Austin Smith has been helping at-risk youth in Montgomery since he was in high school. Now he wants to do it from the Legislature.
By Josh Moon
Austin Smith had a decision to make.
He had a resume that could take him anywhere in the world. Literally. He had graduated near the top of his class from Brewbaker Technology Magnet School in Montgomery—consistently one of the top high schools in the nation—and had received a degree in civil engineering from Alabama A&M University. At A&M, he had served as the Student Government Association president, helped the tennis team win a conference title, and helped get Doug Jones elected senator.
Still in his early 20s, Smith had a decision before him, a big one—where to build his life.
He came home. To Montgomery. To the place that so many people say the talented and well-positioned in life should flee and never look back.
“I know of the problems in Montgomery and of the issues and how desperately that good kids in the city need help,” Smith said. “How could I turn my back on them? So many of these kids, I mentored. I’ve been in the neighborhoods. I’ve seen the food insecurity and the poverty. I know about the struggles. What kind of a person would I be if I left?”
He certainly wouldn’t be the sort of person that Smith has always been.
Throughout his life, starting when he, himself, was just a kid in school and all the way through college and his early years as a working professional, Smith has sought out ways to make a difference in his community. Now, he’s looking for one more—as the state representative for House District 74.
That’s the seat that is being vacated by Representative Phillip Ensler, who is running for lieutenant governor. It’s a seat that represents some of the most downtrodden areas of Montgomery, and some of the city’s most hopeful constituents. It is an area that Smith believes he is uniquely qualified to represent, thanks to his upbringing, his community service work, and his education.
In fact, Smith has been pretty much preparing for this since he was in high school—back when he got involved in local politics and encouraged other young people to do the same. He was elected Youth Mayor of the Youth in Government Program at Brewbaker—a program he helped expand to three additional high schools in Montgomery.
He was a fixture in the National Junior Tennis Association’s recruitment program that offered underserved youth an opportunity to learn the game. Through that position, he mentored a number of young people.
At A&M, he was not only SGA president but also a campus ambassador with the Andrew Goodman Foundation. He led a team that registered to vote more than 80 percent of the A&M student body and produced the highest voter turnout in campus history for the 2020 election.
Now, back in Montgomery, he is involved in pretty much every community organization that exists. He is a volunteer coach of the tennis teams at Brewbaker. He served on the Mayor’s Young Professionals Council. And he remains committed to mentoring youth, primarily through the NJTA One Community program.
“I know I’m just 26 years old, but I feel like I have a lot to offer and have a lot of experiences that many people, even some a lot older, don’t,” Smith said. “I care about the people of this community. I’m from here. My mom is an educator. My dad was the city planner.”
But more than that, Smith believes he relates best to the people of HD74, because he’s spent so much time in the community, working with at-risk youth, offering pathways out, and not punching down at those who need a hand up.
“Let’s just be honest about it—I’m a young Black male and a lot of the victims of the crime and violence that takes place in this city are young, Black males,” Smith said. “There’s a relatability between me and the people who need to see the pathways out.”
That is a unique difference between Smith and his opponent, attorney Jasmyne Crimiel, a prosecutor with Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s office, that is certain to be highlighted often in the months leading up to the May 19th primary. But it’s not one that Smith cared to bring up, choosing instead to remain focused on his campaign.
“There are so many things that I can do and so many people I can help in this position,” Smith said. “That’s what this is about for me. Addressing the issues that cause harm in our communities. Making people feel safer. Making life more affordable. Making a real difference for the people who need it most.”