Influenced by the 1995 Million Man March and "The National Agenda" 2000-2008, Councilwoman Deborah Berry organized a meeting at the Waterloo Center for the Arts where over 30 individuals from the African American community attended. The purpose was to begin the process of healing in the Black community through unity and action.

The African American Leadership Coalition (AALC) is a non-partisan group of African Americans who are concerned about the quality of life in the Cedar Valley.

"By understanding the issues that impact our lives, we can solve our problems." Today, the AALC stands firm in that mission. In an effort to affect policy, the AALC works with national movements to encourage African Americans.

The AALC gathers together confirmed and would-be leaders of the African American community as a think tank to address challenges to equal opportunity and full participation in the society for the local black population.

By holding focus groups, town hall meetings, community forums, and the like, we can identify and routinely keep in touch with the people’s perception of major areas of social concern; subsequently to establish a committee to pay direct attention to the issues.

Our mission is to provide collective leadership to improve the quality of life for African Americans in the Cedar Valley.