lights are on, as they are every time we have an event at the Alabama Theatre.

What advice would you give to someone who has maybe fallen in love with a building or project that needs restoration and revival? How can they more beyond passion for the place or project to action? 

I wish I had a surefire formula, but I don’t. I can recommend the approach I took, but I do so with the warning that the Lyric benefitted from a lot of “right time, right place” factors. That said, here’s a possible course of action: Get committed and be a little relentless. If it’s a building, find out who owns it and what plans might already be underway. Get inside and make yourself available. Be flexible and friendly, but determined. And show people. Chances are, if you love a building, you can get other people to fall in love with it, too. As an individual, I couldn’t get anything significant done. Once I had a lot of like-minded allies, progress was a lot more rapid.

One other important thing: Form alliances beyond your subculture. One of the most satisfying moments I’ve had in the past five years was talking to an attorney about the Lyric. We had been on the phone for more than an hour discussing vaudeville, slapstick, the history of the theatre district and much more, and all of the sudden he interrupted me and said, “You know, I think politically you and I wouldn’t have much to say to each other, but we could talk about the Lyric all day.” I laughed because I realized he was right. If we met under other circumstances, I’m not sure we’d have given each other the time of day. But our shared love of the Lyric made us really good friends.

 You can see Glenny’s TEDxBirmingham talk here. 

By Javacia Harris Bowser, See Jane Write Founding Editor

When Kaneshia Sims moved to Birmingham to attend the University of Alabama at Birmingham she wanted to be a doctor. Then she started taking communications classes and fell in love with writing, photography, and design.

Today she’s using those passions to fuel her work on Red PaSH Magazine, which she launched late last year.

“The mission of the magazine is to highlight, promote and shine positive light on Birmingham, its entrepreneurs, charities, leaders and artists,” Sims says. “I wanted to create a place, a voice for Birmingham and all the overlooked areas and help support people like me — people who have dreams and aspirations. I want to give them a voice and outlet to share their message.”

Sims also does marketing and promotions for local authors, artists, small business owners, churches and motivational speakers. She recently helped local author Liza Elliott with the launch of  30-A Supper Club: The Cookbook.

What do you love about Birmingham?

I love the diversity of Birmingham. I love the history. I love how we are a big city, but have small town charm. Most importantly, I love our potential. We have the best doctors, lawyers, writers, professionals, students and creative minds the world can offer. The most mind blowing part is it is all right here in our back yard.

I want to share my love for Birmingham with everyone, especially the newcomers. I want to prove all the negative people wrong about this city. We are great. We have great people, business owners, leaders and charities. Hence, the start of Red PaSH Magazine.

It warms my heart to hear small business owners tell me how much the exposure from the magazine has helped their business, self esteem and  foundation for the future of their business.

How do you think the field of communications can be used to help people and strengthen communities? 

I believe communications can strengthen people and communities by sharing one simple thing: knowledge. I know we have heard the saying “knowledge is power” time and time again, but it is true. Knowledge brings awareness and awareness ignites the first steps to bring about change. If I want to start eating healthier or learn a different language, the first thing I need is the knowledge to set me in the correct direction. Only then do I have all the tools necessary for me to succeed.

Our communities and generations of youth that will live beyond us need knowledge. Communications is the vehicle to give it to them — no matter if it is social medial, radio, books, magazines, lectures or seminars; those things are all vehicles to feed knowledge.

Who is your target audience for Red PaSH Magazine? 

People who love Birmingham and want to help her grow by supporting her through community events,  night life, parks and recreations, by buying local and supporting local arts and music. If you are interested in those things then you should be interested in reading Red PaSH. We cover people who do interesting things in the community and in their day to day lives as well.

What advice would you give to other people interested in starting a local publication?

The only advice I have to offer for someone interested in starting a local publication would be to think smart, follow your heart, be prepared to work really hard and have plenty of resources. When I say resources I don’t mean simply money; I mean friends and family to lean on when you get discouraged, a good set of people you can call for advice, professional connections and a slight understanding of what you are getting into.

By Javacia Harris Bowser, See Jane Write Founding Editor

If you didn’t like science class when you were in school, I bet you would have if Jan Mattingly had been your teacher.

Mattingly is the founder of Dynamic Education Adventures, an organization that strives to get kids excited about learning through engaging educational programs. Mattingly brings these programs to classroom, libraries after-school programs and even birthday parties. Mattingly is making a difference in Birmingham by helping the children of our city learn. But In March, Mattingly spoke at TEDxBirmingham 2014 and showed the audience that the same concept she uses to inspire kids can be used to inspire adults too.

Elizabeth Singleton can say, without exaggeration, that Birmingham Fashion Week changed her life.

Last year Singleton — a University of Alabama graduate who grew up in Birmingham — earned BFW’s Emerging Designer title. She went on to intern with Birmingham Fashion Week founder Heidi Elnora and then moved to New York where she has interned at  Rebecca Minkoff and is working on building her fashion design business.

But Singleton isn’t one to forget where she comes from. Not only did Singleton return to the Magic City for last week’s Birmingham Fashion Week 2014 events, but she also strives to let folks in the Big Apple know that Birmingham’s fashion scene should not be underestimated.

Both figuratively and literally, Singleton is making Birmingham look good.

How has winning the Emerging Designer award helped your career?

It definitely gave me more confidence to do what I like to do. It pushed me forward and inspired me to go for my dream, which is developing my own line and working in New York City.

After winning that, I did an internship with Heidi. She’s been like my mentor ever since the Emerging Designer competition. I did that through the summer. That was awesome and I learned a lot from her.

I moved to New York City in June and did an internship there.

Now my goal is just to develop my business and sell my pieces to boutiques in New York and Birmingham.

