Kerry Washington Gave An Empowering Speech At The SAG Awards

The world may not have Olivia Pope in a white hat to fight for us, but this Scandal actress won't stay silent when she sees injustice. Kerry Washington used the Screen Actors Guild Awards to make a powerful statement about our current political climate, and it's a reminder that our voice — no matter who we are or what we do — matters. During the "I Am An Actor" segment of the award show, Washington stepped up and said: "A lot of people are saying right now that actors shouldn't express their opinions when it comes to politics. But the truth is, actors are activists no matter what, and we embody the worth and humanity of all people. This union helps me to do that. I am Kerry Washington, and I am an actor."

Washington's speech comes on the heels of Meryl Streep being called out by President Trump after the actress criticized the former Celebrity Apprentice host during her acceptance speech at the Golden Globes. It's not the first time that the ABC star has stood up for human rights. Washington protested for human rights alongside millions of women worldwide at the Women's March on January 21. She told the crowd marching in Los Angeles: "When you go back home tonight... and you feel like, 'Wow, there is an agenda at work to make me feel like I don't matter, because I'm a woman my voice doesn't matter, because I'm a person of color my voice doesn't matter, because I'm an immigrant, because I'm a member of the LGBTQ community, because I'm an old person, because I'm a young person... because I have a fucking voice, I don't matter.' You matter." Recently, she took to Twitter to share her thoughts on the refugee ban:

Washington may be an actor, but she's not afraid to speak her own script.