Alabama and Race | ATA Episode 3

Just a couple of weeks after George Floyd was killed by a police officer and a video of his death sparked massive protests, a group of white Alabama Republicans asked Black Democrats to meet in a church and talk. No one knew what to expect, but that first “raw and emotional” meeting led to historic collaboration. Democrats – a small minority in the statehouse – said they felt heard. Republicans said they gained a deep understanding of the systemic racism that Blacks are up against in Alabama. Both sides worked together to pass laws addressing long-standing inequities, and their work continues today.

We’ll explore what happened when they met behind closed doors to be honest about the thorny issues of racism in Across the Aisle, NCSL’s podcast on bipartisanship.