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By Kathy Wray Coleman, editor, associate publisher

AKRON, Ohio — U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes (OH-13), an Akron Democrat and one of three Black women in Congress from Ohio, released a statement on Wednesday denouncing Vice President and Ohio native JD Vance's remarks during a rally in Canton, Ohio this week.

There to promote President Donald Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill," Vance, a Republican, said in particular that Ohio cities like Columbus, Akron and Canton are "lawless," a comment that has offended Congressional Democrats like Sykes, a native of Akron.

"I am deeply and bitterly disappointed with the vice president's remarks about Akron and Canton, two diverse and vibrant communities in Ohio's 13th congressional district," the Black congresswoman said. "Just because the hearts and souls of our communities beat a little differently than what you're used to in Silicon Valley or Washington, it doesn't mean we're any less than you or the friends that you fled Ohio to be closer to."

Sykes has asked Vance to "please give me a call as soon as you're ready to visit our communities, meet our neighbors, and lend your influence to help us build toward a brighter future, rather than using your platform for a cheap publicity stunt to insult us."

The vice president's anti-Ohio cities comment follows comments that both he and President Trump made in spreading racist and unsubstantiated claims that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio were abducting and eating their pets, according to NPR.

Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, the most-read Black digital newspaper and blog in Ohio. Tel. 216-659-0473. Email-editor@clevelandurbannews.com