Actress and political activist Kerry Washington is calling on Black voters to organize, mobilize, and remain vigilant following the recent Supreme Court decision on the Voting Rights Act.
Joining hundreds of political commentators and civil rights advocates, Washington said the ruling threatens Black political representation across the United States.
In a passionate video shared on Instagram, the “Scandal” star referenced one of the show’s most iconic lines, spoken by fictional political fixer Papa Pope, to explain why the ruling struck such a deep chord with many Black Americans.
“You have to be twice as good to get half of what they have,” Washington said. “For Black people in this country, that isn’t just a line from a show. That is our reality.”
Washington pointed specifically to a recent Supreme Court ruling tied to Louisiana’s congressional voting maps.
According to Washington, the state had previously been ordered to redraw district lines to give Black voters fairer representation in Congress after concerns that existing maps diluted Black voting power.
“That sounds great, right?” she said. “Good. So they drew a map that gave Black people a real chance to be represented in Congress in fair numbers. But now the Supreme Court has ruled that that map is suddenly unconstitutional.”
Washington warned that the implications extend far beyond Louisiana, arguing the ruling weakens a critical section of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, landmark legislation designed to protect Black voters from racial discrimination and suppression.
“The ruling doesn’t just impact Louisiana,” she said. “That decision gutted a key part of the Voting Rights Act, which is the law that has protected Black communities from having our voting power drained away from us since 1965.”
The actress framed the issue as part of a broader national struggle over political power ahead of upcoming midterm elections, as several states continue redrawing congressional and legislative district maps.
“There are people in power who are redrawing lots of maps to make our votes matter even less,” Washington said. “To make it twice as hard for our voices to be heard and for people like us to be in power.”
Rather than simply sounding the alarm, Washington also encouraged followers to take concrete action. She urged voters to learn about their districts, pay closer attention to local elections, and support organizations actively challenging voting restrictions and redistricting efforts in court.
She highlighted groups including the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Democracy Docket, and Black Voters Matter as organizations tracking ongoing developments.
“School boards, city councils, state legislatures, that is where this fight is actually happening,” Washington said. “The big splashy races matter, but these local races need you for real.”
Washington also encouraged supporters to pressure elected officials directly, mentioning advocacy platform Five Calls as a tool for contacting lawmakers.
Throughout the video, the Emmy-winning actress repeatedly stressed resilience, warning that political exhaustion and discouragement are precisely what opponents of voting rights are counting on.
“They want us to think that we can’t make a difference,” she said. “So we have to prove them wrong, even if we have to work twice as hard to do it.”
Her comments arrive amid escalating national debates over voting access, partisan redistricting, and the future enforcement of the Voting Rights Act following several recent court decisions.
Washington closed her message with a note of determination and encouragement to Black communities navigating the current political climate.
“We may have to work twice as hard,” she wrote in the caption accompanying the video, “but we are twice as strong. Let’s stay in this fight.”
