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Editor鈥檚 note: to protect students鈥� and families鈥� privacy, we have chosen to refer to students and their families by first name only.

Last Friday evening, in Birmingham, Alabama, parents, guardians and friends sat under sparkling rows of string lights, waiting in joyous anticipation for the 鈥檚 inaugural graduation ceremony.  

Charity Jackson, Magic City鈥檚 chief academic officer, stood center stage in front of a ring of white, gray and purple balloons. Mike Wilson, the school鈥檚 founding principal, led the faculty and staff into the main space of the , the all-ages LGBTQ+ organization that birthed the South鈥檚 first charter school dedicated to affirming LGBTQ+ students.

Finally, a single-file line of 12 seniors, clad in purple caps and gowns, entered the space. As Jackson began introducing the graduating class, the crowd erupted in cheers full of pride, appreciation and love.

Since the Acceptance Center had been the inspiration and inception place for the Academy, this moment brought everything full circle. It was also a moment that felt long overdue.   

In its early stages, Magic City Acceptance Academy suffered three rejections from the Alabama Public Charter School Commission. However, the school was finally approved and opened its doors in the fall of 2021 in the Birmingham suburb of Homewood, Alabama, with 250 students in grades 6-12.   

When the students first came into the space, said Wilson, they were 鈥渨rapped up in their trauma.鈥� They had come from environments where they’d been bullied and marginalized. At the Academy, the staff and faculty worked to educate and empower their students.    

Clover, a graduating senior, said it wasn鈥檛 until they came to the Academy that they saw their grades flourish. Along with the good grades, they鈥檝e also created bonds with students that they never thought they鈥檇 have. Clover said,

“It was the best experience of my life, and I鈥檓 kind of sad to be a senior.鈥� 

Clover鈥檚 mother, Rachel, said from the beginning of the year till now, she鈥檚 seen a change in them. Previously, Clover was 鈥渕iserable鈥� in school, and there didn鈥檛 seem to be many options. But when Rachel discovered Magic City Acceptance Academy, she thought it could be a solution. Rachel said,

鈥淚 have seen my child blossom, and as a parent, that鈥檚 refreshing and empowering.”

鈥淪eeing your child come into their own and be their own individual is quite an experience that I didn鈥檛 expect. I mean, I knew that they would make improvements and make friends, but seeing them come out of their shell and become who they are has been one of the greatest parenting experiences I鈥檝e had.鈥�

To Support Traumatized Youth, Adults Must Shift Their Thinking

To create an environment that focuses on both the mental and social development of students, the Magic City Acceptance Academy is a trauma-informed space.  helps professionals change their focus away from asking 鈥渨hat鈥檚 wrong with you?鈥� to asking 鈥渨hat happened to you?鈥�

Making that shift was challenging, said Academy history teacher Lexia Banks. 

鈥淚t was kind of like having to learn how to teach all over again because we are emphasizing different parts of the students here and giving more priority to their mental and social development and our overall mental health,鈥� she said.

鈥淚t has been really challenging, but in other ways, it has been such a breath of fresh air to be able to look at students’ social-emotional needs, and actually be encouraged to meet those and to prioritize those over academics and not trying to drive kids to their absolute limit all of the time.鈥�

The payoff was evident at the eighth graders’ promotion ceremony, held earlier in the day. The students seemed full of joy as they played with friends and went to teachers to offer them heartfelt goodbyes and even handwritten letters.  

Banks said she鈥檚 seen how students have transformed from being shy and scared to being able to demand things that, in the past, they鈥檇 only ever have the courage to ask close friends.  

鈥淚t’s been an honor to be able to provide that kind of support,鈥� she said.  

Offering trauma-informed support is a key piece of Magic City Acceptance Academy鈥檚 model, but it is also just one piece of a larger puzzle. Principal Wilson said the Academy talks about social justice initiatives, practices restorative justice and weaves in social and emotional learning, while also providing strong academics.

After Political Pushback, Community Steps Up

Magic City Acceptance Academy has pushed forward despite some political pushback.

In April, an Alabama gubernatorial candidate released a  criticizing the Academy for 鈥渆xploitation鈥� of children and 鈥渘ot education.鈥� Due to this, the Academy had to add security to keep students safe from strangers who showed up at the school鈥檚 property to film students or shout Bible verses at them.  

However, after this, the Academy began to garner more support from the community. They received encouraging messages on a blog a parent had posted, emails and even postcards and signs from churches in the surrounding area.  

Last Friday large colorful signs from different churches, including , hung along the walls in the cafeteria and the first floor with messages like 鈥淵ou are beautiful鈥� and signatures from its members. Handmade posters sported inclusive and encouraging phrases like 鈥淵ou are perfect just the way you are.鈥� 

Some of the posters even came from beyond Alabama. One read:

鈥淩emember to just take a breath. Smell the roses and blow out the candles. You are loved and important. You’re doing your best. Black Forest, CO.鈥� 

Closer to home, the local community has bonded with the new school in many ways, whether through the local staff members who had been with Wilson for years, or via the school鈥檚 partnership with . 

This bond also appeared during graduation, when Denise Bishop, a supporter of the school, and  a Mardi Gras Krewe for the LGBTQ+ community, presented two scholarships to senior Gwen. The news prompted a spectator to call out: 鈥淚鈥檓 proud to be your aunt!鈥�  

鈥楾his Was a Lifesaver鈥�  

These bonds among students, faculty, staff, community and families create a palpable environment of love and acceptance. Danny Carr, Jefferson County鈥檚 district attorney, took note in his commencement address.   

鈥淲hen I walked into this room, and as I sat here, you know what I felt? I felt love. I felt respect. I felt opportunity. I felt honor. I felt all those things we so need in our community,鈥� Carr said.

鈥淲e love you. We believe in you. We honor you. We cherish you. Today is your day. Don鈥檛 ever forget this moment, and don鈥檛 ever let anyone take it away from you.鈥�

After Carr鈥檚 speech, students received their diplomas, and Wilson offered his closing remarks. 鈥淭wo and half years ago I sat right behind those books writing this proposal so we can have this school, now look at you,鈥� he said.  

鈥淲e are the best school in the country,鈥� Wilson proclaimed, jumping up and down with emotion. 鈥淭his day and every day I’m proud to stand up and say I am who I am in this building, in this school, in this city, in this state. I am a cis-gendered gay male who has the best darn school in the state because we have the best darn staff in the state,鈥� he said. 鈥淕od bless you all, and know 鈥� there鈥檚 this group of people who are always going to be there for you. I love you. Thank you for sharing your senior year with me.鈥�

After the ceremony, a grandparent approached Wilson and said, 鈥淚鈥檓 not overstating; this was a lifesaver.鈥�

Wilson hears accolades like this with profound ambivalence. While he鈥檚 grateful the school is living up to its mission, he wants to live in a world where no young person should be in life-threatening danger because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. 

But in the world where Wilson lives鈥擝irmingham, Alabama of 2022鈥攊t hurts to tell any young person there鈥檚 no room for them at Magic City Acceptance Academy. Already, they have enough applications to meet their target enrollment of 350 students. Wilson is hoping to add another counselor and social worker to the staff to meet the needs of more students.

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