25 Facts About Nikema Williams

Nikema Natassha Williams is an American politician serving as the representative for.

Nikema Williams was a member of the Georgia State Senate for the 39th district from 2017 to 2021, and served as Chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia from 2019 to 2025.

Nikema Williams was born in Columbus, Georgia, and raised in Smiths Station, Alabama.

Nikema Williams's grandfather was a neighborhood leader, and her great-aunt Autherine Lucy integrated the University of Alabama.

Nikema Williams graduated from Talladega College, where she became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology.

Nikema Williams then served as vice president for public policy at Planned Parenthood Southeast.

In 2018, Nikema Williams became the State Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance.

In 2017, Nikema Williams was elected to the Georgia State Senate, in a special election after Vincent Fort resigned to run in the Atlanta mayoral election.

On November 13,2018, Nikema Williams was one of 15 people arrested during a protest at the Georgia State Capitol against the handling of the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election.

Nikema Williams was one of several Georgia General Assembly members to test positive for COVID-19 after being exposed by fellow member Brandon Beach.

Nikema Williams briefly served as the party's interim chair in 2013, after Mike Berlon resigned, and remained as first vice chair under DuBose Porter.

Nikema Williams supported Barack Obama's presidential campaigns and served as a member of the Obama Victory Fund in 2012.

Nikema Williams was recognized as one of Obama's top bundlers during that campaign cycle, raising over $50,000 for the campaign.

In January 2019, Nikema Williams was elected by the DPG State Committee for a full term as Chair, and won re-election in 2023.

Nikema Williams became the first Black woman, the third woman, and second African American to chair the party.

Nikema Williams was a delegate to the 2008,2012 and 2016 Democratic National Conventions, and presided over early successes in federal elections in 2020.

However, Nikema Williams faced widespread criticism, including from Senator Jon Ossoff, who reportedly pressed her to resign after the party's performances in the 2022 and 2024 Georgia state elections.

On July 20,2020, after the death of John Lewis, Nikema Williams was selected by the DPG Executive Committee to replace him on the November ballot for Georgia's 5th congressional district in the 2020 election.

The 5th is so heavily Democratic that Nikema Williams had been all but assured of a seat in Congress when she was selected to replace Lewis on the ballot.

Nikema Williams opted to not run in the special election, choosing instead to focus on her role as party chair.

Nikema Williams held her seat in the 2022 elections against Republican Christian Zimm, by a smaller but no less overwhelming 65-point margin.

Nikema Williams won reelection in the 2024 elections against Republican John Salvesen by a 71-point margin.

Nikema Williams was among the 46 Democrats who voted against final passage of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 in the House.

Nikema Williams was one of two Democrats in December 2023 along with Bobby Scott to vote against the expulsion of now-former New York representative George Santos.

Nikema Williams's husband, Leslie Small, was a former aide to John Lewis.