Devyn S. Keith is president of the Huntsville City Council and represents Council District 1

Huntsville, “the closest city to space." There’s no place like it in the South — even the nation.

Through hard work, this community has created unique opportunities for its residents while simultaneously confronting immense challenges. Nevertheless, I believe we are poised to become a model city in many respects, the greatest city just this side of heaven, if I may.

To do this, I believe we must yet again, break from the national trend. Huntsvillians need to remember who we are to each other. No matter where you have moved here from, no matter what your party affiliation is, religious background, skin color, your zip code, or if you wear Maroon (Go Bulldogs) Crimson (Roll-Tide) or that dark tangerine color — we are all neighbors.

I have learned so much during my three years as the District 1 City Council representative.

I’ve learned from my colleagues on the council, from Mayor Battle, his administration and the extraordinary employees of the city who keep us humming.

But most of all, I’ve truly learned from my neighbors in North Huntsville.

I think of my neighbors in Terry Heights, Meadow Hills and Glen Park, home to some of the hardest working people in our city. These folks aren’t big-name developers, engineers or DoD contractors, but they are true Huntvillians nonetheless.

They truly value their ability to pay their mortgage, day care, insurance, car note and to-go order from G’s Country Kitchen. They are custodians who make sure every cubicle and office is spotless from Research Park to Redstone Arsenal.

Many of these folks though, feel left out of the progress that Huntsville is experiencing. Without a doubt, their viewpoints have always been valuable, but by choosing to live within “forgotten communities” it has shown me just how much they need a neighbor to advocate for them.

Projects like Councill High Park, the Johnson Legacy Development, Showers Center Transit Stop and the Sonya Drive Neighborhood Resource Center were birthed from conversations with my neighbors in these communities. Neighborhood perspectives guiding political priorities.

I’m reminded of my friend Mr. Shaw. He is a war veteran, forty years my senior, and our political views don’t align nationally, but overlap exponentially when we begin to talk about balancing the city’s budget, road paving, safe streets, support for our first responders, strong schools, downtown growth and of course, great food in this city we both love.

We have listened to each other over the years, and his influence continues to be impactful on my views of local policy. We’ve found that our primary civic concerns actually aren’t federal; but rather local.

He’s the neighbor I didn’t know I needed until I had him.

Then there are people like Phong. Phong is a naturalized U.S. citizen from Vietnam, brought to our area by our emerging tech sector. Before 2016, he felt no desire to vote in political elections, believing his vote had no impact. The first election he ever voted in was our Huntsville municipal elections in August 2016. Motivated by the appeal of a growing city, a city that supported local music, food, arts, inclusion and culture.

As Huntsville City Council President, I often reflect on what it means to effectively help lead our city while representing the interests of my district. My philosophy can be concluded in one saying: What’s good for District 1 is good for the city, and what’s good for the city is what’s good for District 1. We are all neighbors.

No neighbor or neighborhood should be seen as superior or inferior to another.

In the Gospel of Luke you will find “love our neighbors as we love ourselves.” That moral standard is written with action in mind.

We will inevitably fall short at times, but I believe this city should strive to create a community that can suspend our partisan interests, to breakaway from the current national climate and again be an example to this nation -- even to this world. As we enter into a new year, hoping to hold true to our New Year’s resolutions, let’s renew our focus on what’s most important —let’s strive together to be caring neighbors.