Biography
Sharice Lynnette Davids, born on May 22, 1980, in Frankfurt, West Germany, is an American politician, attorney, and former mixed martial artist. She is a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation and was raised by her single mother, Crystal Herriage, who served in the U.S. Army for over 20 years. Davids attended Leavenworth High School in Kansas and pursued higher education at several institutions, including Haskell Indian Nations University, the University of Kansas, and Johnson County Community College. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Missouri–Kansas City in 2007 and a Juris Doctor from Cornell Law School in 2010.
Before entering politics, Davids worked in economic and community development on Native American reservations, focusing on creating programs and initiatives for growth. She served as a White House Fellow in the Department of Transportation during the transition between the Obama and Trump administrations from 2016 to 2017. In 2018, Davids was elected to represent Kansas's 3rd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming one of the first two Native American women and the first openly LGBTQ Native American elected to Congress.
Education
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Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts: Johnson County Community College
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Bachelor of Business Administration: University of Missouri–Kansas City, 2007
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Juris Doctor: Cornell Law School, 2010
Political Experience
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U.S. Representative for Kansas's 3rd District: 2019–present
- Serves on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, the House Committee on Agriculture, and the House Committee on Small Business.
- Co-chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus and Vice Chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus.
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White House Fellow: Department of Transportation, 2016–2017
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Deputy Director: Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, 2014–2016
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Associate Attorney: SNR Denton, 2010–2012
Throughout her tenure, Davids has focused on issues such as education reform, healthcare access, and economic development, particularly in underserved communities. She has been re-elected multiple times with bipartisan support and continues to advocate for policies that benefit Kansas families.
