THE MAXINE SHAW EFFECT Building Leaders
of Tomorrow Anecdotally, we knew the character of Maxine Shaw, on the hit television series Living Single, inspired countless people to become powerful leaders. For decades Maxine has influenced Black girls, and young women and men of all races, to excel and pursue careers in Law, Politics, Leadership and as C-Suite Executives. Continue Meet The Team Results arrow_downward

We also knew powerful women like Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Stacey Abrams, and Marsai Martin, acknowledged the impact Maxine Shaw’s intelligence, signature style and swagger had on their confidence, while they fearlessly succeed in changing the world.

We knew, but we decided to test our assumptions by conducting a statistically viable, data-driven research study to confirm…

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We also knew powerful women like Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, Stacey Abrams, and Marsai Martin, acknowledged the impact Maxine Shaw’s intelligence, signature style and swagger had on their confidence, while they fearlessly succeed in changing the world.

We knew, but we decided to test our assumptions by conducting a statistically viable, data-driven research study to confirm…

Learn More

THE “MAXINE SHAW
EFFECT” IS REAL…

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The survey results overwhelmingly show that Representation Matters. If you can see it, you can be it.
Learn More
The full report includes many additional insights that confirm Maxine Shaw has significantly influenced several generations of Black girls and women in the U.S.

THE “MAXINE SHAW
EFFECT” IS REAL…

The survey results overwhelmingly show that Representation Matters. If you can see it, you can be it.
Learn More
The full report includes many additional insights that confirm Maxine Shaw has significantly influenced several generations of Black girls and women in the U.S.

“ “Maxine Shaw exists as a singularity - a character whose image, personality and ambition redefined what young black women could expect of themselves and demand of the world. Crafted by exceptional writers who gave her form, Erika Alexander grounded Max as an archetype with a transcendent energy that continues to inspire millions, which we will forever know as the Maxine Shaw Effect." Stacey Abrams Former Georgia State Representative, Activist, and Writer “It’s so befitting that my sister, who’s a talented actor, artist, and dedicated activist who played Attorney Maxine Shaw on Living Single inspired legions of women to run for public office." Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley Massachusetts 7th District “ "We at Microsoft are excited that our technology empowers youth, educators, and nonprofits by delivering engaging skills development content for use in classrooms and community programs. The ‘Maxine Shaw Effect’ is a testament to the power of representation, and through this Color Farm and Microsoft Community Training Curriculum, we aim to empower youth everywhere." Darrell Booker Microsoft Corporate Affairs Specialist “ “Maxine Shaw was my friend in my head when I was one of the many millions of Living Single viewers, and she was who I wanted to be: independent, smart, witty, and ambitious. She was a role model for us brown-skinned Black girls whether we wanted to be "attorneys at law" or just be great, and surrounded by true friends who share our vision and uplift us. I feel so blessed to have the wonderful Erika Alexander as my friend in real life, and I can testify that the Maxine Shaw Effect is real!" Joy Reid MSNBC Correspondent and Host, The ReidOut “ “As a young Black actress, I'm continuously inspired by trailblazers like Erika Alexander and her iconic portrayal of Maxine Shaw. Maxine is more than just a character; she's a symbol of intelligence, strength, and unapologetic Black womanhood. Seeing her showed me that Black women can be multidimensional, confident, and comedic, and I carry that with me in my career." Marsai Martin Actress “Black-ish” “ “I played Maxine Shaw, but for the last thirty years, I’ve heard stories from a tsunami of colorful women, who claimed the fictional character influenced their real lives, inspiring and encouraging them to pursue careers in law, politics, and executive leadership positions. Our research report is proof positive that if hindsight is 20/20, it's now crystal clear, through the lives and testimony of countless Black women and powerbrokers, that Representation Matters.” Erika Alexander Actress (portrayed Maxine Shaw on Living Single)
and Co-Founder, Color Farm Media “ "We are all Maxine Shaw. We are phenomenal. We will use this to further prove the continued need to amplify female voices of color further, faster and guide future programming and policy decisions with the experiences of diverse women in mind." Yvette Lee Bowser Creator of “Living Single” “ Testimonials / 0{{total_slide_count}} 0{{current_slide_index}}

“ “Maxine Shaw exists as a singularity - a character whose image, personality and ambition redefined what young black women could expect of themselves and demand of the world. Crafted by exceptional writers who gave her form, Erika Alexander grounded Max as an archetype with a transcendent energy that continues to inspire millions, which we will forever know as the Maxine Shaw Effect." Stacey Abrams Former Georgia State Representative, Activist, and Writer “ “It’s so befitting that my sister, who’s a talented actor, artist, and dedicated activist who played Attorney Maxine Shaw on Living Single inspired legions of women to run for public office." Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley Massachusetts 7th District “ "We at Microsoft are excited that our technology empowers youth, educators, and nonprofits by delivering engaging skills development content for use in classrooms and community programs. The ‘Maxine Shaw Effect’ is a testament to the power of representation, and through this Color Farm and Microsoft Community Training Curriculum, we aim to empower youth everywhere." Darrell Booker Microsoft Corporate Affairs Specialist “ “Maxine Shaw was my friend in my head when I was one of the many millions of Living Single viewers, and she was who I wanted to be: independent, smart, witty, and ambitious. She was a role model for us brown-skinned Black girls whether we wanted to be "attorneys at law" or just be great, and surrounded by true friends who share our vision and uplift us. I feel so blessed to have the wonderful Erika Alexander as my friend in real life, and I can testify that the Maxine Shaw Effect is real!" Joy Reid MSNBC Correspondent and Host, The ReidOut “ “As a young Black actress, I'm continuously inspired by trailblazers like Erika Alexander and her iconic portrayal of Maxine Shaw. Maxine is more than just a character; she's a symbol of intelligence, strength, and unapologetic Black womanhood. Seeing her showed me that Black women can be multidimensional, confident, and comedic, and I carry that with me in my career." Marsai Martin Actress “Black-ish” “ “I played Maxine Shaw, but for the last thirty years, I’ve heard stories from a tsunami of colorful women, who claimed the fictional character influenced their real lives, inspiring and encouraging them to pursue careers in law, politics, and executive leadership positions. Our research report is proof positive that if hindsight is 20/20, it's now crystal clear, through the lives and testimony of countless Black women and powerbrokers, that Representation Matters.” Erika Alexander Actress (portrayed Maxine Shaw on Living Single) and Co-Founder, Color Farm Media “ "We are all Maxine Shaw. We are phenomenal. We will use this to further prove the continued need to amplify female voices of color further, faster and guide future programming and policy decisions with the experiences of diverse women in mind." Yvette Lee Bowser Creator of “Living Single” Testimonials / 0{{total_slide_count}} 0{{current_slide_index}}

THE TEAM

THE TEAM

CORE TEAM

Erika Alexander

Actress, Activist, &
Co-Founder, Color Farm Media
(Portrayed Maxine Shaw on ‘Living Single’)

Yvette Lee Bowser

Writer, Creator, Producer, Activist
(Created ‘Living Single’)

Ben Arnon

Producer, Activist & Co-Founder,
Color Farm Media

Educational Curriculum Team

Erica Buddington

Founder + Executive Director,
Langston League

Breanna Taylor

Curriculum + Impact Coordinator,
Langston League

RJ Smith

Graphic Designer,
Langston League

Research Study Team

Caroline Heldman

Executive Director,
The Representation Project

Rebecca Cooper

Director of Communications & Research,
The Representation Project