Caleb Carter aspires to go into southern politics with platforms ranging from universal healthcare to the green initiative. Photo by Giani Martin
Surabhi Rao
Community Editor
UAB student works campaigns on his terms, and on campus in his climb to political office
Birmingham is positioned as a drop of blue in a sea of red Alabama, and this provides younger progressives with specific opportunities to pursue platforms as agents of change. Among these involved include junior Caleb Carter and graduate student Garrett Stephens.
In 2014, Carter’s grandmother, who was younger than 65 and disabled with a pre-existing condition, did not qualify for the health care that she needed when she became ill and subsequently passed away.
Carter reflected on the way this event has shaped his political aspirations, with his main platforms focusing on universal healthcare, the green initiative, the support of strong public education and clean energy production.
Carter moved to Alabama in 2015 as a transfer student and does not yet qualify to run for the House of Representatives, his ultimate political goal, until after 2018. He is currently weighing a run for the State Democratic Executive Committee that seeks one man and one woman from distinct districts. These state house district positions are responsible for conveying the message of the party to the community.
“The Alabama Democratic Party needs new voices to reconnect with communities that feel left behind now more than ever,” Carter said. “I think Trump is an unqualified demagogue. He is erratic and highly unfit to serve as commander-in-chief, and this is all apart from my ideological disagreements from him.”
As such, Carter has become extremely involved in local democratic groups and initiatives during his collegiate career. Carter is double majoring in political science and history. He hopes to graduate with a master’s in public administration at UAB, while at the same time working for local democratic parties and progressive organizations.
Carter is the LGBT Caucus co-chair and the Birmingham Regional Director for the Alabama College Democrats. He is also president of the UAB College Democrats and worked for Hillary Clinton’s campaign as a field organizer.
“When you are a field organizer you hear a lot of stories when you knock on doors. I was hired in mid-August, went to Akron, Ohio and I was given a turf, a part of a county,” Carter said. “I immediately began reaching out and building a team to turn out as many voters as possible. I was also a face of the campaign.”
Apart from his hero Hillary Clinton, Carter takes his inspiration from local activists who take it upon themselves to be mediums of change in the community. Carter had a canvas captain named Iris, who is 79 years old. She has worked on every presidential campaign for the Democratic Party since 1972.
“She knocked doors for me four times a week and opened her doors weekly,” Carter said. “One time, she said she looked at her children and realized she had the responsibility to leave them in a better world, and that is how it all started. Even now that the election is over she will be attending local women’s marches.”
Carter grew up in rural North Carolina and believes that rural areas, such as coal countries, can be revitalized to play into the green initiative and decrease the neglect of such areas on many levels.
Stephens, a former USGA president and student studying public administration, is working on Randall Woodfin’s campaign to become mayor.
“I think Randall brings a fresh perspective to Birmingham politics and that’s something we need now,” Stephens said. “He is in his mid-30s, was the president of the Birmingham City School Board and is a city attorney here now. He’s not a typical politician.”
Stephens hopes to translate the changes he is trying to make on a local level to a national level and go into public policy as a formal position in a political office.
“I think coming from UAB really energized me to get involved in a lot of ways because UAB represents the way the country is headed, with the diversity we see a lot in our everyday lives and interactions,” Stephens said.
