Kerry Washington’s equity work for Black women in entertainment being recognized.
The Simpson Street production house founder will honored at the 2023 Hollywood Reporter Women in Entertainment breakfast gala, presented by Lifetime, on Dec. 7 in Los Angeles. The Scandal actress will receive the Equity in Entertainment Award for groundbreaking work in uplifting underrepresented groups in Hollywood.
“I believe strongly in the importance of having a seat at the table which makes starting this production company thrilling for me,” Washington told Variety in 2020 shortly after the announcement was made about her overall deal with ABC Studios and ABC Signature Studios. “It’s an honor to be at a point in my career when I can help generate projects that that are exciting, necessary, and truly reflect the world around us. I’m grateful to be on this journey with ABC, a network that remains unparalleled in its commitment to inclusive storytelling.”
She adds: “Our focus at Simpson Street is to weave together narratives that honor our unique differences while connecting us through shared humanity,” Washington said in a statement in 2022. “Expanding into the podcast space, especially with Audible, is a phenomenal opportunity to engage in storytelling across multiple mediums. We could not be more excited!”
The Equity in Entertainment Award was came about in 2016 to recognize figure in entertainment that demonstrated deep effort to break racial, cultural, gender and identity barriers in Hollywood. Issa Rae is among other past honorees.
Along with her Emmy and SAG-winning work, she has produced several projects that highlights diverse storytelling. As an activist, she has championed various social causes, including her civic engagement initiative Influence Change, that aims to increase diverse voter turnout.