Kerry Washington tips her white hat to John Lewis on anniversary of Voting Rights Act

Scandal star Kerry Washington loves to use her social media channels for hosting viewing parties of old episodes of her hit series and leading Yoga tutorials, all from the comfort of her home. But it’s no surprise that the producer of the new documentary The Fight, which dives into the world of lawyers within the American Civil Liberties Union, would also use her platform to amplify voices and raise awareness about the stories of those who have fought hard for civil justice. On August 6, that spotlight shone brightly on late Congressman John Lewis, and Kerry honoured him in a segment she called “Handled It.”“Today we are celebrating the fact that 55 years ago on this day, the Voting Rights Act was signed into law,” she said, speaking directly to camera and holding the brim of her large white hat. “And John Lewis, a personal hero of mine, was instrumental in getting this law signed, which is why today we tip our white hat to John Lewis.”

 

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Honoring the Good Troublemaker himself, @repjohnlewis. Want more inspo? head over to @wearepushblack to hear John and I read a moment of his speech from the March on Washington. ?✊??✊??✊??✊?

A post shared by Kerry Washington (@kerrywashington) on Aug 6, 2020 at 9:31am PDT

“What he was able to accomplish in his short life is nothing short of extraordinary, this man was beaten, he was arrested, he was challenged in the most profound ways, but he Handled It!” she continued, as her monologue was intercut with historical photos of a young Lewis during the Civil Rights movement in the ‘60s, bloody and struggling with police, and his official mug shot. Lewis died on July 17 of pancreatic cancer at the age of 80.[video_embed id='-1']RELATED: Kerry Washington shares why 'American Son' is so important to her[/video_embed]Explaining that Lewis practiced “Satyagraha,” which is form of non-violent protest that was first made popular by India’s freedom fighter Mahatma Gandhi (and is Sanskrit for “insistence on the truth”), Kerry shows how Lewis’ resistance forced a focus on the truth, which was that Black people were discriminated against when it came to voting rights and were subject to voter suppression, all of which lead to the Voting Rights Act, written into legislation in 1965.“So let’s keep the celebration of John Lewis’ life going by insisting on the truth, spreading love, persevering, and resisting!”Kerry’s video was made in collab with Push Black, an organization that spotlights Black activists and inspiring moments in Black history. On the org's official Instagram, it posted a video mashup of Congressman Lewis speaking at the 1963 March on Washington and Ms. Washington herself reciting the same speech wearing the white hat, a nod to her Scandal character Olivia Pope, for its sixth installment of "Handled It" with the inspiring actress.

 

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Introducing Town & Country’s September 2020 Issue, starring actress, producer, and director @kerrywashington! Washington’s latest project, The Fight, is a documentary that focuses on the work of ACLU lawyers during the Trump administration, and Washington spoke with @sarahelizabethlewis1 about both her work in entertainment and her passion for justice. Throughout the pages you’ll also find a story on the pleasures of haute fashion by @babylynnieland; @seligsonh’s piece on deep-pocketed families that are fleeing cities and setting up new lives behind privet hedges; a celebration of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and their signature work, Revelations; and so much more. Our cover shoot this month was carried out entirely over video chat, including photography, styling, makeup, and hair. Click the link in our bio to read the full cover story, photographed by @abdmstudio, styled by @luxurylaw, hair by @takishahair, makeup by @carolagmakeup.

A post shared by TOWN&COUNTRY (@townandcountrymag) on Aug 5, 2020 at 5:02am PDT

Kerry, who has previously spoken passionately about the particular racism that Black women face, is also the cover star of  Town & Country's September issue, where she explains that her work in Hollywood can also be a vehicle for highlighting stories of justice and the quest for equality, representation and respect.Speaking about her role in getting The Fight from seed to the big screen, she says, “One of the other goals of the film for me is to have young people be inspired to join this fight. Part of that for me is to have young people who are thinking about law school or are in law school, to understand how gratifying and important this work is. And we do that by celebrating it publicly.”[video_embed id='2001526']BEFORE YOU GO: Michael B. Jordan launches #ChangeHollywood initiative[/video_embed]