Ebony Shemal: The Color of Elegance and Power

The transgender activist known for her Emmy-nominated role as Sophia Burset on Orange Is the New Black — she’s also appeared on Law & Order SVU, Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce, and three episodes of The Mindy Project — has long championed gender justice and equality. As the executive director of California TRANScends, Shemal works to improve the health and well-being of the transgender community at large and focuses on intersectionality, including climate justice, disability justice, and race equity, at both local and national levels.

The color ebony is a dark shade of black that often has brown or olive undertones. Like the black wood used to make piano keys and chess pieces, ebony is associated with elegance, sophistication, and power.

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