When Shonda Rhimes gave us the critically acclaimed “Scandal,” Thursday nights were never the same. The brilliance of the show’s characters kept viewers captivated, all led by Olivia Pope, as portrayed by Kerry Washington. Washington made the world feel like Olivia Pope could do just about anything. She was the proverbial cousin in most people’s heads and the “fixer” many people wish they had in real life. Although Washington’s role in “Scandal” was noteworthy, it wasn’t the first nor would it be the last time she’d make her mark on the culture. Kerry Washington is a New York native with early roots in the acting industry. During her early teen years, she was a part of New York’s TADA! Youth Theater. Her work with the theater would prove beneficial as Washington went on to appear in hit television shows and films including “Ray” and “Little Fires Everywhere.” The 46-year-old actress is also known for her work behind the camera as a producer and director for shows such as the hit HBO...

Serena Williams and Kerry Washington are sharing their insight on equity and ownership for free.99. According to Essence, the two have partnered with Carta, an ownership and equity management platform, for its campaign — Equity 101. The launch includes ten fintech lessons focused on equity and investing, as well as videos from Williams, Washington, Alex Rodriguez, Ashley Graham, Tan France, and Steve Nash, in which they “help debunk major concepts that have stood in the way of achieving financial freedom. ” Each of the celebrities involved in the campaign own equity as investors or venture capitalists. As previously reported by AfroTech, Williams founded her VC firm Serena Ventures in 2014 to provide opportunities to women and underrepresented founders and it has since gone on to invest in 43 companies , 25 marked as “diversity investments.” AfroTech has also reported on Washington continuously having her hands in the startup world including her investments in brands such as Aurate,...

To Hollywood, Kerry Washington is an award-winning actress and producer, but to the startup world she’s turning into a hands-on investor. According to Fast Company , Washington recently made a substantial investment in DTC sustainable women’s jewelry startup Aurate , and has taken an active role is designing a capsule collection to champion sisterhood among women. The four-piece Lioness collection is a project Washington worked on closely with Aurate co-founders Sophie Kahn and Bouchra Ezzahraoui. The meaning behind the collection is symbolic of the Egyptian goddess Sekhmet who often took the form of a lion, Fast Company reports . The outlet went on to share the collection features the brand’s two best-selling gold chains joined together connected by a lion pendant, which is meant to represent the way in which women come together to form tribes, according to Washington.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Kerry Washington (@kerrywashington) “The collection is all about...

Black Hollywood has historically made major contributions to the TV and film industries. However, many Black actors and actresses don’t get their proper shine or pay for their work. Here, we are spotlighting some of the highest-paid Black actors and actresses who’ve reaped the benefits from their fruitful careers. Halle Berry ($90 million) Photo Credit: ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images) Halle Berry’s acting career is highly regarded in the entertainment industry. She became the first Black woman to win an Academy Award for “Best Actress” and has starred in classic films like “Boomerang,” “Monster’s Ball,” “X-Men” and more. Berry has opened doors for many Black actresses and her efforts continue to set the standard for Black Hollywood. Queen Latifah ($70 million) Photo Credit: Bennett Raglin/Getty Images Queen Latifah has had a very rewarding acting career. Even though she began with music, the Oscar-nominated, Grammy and Emmy award-winning actress ventured off to Hollywood starring...

Let’s face it, we may all have the same 24-hours in a day, but staying motivated can be hard. Sometimes there’s going to be days when you have to operate on three hours of sleep and have a to-do list that seems a mile long, but there’s hope. We’ve put together a list of some of the most encouraging Black Twitter accounts that will get you out of those low spirit ruts. Whether you’re a one (wo)man show or you head a team of 50 or more employees, these motivational Twitter accounts may give you the boost you need to keep going. Gucci Mane If you don’t want to trip going forwards stop looking backwards! — Gucci Mane (@gucci1017) January 24, 2020 Representing East Atlanta, the legendary rapper not only gives us trap music hits, but his Twitter is full of encouragement. Gucci reminds us not to dwell on past failures and to keep looking forward. Who cares if your last startup didn’t go so well–start another! A scroll through Gucci’s page will instantly put you in hustler mode. Let’s not...