CLOSE

Photo by: Congresswoman Maxine Waters

One of the most powerful women in American politics right now, according to many, is the fifth annual Urban One Honors Lifetime Achievement Icon Congresswoman Maxine Waters! She is known as a brave and vocal supporter of women, children, people of color, and the underprivileged.

Congresswoman Waters, who was elected to her 16th term in the U.S. House of Representatives in November 2020 with more than 70% of the vote in California’s 43rd Congressional District, represents a significant portion of South Los Angeles.

In addition to coining the phrase “reclaiming my time,” Congresswoman Waters demonstrated that she was no pushover when she sparred with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin at a House Financial Services Committee hearing in 2017.

Congresswoman Waters had questioned Mnuchin about why he had not yet replied to a letter the committee had issued him regarding Trump’s financial situation. She reclaimed her time and ultimately showed the younger generations not to let anyone waste their time.

As the first African American and woman chair of the House Financial Services Committee, our beloved “Auntie,” Congresswoman Waters created history.

As a key figure in the Congressional Democratic Leadership, she is co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease and a member of the Steering & Policy Committee.

She also serves as the past chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Congresswoman Maxine Waters has been in government for nearly 40 years and has always been a trailblazer, taking on challenging and frequently divisive issues.

Her exceptional capacity for grassroots organizing has been matched by her strong legislative and public policy expertise, and high visibility in Democratic Party operations.

She was a founding member of the nonprofit Black Women’s Forum, which has approximately 1,200 African American women in the Los Angeles region.

She also established Project Build in the middle of the 1980s, assisting young people in Los Angeles housing developments with job training and placement.

We thank Congresswoman Maxine Waters for her service to the community!

Like TV One on Facebook and be sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter.