An Interview with Tia’Dra Tucker

An Interview with Tia’Dra Tucker, Birmingham City Council

By Rosey White, AmeriCorps Member, Black Warrior Riverkeeper

Tia’Dra Tucker prepares for a Birmingham District 8 cleanup after receiving a bag of Black Warrior Riverkeeper’s litter grabbers. Photo by Charles Scribner.

Collaboration with community leaders in the 17-county Black Warrior River watershed is crucial to the work we do, especially when it comes to our Volunteer Litter Cleanups. Tia’Dra Tucker is the Office Administrator for Councilwoman Carol Clarke of the Birmingham City Council’s District 8, one of our generous and hands-on cleanup partners. In partnership with Black Warrior Riverkeeper, Tia’Dra manages cleanups on behalf of District 8.

Please provide a brief introduction of who you are, what you do, and why you went into the work you did.

My name is Tia’Dra Tucker. I am the Office Administrator for Councilwoman Carol Clarke of District 8. I’ll be honest, I had no intentions of being in the political field. I have been in several career fields, not knowing whether it will really speak to me to continue. I met Carol in 2021 and she presented me with an opportunity that I couldn’t refuse. It’s been quite the journey getting here and I’m so grateful to be a part of providing services to the community.

Why are you and Councilor Carol Clarke so passionate about addressing litter?

We love where we live! We want it to be as clean and safe as possible for the people who live here. When people litter, it gives the idea that we don’t care. Once someone outside of your community sees a small part of litter, they begin to think it’s ok to dump trash, furniture, and all types of things – because if you don’t care about where you live, why should anyone else? A few empty water bottles and balled up napkins could be the catalyst of your neighborhood being the center of a new dumping site.

How has partnering with Black Warrior Riverkeeper been helpful to your goals?

You all shed a light on the littering and preservation of our neighborhoods. Every cleanup, you are there to make sure we have enough supplies to go around, and we appreciate you.

How does your current program in social work affect your work?

My original plan with joining the social work track of my degree program was to better understand the foster care system and how to help people become foster parents. I still would like to do that, but I am also more into community work and how to better serve the people who live in poverty. One of the ways that I can help before I graduate is to make sure we are practicing ways to be cleaner and safe.

If you are interested in following Tia’Dra Tucker’s great example and joining Black Warrior Riverkeeper’s community service opportunities, please visit blackwarriorriver.org/volunteer/. If you would like to join District 8 as a monetary supporter of our clean water advocacy, please visit blackwarriorriver.org/support-us/.

Tia’Dra Tucker celebrates the contract for another year of collaborative cleanups in District 8 after receiving signatures from Charles Scribner, executive director of Black Warrior Riverkeeper, and Randall Woodfin, Mayor of Birmingham. Photo by Lamford Johnson.