Maxine Waters, born August 15, 1938, is the U.S. Representative for California’s 43rd congressional district, and previously the 35th and 29th districts, serving as a Democrat since 1991. She is the most senior of the 12 black women currently serving in the United States Congress, and is a member and former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. Before becoming a member of Congress she served in the California Assembly, to which she was first elected in 1976. As an Assembly member, Waters advocated for divestment from South Africa’s apartheid regime.

She is a staunch critic of President Donald Trump…and recently made headlines at a hearing of the House Financial Services Committee, when she asked Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin why he hadn’t responded to a letter she’d sent him in May requesting information about Trump’s financial ties to Russia. When he didn’t answer, she responded, “Reclaiming My Time”…which has now become a viral sensation.