Where We’ve Been: 8 Places our work has taken us
There’s something about the long days and warm nights of summer that sparks a sense of adventure. Whether it’s a cross-country road trip or a deep dive into a new community, summer is the season for exploration. As we celebrate our journey at Quire Consulting, we’re looking back at the map of where our work has taken us. From our home base in Birmingham to the streets of LA, here is a look at the places—and people—who have shaped our story.
Selma, AL
Each visit to Selma has meant engaging interviews, overwhelming hospitality and a deeper understanding of its repeated impact in the story of our country. We’ve worked in Selma since 2019 when we conducted interviews as part of our strategic planning development with the Alabama African American Civil Rights Heritage Sites Consortium (AAACRHSC). We’ve also worked with the Selma Redevelopment Authority and Temple Mishkan Israel in 2020, and returned in 2021 to host a board retreat for the Historic Tabernacle Baptist Church Legacy Foundation.
Laurel, MS
Laurel’s story of redevelopment has been highlighted thanks to the show Home Town on HGTV. When we arrived as part of our research for the Selma Redevelopment Authority we met leaders who were generous with their time and expertise with the purpose of helping other small towns achieve their economic development goals.
Providence, RI and Santa Monica, CA
At Quire we are forever learners. One way we invest in our growth is through the community of EPIC: Advancing the Value of Ethnography in Industry. We’ve attended the yearly conference virtually and in person in cities like Providence, Santa Monica, Chicago and Savannah. In addition to attending, Autumn hosted a panel for the conference in Providence and served as a session moderator and panelist for the conference in Santa Monica.
Fun fact: the cover image for this blog is from 2024 when Autumn went to the EPIC Conference in Santa Monica and got to meet up with our LA client (Young Storytellers) IRL after the project wrapped.
Hale County, AL
In 2022 our research with the pARTners Project took us to Hale County where we spoke with families, educators, and leaders about arts education. We visited the indigenous formations at the Moundville Archaeological Park where a guest artist demonstrated ways to fire pottery directly in an open fire.
Chicago, IL
Like so many other industries, the pandemic challenged us to rethink ways to support our clients from afar. In 2020 we reconnected with colleagues from Chicago and worked with Mezcla Media Collective and a group of film organizations on a completely remote collective impact project. Rethinking our remote work for select projects has opened opportunities for us to travel to new cities without our team physically being there.
Los Angelos, CA
Between 2023 and 2024, our work took us (remotely!) to the creative hub of Los Angeles. We collaborated with Young Storytellers to develop a comprehensive program toolkit. Our goal was to create a sustainable, volunteer-led pilot version of their long-running and popular Script to Stage program, ensuring that even more students have a platform for their stories.
Mobile, AL
In the winter of 2023, we headed to the Port City to work with the City of Mobile’s Innovation Team. Our work centered on researching the racial wealth gap. We focused on identifying the specific barriers to wealth creation and retention for Mobile's Black residents—work that is vital in a city where the poverty rate for Black residents has historically sat near 25%, significantly higher than the city-wide average.
Birmingham, AL
Birmingham isn’t just where we work; it’s the heart of our operations. We’ve grown alongside this city, moving through collaborative spaces like Forge Coworking and Innovation Depot, and hosting team retreats at MAKEbhm, Polaris, and the Create Birmingham offices. These days, you’ll find us working out of our home offices or fueling up at local coffee shops. We’ve had the distinct pleasure of partnering with non-profits across the city and contributing to major city-wide initiatives that keep the Magic City moving forward.
