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 Kim Roney.
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?
Roney: I was a pretty goofy kid. The most inescapable tale: When I was a baby, disposable diapers didn’t have very good elastic, and my papa loved to make me laugh. I argue it’s not my fault he was so funny or that my notorious laughing fits were worth risking a known leak.
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?
I had tremendous responsibilities as a teen caring for my younger siblings. Music was my retreat, from practicing piano to late-night headphones. I had a pixie haircut just like my bestie with our ska-punk aesthetic. I’ve always been a helper. I probably would’ve reacted to hearing about my role today with shock — rooted in awareness of my poverty status — then asked how public service might be helpful.
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?
Sense of belonging. My students and their peers have endured overlapping crises, and I’m continually grateful for the stories of empathy and care I hear as they navigate school and the world with the support of family, educators and community. At the same time, I hear there’s not a lot of local activities for teens and young adults, and that they notice how Asheville prioritizes tourism over the needs of the people who live here every day. Lack of a sense of belonging can ripple into crises in interpersonal relationships, education opportunities and mental health.
Three starting points for local officials to address sense of belonging for our youths:
- Expand the Strategic Partnership Fund with community partners to address the opportunity gap through mentorship, job training and violence interruption programming.
- Invest in public infrastructure, including scheduling beyond baseball at McCormick Field, getting Malvern Hills Pool open, following through on Southside input for the Walton Street Park & Pool.
- Continue youth programming through Parks & Rec, who have been innovative and successful in using city facilities for events like film screenings, dances and the holiday skate night that had over a thousand participants at the civic center.
A hopeful future for the next generation is why I serve. Many of my former students are adults (and voters) now, eager for Asheville to take better care of each other and our mountain home.
Lightning round: As a child, what was your favorite …
- Book: The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
- Album/band: The Music Machine
- TV show: “Reading Rainbow”
- Movie: Newsies
- Publication: Grandma’s TV Guide
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