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Amanda Keller

SHE/HER/HERS

DIRECTOR

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Amanda moved to Alabama in 2006 and received her BA in Philosophy from The University of Alabama at Birmingham.

 

Amanda is the Founding Director of the Magic City Acceptance Center (MCAC) and manages Family Matters: LGBTQ Youth Perspectives, a photography exhibition by Carolyn Sherer. Family Matters premiered at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute in April 2014, and was selected as the Outwin Boochever Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery finalist in 2016.

 

Her advocacy work began in Columbus, Ohio volunteering with a local AIDS service organization. That work continued at Birmingham AIDS Outreach in 2009. Amanda is proud to be in her 11th year of working with BAO and affiliated programs. 

 

Amanda is a graduate of the 2019 American Express Leadership Academy, serves on the Board of the Children’s Policy Council, and Mayor Woodfin’s LGBTQ Advisory Board. Additional awards include: 2015 Simpkins/Talley Spirit of Pride Award, 2015 B-Metro Fusion Award, 2017 Ben Rowell Community Service Award, AL.com’s 2017 “Women Who Shape the State” honoree, 2018 Sylvia Rivera Game Changer Award, one of 2018 Birmingham Business Journal’s “Women to Watch,” a member of the Leadership Birmingham Class of 2020, and the UAB College of Arts and Sciences 2020 Distinguished Young Alumni.

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Lauren Jacobs

SHE/HER/HERS

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

Lauren Jacobs, Assistant Director at the Magic City Acceptance Center (MCAC) in Birmingham, Alabama. At MCAC, Lauren provides community building, sexual wellness/healthy relationship education, and STI testing and for LGBTQ youth ages 13-24.

 

Lauren is a Birmingham native whose advocacy around LGBTQ issues began as a student in high school. She became heavily involved in organizing at The University of Alabama where her work involved coalition building with a network of LGBTQ college student groups around the Southeastern U.S., and developing programs and events around gender, sexuality, racial and reproductive justice. Lauren was a principal organizer for the Southeastern LGBTQ Student Leadership Conference, offering space for hundreds of students to build a diverse community of LGBTQ southerners.  

 

Lauren has contributed writing to Autostraddle.com, the world's biggest queer women's website, and served as associate producer to Alabama Bound, an award-winning documentary that has brought stories of lesbian families in Alabama to screens around the country.

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Meet The Team!

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Amanda Keller

SHE/HER


FOUNDING DIRECTOR

Amanda is a native of Cleveland, Ohio. With a deep commitment to amplifying the voices of marginalized communities, she focuses her work on the Deep South, where she integrates an intersectional approach to social justice that centers the experiences of LGBTQ individuals, BIPOC communities, and other historically oppressed groups.

 

Amanda's work is grounded in a belief that transformative change is possible when we engage with and uplift those who have been silenced by systemic inequalities.

 

She is the founding director of the Magic City Acceptance Center (MCAC), a pioneering, radically inclusive safe space for LGBTQ+ individuals in Birmingham, Alabama. Under her leadership, the center has grown to be a vital resource for LGBTQ+ youth and adults, offering everything from educational programs to resources and referrals, and advocating for social change within the community. MCAC has become a cornerstone in the fight for LGBTQ rights and acceptance in the South, providing a space where individuals can find empowerment, resources, and belonging.

Amanda’s work is informed by her lived experiences and her dedication to breaking down barriers that limit access to justice and equality. In addition to her work at MCAC, Amanda is involved in a variety of local and national initiatives aimed at increasing visibility and support for vulnerable communities. She is a sought-after speaker, trainer, and consultant on issues related to social justice, LGBTQ+ rights, and community organizing. Through her efforts, Amanda continues to contribute to building a more inclusive and just society—one where everyone, regardless of their identity, can thrive.

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Imani Williams

SHE/HER


PROGRAMS COORDINATOR

Imani is a poet that hails from the sunshine state. She continued her studies at the University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa) where she earned a B.S. in Public Health 2019 and a M.A. in Women's Studies in 2022. She is now an instructor of Women's Studies in the Department of Race and Gender Studies.

 

When she isn't teaching at the university, she is teaching poetry to inner-city Birmingham students and facilitating workshops on health education and writing. She is a former graduate programming director of The Safezone Office at the University of Alabama. 

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MG VINSON

THEY/THEYM


SOCIAL WORKER

MG is from Decatur, Alabama, and got their Undergraduate degree in English Literature and their Master's degree in Social Work from Auburn University.

 

They have a lifelong interest in queer community building and advocacy work, and also had the opportunity to work with campus groups at Auburn to explore that interest. They have worked as an intern at Unity Wellness Center, a case manager at AIDS Alabama, and have had the opportunity through both of these positions to work with many amazing queer people in Alabama. 

 

MG believes strongly in the vibrant queer community in Alabama and the South at large, as well as its great potential for solidarity, support, and joy. They are excited to continue getting to know people in the Birmingham queer community through the Acceptance Center. As a social worker, MG thinks the most important role they can play is to support those they work with in realizing their goals and dreams.

 

They believe every person is an expert on their own life, and the role of the social worker is to defer to that expertise and provide assistance where needed. They hope to always listen to understand and support. MG looks forward to bringing this philosophy to their work with Magic City Acceptance Center. In MG's free time, they love to spend time with their cat, read and write fluffy gay romances, play tabletop roleplaying games, and do improv comedy. 

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Isaiah Caldwell

HE/HIM

COMMUNITY OUTREACH WORKER

Isaiah is the Community Outreach Worker at MCAC. He is originally from Huntsville, Alabama. He is obtaining a BS in Communication Studies at the University of Montevallo.  

One thing that Isaiah is passionate about is human connection. With that he has always been an advocate for justice and fairness. He advocates by using communication ethically in the hope that groups have shared meaning. At his university he is Vice President of the Black Student Union as well as part of the M.A.D.E. (Minorities Achieving Dreams of Excellence) Program. He uses his skills in deliberative communication and public speaking in order to help create dialogue that’s productive and creates conversation about human rights.

 Isaiah has not been in Birmingham long, but he’s already had his foot in multiple doors. Interning at Birmingham’s own Big Communications as well as the Birmingham Business Alliance’s program Onboard BHM. Isaiah is very excited to be part of this team and is very eager to bring his skills as well as learn more about working with a nonprofit organization. Like the amazing educators and mentors in his life he wants to invest in the youth in hope that they continue to be the force that betters this world more and more every day.

Contact us:

Email: Keller@mcac-bao.org

Phone: 205-407-8157

​Find us: 

3130 3rd Avenue South

Birmingham, Alabama 35233

Click here to view us on Google Maps!

Hours of Operation: 

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 9:00 AM- 6:00 PM*

Wednesday: 10:00 AM- 7:00 PM*

 

*MCAC is only open to the public during in-person programs and services.

Please contact us to schedule a meeting or tour!

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