Photo Credit: Gilbert Flores By Okla Jones ·Updated February 27, 2026 Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…

At this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Kerry Washington received the Elevate Prize Catalyst Award during the event Democracy on the Screen – and on the Line, along with an unrestricted $250,000 grant to support her work in civic engagement and the protection of democratic freedoms.

The honor places her among a list of prestigious recipients such as Dwyane Wade, Michael J. Fox, Matt Damon, George Clooney, Amal Clooney, Sesame Street Workshop and Malala Yousafzai—figures recognized for using their influence to advance social change. Washington said the news left her reflecting on the company she now keeps.

“I was really honored because I know some of the incredible change makers who’ve gotten it before me, like Malala and Dwyane,” she said. “There’s just been such profoundly important people doing really beautiful work in the world getting that award. So I was really, really honored, and I feel really honored to be in that company.”

For Washington, the funding aligns directly with the mission of her foundation and production company, Simpson Street. She pointed to Elevate’s stated goal to “make good famous,” a phrase she believes mirrors her own approach to advocacy. After the 2016 election, when her Scandal character Olivia Pope began trending online as viewers jokingly begged the fictional fixer to “save” the country, Washington had a realization.

“The focus was on her, well, on me and Olivia Pope,” Washington said. “But really I needed to figure out a way to turn the spotlight, turn the resources, and turn the fame and attention toward some of the real change makers who were doing this work because Olivia Pope’s not real.” She continued, “In the real world, you, I, and every single person has more power than Olivia Pope.”

Through her foundation, Washington has worked to amplify organizers and activists on the ground, providing resources and media training so their efforts reach wider audiences. The Elevate Prize grant will allow her to scale that work and deepen partnerships already in motion.  

Her connection between art and activism began long before Hollywood. As a teenager, Washington participated in a peer-to-peer theater program that toured the East Coast performing shows about safer sex, HIV prevention and substance abuse; an experience left a lasting imprint. “Very early on in my life, I connected theater with social change and with activism,” she said, recalling moments when the group pushed back against censorship and advocated for funding and healthcare access. “So I’m not new to this. This idea has been in my life for decades.”

Washington’s early experiences also inform the choices she makes as an actor and producer. While she gravitates toward layered characters, she draws a clear boundary around roles that diminish Black women. Her work through Simpson Street has prioritized stories rooted in truth and justice, and she believes the current climate demands a broad approach to storytelling.

“Right now we need to be telling all the stories that uplift our humanity and our value, our presence,” the actor said. “We are being taught that our stories don’t deserve to be told, that our history should be ignored, that our joy is not allowed.” In her view, stories that center everyday life are just as vital as overtly political narratives. “Any story that uplifts our humanity is important at this moment.”

During the Sundance, Washington also announced that she has joined the upcoming season of Nevertheless as an executive producer. The second installment, titled Nevertheless: Democracy Defenders, will highlight grassroots leaders confronting polarization and threats to civil liberties worldwide. She described the series as a natural extension of her foundation’s VIP Cohort program, which supports activists across the country with training and financial backing.

“When I first saw the Elevate series, I realized that this was a global version of what we were doing with VIP,” she explained. “The work of democracy is actually a global effort.” She noted that the United States can learn from other nations engaged in similar struggles, adding that the series offers a “broader lens on democratic resilience.”

For those feeling burdened by politics, Washington offers practical advice grounded in community. “If you feel overwhelmed, that just means that you’re human,” she said. “You’re not alone.” She encourages people to contribute in ways that fit their lives, whether that means marching, voting, providing childcare, buying groceries for a neighbor or simply showing up in support. “Figure out what it is that you can give and give of yourself,” she said, emphasizing that collective action can ease isolation.

Before concluding the conversation, Washington added one final thought about the role of art. “Supporting artists who are highlighting the humanity of marginalized people is important,” she said. “When you watch those shows and listen to that music—that too is a service because we have to be creating joy and art and heart for each other.”

TOPICS:  Kerry Washington

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Author: Okla Jones

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