Asheville Council Member Kilgore Running for NC Senate
Buncombe County native Sandra Kilgore will seek the seat of District 49, NC Senate.
Buncombe County native Sandra Kilgore will seek the seat of District 49, NC Senate.
Kilgore is presently a member of the Asheville City Council and served three years on the Planning & Zoning Board.
Kilgore describes herself a “a fierce advocate,” as was seen in her preference for repurposing of the Vance monument last year rather than removing it, perceiving a repurposing as an opportunity to bring unity to an already fragmented community.
She is also a strong believer in the importance of being at the table in order to effect change. She feels that while many decisions are made with good intentions, they may sometimes have negative repercussions for others.
“Many of the decisions made by the City Council are limited by state laws,” she says. Representation on all levels must be realized to ensure the voices of those most impacted are heard.”
According to her campaign announcement, Kilgore “decided to run for Senate to be a voice for area residents. She realizes the importance of working together and negotiating in order to create solutions that benefit the county as a whole.”
Her negotiation skills, she says, have been honed through her real estate business. She also notes that she will be “willing to seek out areas where we can agree, reach across the aisle, and move forward on those items.”
Kilgore is also concerned that many of our rights are under attack.
“Rights that we felt were protected are now being dismantled and weakened, through such means as voter suppression and redistricting.” She wants, she says, “to have those conversations as to how we can move forward without stepping on the rights of others.”
Another issue of concern for Kilgore is the damage that is being done to our values and integrity.
“We must all do what we can to bring back civility. We cannot stand idly by while our democracy is being dismantled right before our eyes. This is not the time to be apathetic…. We all have to ask ourselves, is this the type of society we want for our children? The divisive culture that we now find ourselves confronting must be dealt with head on through constructive dialogue.”
She continued, “We must not buy into the fear tactics that only weaken us. At the end of the day, we all want the same thing. We want safe, clean and functional communities. We want economic sustainability. We want equality and equity opportunities to better support our families and to routinely enjoy the many pleasantries of life.”
Born and reared in Asheville, Kilgore attended Asheville City Schools and majored in Art & Art History at UNC Asheville. She began her career as a flight attendant in 1976 for Piedmont Airlines, and was first licensed in 1986 as a real estate agent in Asheville. She returned home in 2012 and opened a boutique real estate office in the Southside community, where she spent her childhood. She recently opened a second office downtown Asheville on Market Street, which was once a bustling business community for African Americans.
Kilgore is presently a member of the Land of the Sky Board of Directors, as well as City Council liaison to the TDA Board of Directors, Greater Asheville Regional Airport, The African American Heritage Commission, the Planning & Zoning Commission, the Board of Adjustment, and Asheville Parks & Recreation Department. She is also assigned to the following City of Asheville committees: Planning and Economic Development, Finance & Human Resources and Public Safety.
She has one son, Christian, who has been instrumental in her career journey and is one of her biggest fans.
For more information or to support Kilgore’s campaign for State Senate, visit www.kilgoreforncsenate.org.
