Congresswoman Maxine Waters delivered an inspiring, #BlackGirlMagic-filled keynote address at the Chicago Black Women’s Expo Phenomenal Woman Awards Gala on Thursday evening. The California House Representative and pop icon aka “Auntie Maxine” addressed several plaguing issues of our current presidency as well as the disrespect she received at the hands of Fox News talk show host Bill O’Reilly.

O’Reilly, who, after making an unnecessary comment about the Congresswoman’s hair, went even further in his criticism of Waters in a recent rant on his show, “The O’Reilly Factor.” In a segment that serves as the show’s opener, “Talking Points Memo,” O’Reilly apologized for his comment on Waters’ hair, however quickly went on to denounce her stance on the plight of African-Americans under the Trump administration and questioned her patriotism.

Waters addressed her feud with O’Reilly in front of a crowd consisting of mostly Black women saying, “I recognized that really, ladies and gentlemen, it’s not just me, a member of Congress, who too often is the recipient of disparaging and negative comments, mostly made by white men who believe that they’re all things to all people.”

“I decided that I would use my response to remind black women how truly special we are, how nurturing we are, and how we make tremendous contributions to our families, our communities and to our country. And my message to black women: I’m a strong black woman. I cannot be intimidated. And don’t allow these right-wing talking heads to intimidate you or to scare you. Do what you do.”

Man, we can’t do her fiery words justice. In the video above, watch as Maxine Waters gives her critics everything she has while simultaneously empowering and encouraging Black women to take a stand for what they believe in.

Video Credit: Chan C. Smith