This is an inspiring, honest, and at times personal conversation about government’s role, the power of working across divides, and how committed individuals can make a difference in the Buckeye State.

On this episode of Just The Facts Ohio, host Richele O’Connor sits down with the Honorable Latyna Humphrey, a trailblazing state representative making real change in her community.

Humphrey discusses her legislative accomplishments, from championing reentry and housing opportunities for returning citizens to advocating for maternal health funding and continuous Medicaid enrollment for young children.

Richele asks about the personal motivations behind Latyna’s work—especially how her mother’s experiences with reentry shaped her priorities. You will get a behind-the-scenes look at building bipartisan relationships in Ohio’s deeply divided Statehouse, how important practical consensus is to driving real policy, and why framing the conversation around solutions, rather than partisanship, can create unexpected allies.

Latyna also shares her thoughts on restorative justice and advice for young people seeking to enter public service. As she eyes the State Senate, her focus remains clear: compassionate, experienced leadership that puts community needs first.

Three key takeaways that will stick with you:

Bipartisan Collaboration Gets Results: Rep. Humphrey’s success in passing transformative legislation—like HB50 (housing relief for returning citizens) and a sweeping driver's license reinstatement bill—comes from building genuine relationships across the aisle, focusing on shared goals, and prioritizing the work over partisan labels.

Service Before Spotlight: Her advice for young people seeking office? Lead with service. Groundwork and a passion for helping others open doors for authentic leadership, not just ambition. “Service has got to be the foundation,” she emphasized.

Restorative Justice & Practical Solutions: Humphrey’s focus on reentry, employment, and support for Ohio’s most vulnerable shows the importance of listening to business, families, and returning citizens alike. Real change starts by reframing the conversation—empathy and evidence, not ‘us versus them’ thinking.

Moments

00:00 Housing Bill Empowers Justice-Involved Individuals

06:19 Bipartisan Collaboration and Mentorship

08:53 Polarization and Problem-Solving

12:51 Changing Mindsets Beyond Politics

16:20 Government's Role and Overreach

19:53 Service First for Young Politicians

22:30 Defending DEI Programs' Purpose

23:47 "Beyond Thinking Inside the Box"

34:21 Property Tax Deferral Challenges

Copyright 2025 Just The Facts Ohio

Mentioned in this episode:

Disclaimer

The views expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and guests, and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency or company.

All right, welcome to Just the Facts, Ohio, where facts provide the basis of the stories we believe you need to hear. This is Richele O'Connor, your host, and along with producer Brett Johnson Here at Circle270 Media, we are thrilled to have as our only our second guest, the honorable Latyna Humphrey. Welcome, Representative Humphrey.

Thank you. I'm so glad to be here.

Thanks for joining us. Yeah, this is wonderful. Now, as is customary in our podcast, we will start by listing pertinent facts. The facts we believe help us to tell the story. In this case, your story. All right, these are the facts. And just a few of your accomplishments as a representative. I mean, man, this.

This podcast isn't going to be long enough to cover them all, you know, But I'll try. Here's one. You were the recipient of the Merrill H. Schumacher Legislator of the Year award.

Yes.

You sponsored HB50 to create a certificate of qualification for housing to allow housing relief to returning citizens. And by returning citizens, we're talking about people coming out of prison.

Absolutely, yes.

House Bill 29 authorizes a person who is in default on child support payments to present evidence that a driver's license suspension would prevent them from paying child support. HB7, enact the Strong Foundations Act. That was 35 million appropriated for mothers and children in Ohio. You also sponsored the Medicaid doula program that has passed in the operating budget. You advocated for allocation to the Healthy Beginnings at Home program, supporting stable housing initiatives for pregnant mothers. That's 2.5 million in the state budget. You help to appropriate $5 million a year in reimbursement for psychotropics and withdrawal management to detox for drugs that are administered in community based correctional facilities in the county.

Yes.

You sponsor continuous Medicaid enrollment for children aged 0 to 3 in the fiscal year 2425 operating budget. And this is certainly last but not least, in fact, I'm going to do a. And say there's too many for me to name them all, but you visited, and I think this is very impressive. You visited over half of the correctional facilities in the state.

Yes.

I think these accomplishments. And of course, there are more. They really speak to who you are and where your heart is.

