It's not about erasing history, it's about growing from it. Montgomery, Alabama is the birthplace of the civil rights movement, and home to many advocates, change makers, leaders, and talented individuals. Montgomery was also a center of the domestic slave trade, and was the first capitol of the confederacy. The confederates was a group of white supremacists, pro slavery states dedicated to standing behind their belief that all men are NOT created equal. As we've progressed a lot of the symbols of the confederacy are still placed throughout the city of Montgomery, making the city less attractive. The first place we can start is with the City of Montgomery flag. My name is Jeremiah Treece, and I am a native of Montgomery, Alabama. I attend Booker T. Washington Magnet High school, where I participate in Youth Judicial, Youth Legislature, Youth in City, and many more Youth in Government programs. Throughout these events I have been able to learn how to use my voice to advocate for change not just in my community, but with everything around me, so when the City of Montgomery flag was brought to my attention I felt it was my duty to advocate for the change. Gray, from the color of the uniforms of the soldiers of the Confederate States of America, represents the Confederacy. Red, the color of the satire on the state’s flag, symbolizes Alabama. Blue denotes the “blue and gray” unity of today (the uniforms of the Union soldiers during the Civil War were blue). The seven white stars symbolize the seven original states of the Confederacy, “brought together in the center wreathed in glory and honor”, according to the city’s chamber of commerce.  The City of Montgomery flag was officially adopted on April 19, 1952. This was the era of Jim Crow and the beginning of the civil rights movement where African Americans began to challenge white supremacy. Even though the flag was adopted 87 years after the Civil War, many felt like this was the perfect time to interject the history of the Confederacy. There are a lot of different interpretations of the confederacy, but on January 6 protesters at the capitol made it clear that the confederate flag still demonstrates “Hate not Heritage.” To make Montgomery a place that feels comfortable and open, we must get rid of the symbols that create hostility. The symbols that indicate that certain groups aren't wanted here due to race, gender, sexuality, social class should not be kept. Especially the ones that were made in an era that we are trying to learn from. The city of Montgomery is trying to move forward. They made progress in July 2020 when the Montgomery school board voted to change the names of two public high schools that were named after confederate leaders, Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis. Superintendent Melvin J. Brown made the statement that “Our job is to make our spaces comfortable for our kids. Bottom line is we’re going to make decisions based on what our kids' needs may be, not necessarily on sentiment around whatever nostalgia may exist.” As a young adult in Montgomery we all want to see this city grow. We want the city to grow so that we can grow the businesses, jobs, events, and education system. Creating a new flag would not erase history. It would simply be the first step in growing from it and showcasing that the city of Montgomery is an inclusive place for everyone.