Nikema Williams

Member of Congress

FAFSA Updates

The U.S. Department of Education is making transformational changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. The FAFSA form is an application that students and families need to apply for federal student aid, like federal grants, work-study funds, and loans. Completing and submitting the FAFSA form is free, and it gives students access to the largest source of financial aid to help pay for higher education. The Better FAFSA is simplified, redesigned, and streamlined. It is faster and easier to fill out, with most students completing it in less than 15 minutes. It ensures 665,000 more students will receive Federal Pell Grants to pay for college. More than 1.7 million more students will receive the maximum Pell Grant. For more information about the Better FAFSA, click here. Additionally, parents without a Social Security Number can now apply for the FAFSA. More information about the Department of Education update is available here.

VA Job Fair

On May 15 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, the Department of Veterans Affairs will have a Job Fair and Resource Event. The event will take place at the Metropolitan Career Center located at 2160 Metropolitan Parkway Atlanta, GA 30315. #Team Nikema will be there too; we can't wait to see you!

IRS Grants for Tax Assistance Programs

The IRS is accepting applications for the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) grants, which allows eligible organizations to apply for annual funding to provide free federal tax return preparation assistance for up to three years. Grants.gov is accepting applications from May 1, 2024, through May 31, 2024, for the TCE and VITA grant opportunities. The application packages and guidelines are available on IRS.gov. In 2024, the IRS awarded 45 TCE grantees $11 million and 300 VITA grantees $40 million. Last year, grant recipients from the two programs helped taxpayers file more than 2.1 million tax returns nationwide. More information is available here.

Making Prescription Pricing Clear

Quality, affordable health care must include transparent drug pricing. Unlike most any other product advertised on TV, the list prices of prescription drugs are mostly hidden from the average consumer. As a result, patients are often met with sticker shock when it is time to purchase the medications they need. Constituents have shared horrific stories of skipping required doses or struggling to keep food on the table just to keep up with medication costs.

It doesn’t have to be this way. The Plain Prescription Prices Act directs the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to issue a rule requiring TV ads for prescriptions include a list price. This will give consumers the power to hold drug companies accountable for pricing spikes. This is just one more step in our work to lower costs and ensure access to affordable healthcare for everyone. Read Here.

Protecting Generational Wealth

A legal and financial risk is created for families when property is passed through generations without a formal will or estate planning documents. This type of property is known as ‘heirs property’ and in Georgia, the total assessed value of all identified heirs property is more than $408 million.

Heirs’ property limits families’ capacity to transfer generational wealth and contributes to the persistent racial wealth gap. I introduced legislation to establish a two-prong grant program to provide legal assistance to heirs’ property owners for clearing titles. The HEIRS Act of 2024 is co-led by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX) and Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL). Read Here.

Are You Trying to Call Atlanta Home, Madam Vice President?

Vice President Kamala Harris made another visit to Atlanta, her second this year! Vice President Harris kicked off her nationwide Economic Opportunity for All Tour in Atlanta. Naturally I took her to Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs so she could see how we are creating an ecosystem for Black entrepreneurs before celebrating more than $200 million in investments to reconnect Black communities divided by federal interstate highways.

Investing in Affordable Housing in Sweet Auburn

The Front Porch at Auburn is a community-led, community-designed, and community-requested development that invests in the future of Sweet Auburn. I had a special tour with Cheneé Joseph, President and CEO of the Historic District Development Corporation who explained how the Front Porch is being built with the community at the heart of all plans.

Graduating Clark Atlanta Senior on the Move!

Congratulations to Tierra, a graduating Clark Atlanta University senior for receiving a $2500 fellowship from Wells Fargo! Tierra completed an internship with the Atlanta Falcons and is now ready to take the next step in her career. It was great to hop on FaceTime with your mom, dad, and grandma as you shared the good news.

Investing in Entrepreneurs with Urban League of Greater Atlanta

Any time I can work with the Urban League of Greater Atlanta I will do it. I joined a roundtable at the ULGA headquarters with Minority Business Development Agency Acting Under Secretary, Eric Morrissette on how we can continue investing in entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship creates more paths to economic opportunity and is an essential tool to close the racial wealth gap.

Clark Atlanta’s Annual Financial Literacy, Innovation, And Technology Conference

When I was in college, I applied for the credit cards advertised in the cafeteria, not knowing I’d have to pay off those bills some day. Today’s college students face the same tactics and it’s important they know what I didn’t know in college. That’s why I joined FICO for a discussion on financial literacy at the Clark Atlanta University Annual Financial Literacy, Innovation, and Technology Conference, so students can take the steps necessary in college to reach their financial goals.

Celebrating 43 Years of Service to Morris Brown College

Dr. Nasrolah Farokhi is an institution at Morris Brown College. He educated multiple generations of Black excellence and supported dear ol’ Morris Brown when there were no other professors–sometimes going without a paycheck. Because of his dedication, Morris Brown College became the first HBCU to regain full accreditation. To mark his illustrious career at Morris Brown College, President Kevin James and Dr. Farkohi’s son and I helped open the Dr. Nasrolah R. Farokhi Center for Teaching, Learning, and Innovation.

Educating the Youth on Financial Literacy

To build generational wealth, we have to teach the youth about financial literacy. Me and Fearless Fund CEO Arian Simone spent a Saturday with elementary, middle, and high school students from Atlanta talking about financial literacy at FinLit Fest. I was impressed by our students’ curiosity and they are well on their way to knowing how to wisely use their money.

Receiving the Global Minority Entrepreneur Award

Thank you to Global Minority Entrepreneurs for awarding me the inaugural Global Entrepreneurs appreciation award I will keep doing everything I can in Congress to invest in Black entrepreneurs everywhere!

Derby Day, Gate City Bar Association Style

The Gate City Bar Association is Georgia’s oldest Black bar association. I joined their Derby Day event to celebrate their 76 years of excellence serving the community.

Every Day Should be 404 Day!

I always say Atlanta, Georgia changed my life so I love celebrating all things Atlanta, especially on 404 day! I presented a scholarship check for deserving HBCU students at the official 404 Day Block party on the Westside Beltline. I’m already looking forward to the next 404 Day!

Financial Literacy Fun with Chime

Learning about financial literacy can be fun! I joined Atlanta’s own T-Pain for a fireside chat on financial literacy.

There’s No Party Like an Eclipse Party

We had a partial eclipse in Atlanta and it was great to take Carter and his friends to the Eclipse Party at Atlantic Station. As a STEM grad, it’s important to make sure our kids are learning about our universe so they stay curious. Staff from Senator Ossoff’s office even joined in for some bicameral scientific fun.

Team Nikema Holds Congress in Your Community

Team Nikema brought Congress to Decatur! On April 12, my constituent services team took Congress in Your Community to the Porter Sanford III Art Center so constituents could easily get the help they need from the federal government.