The Early Years |
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Born and raised on the south side of Chicago, Illinois on December 30, 1975, Oyango grew up believing in a higher calling for public service. Oyango loves to tell the story how he fell in love with helping people. |
My Dad died in a car accident when I was two years old. But my mom, Debra, worked very hard to care for me, my brother (John) and sister (Tameka). My mom worked for a community action organization and was responsible for visiting residents in housing projects to evaluate the habitability of their homes. The youngest of three children, I would go to work with my mom during the summer months and log residents’ complaints. The complaints were reported to the Chicago Housing Authority and appropriate action was taken against the landlords. When my mom was able to assist a resident, I could see the joy in her face. My mom, who never graduated from high school, taught me two valuable life lessons as a young boy: Always strive to help those who need a helping hand; and always do the right thing, even when it is not the popular thing to do. |
| As a child, Oyango and his immediate family lived with his grandmother, who suffered from drug and alcohol addiction. As a result of dire economic strains and abuse by his grandmother, Oyango and his sister Tameka were taken in by a Jewish woman named Peggy Kaplan. Oyango and Tameka spent several years with Peggy and her family. Oyango remembers these years as some of the best years of their young lives. |
Peggy had three children of her own and had taken in six others, including me and Tameka. Other than my mother, Peggy was the most kind-hearted person that I had known at such a young age. But she would never pronounce my name correctly. I often thought she didn’t remember who I was sometimes because she would call me “Ugunga” and that sounds nothing like “Oyango.” Peggy made us work hard and taught us discipline. We had to complete weekly chores around the house. But every Saturday morning, Peggy would take us to the flea market on Chicago’s west side for clothing and necessities. She would cook food for the week on Sunday. And Monday through Friday we attended school and completed our chores making sure we made the list for the big pay-off at the flea market! You did not want to be the kid who went to the flea market and returned home with nothing. That would ruin the whole week. |
| Oyango continued to maintain and strengthen his relationship with his mom during the years of their separation. When he started high school at Kenwood Academy, Oyango reunited with his entire biological family and welcomed two additions, a step-father (Stephen) and a foster brother (Jackie). Oyango received his high school diploma from Kenwood in 1994 where he was a standout in his weight class as a wrestler and participated as a tailback and defensive back on both the junior varsity and varsity football teams. Although Oyango had originally planned to attend a Big Ten University after high school, opportunity and good fortune led him to Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio.
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The College Student |
| In the summer of 1994, Oyango traveled to Wilberforce, Ohio to register for fall classes and participate in early summer football camp at Central State University. Transitioning from a big city like Chicago, Illinois to Wilberforce, Ohio was not easy. |
I remember the road trip to Ohio – my mom and step-father were so excited to see their youngest child go to college. But in the back seat of my step-father’s 1985 Nissan Maxima, the butterflies were rumbling in my belly. I recall counting the cows and sheep on the Indiana and Ohio farmlands to make the five hour road trip more exciting. I had never seen so many farm animals growing up in Chicago. As a kid, I never traveled past South Bend, Indiana. However, when I arrived at Central State University and said good-bye to my folks, I knew that Ohio would become my permanent home. |
| Oyango found his academic stride in college where he developed skills in public speaking and organizing social and advocacy campaign events. His dream of playing professional football ended in 1997 when Central State University was threatened to close by the Ohio General Assembly and Governor George Voinovich. Although Oyango was a proud member of the 1996 NAIA Division I Football Champions, he decided to give up his pursuit to play professional football and fought to keep Central State University open for business. As a student leader, Oyango partnered with student organizations to develop an advocacy campaign and lobbied state officials to keep the school open. The student advocacy campaign, coupled with various other factors, proved to be a success. Oyango received his undergraduate degree in political science from Central State University in 1998 and moved to Columbus, Ohio to begin a career in public service.
