Nikema Williams, a rising political star in Georgia, earned an election victory in 2020 that vaulted her onto the national stage. The freshman congresswoman won the seat that iconic civil rights leader Rep. John Lewis held for 33 years. The Georgia Democrat had been suffering from Stage 4 pancreatic cancer before his death last year. One of her legislative priorities is pushing for the passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. Like Lewis, she’s a fighter. 

As a Georgia state senator, Williams, a Talladega College graduate and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority member, was arrested during a voting rights protest at the Georgia State Capitol.

A protege of Stacey Abrams, Williams made history in 2019 as the first Black woman to chair the Democratic Party of Georgia. Williams was instrumental in helping Democrats win Georgia for President Joe Biden and securing a U.S. Senate majority with the stunning victories of Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff.