Brian Kelly is the Director of Marketing and Development at Seacoast Repertory Theatre. He is also the co-founder of the grassroots movement Keep Portsmouth Loud, the co-founder of the (un)Official City of Portsmouth Page and he has a whole slew of local and national activism experience.
Says Brian: “I’ve been an activist all my life.”
What are two things that you want Portsmouth voters to know about you?
- The first is that I feel a debt to Portsmouth and I want to serve. I graduated during the recession only really being good at writing and performing. Portsmouth gave me a trajectory where I could use those skills. I got my first paid acting gig here. I met my wife at an audition at the Players Ring. I got a job that paid decently and an apartment. We were able to start a business here after a while. Now I work my dream job at Seacoast Rep. I feel plugged in and at home here. I want that possibility and feeling for everyone.
- I believe, above all in affordability, specifically affordability of housing. I believe that if you work in the city you should have a fair shot at living here. I see an exodus of young people, and increasingly the elderly, due to affordability and it scares me, but there’s a way forward. I think that housing is the key to keeping the city vibrant and healthy. We have to make the right choices here, and to do that we need an honest, accessible government with courage and vision.
One compelling reason that Portsmouth residents should vote on November 7th?
Local government has the most power to affect your life, and you have the greatest power to change your local government. The cost of your house or your rent, the way the city looks and feels, the issues that get taken up or ignored — all of them are determined at the local level. We are also making some extremely profound and important decisions in the next few years. We’re in a period of rapid change, and how Portsmouth moves into the next 20 years can be determined in the next two. There is opportunity for it to build itself as an excellent place to build a life, a true community, but only if we get it right.
You can learn more about Brian at: BrianKellyforPortsmouth.com
