YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Democratic gubernatorial candidate Dr. Amy Acton made a stop in Youngstown Tuesday as part of her four-day, 15-stop listening tour across Ohio. At Choffin Career Center, she held a closed-door roundtable with local educators, union members, and school board leaders to discuss issues impacting K–12 schools and higher education.

Although the meeting was closed to media, Dr. Acton spoke afterward about what she heard.

“We're talking a lot about education,” Acton said. “We were talking K–12, we were talking college and trades and all the different ways we can help our young people reach their full potential.”

Acton, who previously served as Director of the Ohio Department of Health during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, says her campaign is focused on giving Ohioans a voice in shaping solutions to long-standing issues.

“One of the things we hear from people everywhere we go is that they wish folks would give them a chance to share more about what's going on in their lives,” she said. “Public schools saved my life. I grew up here in Youngstown, and I want every child to have that same opportunity.”

One of the loudest concerns raised during the roundtable was funding—particularly the potential impact of legislation affecting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

Brenda Kimble, a longtime member of the Youngstown City School Board and president-elect of the Northeast Region of the Ohio School Boards Association, said the district is bracing for cuts to critical programs.

“These DEI laws reduce our funding for specific programs,” Kimble said. “It hits every program we have in Youngstown City Schools—even our feeding programs. Gifted education, special education, everything could be affected.”

Kimble also noted the emotional weight of returning to battles over equity that many thought were settled decades ago.

“This is not 1964,” she said. “I remember my dad fighting for these things that we are now fighting for once again. We should be moving forward, not back.”

Acton said education—and the systems that surround it—will be a top priority for her administration if elected. She emphasized a holistic approach that connects academic success with access to mental health support, nutrition, and community engagement.

Educators at the roundtable said they were encouraged to have a candidate willing to listen, but stressed that listening must be followed by action.

Acton is currently the only Democrat in the race for Ohio governor. Republican candidates include businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and former congressional candidate Heather Hill.