Marcus sits on the porch of his weathered old house, gazing out at the once vibrant neighborhood that has been ravaged by the deadly tornadoes. It has been a few months since the storms, but the scars are still evident everywhere. Broken fences, tattered rooftops, and piles of debris were constant reminders of the havoc that was unleashed upon Selma. At 58 years old, Marcus is a kind, proud man who has worked hard and diligently but has seen his fair share of struggles in life. Growing up in the aftermath of the civil rights movement, he has witnessed the slow decay of his community. Selma. Once a bustling city filled with hope, it now struggles with a 43% poverty rate, a devastating consequence of man-made disasters and economic oppression. For over 30 years, Marcus has been faithful to his family, his community, and to the local manufacturing company where he works. He lives in the home that was passed down in his family through generations, right down the road from the high school where he met his wife 45 years prior, and around the corner from the local park where he takes his grandchildren to play when they visit from nearby Montgomery. Selma is home for Marcus. Then the tornadoes hit and completely upended his world. Like many others in Selma, Marcus didn’t have appropriate disaster insurance, and now his family home was left in desperate need of repairs. Undeterred by the lack of resources, Marcus did his best to repair his house. He gathered materials salvaged from the wreckage, improvising and making do with what he had. Yet the need was still great, and the work to rebuild was expensive and difficult. Through organizations such as the Gospel Tabernacle, Selma is working hard to rebuild—from the recent natural disasters as well as the man-made disasters that have economically oppressed the town for decades. Like many others in Selma, Marcus isn’t interested in leaving. This is home for him, just as it has been for the generations that came before him. And despite the challenges that face the people of Selma, they are resolute and determined to support one another and create a better tomorrow.