Nikema Williams facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nikema Williams
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Official portrait, 2021
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's 5th district |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Kwanza Hall |
| Chair of the Georgia Democratic Party | |
| Assumed office January 26, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | DuBose Porter |
| Acting June 9, 2013 – August 31, 2013 |
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| Preceded by | Mike Berlon |
| Succeeded by | DuBose Porter |
| Member of the Georgia State Senate from the 39th district |
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| In office December 5, 2017 – January 3, 2021 |
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| Preceded by | Vincent Fort |
| Succeeded by | Sonya Halpern |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Nikema Natassha Williams
July 30, 1978 Columbus, Georgia, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Leslie Small |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Autherine Lucy (great-aunt) |
| Residences | Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Education | Talladega College (BA) |
Nikema Natassha Williams (born July 30, 1978) is an American politician. She serves as a representative for Georgia's 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. This district covers a large part of Atlanta. She is also the Chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia. Before joining the U.S. House, Williams was a member of the Georgia State Senate from 2017 to 2021.
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Early Life and Education
Nikema Williams was born in Columbus, Georgia. She grew up in Smiths Station, Alabama. Her father was a leader in their community. Her great-aunt, Autherine Lucy, was a brave person who helped integrate the University of Alabama.
Williams went to Talladega College. There, she became a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology. After college, she moved to Atlanta in 2002.
Early Career in Politics
After moving to Atlanta, Williams joined the Young Democrats of Georgia. This group helps young people get involved in politics. In 2011, she became the first vice chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia. She even served as the party's temporary chair in 2013.
In 2018, Williams became the State Director for the National Domestic Workers Alliance. This organization works to improve conditions for domestic workers. Williams also supported Barack Obama's campaigns for president.
In 2017, Williams was elected to the Georgia State Senate. She won a special election to fill a vacant seat. In 2018, she was one of many people who protested at the Georgia State Capitol. They were protesting how the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election was handled.
In January 2019, Williams was chosen to lead the Georgia Democratic Party again. She was the first Black woman to become the party's chair. She was also a delegate at the Democratic National Convention in 2008, 2012, and 2016.
U.S. House of Representatives
Becoming a Representative
2020 Election
In 2020, a very important event happened. After the death of Congressman John Lewis, Nikema Williams was chosen to take his place on the ballot. She ran for Georgia's 5th congressional district. In the main election, she won against Republican Angela Stanton-King. The 5th district is strongly Democratic. This meant that once she was chosen, she was almost certain to win the seat.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp called for a special election. This was to fill the rest of John Lewis's term. Williams decided not to run in this special election. She wanted to focus on her role as party chair. Kwanza Hall won the special election. He served for about a month before Williams took over the seat.
2022 and 2024 Elections
Williams ran for reelection in 2022. She kept her seat against Republican Christian Zimm. She won by a large margin. In 2024, she won reelection again. This time, she defeated Republican John Salvesen by an even larger margin.
What She Does in Congress
As a U.S. Representative, Nikema Williams votes on important laws. For example, she voted against the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023. This act was about the country's budget.
She also serves on important committees. For the 118th Congress, she is on the United States House Committee on Financial Services. This committee deals with money and banking. She is part of two subcommittees:
- Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance
- Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
Williams is also a member of several groups in Congress. These groups are called caucuses. They include the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the New Democrat Coalition. She is also part of the Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment.
Personal Life
Nikema Williams is married to Leslie Small. He used to work for Congressman John Lewis. They met while working on political campaigns in 2008. They have one son. Williams was also a member of the UFCW union.
See also
- List of African-American United States representatives
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
