Over the summer, she created lessons about the planets and continents. “But really with a focus on Africa,” she said. “So I was walking them through lots of different African cultures. The Nubians, the Maasai warriors, Egyptian culture and just like scouring the internet for projects I could do with them and children’s books about those cultures to really immerse them.”
She noted that typical classroom curriculum can be lacking in Black and African history.
The new, first-time Emmy winner said, “A lot of times kids when they’re learning about Black history in particular, you learn about Civil Rights and then Jim Crow era. You learn about all the things that Black people were told we couldn’t do. So I thought it was really important to kind of immerse them in the rich culture of who Black people are and were even before the Martin Luther Kings and the great, great Civil Rights leaders.”
Last week, Washington took home her first Emmy Award as executive producer of ABC’s Live In Front Of A Studio Audience: “All In The Family” And “Good Times.” She tuned in to the Emmys ceremony on Sept. 20, live from Little Fires Everywhere co-star Reese Witherspoon‘s house. Naturally, the event was New Year’s Eve-themed because, as Witherspoon said, “We’re ready for this year to be over.”
Winners Regina King (Watchmen) and Uzo Aduba (Mrs. America) donned Breonna Taylor T-shirts while giving their acceptance speeches. The fashion statements meant a lot to Washington, who told Degeneres it was “so great.”
Watch her Ellen interview above.
