CINCINNATI — When Stephanie Summerow Dumas was elected to the Hamilton County Commission, she made history as the first Black person to serve on the board. But that wasn't it — Summerow Dumas also became the first Black woman to hold that position in all of Ohio.
This year, Summerow Dumas continued her legacy by being elected president of the board, where she chairs commission meetings, facilitates staff meetings and serves as the commission's lead spokesperson.
"Overwhelmed in a great way," Summerow Dumas said when asked about the significance of her role. "Because who would ever thought it would happen?"
The trailblazing commissioner knows the weight of her position and the eyes watching her every move.
"I'm a trailblazer, and I have lots to do," Summerow Dumas said. "People are watching me, and some are supporting me — some, you know, are waiting for me to fail, but that will never happen, because I'm a winner."
Before joining the commission, Summerow Dumas served as vice mayor and mayor of Forest Park, as well as village manager of Lincoln Heights. Her path to county leadership wasn't accidental — it was driven by purpose.
"Just knowing that I had a bigger assignment, knowing when I was the mayor and the village manager that there was something greater, that there was an opportunity to work with the vast amount of monies that we have in Hamilton County, and to be able to disperse them evenly and fairly," Summerow Dumas said.
Summerow Dumas credits her success to her faith and family — particularly her son, who has served as her campaign manager. But her confidence in achieving these heights traces back to her childhood and the foundation her parents built.
"My dad was a laborer. Brought money home. We sit around and listen to his stories. He worked for the Reds, and he also worked for the Bengals and Pete Rose loved him," Summerow Dumas said. "But that hard-working attitude we always had, and my mom, she just did not have the best growing up, but she wanted the best for us, and she let us know we could do anything that we ever wanted to do. So yeah, I never thought that I couldn't do it."
For younger people of color looking to follow in her footsteps, Summerow Dumas offers clear guidance.
"Never give up, of course. Find somebody who can lead you down the road in a positive way, try to decide what your gifts are," Summerow Dumas said. "Keep a vision of where you want to go and what you'd like to be, because you can do it. You can do it."
Despite her groundbreaking achievements, Summerow Dumas believes there's still work to be done for women of color in leadership.
"We have not come far enough because people continue to judge, especially women and Black women, and they think it's not going to be good enough," Summerow Dumas said. "We have farther to go, for sure."
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