Sharice's Big Voice: A Native Kid Becomes a Congresswoman

Summary of Book

When Sharice Davids was young, she never thought she’d be in Congress. And she never thought she’d be one of the first Native American women in Congress. During her campaign, she heard from a lot of doubters. They said she couldn’t win because of how she looked, who she loved, and where she came from. But here’s the thing: Everyone’s path looks different and everyone’s path has obstacles. And this is the remarkable story of Sharice Davids’ path to Congress.

Beautifully illustrated by Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley, an Ojibwe Woodland artist, this powerful autobiographical picture book teaches readers to use their big voice and that everyone deserves to be seen—and heard!

Author Biographies

Sharice Davids was inspired to public service by her single mom, an army drill sergeant. Raised on military bases, Sharice worked her way through Johnson County Community College in Kansas City, before eventually earning a law degree from Cornell Law School. As a first-generation college student who had to work for everything including martial arts lessons, Representative Davids is focused on increasing opportunity by supporting public education and affordable healthcare. Davids was a White House Fellow under President Barack Obama. When she was sworn into the 116th Congress, Representative Davids became one of the first two Native American women to serve in Congress. She is a resident of Roeland Park, Kansas.

Nancy K. Mays has published short stories in Ploughshares, the Colorado Review, Mid-American Review, and other publications. Nancy is an adjunct professor of journalism at the University of Kansas. She is a resident of Mission Woods, Kansas.

Illustrator Biography

Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley is an Ojibwe Woodland artist from Barrie, Ontario, and a member of Wasauksing, First Nation. He is currently an Artist-in-Residence at Skwachay's Lodge in Vancouver, British Columbia, practicing his acrylic painting and illustration techniques. His fine art focuses on promoting and reclaiming Ojibwe stories and teachings, in a modern interpretation of the Woodland tradition. In 2019 Joshua did a Google Doodle of Jingle Dancers which was displayed on the Google search page. Sharice’s Big Voice is Joshua’s second picture book.