Ponka-We Victors facts for kids

Ponka-We Victors was born on July 7, 1981, in Wichita, Kansas. She is a special kind of helper called a community support worker. From 2011 to 2023, she was a member of the Kansas House of Representatives. This means she helped make laws for the state of Kansas. She represented District 103 and was part of the Democratic Party.

About Ponka-We Victors

Ponka-We Victors is a member of two Native American tribes. These are the Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma and the Tohono Oʼodham Nation. She has lived in Wichita, Kansas, her whole life.

She went to Newman University and earned a degree in biology in 2005. Later, in 2008, she received a master's degree from Wichita State University. This degree was in Public Administration.

Her Time in Office

Ponka-We Victors worked as an intern for a member of Congress. She was also a strong supporter of Delia Garcia. Delia Garcia was the representative for Kansas's 103rd district before Victors.

Becoming a Representative

In 2010, Delia Garcia encouraged Victors to run for the representative seat. Victors was the only person to sign up for the Democratic primary election. A primary election helps a political party choose its best candidate. Because she was the only one, she was expected to win the seat.

No candidate from the Republican Party had run for this seat since 1998. In the November general election, Victors ran without anyone opposing her. This meant she easily won the election.

In 2012, she ran again and won the Democratic primary against Angela Martinez. She was unopposed in the general election that November.

Speaking Up for Beliefs

In 2013, Ponka-We Victors gained national attention. This happened during a discussion about a bill. The bill was about whether high school graduates who were undocumented immigrants should pay in-state tuition. In-state tuition is usually cheaper for students who live in that state.

During this discussion, Victors spoke to Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach. She shared her strong feelings about the topic. She believed it was important to speak up for what she thought was right.

Her Work as a Social Worker

Besides her political work, Victors is also a social worker. She works at an organization called Behavioral Link. Social workers help people and families in their communities.