COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) announced she will step down from her caucus leadership position by the end of the year, ending her three-year tenure.
“I am humbled by the faith and trust my Democratic colleagues have put in me and am honored to have served these past three years as Minority Leader of the Ohio House," she said in a statement. "Though I am stepping down as Minority Leader, I am not stepping away from service—far from it. I am considering any and all options to continue to serve my community, whether that’s in elected office or as a private citizen. I will share those decisions in the near future. Until then, I will continue to be the voice for the people of Ohio’s 34th district—the birthplace of champions.”
Elected Minority Leader in 2019, Sykes helped secure investments in public transit, social services in Ohio schools and broadband connectivity for under-served households.
“On day one, we set out to restore Ohio’s promise of better lives and brighter futures, and for the past three years, House Democrats have delivered major wins for working people and families. We’ve made government more responsive to the people and grown opportunity for all of us, not just those at the top. But we know there’s more work to do, more challenges to meet, and more injustices to address," Sykes said.
Born and raised in Akron, Sykes attended Kent State University and later attended the University of Florida, where she earned a Juris Doctor with a Certificate in Family Law and a Masters of Public Health.
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