On Sunday, March 30, Congresswoman of the 43rd District Maxine Waters was welcomed by the Los Angeles Alumane Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta for a moderated dialogue. Waters, a prominent voice for the underserved, who consistently utilizes her voice to advocate for various marginalized groups such as the working class, seniors, people of color, and children.
The event, “D.E.I.: Where are we now?, was held at the Ward AME Church located at 1177 W. 25th St. The Los Angeles Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta created a space for residents of the Los Angeles area to acquire more knowledge about the harm that the dismantling of DEI can cause families of color and the greater Los Angeles community. The conversation was moderated by Wilda Tillman, President of the Los Angeles Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta.
Congresswoman Waters did not hold back, as she fiercely pointed out the fact that President Trump’s egregious ploys to erase DEI efforts and Black history are in full effect. She discussed vital information that is often not directly addressed by the press, as many news outlets are caving into the administration’s influence as Trump’s vision of America is taking the nation by storm and referred to it as “Operation DIctatorship.”
“What they did is they backed us down and said … ‘everything they don’t like, they always call it racism,’ and we stopped saying it.” She continued,”You better learn to say it again and call it out! Racism! This is the agenda in Washington D.C.”
The Democratic Congresswoman took multiple moments to highlight and illustrate the vital necessity of programs such as Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security being at risk due to the wealthy seeking tax breaks. She also discussed reproductive health, health care, education, housing disparity, women’s rights and public safety.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion has been one of the many focal points that President Trump and his administration has set as their target, motivating various companies such as Target, McDonald’s, Amazon Walmart, Lowes and many more to roll back DEI initiatives and policies. The rollbacks of DEI even had a domino effect upon the UC System, which was announced on March 12.
She also discussed how Trump’s agenda involves denying Black people opportunities for advancement based on skin color and eliminating funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s). Waters outlined the pressures on major retailers and universities to cut any programs related to equal opportunity have been levied by the White House. She also proposed a theory that Elon Musk and his latest actions are a sign that he may eventually reinstate apartheid in South Africa.
“We are dealing with some downright dirty lowdown individuals, who do not care about others, our welfare, our ownership.” She added, “What they want to see is the [protection of] billionaires and all of the money they’re able to save by cutting back. Their [goal is to reduce] taxes for billionaires and a lot of this is about the tax fight.”
Rep. Waters also emphasized the importance of community, and many citizens are worried about the detrimental and devastating actions the federal government is implementing.
“We cannot have a strong community if we do not get involved,” She said.
Serving as a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, Waters has recently reached a 62 year milestone in her membership. An outspoken voice who has been dubbed as “Auntie Maxine” by millennials and gen-z folks alike, the congresswoman has garnered respect from many residents of the Los Angeles area and is held in high regard by the people. Rep Waters is a prominent political figure who champions education, civil rights, and community empowerment.
She concluded her address by telling guests to continue to speak up amidst America’s current political climate, as Black voices are being shunned.
“We want you to join the struggle. Have your voices heard! If you see others marching, get involved. We cannot do this alone.”
