Mayor Woodfin + Birmingham leaders took the stage at SXSW in Austin

Last week, Mayor Randall Woodfin and local nonprofit leaders took the stage at SXSW EDU—the education portion of the well-known tech and music festival in Austin, Texas.

As the nation’s only city featured in four panels at the conference, Birmingham leaders facilitated discussions about literacy, college access and its thriving “third sector.”

Birmingham takes the stage at SXSW

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Founded as a music festival that draws in thousands of attendees from around the world, SXSW has expanded to include leaders in entertainment, technology and politics. The festival is known for its all-star lineups—like Willie Nelson and Barack Obama.

“SXSW EDU has a well-deserved reputation for elevating great ideas in education from communities around the country. Birmingham’s inclusion reflects a growing recognition that we have something to contribute to the national stage—and that the success of our work to date can be an example for cities nationwide.”

Ruth Ann Moss, Executive Director of Small Magic in a recent press release

According to a press release from the City of Birmingham, topics discussed at SXSW included:

• Boosting college access
• Early literacy
• Innovations to support neurodivergent learners
• The role of AI in preparing students for the future of work

From Birmingham to Austin

Below are photos from Chase Morrow, President of Deploy Alloy in Birmingham, who attended the event:

Chase Morrow, President of Deploy Alloy, attended SXSW and shared his thoughts on the event with us.

“Most of my energy was spent thinking about Birmingham, a city I love.

What is our brand, our tagline and how many people are “all in?” Are we still The Magic City, and if so, what makes it magical? We have all the ingredients to pull off a great event like SXSW in Birmingham. The ingredients are here, and it is time to stir them together.”

Chase Morrow, President and Cofounder, Deploy Alloy

Alongside Chase, other Birmingham guests and speakers at SXSW included:

• Alyssa Singer, Personnel Board of Jefferson County
• Candyce Monroe, Ed Farm
• Chris Jackson, KultureCity
• Deon Gordon, Tech Birmingham
• Kelly Clark
• Matthew Jaeh, Tech Stars
• Meg Raby Klinghoffer, KultureCity
• Michele Kong, UAB
• Malcolm McDonnel, Endeavor Atlanta
• Maria Underwood, Birmingham Bound
• Mayor Randall Woodfin, City of Birmingham
• Ritchie Kruunenberg, Innovation Depot
• Robert Long
• Rocy O’Keefe, LENA
• Ruth Ann Moss, Small Magic
• Terry Chapman, Vista Oversight

SXSW also highlighted some of Birmingham’s favorite local businesses, featuring cooking demos from Pizza Grace and beverages from TrimTab Brewing, O’Henry’s, Easy Hemp Co. and Campesino Rum.

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