Ellen Pompeo: It's Important That My Daughters See Strong Black Women (original) (raw)

Ellen Pompeo on Raising Her Mixed-Race Daughters to 'See a Lot of Images of Beautiful, Powerful, Strong Black Women'

"For me, that's super important," the actress says of ensuring her daughters are exposed to strong black women

Ellen Pompeo is looking to the strong women of the world to set a good example for her girls.

Specifically, the mom of daughters Sienna May, 2 next month, and 6½-year-old Stella Luna celebrates the success of African American women — and makes it a point to show off their accomplishments to her children.

“My daughters are black so it’s very important to me that they see a lot of images of beautiful, powerful, strong black women,” the Grey’s Anatomy actress, 46, tells PEOPLE.

“Every time there is a black woman on a magazine cover, whether it is Kerry Washington or whoever it is, I make sure that magazine is in my house and on my table. For me, that’s super important.”

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Pompeo, whose daughters she shares with husband of almost nine years Chris Ivery, also makes sure these images of women are shown to her children while they watch television.

“Every time [Venus and Serena Williams] play tennis, I make sure my daughters watch them,” says the actress, who’s collaborating with beauty brand Philosophy on a campaign to eliminate stereotypical perceptions of middle age.

“I feel really fortunate that they are growing up in a time [in which] the first president my daughter knows is Barack Obama,” she shares. “That’s an incredible gift.”

For more from Ellen Pompeo, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE_, on newsstands Friday._

— Jen Juneau with reporting by Jackie Fields