Selma, AL
Linking history to investment and well-being
As the site of one of the most famous and consequential marches in the Civil Rights Movement, the city of Selma has long embodied a rich history and tradition of activism and heroism.
Today, African Americans hold most of the elected offices in Selma, the city serves as an internationally-recognized center for civil rights history, and a strong activist spirit reverberates throughout the community.
Why Selma?
Haunted by generations of neglect fueled by racism
Despite its storied past, institutional racism has left Selma’s majority Black city behind. Decades of neglect and disinvestment by the state and federal government have hollowed out the city, making it a ghost town. Vacant and dilapidated buildings pepper the landscape. Black businesses are largely non-existent. And basic infrastructure is scant.
Read about the missteps of past federal investment in the country.
Selma residents grapple with dire economic reality
12%
Selma’s unemployment rate is 12% compared to 5% in Alabama
30.5%
30.5% of households in Dallas County where Selma is located received food assistance via SNAP
20.2%
Only 20.2% of Selma residents hold at least a Bachelor’s degree
In Selma, we are dealing with a legacy of blatant racism. By design, Black people have had no agency in how investment dollars are spent in their city. But they are ready to embrace that role and PERC is creating the conditions in which they can upend the systems that excluded them in the first place.
Susan Thomas, Founder of PERC and President of Melville Charitable Trust
Selma Local Partners
Charting a path to equity through collaboration
The Selma Center for Non-Violence, Truth and Reconciliation (Selma CNTR) is the lead organization in the city. The Selma CNTR is working with the office of Mayor James Perkins, Jr. and a carefully curated group of community leaders and members.
PERC Selma in action
Building the action plan
Using PERC’s model for shared decision-making and consensus building, PERC Selma has designed a data-centered action plan to apply for potential investment dollars, and to execute and deliver measurable, results-based outcomes once the investment is received.
Identifying Solutions
Fueling growth through equitable investment
The Selma coalition is currently developing public investment opportunities to influence the factors driving racial inequities while building new systems for long-term impact. Here are highlights for five-year targets:
Are you interested in becoming an active participant in PERC’s transformation process? Let’s partner!