Yeah. Yep.

Of these, which. Which one are you the most proud?

Oh, God, I think there are 2. House Bill 50 is really important to me. Creating a certificate qualification of housing. That's important to me because I came into the state House with the focus on reentry and alternatives to incarceration and all the things and understanding that Over a million people in our state are justice involved, which means over a million folks could have issues finding and securing housing. Being able to work in a strong bipartisan way to get that work done, I mean, means a lot. But as you know, I mean, there's a personal component for me. My mother is a returning citizen and I remember growing up, her working really hard and getting her associates and bachelor's and working with other people. Still having, you know, those struggles was frustrating and I just remember her talking about it.

So when I got to the state House, like it just rung in my head and glad I was able to find a partner to get that done. But then the other thing that a lot of people care a lot about, which is that driver's license suspension reinstatement bill, it started off as one thing, which was the child support default and getting driving privileges. It ended up when it got to the governor's Desk reinstating over 800,000 driver's licenses in the state because of our work in a bicaro and bipartisan fashion. And so really proud of that work because that's. People stop me in the grocery store and like I got my, I got my driver's license back and I'm just like, congratulations. Right.

I mean here they need to be able to be able to drive, to work, to pay.

Yes.

Their child support. I mean, it just makes no sense to be an obstacle in their way to getting that done. You mentioned about working across the aisle and in the state of Ohio. Yeah, we might have listeners from outside the state of Ohio. Right, Brett. And I mean we have the governors who's. Of the other party, the Senate and the. So how do you get stuff done? How do you work across the aisle? That just fascinates me that you're able to get any of this done.

Well, I think it can be, it can be difficult. But I mean I went into the State House with a mere focus and that was to deliver. And I think sometimes, and there's nothing wrong with it, I think we have to understand in this particular case what our position is in the state House. Are you a flamethrower? We need flamethrowers. Are you going to be a legislator? Are you going to be an advocate? Which one are you going to be? And once you figure out that position for me, it was to be a legislator, which means getting things done, getting things passed it talk it, it kind of determines how you have to interact. It doesn't mean you're not going to push back. It doesn't mean that you're not going to fight for people. I've been fighting my whole life before I got to the State House.

But it means if I'm going to deliver, I have to figure out how to. To work with people who don't think the way I do. And how I do that is utilizing those sales skills, skills that I learned for Bath and Body Works, working there for six years and working in. In retail stores and all of that, trying to secure the deal. It meant trying to figure out how can I relate to this person so that they are not. Or working with my Republican colleague so they are not looking at me like, oh, she's just a Democrat. And whatever they think. I don't know what they think, you know, but how can I relate to them in such a way that they want to work with me? And for me, it started off by working with one of the strong Republicans and I would argue both the House and Senate bill sites because he's been in both.

He's been in both for a long time. Yes, I developed a strong relationship, so much so that he became my mentor. And ultimately by developing this strong relationship, like our relationship was so strong that I would create bills, do the research, and he wouldn't even be on the bill, but I would email it to him and have him look over it before hearings. That was our relationship. Or he would tell me, like, girl, you can, you can introduce this if you want to. To make noise or you cannot and, you know, find something else to do. Like, he was very critical of. Of me, but in a positive way.

A critical friend.

Yes, a critical.

Yeah.

And. And that helped me to really be a better legislator. And then it helped me to build relationships across the aisle. So much so when you talked about House Bill 7, they called and said, we want to work on this priority piece legislation from the Republican side with Representative Humphrey because of the work and how I work with bill sites and how I just shown. I just want to get the work done. Like, I will do my job. I will push back. I will say whatever it is I need to say to let you all know that I think you're wrong.

But. But when it comes down to the work, I just want to do the work. And that's what allowed them to be like, listen, we would rather work with her. And the rest is kind of history. It's still the same way even after Syces retired.

So you impressed him enough that that helped you earn the respect of all the people. Because.

Yeah.

And he doesn't see. Because I remember I was Sharing that with him. He's like, really?

He doesn't.

Because he is very like, just get this done. Let's get this done. But I was sitting down before he retired just to prep me for this year and I was trying to. Because he wouldn't be here. And I was trying, I was telling him, like, hey, I think, you know, our relationship did X, Y and Z. And he like, really, like he doesn't even realize that. But it did, it helped me in, in a, in a real way somehow.