Your line last year was inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia and you’ve said that you draw inspiration from artwork, architecture, history, literature, and nature. Do you draw any inspiration from your southern roots?

This last collection that I just showed at Birmingham Fashion Week was inspired by a photo of a sunset I took here in Birmingham while visiting for Thanksgiving. The lines and colors were all inspired by that photo.

How would you define southern style? Do you feel there is something unique about style in the South?

We put our own classy, traditional twist on trends. In New York I’ve noticed that no one has restraints on what they wear.  Whatever trend it is, they’ll wear it; they don’t care what it looks like. Here it’s more controlled. If it looks good then we’ll wear, but if it doesn’t look good we won’t wear it.

How has being raised in the south influenced your sense of style?

It’s definitely made me more conservative. My designs are sexy, but still conservative. It leaves a little to the imagination. It’s sexy but classy just like the South.

Why do you think it’s important for things like Birmingham Fashion Week to exist?

Birmingham Fashion Week is great because it gives anyone who has this dream of fashion a chance to get exposure.

It’s a good way to get buzz here in the South as well, to show that we have fashion too here; we know how to dress too. It’s very good advertisement of the South.

And it’s something fun to do with your girls. You go shopping, put on cute outfits, and go with your girls to take selfies at Birmingham Fashion Week!

Do you feel that you are spreading the word about the Birmingham fashion scene in New York?

I do feel that way. I’ve met people from places like Texas, Kentucky, and South Carolina and they’re not proud of being from the South. I’m proud to say I’m from Alabama. I’m a good representation of what the South is. It’s a good way to tell people it’s not what you see in the movies.

The Birmingham Jane is a See Jane Write series of profiles on women in Birmingham who are making a difference in our city. If you know of a woman who is making a difference in Birmingham please send your nominations to javacia@seejanewritebham.com. And don’t be ashamed to nominate yourself!

Rachel Callahan is a Birmingham blogging star. Her lifestyle blog Grasping for Objectivity has garnered national attention and awards. She’s also the organizer of the networking group Alabama Bloggers. And last month Callahan launched yet another project — Picture Birmingham.

Through Picture Birmingham, Callahan sells prints, canvasses and note cards of sunset and skyline photos that she’s been taking in Birmingham over the past several months. One hundred percent of the profits from the sale of these photos goes to support The WellHouse ministries, a local organization that rescues and houses women, children, and men who were victims of sex trafficking. The WellHouse ministries not only our Alabama but the entire nation and has rescued over 100 people between the ages of 13 and 54 since the organization began in 2010.

How did you get inspired to do this project?

The short answer is that God made it clear that He wanted me to do this and gave me the energy to make it happen. I would have never considered selling my photos on my own, but once He planted the idea in my head that I could use this for The WellHouse, I just had to do it.

You wrote on your blog that when you first learned of the horrors of sex trafficking you were overwhelmed. You knew you wanted to help but didn’t know how. How did you decide that you would use photography to help make a difference?

I really had no idea what I could do to help, other than help raise awareness. But awareness isn’t enough – there is a need for real, on-the-ground help. I didn’t really have too much to offer in this way: I’m a homeschool mom with two kids, so my availability to serve is pretty limited. But when I realized that I had amassed a huge collection of photos of Birmingham that people seemed to like, it was a perfect fit. It gave me the opportunity to talk about The WellHouse on social media and support them financially. I was so thrilled that God had provided me a way to make a difference.

How did you get into photography?

I’ve always taken photos for my blog and of my kids, but they were never necessarily that great. But last summer, I realized that I did have the ability to take sunset photos – I could actually capture the majesty of the skies sometimes, and it was incredibly therapeutic.

How will you balance this with your blogging?

Oh goodness, I wish I knew. Right now I’m trying to split my time between the two, but it’s definitely difficult. During the site development phase, I cut down my blog posts per week from 4 to 3, so that helped give me time to design the site. But I want to go back up to 4 now, so I need an intern terribly.

How long do you plan to continue this project?

Indefinitely!!

What advice would you give to other people who want to help with some major social issue such as this one but they feel so overwhelmed by the problem?

Pray about it. Consider your resources. Wait until you know what it is you are supposed to do, and when you know what that is, dive in, and don’t let fear get the best of you! Throughout this process I’ve had to remind myself that this project is God’s, not mine, and He will do with it what He wants to do with it. It is not for me to worry over.

The Birmingham Jane is a See Jane Write series of profiles on women in Birmingham who are making a difference in our city. If you know of a woman who is making a difference in Birmingham please send your nominations to javacia@seejanewritebham.com. And don’t be ashamed to nominate yourself!

“What will do you do to help others rediscover the magic of Birmingham?” That was the question posed to attendees of the March 1 TEDxBirmingham conference. We were each given a commitment form to fill out answering that question and invited to share our plans on the TEDxBirmingham commitment wall. I sat for hours pondering what I would do. I sat holding my commitment form in my hand, crumpling it to the point that I had to ask for another one.

But as the conference continued I began to notice a clear theme: the power of storytelling. Though the topics of the talks ran the gamut — from cyber crime and medical research to improving education and supporting the arts — each speaker was inspiring me to make a difference because of their captivating stories. And in some cases they had even made a difference and brought about significant change simply by telling stories.

And so I knew what I would do. I would start The Birmingham Jane project — a See Jane Write series of profiles on women in Birmingham who are making a difference in our city. My hope is that by sharing their stories I will inspire readers to strive to make a positive impact in their spheres of influence as well.

It’s only right to begin this series with a woman who not only spoke at TEDxBirmingham but has been a cheerleader and champion for Birmingham for years: Laura Kate Whitney. You can read her profile here.

If you know of a woman who is making a difference in Birmingham please send your nominations to seejanewritemag@gmail.com. And don’t be ashamed to nominate yourself!