Birmingham Board of Education member Sonja Smith kicked off her campaign for the Birmingham City Council’s District 8 seat at an Ensley health food store Thursday.

“District 8 is my home. I live, work and play here, whether it’s playing tennis at the Ensley rec center with my tennis coaches over there, supporting our local businesses, like Jacquie’s place here, or hosting community outreach events through my job at UAB, I believe in the potential of our district and know that, together, we can make it even better,” Smith said to the crowd at Bama Health Foods, founded by Jacquie Fazekas.

In addition to Ensley, District 8 includes the neighborhoods of Belview Heights, Bush Hills, Central Park, College Hills, Ensley Highlands, Fairview, Graymont, Thomas, Rising West-Princeton, Tuxedo and Tuxedo Heights.

Smith said she decided to run for the council spot because she wants to continue the success the school board has seen during her two terms. That success includes establishing the district’s first STEM school in Ensley’s Bush Hills STEAM Academy as well as increasing opportunities for students, such as offering trade certifications and courses at Miles College.

Smith said her campaign platform rests on three pillars: empowering local businesses, inspiring youth opportunities and strengthening neighborhoods.

In terms of strengthening neighborhoods, Smith said that would include leveraging federal programs that help qualified residents make repairs to their homes and limiting short-term rentals.

Asked whether she supports the short-term rental zoning changes under consideration by the council, Smith said “We’re going in the right direction.”

The incumbent for District 8, Councilor Carol Clarke, who is not seeking re-election, attended Smith’s kickoff event and voiced her support for the new candidate.

“In Sonja Smith we have an exquisite candidate, and I think she is going to be hard to match when you consider the field, whatever it turns out to be,” Clarke said as she spoke before Smith at the kickoff event.

Smith graduated from Hoover High School in 1999 and attended Birmingham-Southern College, where she earned a bachelor’s in music in 2003. She also earned a master’s in music from Louisiana State University in 2006.

After earning her master’s degree, Smith was a teacher at ACE Technical Charter High School in Chicago until 2009. She then worked as an adjunct music instructor at Malcolm X College-City Colleges in Chicago until 2012.

From 2013 to 2018, Smith was a project coordinator for AIDS Alabama. She then served as project manager and later deputy director of Birmingham’s Negro Southern League Museum until 2021. She now is a program manager with UAB.

Smith has represented District 8 on the school board since 2017.

“During my eight years of public service, some things have changed, while others have remained the same,” Smith said to the crowd of supporters Thursday. “I still believe in the power of advocating, communicating and being transparent as an elected official, but I’ve also learned a delicate balance of teamwork and standing alone with voting your convictions. Eight years ago, several of my neighbors didn’t know me, but you gave me a chance, and I hope that in that time, I’ve proven my ability to build partnerships that create opportunities, because today, I’m ready to take that experience to the next level as your city councilor.