Being able to look at issues and take the barriers down in your own personal biases. And we know how important that is to do.

Yeah.

I mean, historically, I just love reading about, like how Tip o' Neill and Ronald Reagan got together.

Yeah, yeah.

You know, and would solve problems. I'm currently reading a book by Robert Reich, the Short side of Things or something about. He pokes fun at himself being short, you know, and he said that he believed that the anti intellectualism started about 25 years ago and that we never used to be, you know, so polarized and partisan. And a good friend of mine once said, you know, as Americans, I believe we've always wanted the same things. We just had different ways of going about it. You know, some. How do you pay for this? Don't tax this, don't tax that. So how, how are we ever going to resolve these issues and maybe get back to that?

Well, I think that is. That's a tough question to answer, but. And there's multiple ways to answer it. But, but I will say it's about how you frame things. I think over time, and especially now, things are just framed so poorly. Like I, I can't even explain it the way I would like into words, but things are framed so poor, poorly. But for me, how I would try to address it is, you know, do we want to invest in this? Do we not want to invest in this? And, and I, I've been, and I'll put a pin there to say, and I'm going somewhere with this. I've been watching this documentary about President Barack Obama and how he got elected and all the things.

And because of that, it helped me to listen to his speeches and kind of, to answer your question, he was saying, you know, folks in Chicago, no matter how you guys want to frame it, they want people to have resources, but they don't always, they don't always want certain things to, to be super. Like, I can't even say it the way he did, but I'm like thinking of it so much, it's like they don't want things to be taxed the wrong way.

Yeah.

People might need a hand, a hand up, but it doesn't mean that they want their dollars that they work towards to be mismanaged. And even if they do need help, they want to make sure that it's going to the right, the right place. And so we have to start framing stuff a bit better so it's not this us versus them, this versus that is. It makes sense, what helps, what doesn't. And so like I said, building consensus. Yes, yes.

Communicating and.

Yeah.

Understanding the other person's point of view. We talk about. I'm taking a class in city planning right now and we're talking a lot about, you know, top down versus grassroots.

Yeah.

And it's important to do a little bit of both.

Yeah.

And to realize what the common goals are. And that's what I meant. We used to, we always. I think most people are good people and want the same thing. They just have a different way of wanting to get there.

Yeah, I would agree with that.

And what you and Bill Seitz did, I mean, I just love that story and I just think that's fascinating because when I was with Mom's Demand Action, I was down there a lot and I saw him in action and I was not able to work with him. But I'm glad you were.

Right, right, right. Some stuff, man. I will say we know what we gonna get along on and we know we wouldn't, that's for sure.

Yeah, yeah.

Something you and I have also talked about, and you alluded to this before with the bills that you've passed is restorative justice. Am I saying it right? Restorative justice. Of course. Yeah. And helping the formerly incarcerated back into society.

Yes.

You talk about helping them get housing with those, with those certificates and transportation. Kind of like the idea of an ounce of prevention is worth, worth a pound of cure. We're helping society if we can help these individuals get back in. So how do you work with people or who have the idea that, oh, these are, these are prisoners, you're never people in ex cons, you're never going to change them, you're never going to help them.

Yeah.

So over the last, I would argue maybe the last four years and again he's now retired, but with the help of Bill Seitz, he has helped change that, that mindset, if you will. But also even with the pandemic, it started to impact and I'm going somewhere with this, businesses, employers, and what I think employee because Lots of times when you want to address something, you got to take it out the hands of the politicians. Especially when you're talking about working with my Republican colleagues. I can't just sit here and talk to Republican bill passers, say, you need to do this, you need to do that, because my district is X, Y and Z. Well, they think my district is super blue, which it is, but that's what they think. What happens to change that trajectory is outside forces has to come in and say, like, we gotta listen. We don't. People, especially with this pandemic, I'm losing employees, I'm losing business, I'm losing money.

We have got to come together to find a pathway towards an employment, housing, whatever else, to make sure that I got employees to run my business. And that is not going to happen if you don't start changing the laws. And so because of that, people with influence. That's how we'll say it. People with influence have come to the State House and said, you, You've got to help. But then I would argue in some instances, people have started to feel things personally because you hear personal stories on the House floor about their cousins or grandkids or children who struggle with substance abuse or whatever else. So now they're feeling the things that we've always felt in our communities, which means now they've got to come up with a solution. Now, does it mean that they are willing to completely overturn the system? No, but what they are willing to do is make little changes.

