A New Voice for the People

Keith Young will be a candidate for one of two seats in District 1.   Photo: Renato Rotolo

Staff Reports

President John F. Kennedy once said that those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.

Keith Young takes that belief seriously. He understands that change is the inescapable driver of history in the United States, that change is the law of life. Young, a native of Asheville and a 1998 graduate of Asheville High School, is stepping forward to make positive change happen in our community. He dreams of a better future, and to achieve it he has decided to run for Buncombe County Board of Commissioners.

This is the first year in Buncombe County’s 200-year history that
candidates will be elected by district; before the state legislature
changed the law last year, commissioners were elected county-wide. Now,
Young explains, “there is this microcosm of demographics not
representative of the whole county in each district, and those folks are
screaming to be heard.”

Asked to respond to the concern of many residents that the new system
will make commissioners more parochial in their interest, he notes,
“Whether the new system is right or wrong, it’s here.”

Young will be a candidate for one of two seats in District 1, which
includes most of Asheville proper. In meeting with and listening to
residents from all three districts (which coincide with state
legislative districts), he finds they all have different ideas on what
needs to be addressed at a county level. Issues that are sure to be of
interest in the 2012 election include proposed changes to the Asheville
water system, pay levels for Buncombe County employees and officials,
and the region’s economic growth.

“If I had all the answers, I sure wouldn’t be here,” said Young,
smiling from ear to ear. “In government, there are some people who feel
disconnected from what’s going on in the county, and for many residents
those perceived problems are a reality. A lot of times people hear
‘county’ and think, ‘oh that doesn’t concern me, I live in the city.’ I
want to address this with folks in their own back yards. You may live in
the city, but it’s all [part of] the county.”

How to address some of these perceived problems?

“As a Democrat,” said Young, 32, “I think we just do what we do best,
and that’s serving the interest of the people by making sure government
is providing good stewardship over county resources, helping folks where
we can. With this new district system, I want folks to speak up on
issues that matter. Getting politicians to focus on themselves is not a
hard task; however, a true public servant is selfless and all about the
people.”

Young’s platform positions paint a picture of a traditional believer in
the power of Democracy and the role of elected officials in fulfilling
its promise. He believes in responsible government, and the achievement
of economic growth through private and public entities working together.

Among his other positions, Young

• believes in and will work to ensure a livable wage and affordable housing

• is environmentally aware of our beautiful area and its impact on the quality of life and the economy

• will support efforts to develop environmentally friendly policies

• supports civil equality for all citizens without discrimination

• seeks to keep a balanced voice throughout his district and county.

Underneath his specific platform, though, are more fundamental
questions that, he believes, need to be addressed by any candidate for
public office. What does it take to be a public servant? Why are
politicians so self-righteous? Do they ever really get anything done?
Why don’t we have jobs here that provide decent pay? Why isn’t
affordable housing affordable? Young says he has heard it all.

A Background of Service

Young’s dedication to helping others led him to establish and lead the
Success Through Education and Motivation program at the Reuter YMCA in
South Asheville in the early 2000s.

“You have to be able to put your self-interest aside and work for the
greater good of your community,” he says. “As a spectator, it’s always
easy to sit and say what you would or would not do. Everyone does a
little armchair quarterbacking when it comes to politics, and in
government everyone has an opinion, everyone has an agenda, and everyone
is right.”

Young was graduated cum laude from Virginia State University with a
degree in communications. He has worked as a small business owner,
marketing consultant, and as the founder of a non-profit mentoring
organization, Project Dream.

Young is a member of the East End/Valley Street Neighborhood
Association and of the Association of Fundraising professionals. He
serves as president of the African American Caucus of the Buncombe
County Democratic Party, and as a member of the NC Democratic Party’s
State Executive Committee.

He’s also a dedicated father of two beautiful girls and a lifelong
member of Asheville’s oldest African American churches, Hopkins Chapel
AME Zion.

Focus on the needs of citizens

“People want jobs, decent pay, and a good quality of life for their
families. If the county has the power to affect any of those situations
for our residents, I believe you have to press forward to bring it to
fruition,” said Young. “You can’t personally make everyone’s issue
disappear, but you can listen and see what actions can be taken to
create positive change for everyone.”

W. Keith Young feels compelled to run because, as he puts it, “It’s
time for a new voice, and that voice is not mine but the voice of the
people. What are their issues? What are their ideas?” He wants to be the
people’s voice, to speak on their behalf about what matters to them.
“Let me,” he says, “be the guy who says ‘I hear you loud and clear, and
we will fix it together.’”