I'd like to share a story that still sticks with me.

Not long after I began recruiting writers and podcasters, our editor Samantha Simmons introduced me to a young writer who loved books. Her name was Lauren Beck, or Ren as she was known by many.

Ren sent a piece nearly every Friday morning. I’d edit a little, publish it, and she’d always ask what y’all were reading. You were kind to her. She deserved that.

I knew she had beaten cancer once.

Then she got sick again.

Even from the hospital, when she could, Ren still sent posts to publish. Hearing from her made Fridays feel like Fridays. She stayed positive through all of it. She made me feel positive.

Ren passed away last year, and we miss her every day.

That’s when it truly hit me: The Alabama Take is bigger than any one of us. Bigger than me, TD, Caleb, Samantha -- anyone who has contributed over the years.

It’s a place for voices to grow. Where writers can find confidence. Where people who care about culture and this especially this region have a place to be heard.

Keeping this site alive isn’t just about paying for hosting or software. It’s about keeping that space open for the next voice that needs it.

If you’re able to help, your support goes directly to sustaining the platform itself. It's nothing flashy, we'll just keeping it running.

And it will help us for quite a while.

Thank you, sincerely.If you clicked here, you already know who we are.

The Alabama Take

Right now, we’re asking for help covering the costs that keep the site running, the podcasts hosted, and the software that makes recording possible. It’s an expense we’ve managed ourselves for years. We prefer it that way. But, like we did once about three years ago, we’re asking directly for support.

What started as three people in a college rental house grew into a home for independent writing, podcasts, and conversations about Alabama, the South, and beyond — the kind you won’t find just anywhere. We’ve covered television, music, sports, books, and the everyday stories that make this state unique, all without a corporate budget or commercial funding.

Every year in late February and early March, the essential bills come due: website hosting, podcast hosting, and the recording tools that allow our contributors and guests to connect from different places.

We operate on a small budget. There are no sponsors behind the scenes. Never have been. It’s just a dedicated group of contributors and a loyal audience that reads, listens, and shares what we do.

This year, as we did once before, we’re asking for help covering those annual costs so The Alabama Take and the podcasts you enjoy can continue into the next year and beyond. We don’t ask often. If we can’t meet these costs, the site and podcasts may not be able to continue.

We believe independent Alabama voices deserve a platform. We believe thoughtful, local media shouldn’t disappear simply because of basic operational costs.

If what we do has meant something to you, even a small contribution helps keep the site live and the podcasts recording.

Thank you,

– Blaine, editor-in-chief

If you clicked here, you already know who we are.

The Alabama Take.

We're asking for some help. We could use a hand in covering the costs that keep the site running, the podcasts hosted, and the software that makes recording possible. It’s an expense we’ve managed ourselves every year but one. We prefer it that way. But, like we did once about three years ago, we’re asking for support.

What started as three people in a college rental house grew into a home for independent writing, podcasts, and conversations about Alabama, the South, and beyond: you know, the kind you won’t find anywhere else. We’ve covered television, music, sports, books, and some everyday stories about Alabama and beyond, all without a corporate budget or commercial funding. We are not The Man.

But every year in late February and early March, the essential bills come due: website hosting, podcast hosting, and the recording tools that allow our folks and guests to connect from different places.

We operate on a shoestring small budget. No sponsors behind the scenes. Never have been. It’s just a dedicated group of contributors and a loyal audience that reads, listens, and shares what we do.

This year, we’re asking if you'd help in covering those annual costs so The Alabama Take and our podcasts and our writing and our nurturing of special voices can continue into the next year and beyond. We don’t ask often. If we can’t meet these costs, the site and podcasts may not be able to continue.

We believe Alabama voices deserve a platform; to hell with what media may portray us as. We may not be what those folks think. We believe thoughtful, local writing shouldn’t disappear simply because of basic operational costs.

If what we do has meant something to you, even a small contribution helps keep the site live and the podcasts recording.

Thank you,

– The Alabama Take