Module 5 - Olivia Pope

When presented with the challenge to think of a character who breaks racial stereotypes, the choice was fairly simple for me. I instantly thought of Olivia Pope from the TV show Scandal. Olivia is the epitome of a character who breaks down these stereotypical walls, in my opinion. Pope runs her own crisis-management firm in Washington D.C. She works with fixing political scandals, hence the name of the program. 

What makes Olivia Pope so special is that she is a black woman in power. She runs her own company and is in charge of fixing the problems of mainly white male politicians. This clip from Season 4 shows complete power to me. As a black woman, she is a minority, but in this clip she is telling off a white male who also happens to be the vice president. 

Pope is such a significant character, especially for black women. In the media, black women are portrayed as unintelligent, uncivilized, and angry. Pope is viewed as strong, smart, and intelligent. I think it is especially important for young girls to see how powerful they can be and that there is no superior color or gender.

Video Source:

“Scandal - Season 4 Episode 9.” ABC.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Jq4xU90Q8w)