| I was born in Overtown, raised in nearby Liberty City, and have called South Florida home my entire life.
I studied elementary education at Fisk University and served as a teacher and assistant educational coordinator for Head Start in Miami post-graduation. For a short time, I left the working world to raise my three children, but eventually returned to serve as the assistant principal of Skyway Elementary School (go Skyhawks!), later becoming the school's principal. The school is now named Dr. Frederica S. Wilson/Skyway Elementary School.
From 1992 to 1998, I served on the Miami-Dade County School Board, where I helped introduced an African-American history component into the teaching curriculum.
In 1993, I founded the 500 Role Models of Excellence Project, a dropout prevention and mentoring program, which paired young boys of color with caring, successful adult volunteers who provide guidance and educational assistance. Now known as the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project, this nationally acclaimed initiative works with young males aged 9 to 19 and services 98 Miami-Dade County elementary, middle and senior high schools.
In 1998, I successfully ran for a seat in the Florida State House of Representatives, where I served until 2002. From 2002 to 2010, I served in the Florida State Senate, including terms as Minority Leader Pro Tempore and as Minority Lead Whip. I became known as the "Conscience of the Senate" for my willingness to tackle historically-ignored issues.
Today, I represent Florida's 24th District in the U.S. Congress, proudly serving Northern Miami-Dade and Southern Broward Counties. I am the founder and chair of the Florida Ports Caucus and serve on the Transportation and Infrastructure and Education and the Workforce House committees. In addition, I am the leader of the Bring Back Our Girls movement in the United States, which is part of a global initiative to secure the safe return of the Chibok schoolgirls who were kidnapped in 2014 by the Nigerian terrorist group Boko Haram. |