Who We Are - Breakthrough Birmingham

Our History of Making a Difference

In 2013, Breakthrough Birmingham launched as a partnership between Birmingham City Schools and Breakthrough Collaborative, a nonprofit based in Oakland, CA. Founded in 1978, Breakthrough has over 40 years of successful experience paving the path to four-year colleges for underserved students in 26 cities nationwide.

Through innovation and creativity, Breakthrough Birmingham provides a rigorous, holistic summer and school-year program.

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Birmingham’s Fight For Equity

Talent is evenly distributed, but opportunities are not. Students of color from low-income backgrounds don’t always have access to the same educational opportunities as their peers. We are meeting these challenges head-on to spark change in classrooms across Alabama.

Birmingham is the home of the Civil Rights Movement, but the work isn’t done yet. Breakthrough Birmingham works to reverse education inequity by answering the unique needs of our students and teachers.

What The Future Holds

We’re proud of our work in Birmingham, and we know the need exists in communities statewide. As we look to the future, we are working to further expand our programs in Birmingham, Talladega and beyond.

Mission

Breakthrough Birmingham works with highly motivated, traditionally underrepresented students in Alabama to achieve post-secondary success while empowering aspiring leaders to become the next generation of educators and advocates.

Vision

We envision supporting robust transformational learning communities, where equitable access to excellent opportunities propels aspiring students on their path to college and aspiring teachers on their path to the classroom. Our scholars today will be the decision-makers in their communities tomorrow.

Impact

At Breakthrough Birmingham, we’re shaping the future by empowering scholars and educators today. The impact starts in our programs — but ripples through communities, creating brighter opportunities for generations to come.

Our Difference Makers

The team at Breakthrough Birmingham is deeply committed to empowering students and going above and beyond to create transformative learning experiences. With a shared passion for education and equity, they guide both scholars and Teaching Fellows toward long-term success and personal growth.

Meet Our Team