Sharice Davids

Sharice Davids
Kristie Boyd; U.S. House Office of Photography · Public domain · source
Name	Sharice Davids
Birth date	1980-05-22
Birth place	Leavenworth, Kansas, U.S.
Party	Democratic Party
Education	University of Missouri–Kansas City (BBA, JD)
Occupation	Attorney, former mixed martial artist, U.S. Representative
Office	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
Term start	January 3, 2019
Constituency	Kansas's 3rd congressional district

Sharice Davids is an American attorney, former mixed martial artist, and politician serving as the U.S. Representative for Kansas's 3rd congressional district since 2019. She is a member of the Democratic Party and a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin; she is among the first Native American women elected to the United States Congress. Davids's background combines legal practice, entrepreneurship, and community advocacy with service on congressional committees and involvement in national policy debates.

Early life and education

Davids was born at Fort Leavenworth in Leavenworth County, Kansas and raised in Roeland Park, Kansas, with family connections to the Ho-Chunk Nation and early life experiences near Kansas City, Missouri and Olathe, Kansas, attending local schools and participating in youth programs linked to regional institutions like Shawnee Mission North High School and outreach organizations tied to the Bureau of Indian Affairs. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Missouri–Kansas City and later a Juris Doctor from the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Law, studying alongside peers who engaged with professional networks such as the American Bar Association, the National Native American Law Students Association, and clinics associated with the United States District Court for the District of Kansas.

Legal and business career

After law school, Davids worked as an attorney in Johnson County, Kansas and in law offices that interacted with litigation in venues like the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and filings involving statutes such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and regulations overseen by agencies including the Department of Labor and the Internal Revenue Service. She co-founded a mixed martial arts training and advocacy venture and competed under organizations tied to regional circuits that intersected with promotion companies and athletic commissions such as the Kansas Athletic Commission and events promoted nationally by groups similar to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Davids also worked in business development and consultancy supporting small-business programs linked to chambers like the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and nonprofit initiatives aligned with the Small Business Administration and tribal economic development bodies such as the National Congress of American Indians.

Political career

Davids ran for the United States House of Representatives in 2018, winning the Democratic primary and challenging an incumbent in a district that includes parts of Kansas City, Kansas, Overland Park, Kansas, and Shawnee, Kansas; her campaign drew endorsements from figures and organizations including the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, labor groups allied with the AFL–CIO, and advocacy coalitions connected to the Victory Fund. Her election in November 2018 placed her alongside other recent freshmen such as representatives from delegations including members from Minnesota and New Mexico, and she was sworn in for the 116th United States Congress on January 3, 2019. In Congress, Davids has served on committees and caucuses that interface with the House Committee on Small Business, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and caucuses addressing issues tied to the Native American caucus, the LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus, and the Problem Solvers Caucus.

Political positions and legislation

Davids has sponsored and supported legislation concerning infrastructure investments that reference federal programs overseen by the Department of Transportation and proposals similar to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, workforce development measures linked to the Department of Labor, and bills addressing tribal sovereignty and healthcare coordination involving the Indian Health Service. Her policy priorities include initiatives to expand access to rural and urban transit systems funded through grant programs administered by the Federal Transit Administration, proposals to strengthen supply chains interfacing with the Department of Defense and manufacturing partners in the Midwest, and measures to support small businesses engaging with the Small Business Administration and procurement processes at the General Services Administration. On issues of social policy, Davids has voted in alignment with members supporting protections under statutes like the Civil Rights Act and has engaged in debates over appropriations and oversight matters that involve committees such as the House Appropriations Committee and investigations by the House Oversight Committee.

Personal life and community involvement

Davids is a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and has participated in cultural initiatives and tribal programs coordinated with intertribal organizations like the National Congress of American Indians and regional cultural centers such as the Mid-America All-Indian Center. She practices martial arts traditions and has roots in athletic communities connected to gyms and promotion circuits in the Kansas City metropolitan area, contributing to local youth mentorship through partnerships with institutions like the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and educational programs affiliated with the Kansas Board of Regents and community colleges in Johnson County, Kansas. Davids resides in Roeland Park, Kansas and maintains engagement with constituents through town halls, nonprofit collaborations with health providers affiliated with networks like Cerner Corporation and advocacy groups working on veterans' issues tied to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from Kansas Category:University of Missouri–Kansas City alumni Category:Ho-Chunk people