THE CULTURE The New Face of Activism in Hollywood
Sister Kerry Washington Rising By Lorraine Jones
Actress and producer Kerry Washington is a reallife gladiator in a suit. This prominent star uses her reach to amplify the voices of political activists and shed a light on the causes she vehemently believes in. Washington utilizes her microphone in the most effective way she can, by handing it to political leaders, marginalized people and women. This Emmy Award-winning heroine uses her relevance to lend the spotlight to fellow activists, provide necessary funds, lend her high-profile resources and connections, and share her expertise in visual storytelling. Washington uses her platform to give people like Stacey Abrams, a former minority leader of the Georgia House of Representatives, and Tram Nguyen, a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, the resonance they need to make a greater impact. Washington worked with Abrams in the 2021 U.S. Senate runoff in Georgia and founded Influence Change, an initiative that partners with high-impact organizations to generate greater voter turnout. Washington is very vocal on the importance of voting. She asserts that the right to vote is central to having a voice and that by giving up that right, we are silencing our ability to have opinions. Washington passes the spotlight to reallife heroes to save us from the chaos of the current political crisis. The world watched the network drama star of Scandal embody a real-life Olivia Pope after the 2016 election results were announced. Although she has been heavily involved in politics throughout her career, after that immense political divide, she truly embodied the hope and courage of the network character she plays. She spent two years actively doing onthe-ground activism and has partnered with several national organizations such as Black Voters Matter, We the People Michigan and New Virginia Majority. Alongside other prominent figures such as Alfre Woodard and Forest Whitaker, Washington was appointed to former President Barack Obama’s President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. While on the committee, Washington was particularly hands-on with the education segment that focused
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Photo credit: David Urbanke for Vanity Fair
