One of the greatest gifts of my creative life has been the opportunity to write words to be spoken by Sandra Oh. The reason is simple: Sandra Oh is a virtuoso. She treats dialogue like notes of music—every word must be played, every syllable correctly toned. She’s always been an extraordinary actor. Her body of work makes that clear. Ten years of playing Dr. Cristina Yang on Grey’s Anatomy made her place in the acting landscape undeniable. Her award-winning turn as Killing Eve’s Eve Polastri makes her legendary.

Her comic timing is priceless. Her dramatic well is endless. Her talent is a song to be heard. With her nuanced characters, Sandra Oh has chosen to fearlessly take up space in a universe that has not always made space for her. Now, the power of her talented presence makes space for others. And that is a gift to every artist of color who follows in her footsteps.

Rhimes is a showrunner and an Emmy-nominated producer and screenwriter