2024 -- H 8111

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LC005767

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

CONGRATULATING AND HONORING KALI REIS FOR HER AMAZING

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS AN ACTRESS AND CHAMPION BOXER

     Introduced By: Representatives Vella-Wilkinson, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Kazarian,
Chippendale, Donovan, Alzate, Stewart, Cruz, and Fenton-Fung

     Date Introduced: March 28, 2024

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, Kali Reis was born in Providence and grew up in the City of East

Providence, the youngest of five children. Her ancestry is a collaboration of Native American or

Indigenous Wampanoag and Cape Verdean, which often left her feeling like she didn't quite

check the standard box; and

     WHEREAS, Growing up, Ms. Reis was very sporty and musical, which kept her feeling

grounded. A passion and incredible talent for boxing eventually provided her with the outlet she

needed to channel her energies in a productive way, and at the age of about 15 or 16, she began

boxing at Big Six Boxing Academy in Providence, and soon made a name for herself in the

boxing ranks; and

     WHEREAS, Ms. Reis's boxing acumen brought her to the heights of the sport. She is a

former world champion in two weight classes, having held the WBC female middleweight title in

2016, and the WBA, WBO, and IBO female light welterweight titles between 2020 and 2022. In

2021, she had moved to Philadelphia to train and ended up marrying her best friend and boxing

manager, Brian Cohen; and

     WHEREAS, Sadly, in 2017, Ms. Reis lost her brother to brain cancer. The two had

shared their love of boxing, often training together, and following his passing, she knew she

needed more. During those years she had also turned to her heritage. As a member of the

Seaconke Wampanoag Tribe, she became an activist, uplifting and empowering indigenous

voices, fighting for the tribe's federal recognition in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, and

bringing awareness to different indigenous issues in the Native community, such as missing and

murdered Indigenous women, pipelines, and residential schools; and

     WHEREAS, While searching for her path forward, Ms. Reis was approached by the

writer/director of the first movie she was in, "Catch the Fair One", who asked her to help write

the story for "Catch the Fair One," which was about missing and murdered indigenous women.

He also wanted her to be the lead actress in the film, and sent her to acting workshops and

provided her with an acting coach. Her efforts earned her the Jury Award for Best Actress at the

2021 Newport Beach Film Festival; and

     WHEREAS, From her initial foray into acting, Ms. Reis "hit the ground running" and in

2023, was cast in the film "Asphalt City." She was also named co-lead of "True Detective: Night

Country", in which she stars alongside Jodie Foster as a detective investigating the disappearance

of eight men in Alaska, and which is now in its 4th season on HBO; and

     WHEREAS, Kali Reis is a true inspiration to us all and she is eminently deserving of our

recognition and praise; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby

congratulates and honors Kali Reis for her amazing accomplishments as an actress, activist and

champion boxer, and extends heartfelt best wishes for her good health, continued success and

much happiness; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Ms. Kali Reis.

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