Forbes: “How This 90s TV Icon Inspired A Generation Of Black Women Leaders”

September 10, 2024,
Rob Salkowitz,
Forbes
Erika Alexander, who played the inspirational character "Maxine Shaw" on the 90s sitcom "Living Single," with Democratic Presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, at the CBC Gala and Human Rights Campaign Dinner, 2019. Courtest of Erika Alexander

For some viewers, the iconic 90s sitcom Living Single, created by Yvette Lee Bowser, was more than a just “Black Friends,” it was an inspiration. Specifically, the character of Maxine Shaw, played by actress Erika Alexander (American Fiction, Get Out), represented an ideal of a highly successful, feminist, independent Black woman lawyer who met the world on her own terms, defying many of the cultural stereotypes and sitcom cliches prevalent at the time. For decades, the influence of this portrayal on Black women aspiring to their own success and independence was anecdotal. Now there is data documenting a very real “Maxine Shaw Effect,” and Alexander, in partnership with corporate and nonprofit partners, is looking to formalize it as an educational curriculum to inspire the next generation of leaders.

“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,” said Alexander. She said she began wondering if there was any way to study and measure the extent of that impact so it could become a tool for educators challenged to promote confidence and enthusiasm for learning in teens of all backgrounds.

Alexander and Ben Arnon, partners in production company Color Farm Media (producers of the John Lewis documentary Good Trouble), commissioned a research study in conjunction with Bowser’s The Butterfly Foundation and The Representation Project, to substantiate the wider impact of Maxine as a role model. They say the report points the way toward incorporating fun and engaging content into school curricula while providing tangible motivation.

← Back to News