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Inspired by a Trailblazer |
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Growing up on the low-end of Hyde Park on Chicago’s south side, Oyango had a front row seat to Chicago politics. Oyango followed Jesse Jackson’s unsuccessful campaign bids for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and Harold Washington’s successful bid to become the first African-American mayor of the City of Chicago in 1983 until his death in 1987. The Spirit of Chicago campaign, launched by Washington, proved to be victorious for the “roll-up the sleeves” style politician. Oyango idolized Washington for his “tell it like it is” approach to public service. Washington’s accomplishments as a lawyer and politician inspired Oyango to seek a career in law and public service. |
I remember telling my mom that I wanted to be just like Harold when I grew up. I truly idolized the man -- he lived in the neighborhood -- you could touch him. He had the ability to bring together individuals from diverse racial backgrounds to bust up racial preferences in hiring civil service workers and took control over Chicago’s public schools. Everybody loved Harold. back to top |
The Public Servant |
 After working with the Ohio Legislative Service Commission, Oyango dedicated the next four years of his professional career to helping to strengthen communities in Central Ohio. In 2000, Oyango accepted a job with United Way of Central Ohio as a project manager where he led a team of researchers and community volunteers in the development of a human services needs assessment for Somali refugees and immigrants. This was the first human services needs assessment of its kind that led to assistance for refugees and immigrants in the critical need areas of education, English as a second language training, employment, public safety, housing, and cultural tolerance. Oyango was also responsible for providing training to neighborhood organizations regarding grant-writing, fundraising, and community development. In November 2000 Oyango joined the Department of Jobs & Family Services as a program manager where he improved community-based programs by increasing funding and training opportunities. Oyango worked with various community-based groups to secure funding through federal and state resources, such as Temporary Assistance to Needed Families (TANF) and the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). |
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Oyango served as the Director of Legislative & Governmental Affairs for the Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel, the public utility residential consumer advocate, representing the interest of over 4.5 million residential households in Ohio. The first African-American to serve in this executive administrative post, Oyango was responsible for monitoring and developing state and federal legislation, which improved the affordability of public utilities for Ohio consumers. Oyango has lobbied Congress to increase funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and is an advocate for energy efficiency and “green” jobs.
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The Lawyer |
| Oyango received a master’s degree in business administration at Franklin University in 2000 and a law degree from the Michael E. Moritz College of law at The Ohio State University in 2005. Upon graduation from law school, Oyango entered private practice with the law firm of Bricker & Eckler, LLP, one of Ohio’s top law firms. While in private law practice, Oyango represented clients in legislative and regulatory analysis, business and tax transactions, election law, receivership litigation, and was Legislative Counsel to the Association of Ohio Life Insurance Companies, the National Electrical Contractors Association, Ohio Conference, and the American Council of Engineering Companies.
One of Oyango’s most notable accomplishments during his tenure in private law practice was working with the life insurance industry and the Ohio Department of Insurance to enact Ohio’s Senior Predatory Insurance Sales Practices Act. This Act penalizes third-party investors and insurance companies who participate in schemes to defraud seniors into relinquishing their rights and benefits under a life insurance policy. Oyango also worked to save Ohio jobs by including an amendment in House Bill 41, 127th General Assembly, that exempted electrical contractors and electricians from compliance with duplicative and confusing regulations regarding installation of security alarms. Without the inclusion of this significant amendment, the enactment of this legislation would have resulted in the loss of employment for countless electricians and electrical contractors throughout the State of Ohio. |
Some people compare the legislative process with the process of “making sausage.” I personally have never
seen the process of making sausage, but through legislative policy, lives are significantly impacted -- I take this process
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The Community Volunteer |
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Recognized as one of Business First’s Forty Under 40 in 2007 for his professional accomplishments and commitment to community service, Oyango serves on the Board of Kids Voting of Central Ohio, the Advisory Board to the College of Arts & Sciences at Central State University, St. Stephen’s Community House, and he was appointed as co-chair of the Columbus Young Professionals Commission, by Mayor Michael B. Coleman. Oyango was recognized in Who’s Who in Black Columbus in the 2008 publication and he was also listed as a Rising Star in 2009 by Law and Politics magazine – an honor bestowed upon only 2% of Ohio lawyers. Oyango is a member of Mount Olivet Baptist Church in Columbus, Ohio and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated.
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Oyango Snell for Senate