As part of Xpress’ annual Kids Issue series, we reached out to the members of Asheville City Council and the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners to share their childhood recollections. Not all elected officials were available.
Below is our conversation with Council member Sheneika Smith.
Xpress: Most people have at least one story their family and relatives can’t help but retell at reunions and/or holiday gatherings. What is the quintessential story from your childhood that you can’t seem to escape at these types of gatherings?
Smith: I grew up as a church kid — not just a Sunday morning church kid, but a Monday through Sunday, revival, Bible study, choir rehearsal and shut-in kind of church kid. Church was like a second home, and when you spend that much time in one place, you either find ways to stay engaged or ways to entertain yourself. I leaned into the latter.
One of the funniest things I used to do — something that still gets brought up whenever childhood stories resurface — happened during offering time. In Black churches, we don’t pass the offering plate down the pews like some churches do. No, we walk to the offering plate, usually in a musical procession, set to the rhythm of the organ, drums and a choir.
So, being the mischievous kid I was, I decided to add a little comic relief to the moment. I would put my shoes on the wrong feet — a subtle but effective detail — then march down the aisle to the offering plate like everything was completely normal. Most of the adults didn’t notice, but the young people? They saw it every time and thought it was the funniest thing ever.
Trying to contain their snickers, shaking shoulders, and stifled laughs made it even funnier. The adults would turn around, confused, scanning the room trying to find the source of the disruption, while the kids were falling apart in the pews. Meanwhile, I’d be back in my seat, straight-faced, acting like I had nothing to do with it.
Even now, whenever childhood stories come up, someone will say, “Remember when you used to switch your shoes and march to the offering plate like nothing was wrong?” And honestly? I wouldn’t trade those moments for anything. Hilarious!
How would you describe yourself as a teenager? And how do you think your former teenage self would have reacted to learning you ended up serving as an elected official?
As a teenager, I was the adventurous, outspoken middle child of three girls — the one who pushed boundaries, tested limits and always had something to say. I wasn’t a rule breaker, but I was definitely a rule tester, questioning expectations and challenging both my parents and my teachers with a mix of boldness, curiosity and sarcasm.
I found my greatest sense of belonging outside the house — not because I didn’t love my family but because I was drawn to the community and people around me. Whether it was with friends, in creative spaces, or out exploring, I thrived on freedom, expression and movement.
If I told my teenage self that one day I’d be an elected official, it would be an absolute shock. I was always artsy, free-spirited and uninterested in rigid structures, so the idea of holding a formal position in government would have felt completely out of character. But when I really think about it, maybe it makes perfect sense.
The young people in our community have been through a lot since COVID and Helene. What is your top concern for our area youths, and what influence do local officials have to address it?
Our youths have endured more than their share of disruption, uncertainty and fear in recent years. COVID forced them into isolation, disconnecting them from the social and educational experiences that shape identity, confidence and emotional well-being. Then, just as the world was finding its footing, Hurricane Helene brought another wave of displacement, loss and instability.
I know firsthand how suffocating it can feel to be confined to home, church and school, with little room for freedom, exploration and self-discovery. But our young people weren’t just confined — they were sheltering in place while surrounded by the fear of death, suffering and uncertainty. The emotional toll of that is crazy!
Because of this, my greatest concern for our youths is their mental health, happiness and their ability to recover socially and academically. They have lost formative time. Many are grappling with anxiety, grief and social setbacks that have reshaped their sense of safety and confidence in the world.
Recovery, in this context, must mean more than just catching up in school and repairing buildings and infrastructure — it must mean social and emotional healing. It means creating safe spaces where young people can reconnect without the weight of fear and trauma. It means ensuring they have access to mental health resources, community programs and mentorship opportunities that restore their sense of hope and belonging.
Lightning round: As a child, what was your favorite …
- Book: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
- Album: You Brought the Sunshine by The Clark Sisters
- TV show: “The Cosby Show”
- Movie: Lean On Me
- Publication (magazine or newspaper): Ebony magazine
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