And where you'll see a lot of bipartisan work is in the criminal justice space. No kidding. And a lot of people don't believe that the criminal justice space, I mean, it's a ton of Republicans who are now willing to. To work on. On that issue.

I'm thinking you can approach it from different sides. You might have the humanistic side, which, you know, some, plus women, tend to be more sensitive.

Yes.

Sorry. But yeah, yeah. More nurturing than others. And then the practical side.

Yeah.

And then the pragmatic, the practical, and then the really personal. Personal. Either you know somebody or it happens to you.

And so that's the truth.

All those different angles of approaching that. Hmm, interesting. Okay. So we're talking about, you know, getting stuff done, and you seem to know how to do that. I think convincing people, working with people. I think the essential question is, what is. What is the role of government? Some would say there's too much. Some would say there's not enough.

Well, what is the role of government? When and where? And what are the parameters and the criteria for when government should step in?

Oh, man, this is a tough question. I think lots of people will have a bunch of different responses to this question, but I think the foundation of government is to help people, and I think for communities for our country to run as efficiently as possible. And I think what we have seen at certain periods, not even just this time, but at certain periods of. Of of time, is that sometimes government can overreach. Whether it's trying to tell a woman what she can or cannot do with her body, who you can love, how you can love them. You know, all the, the things is something that's overreach, that is extreme, because I feel like that's just human nature. That's, That's a humanistic thing. But I do think that there should be.

I mean, how do you say it? Like, I think you should pay taxes. Right. Like you, you, you shouldn't. I think you should pay property taxes. Do I think you should get rid of them? No. You know, but, but do I think that there should be relief provided? Absolutely. So there are instances throughout time of overreach and doing too much and being extra. And then there are instances in time where government is running the way it should, even if it's for, you know, a, a, a, a period of time.

And so I think the role of government is to ensure that the country, that our state, that our communities are running appropriately. But sometimes there's that overreach where they, it control that humanistic side of a person. And I think that that's, that's, that's, it's just uncalled for.

The phrase comes into my mind to do no harm.

Yeah.

Isn't that in one of the oaths a doctor takes or a nurse takes or something to do no harm? Interestingly enough, in one of my classes, I'm taking two classes at Ohio State under program 60, which is a wonderful program for those people over 60. I'm auditing these classes.

Okay.

And one is called Race and Public Policy. Okay. And the other one is called the Socially Just City.

Okay.

Okay. I'm so encouraged by the young people I'm meeting and so impressed with the professors. And this one lady, young lady in my classes from Ecuador, and she says, in my country, they don't think taxes are terrible things.

Right.

You know, they see taxes as a necessary thing.

Yeah, yeah.

And it's, it's just a mindset that, you know, taxes are inherently evil. No. We have to, we have to pay them and.

Right.

I don't Know if we need to do a better job educating in the schools about what the purpose and necessary means of. Of taxes are to get to the end, you know?

Good point.

So, yeah. So let's talk about young people. What about a young person who wants to go into office? What would. What would you say to them?

Wonderful question. I get this question a lot. Understand, I. And I think you might notice already, Ms. O', Connor, but I was president of Young Black Dems for four years, and I see a lot. I seen a lot. And even now I see a lot of young people who want to be a part of the political process. They want to be involved, they want to be engaged in and all the things.

And I think that we have to put young people in position to lead and serve. But what I would tell a young person who wants to get into office is I think that you have to understand that service comes first. I think a lot of times when you see politicians or you find your favorite strategist, like for me it was Simone Sanders, Bakari Sellers, all of those, we see the glitz and the glam, and we don't understand that for them to get their service was the foundation. And I think lots of times young people just want to run into being elected. And I think we got to get them to understand service has got to be at the core of everything you do.

There's a lot of groundwork.

Yeah, it's a lot of groundwork. And so I would say I want you to be involved. I would help any young person I know get involved in the process. But service has got to be the foundation. And from that, from that service, I promise you will meet, you know who you need to meet. For me, I got a part of Young Dems. You don't know this. The first parade I ever walked in was your son's parade over.

