Jelani Wheeler was sitting at a crossroads – literally and figuratively. Last Wednesday, the 24-year-old Mt. Airy resident was at a table inside Avenues Cafe at the corner of Germantown and E. Mt. Airy avenues, promoting The Business Center for Entrepreneurship & Social Enterprise. Located on The New Covenant Campus, the center seeks to give local residents guidance in launching and growing their small businesses.

It’s the kind of thing that speaks to Wheeler, a neighborhood kid who grew up playing Mt. Airy baseball and then took his skills to Florida A&M University, where he played catcher and earned a communications degree. Now that he’s back home, he’s driven by a desire to help area youth and adults alike find their own opportunities in life.

“I was very fortunate to have parents who invested in my sister and me in terms of education and putting us into activities,” Wheeler said. “And I think that a lot of young people don’t necessarily have that. And so that has to be provided through school and extracurricular activities.”

Like many who love Mt. Airy, Wheeler is facing a difficult decision in the upcoming primary election for City Council’s 8th District. Wheeler is neighbors with incumbent Cindy Bass, who has held the office since 2011. He and his family have been Bass supporters, and think highly of her.

But asked if he intends to vote for Bass or challenger Seth Anderson-Oberman come May 16, Wheeler flashed a nervous smile and thought carefully before answering.

“I definitely have heard, just to be fair, different points made about her and her fulfilling her role. And unfortunately, it has been more negative than positive,” Wheeler said.

Spend an afternoon talking to residents in a community hub like The Avenues, and it becomes clear the vibes on the street are the same as in political circles: the race for the 8th is a real one, likely the most competitive challenge Bass has faced since winning office.

Alex Talmadge, Jr., a semi-retired attorney, Democratic committeeperson, and former city elections commissioner, may have best represented the old guard in the coffee shop Wednesday. Asked what local issue was most important to him, the six-decades-and-counting East Mt. Airy resident quickly said crime. Too many weapons on the street have led to too much violence, Talmadge said.

“There have been more incidents in the last five years than I can remember in the other 45 years, 50 years,” Talmadge added. “When I was growing up we threw punches. Nobody ever thought about pulling a gun, or pulling a knife.”

He’s also concerned about development in the area bringing increased traffic and changing the Northwest’s suburban character. And, of course, he wishes there were fewer potholes.

Asked about who he will vote for, Talmadge says it’s “probably” Bass.

“Although I don’t like everything she says and she does, I think she’s been good, steady, and to a certain extent progressive,” Talmadge said. “My feeling is, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.”

Sitting at a nearby table, West Mt. Airy resident Marjorie Winther shared many of the same concerns but reached dramatically different conclusions.

A retired manager at PGW and local renaissance woman, Winther agreed that gun violence is “out of control.” And like Wheeler, is an advocate for more funding for schools and extracurricular activities. While Winther admitted she is not as educated on the candidates’ platforms as she hopes to be by Election Day, she said she strongly supports Anderson-Oberman. 

His background as a labor organizer appeals to her, as do endorsements by some area neighborhood groups. She likes the vibes of his campaign, and contrasts that with her perception that Bass is more of a behind-the-scenes operator.

“My perception is he is a legitimate progressive and that Cindy Bass is a bit of an entrenched politician,” Winther said. 

In the far corner of the coffeeshop was Stephanie Brooks, a 25-year-old account manager for Center City communications firm Ceisler Media and the newest member of the neighborhood; Brooks moved into an East Mt. Airy apartment just a week earlier. Brooks is familiar with the race for the 8th district, but smiles when asked who she prefers. Her employer, Ceisler, has many political clients and she doesn’t want to stir up any trouble.

But, she still has priorities for her new neighborhood. A native of the city’s suburbs, Brooks wanted to be closer to work and also enjoy the amenities of city living. The safety of Mt. Airy is important to her, but so are other practical problems for a young worker, such as where to park her car and better service from SEPTA (she rides the regional rail to work). Perhaps none loom larger than affordable housing, and she scoffs at the idea of being able to afford a home.

“As a young person who is not in the position of being able to buy a home now or soon, it is a challenge to find affordable housing. And I’m just one person. I can’t imagine trying… with a family,” Brooks said. “Things are expensive, it’s a lot to shoulder on your own.”

Crime, education, housing, transportation and opportunities. There is no shortage of issues on the minds of Mt. Airy residents. And during at least one afternoon of informal polling on the avenues of Mt. Airy, everything seems up for grabs: a vote for Bass, a vote for Anderson-Oberman, and lurking wild cards yet to be revealed.