By Jessica Coates

jessica.coates@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY — Latasha Wilks has never run for public office before.

But Wilks, 43, said that when she talks with people in the community, she sees a need for a different kind of governance.

And that’s why she is running for a seat on the Salisbury City Council.

“I’ve been trying to figure out ways to get us out of the hole we’re in as a community,” Wilks said Tuesday. “I remember how it was when I was little, and it’s nothing like that now.”

Born and raised in Salisbury, Wilks said she remembers being able to walk around as a child without having to worry about gunshots.

“I remember that, then, neighbors really cared about the community,” she said. “If something happened and someone raised their voice loud, a neighbor would come out and ask, ‘What’s going on?’”

Wilks said her main objective, should she be elected, would be to bring “truth, transparency and trust” to the City Council.

“I figure if we don’t have that, we don’t have anything,” Wilks said.

She said she would use things like coalitions between the city and the public, as well as public databases, to make the council’s actions more transparent and accessible.

She mentioned several other objectives, including making sure that the Police Department is fully staffed and “thoroughly” examining Fibrant.

Wilks is a single mother of five. Her children are Aaron, Chad, Shakeila, Keshawn and Domanae.

Wilks is president of two community organizations — People Growing Together Toast Masters and Let’s Lend a Helping Hand.

She is also an associate minister at Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church and a full-time master’s degree student in psychology at Ashford University.

Wilks attended Salisbury High School.

Contact reporter Jessica Coates at 704-797-4222.