Frederica Wilson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Frederica Wilson
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Florida |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2011 |
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| Preceded by | Kendrick Meek |
| Constituency | 17th district (2011–2013) 24th district (2013–present) |
| Member of the Florida Senate from the 33rd district |
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| In office November 5, 2002 – December 31, 2010 |
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| Preceded by | Redistricted |
| Succeeded by | Oscar Braynon |
| Member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 104th district |
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| In office November 3, 1998 – November 5, 2002 |
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| Preceded by | Kendrick Meek |
| Succeeded by | Redistricted |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Frederica Patricia Smith
November 5, 1942 Miami, Florida, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Paul Wilson
(m. 1963; died 1988) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Florida A&M University Fisk University (BS) University of Miami (MS) |
Frederica Smith Wilson (born Frederica Patricia Smith, November 5, 1942) is an American politician. She has been a member of the United States House of Representatives since 2011. She represents Florida's 24th congressional district. This district is in South Florida and includes much of Miami. Wilson is a member of the Democratic Party. She is well-known for her many colorful hats. She has even tried to change a rule in Congress about wearing head coverings.
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Early Life and Education
Frederica Smith was born on November 5, 1942, in Miami, Florida. Her grandparents on her mother's side were from the Bahamas. She went to Fisk University and earned her bachelor's degree in 1963. Later, she got her master's degree from the University of Miami in 1972. Both of her degrees were in elementary education.
Before becoming a politician, Wilson was a principal at Skyway Elementary School in Miami. In 1992, she joined the Miami-Dade County School Board. While on the school board, she started a program called "5,000 Role Models of Excellence." This program helps mentor students in schools.
Florida Legislature Service
Wilson served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1998 to 2002. She represented the 104th district. After that, she became a member of the Florida Senate. She represented the 33rd district from 2002 until 2010. She could not run again in 2010 because of term limits. During her time in the Senate, she held leadership roles.
In 2008, she supported Barack Obama's campaign for president. She voted for Obama and Joe Biden as one of Florida's presidential electors.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
Frederica Wilson was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2010. She took office in January 2011. She represents a district in Florida.
Committee Work
In the House of Representatives, members work on different committees. These committees focus on specific topics. For the 118th Congress, Frederica Wilson is on these committees:
- Committee on Education and the Workforce
- This committee deals with schools, colleges, and job training.
- She is a top member (Ranking Member) on the Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development.
- Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
- This committee works on things like airports, roads, and water systems.
Group Memberships
Wilson is also part of several special groups in Congress called caucuses. These groups bring together members who share similar interests or backgrounds. Some of the caucuses she belongs to include:
- Congressional Black Caucus
- Congressional Arts Caucus
- Congressional Progressive Caucus
Key Issues and Actions
Wilson has focused on several important issues during her time in Congress.
- Education
Wilson is very passionate about education. She founded the "5000 Role Models" program to help lower dropout rates for young people. She has also spoken out against standardized tests in schools. She believes the money spent on these tests could be better used to hire more teachers.
- Trayvon Martin Case
In 2012, Wilson spoke out about the death of Trayvon Martin. He was a young man from her district. She called for justice and for laws to prevent racial profiling. She said that when laws like "Stand Your Ground" don't work for people, they should be changed.
- Anti-Hazing Efforts
Wilson has worked hard to stop bullying and hazing. Hazing is when people are forced to do harmful or embarrassing things to join a group. She was even called "The Haze Buster" by a newspaper. She joined with other leaders to start a campaign against hazing after a student died in 2011.
- Public Discussions
Wilson has been involved in several public discussions. In 2016, she expressed shock and anger after a video showed police shooting a mental health therapist in her district. She asked, "Why?"
In 2017, she spoke about a phone call between President Donald Trump and the widow of Sergeant La David Johnson, a soldier who died in Niger. Wilson was with the family during the call. She shared what she heard, which led to a public disagreement about the conversation. Wilson voted to impeach President Trump in 2019.
In 2023, she voted against the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 in the House.
Personal Life
Frederica Wilson married Paul Wilson in 1963. He passed away in 1988. They had three children together. She is a member of the Episcopal Church.
Wilson is famous for her large collection of colorful hats. She wears a hat every day. For a long time, there was a rule in the House of Representatives against wearing head coverings during sessions. Wilson tried to get this rule changed. The rule was partly relaxed in 2019, allowing some head coverings like the hijab.
Images for kids
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Official portrait of Frederica Wilson.
