People, Locations, Episodes

Maxine Waters, Legislator born

Maxine Waters

*This date marks the birth of Maxine Waters in 1938. She is a Black politician and activist.

From the housing projects of St. Louis, Missouri, she was one of thirteen children born to Remus Moore and Velma Lee Carr Moore.  In 1961, their family moved to Los Angeles, CA, where she found work in a garment factory and as a telephone operator.  In 1966, Waters was hired as an assistant teacher with Watts's (then) new Head Start program.  Waters attended college there and, in 1970, earned a sociology degree from California State University in Los Angeles (UCLA).

She became the voice for frustrated parents through efforts that made federal budget requests, contacted legislators and agencies, increased funding, and lobbied for Head Start components tailored to their community. Waters’ concern for parents’ rights led her into local politics. In 1973, she went to work as the Chief Deputy to City Council member David Cunningham.

In 1976, Waters successfully ran for the California State Assembly. During her tenure, Waters authored legislation that included a law requiring state agencies to award a percentage of public contracts to non-whites and women, tenants’ rights laws, a law restricting police efforts to use strip searches, and the largest divestment of state pension funds from businesses involved in South Africa.

In 1990, after fourteen years in the California State Assembly, Waters won a seat in the 29th District of California. In 1992, She won the 35th District, representing South Central Los Angeles, Inglewood, Gardena, and Hawthorne. Representing the 43rd District, Congresswoman Waters works on several issues, including affirmative action, community development, women’s health, and welfare reform. She focused on the plight of inner-city communities and the allegations of CIA involvement in Contra cocaine drug trafficking in South Central Los Angeles in the mid-1980s.

In the 21st century, Waters is considered one of the most powerful women in politics. She is an outspoken advocate for women, children, non-white people, and poor people. Waters lives in Los Angeles and is married to Sidney Williams, former U.S. Ambassador to the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. They have two adult children, Karen and Edward.

Waters has been critical of the Tea Party Movement and 45th President Donald Trump in recent years.

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