Yep. Parade over in Lind. Or not Linden, but Northland. And so it just. It happens all naturally. Now I'm sitting here talking to you. Right. But that was.

Oh, my God, almost 10 years ago. I mean, few years off, but still almost 10 years ago.

So seven years ago.

Yeah. Yeah.

So service has got to be the foundation. And if get involved with the right folks, everything will fall into place. But just know that service has got to be the first thing. I see a lot of young people who love the glitz and glam, who love what we do, love what we post, what we engage in, all the things, but they don't realize all the work that we did to get here. And so I would just say serve first. And that's what I did.

I was a big proponent when I taught prepared teachers service learning. And the experts say it should begin as early as fourth grade.

Yeah.

Service learning in the schools. And some of the schools are doing it.

Yeah.

So I'm happy to hear that. Okay, so we'll finally. And you've been so kind here. I know you're not feeling that well, and I. I'm sorry about that. But I would be remiss not to mention that my dear friend, Herschel Craig.

Yes.

And yours, I assume.

Yes.

He's retiring from political life.

Possibly kind of retiring.

Yeah.

Okay.

But you will be running to fill his position.

Yes.

So as his possible replacement. And I'm hearing it's looking more and more possible all the. What do you plan to do for your constituents and for the state of Ohio?

I think that this is a wonderful question. What I will say is that I think that constituents of Senate District 15 deserve to continue to have an experienced, strong and compassionate voice in the state legislature, someone who cares deeply about the community, someone who knows the community, but someone who's also willing to deliver for the community. And I would argue that that person is me. You know, I currently represent a third of the district, but have represented and worked all across the senate district. And I think I just. I feel I'm the perfect person. I'm going to be very candid. The job, essentially, it doesn't change.

My job in both the House and potentially in the Senate is to legislate, is to advocate, and then also to push back, but then also to bring resources back to the community. In this case, I currently represent a third of the district almost, or a little over 120,000 people. I will pick up 240,000 more people should I be elected to the position. So the job doesn't change. What changes is the number of people I would be representing. And I would be very intentional about engagement. Right now we understand that I cannot legislate. I can't wave a magic wand and solve all the issues in the state or even in our district.

But what I can do is bring resources back to the community. So that means I have to be intentional about my engagement. Engagement, intentional about community work, intentional about making sure that I'm hearing from everyone. So that way, when I come into the legislature, or should I be elected, come to the state Senate, I'm doing what I'm supposed to do on behalf of all those people. And so it would be an honor, it would be a privilege, and I would say I'm the best person because I do the job already and I do it well. And that's not me being braggadocious. I really do the job extremely well. And I love our people.

And I think that if I can continue to show my constituents or my potential constituents that they can trust me, I think they will trust.

That's a big thing. I know Herschel had worked very hard on the property tax problem in your district.

Yes.

And you'll continue?

Of course.

Yes.

Prior to even coming to the legislature, before I came to the legislature, I was bailiff, but prior to that, I was community relations for Michael Stinziano.

Oh.

And so in the auditor's office. So I had to focus a lot on property taxes, the homestead, all of that. And Michael and I, even in this position, have had to figure out ways or create bills to introduce to address the property tax issue. Right now, I've introduced. Have yet to have a hearing. I get hearings on everything else, but this one is just sitting there. But I introduced a property tax deferral bill, which would allow folks to defer their property tax payments for a period of time. And so, yeah, I mean, that's a big issue for me because my grandmother owned her home in Franklinton for a number of years and had to move because of her own mobility issues, but also increasing property taxes.

My bad.

And so even now, you know, you hear the issue. I hear that my mother owns her home. You know, I hear from her and other people. And a lot of our calls are about property taxes. And I have to figure out if this person qualifies through for PTAP through the treasurer's office, or can I get them relief from somewhere else? Like, I mean, these are real issues. And people, especially my seniors, my God, they call scared. And I would be scared because I can't go back to work even if I wanted to. Even to be a greeter.

You know how hard that is on someone's feet to just stand, sit in Walmart or Kroger and greet people for hours when you're 75.

Right, right. That's not the way retirement's supposed to be.

Right. So I would continue this. That effort for sure.

I bet. Well, I can't thank you enough for coming here today, and I wish you good luck in your next campaign.

Yes.

Thank you.