In celebration of 25 years of the Alabama Rivers Alliance and 50 years of the Clean Water Act, we invite you to REUNITE with us at Camp McDowell March 25 & 26. After two years of virtual gatherings, we are so excited to get back together in person as we reinvigorate the movement at the 24th annual Alabama Water Rally – in a shorter form!
This year, Alabama Water Rally will take place from Friday afternoon to Saturday afternoon and all measures will be taken to ensure we can all Reunite for Clean Water as safely as possible.
The Clean Water Act is one of our nation’s most fundamental environmental laws and Alabama’s water advocates have played a huge role in using it to protect our amazing rivers, biodiversity, and health throughout its storied history. Alabama Water Rally 2022 will reflect on the history of the Clean Water Act, highlight some of our Alabama successes and share insights of the work still to be accomplished.
Make your plans now to join us for 25 hours of deep discussion, action planning, movement building and celebration with cake, fire and dancing! — as we reunite together to #DefendRivers.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE AGENDA-AT-A-GLANCE
ALABAMA WATER RALLY 2022 DEEP DIVES:
- Clean Water Act
- Civic Engagement
- Movement Building
| TIME | TITLE | DESCRIPTION | SPEAKERS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday afternoon | Clean Water Act: Past, Present and Future! | As we approach the 50th anniversary of the Clean Water Act, we are excited to host an in-depth discussion of this bedrock environmental law, featuring Alabama’s own William Andreen, Research Professor of Law at The University of Alabama School of Law. Bill has written extensively about water law and policy, and he is currently writing a book chapter titled The Clean Water Act: Success, Backlash, and Remaining Challenges which will be published in 2023. He will be joined by clean water advocates who have been working on the ground in Alabama for decades to ensure the Clean Water Act is implemented and enforced. The Clean Water Act is our most powerful tool for protecting clean water. You won't want to miss this discussion! | Confirmed: Bill Andreen (UA) Invited speakers: Keith Johnston (SELC) and Waterkeepers Alabama |
| Friday evening | The Story of Us: Alabama Rivers Alliance’s 25th Anniversary Celebration | The Alabama Rivers Alliance was formed in 1997 with the mission to strengthen an already growing river movement and to continue building and sustaining this movement to protect clean water and healthy rivers across Alabama! Join us Friday evening as we share some of the stories from this long, strange trip. We’ll celebrate the many seasoned voices who have made this work possible, and welcome the new folks eager to keep writing this story for years to come. Make your mark on the interactive visual timeline for every partner organization and individual to share your own story as part of the movement to #DefendRivers in Alabama for the past 25 years. Meet us around the fire as we reunite, share, laugh and ground ourselves in the powerful Story of Us. | |
| Saturday morning | A Change is Gonna Come: The Work of Movement Building | None of the greatest challenges facing our society – or our environment – have been won by individuals alone. Big challenges require strong movements; from the civil rights movement to the labor movement to the environmental movement. Movement building requires hard work. The climate change crisis is no longer just a threat. It has arrived, it is here, and we must move together now to meet this challenge. This inspiring and motivating session will help participants understand what it takes to build and sustain a movement, why it’s important to be a part of a larger movement, how our existing movements are working together to face the climate crisis and most importantly - how you can be a part of it all! | Confirmed Speakers: Evan Milligan (Alabama Forward), Rev Michael Malcom (People’s Justice Council), Michael Hansen (Alabama Hub, GS4GND), Abigail Franks (Southeast Climate & Energy Network), April Ingle (Clean Water for All coalition) |
| Saturday afternoon | The Fierce Urgency of Now: Civic Engagement What, Why and How? | Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase “civic engagement” around every corner lately and wondered what exactly it means? It’s not just a fancier word for “politics” and it’s definitely not just a trend. If you have ever been to a city council meeting, responded to an action alert, or voted, then you have participated in civic engagement. It is an essential set of skills for all activists seeking to make positive change. This interactive session will demystify civic engagement and give participants the skills and motivation to engage with government at all levels - federal, state and local. We will also illuminate the important connection between voting and engaging with candidates to protect clean water and address climate change. | Confirmed speakers: Kathleen Kirkpatrick (Hometown Action) Bradley Davidson, (Conservation Alabama), Jack West (Alabama Rivers Alliance) and Cory Pettway (community leader and ARA Board Member), April Ingle (Clean Water for All coalition) |
