Welcome to Never Before. I'm your host, Janet Mock.

I was so nervous when I entered the Rayburn House Office building in Washington, D.C.

It was a super overcast day, super humid, and I was about to meet a personal heroin,

Congresswoman Maxine Waters. Yep, that's Auntie Maxine, bitch.

She's been in Congress for nearly three decades, representing California's 43rd Congressional

District, which is centered in South Central Los Angeles. And most recently took her mantle as

Auntie Maxine in the wake of the election of the 45th president.

Representative Waters has not held back a single damn word of criticism against President

Trump. She has called for his impeachment on the record more than any other person in Congress

and has become the truth-speaking, unintimidated, life-giving political leader of the resistance

and an easy target of attack for the right.

In February, Fox News host Eric Bowling compared her to Whitney Houston and advised the Congresswoman to,

quote, step away from the crack pipe, end quote.

While former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly insulted Waters' appearance on air by calling her hair a James Brown wig,

which I kind of don't see as offensive, except for the fact that he's a white guy, policing a black woman's

appearance. Rep Waters addresses the criticism in our conversation, which goes past our scheduled

half hour in her office. That's why you hear a buzzer going all the way off for the end of our time together.

But like a boss, Auntie Maxine ignores the alarm and keeps slaying.

We start our conversation at the very beginning in her history making Missouri hometown.

Congresswoman Maxine Waters, how exciting.

Thank you so much for being here.

You're so welcome.

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