There’s a reason that Scandal is one of the most popular shows on TV, and it’s not just because we’d kill for Olivia Pope’s wardrobe. Kerry Washington is amazing in that role and in real life. Not only is she gorgeous and incredibly fashionable, but she’s super intelligent and active in her community, championing gay rights and bringing light to issues like violence against women. Washington graduated Phi Beta Kappa from George Washington University with a double major and she’s said, “I always felt like my value was much more in my intellect than it was in my appearance.”

She has two kids with her NFL player husband and is refreshingly one of the few big stars who keeps their personal life relatively private. Washington believes we should protect our young people’s minds from racism, prejudice, and homophobia because nobody is born with that kind of hate. She speaks about the power of storytelling, and reminds young girls and women alike that, “You can be the lead in your own life.”