Mission: To achieve justice and equity for all Alabamians. Vision: We envision Alabama as a place that ensures the fundamental human rights of all of its residents. Approach to Advocacy: We recognize the interconnected nature of rights and develop and implement integrated culture and policy change campaigns that remedy the root causes of injustice. Our campaigns use policy analysis, research and documentation, public education, community organizing, pro bono engagement, coalition building, and litigation. _____________________________________ Our History: Alabama Appleseed is affiliated with the national network of Appleseed Centers located throughout North America. Appleseed was founded in 1994 with the mission to develop and help sustain a network of state advocacy centers that address local issues and develop and promote practical, systemic solutions. Each state center operates independently with its own board of directors and sets its own advocacy agenda. Appleseed offers the state centers support in developing its organizational structure and processes and in a limited way with identifying national funding sources. Although new state centers receive some direct financial support from Appleseed, during the first three years, it is the responsibility of each state center to develop and implement its own fundraising plan and to secure funding for its operations and advocacy projects. The organizing Board of Directors for Alabama Appleseed was brought together in 1999 and has been functioning since that date. The organizing Board consisted of a number of prominent and well-known Alabamians, including former Governor Albert P. Brewer, J. Mason Davis, former Chief Justice C.C. Tolbert, Jr., former Supreme Court Justice Janie L. Shores, and Dean Kenneth C. Randall of the University of Alabama School of Law. We now have a diverse and distinguished Board of Directors from around the state, representing the legal, business, academic and non-profit communities.