Birmingham’s growing life sciences sector got a major boost last October when it was named one of 31 finalists for a federal “tech hub” grant. The city is now in the running to receive up to $75 million in funding.
Even without the potential grant, Birmingham is on track for a biotech boom that will benefit workers throughout the region in the years ahead.
As someone who has advanced racial equity as the head of Birmingham’s Black Lives Matter chapter, I’m particularly optimistic about the opportunities this historic influx of biotech investment could bring to our city’s Black workers and families.
Black Americans have historically been underrepresented in the life sciences workforce, accounting for just 6% of life sciences workers while representing around 13% of the U.S. population. Standing up more biotech facilities here in Birmingham is a chance to change that.
But this more equitable future is by no means guaranteed. And one of the most urgent threats to Alabama’s burgeoning life sciences economy is a trade policy being pushed by foreign governments at the World Trade Organization (WTO).