In November 2019, Weyling White was elected mayor of his hometown of Ahoskie in Hertford County, becoming the first African American mayor in the town's history. Though an enormous honor, this distinction came as no surprise to those who knew Weyling. After graduating from Winston-Salem State University in 2008, Weyling returned to Ahoskie with a mission to use his education and give back for the betterment of his community. After earning his MBA in healthcare administration, Weyling joined the Roanoke Chowan Community Health Center and currently serves as a Practice Administrator, where his work has helped provide healthcare access to uninsured and undeserved patients across the Roanoke-Chowan area.
Q:
What motivates you to get up every day and do the work you do to serve your community?
A:
Everyone has a purpose in life and I knew at an early age that mine was helping others. My motivation comes from the people in my community that need healthcare access, have fallen victim to crime, living paycheck-to-paycheck, or making tough decisions like whether to buy medicine or food. Everyday is a new day to make a difference in the life of someone else.
Q:
What inspired you to pursue elected office?
A:
My biggest inspiration came from my passion and commitment to see my town and those who live in it thrive. Going through programs like REDI and Leadership NC, I felt more prepared to lead my town after gaining such vast perspectives of our state and rural North Carolina. I always felt that I had a responsibility to my town to lead in a meaningful way.
Q:
What does being a leader mean to you?
A:
I ran my mayoral campaign being authentic and staying true to myself. I believe in authentic leadership—being motivated not by ego, but a bigger calling, making decisions for long term sustainability, as well as making decisions based on core values.
Q:
What was your biggest takeaway from REDI?
A:
REDI was so good it’s hard to narrow down to just one, so I can give you my top two. First, when it comes to unconscious bias, we all have a lot of unlearning to do in regard to the biases and cultures that we grew up learning. This has definitely shaped the way I interact and approach others. Second, every town, no matter the amount of stop lights, has an asset; it’s all about how the community chooses to leverage their resources for advancement and sustainability.
Q:
What is your vision for Ahoskie (in two sentences or less)?
A:
My vision for Ahoskie is our town getting back to be the premier place to live with thriving businesses, safe streets, activities for our youth, and a growing economy. My goal is to modernize our town to where no matter your age you can live here and enjoy a wonderful quality of life.
