Kali Reis, an American professional boxer and actress, openly identifies as both Cape Verdean and Native American. In addition to her involvement in sports and entertainment, Reis is a passionate champion of cultural heritage. She fully accepts her identity and heritage and actively supports the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) campaign. Read on to discover more about Kali Reis’ nationality and family. Kali Reis began boxing at the age of fourteen. She had a successful amateur career before becoming a professional.
Reis is most known as a former two-weight world champion, having held the WBC female middleweight championship in 2016 and the WBA, WBO, and IBO female light welterweight crowns from 2020 to 2022. Reis began her acting career in 2021, appearing in “Catch the Fair One,” which earned her a nomination for Best Female Lead at the Independent Spirit Awards. Later, she expanded her acting career by being cast in 2024 as a co-lead in “True Detective: Night Country.”
Beyond the ring, Reis is a champion for the MMIWG movement, which inspired her cooperation with director Josef Kubota Wladyka in “Catch the Fair One.” Kali Reis exhibits exceptional flexibility, having made an impact in both sports and entertainment via her boxing and acting careers.
Kali Reis’ Ethnicity: Where Is She From?
Reis was born on August 24, 1986, in Providence, Rhode Island. She is the youngest of five siblings, all raised in East Providence by their mother. Klai Reis is proud of her heritage, claiming Cape Verdean origin and identifying as Cherokee and Nipmuc. Reis proudly accepts her identity as a member of the unrecognized Seaconke Wampanoag Tribe of Massachusetts. Furthermore, Kali said that as a youngster, she actively participated in powwows, demonstrating her devotion to cultural customs.
Her boxing name, “K.O. Mequinonoag,” is derived from her mother’s name Mequinonoag, which means “many feathers” or “many talents.” Furthermore, Reis is a strong supporter and champion of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) campaign. Later, director Josef Kubota Wladyka was inspired by Reis’ advocacy, prompting him to suggest a joint effort that evolved into the film Catch the Fair One.
Kali Reis Family: Parents and Siblings
Patricia Rain Gentle and Edward Reis welcomed their son Reis into the world in 1986. Kali seems to have a tight bond with her mother, although her father was gone after her parents separated. She credits her mother, Patricia, as the most significant person in her life. Patricia raised Kali and her siblings on her own when her parents divorced. She instilled in her children a strong sense of pride in their Seaconke Wampanoag background. Patricia also acts as their tribe’s medicine lady, offering valuable spiritual counsel.
In addition, Reis had four siblings: three boys and one sister. Growing up, Kali states she struggled to keep up with her two older brothers’ activities, which resulted in her “tomboyish” and athletic personality. Sadly, Reis lost one of her brothers, Drew, at the young age of 33. Later, she paid him tribute by dedicating a battle to him, calling him as her “real-life superhero.” Furthermore, Kali has a close bond with her mother and the other siblings in her life.
