Flaunting a long list of titles including screenwriter, director and showrunner, Shonda Rhimes is best known for creating and executive producing the hit TV series "Grey's Anatomy," "Private Practice" and "Scandal."

"Shonda Rhimes is a beast," says Renata with a smile. "She is the only person -- male, female, black or white -- that has taken over Thursday nights on ABC Television. That is unprecedented." In other words, tune into ABC's "Thank God It's Thursday," and every show you watch will be a Shonda Rhimes production.

In September of 2014, Rhimes debuted yet another ABC smash hit, "How to Get Away with Murder," starring fellow black female powerhouse, Viola Davis. If the past decade is any indicator, we can expect Rhimes to continue besting Hollywood's off-screen scene.

Another "Orange Is the New Black" breakout star, Uzo Aduba won a 2014 Emmy Award and 2015 Screen Actors Guild Award for her role as eccentric prison inmate Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren. According to our expert Renata, however, Aduba's road to success wasn't always so smooth.

"Uzo sings, she comes from musical theatre," says Renata -- the two actresses met at an audition for "Sister Act" the Broadway musical in 2008, when Aduba was still struggling to make her mark as a performer. "Uzo said she was going to leave the business, because it wasn't happening for her," says Renata. Luckily, she stuck it out and auditioned for "Orange" shortly thereafter. Today, Aduba uses her extensive talents and years of experience to breathe a unique life into her character, and serves as a role model for the Hollywood underdog.

"I think her message is clear," adds producer De La Rosa. "Never give up."

It's hard to believe that we first saw Taraji P. Henson play Yvette in urban rom-com "Baby Boy" more than 10 years ago. She's made quick work of the decade since, having received praise for roles in acclaimed dramas like "Hustle & Flow" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." This month, she took home a Golden Globe for her role as the outspoken Cookie Lyon in "Empire."

"Henson has really embraced this role," Renata says. "She has given herself zero limits and is not afraid to break stereotypical barriers."

Speaking of empires, Henson isn't bashful about acknowledging her achievements either. "I have built an empire in one generation," the single mom said in an interview. "I've done what my mother wasn't able to do or her mother. That's pretty huge."

Samira Wiley is another "Orange Is the New Black" phenom with beginnings in the theatre. A shining talent from the start, Wiley graduated from Juilliard at age 22, and just a few years later scored her role on "Orange."

Having earned her training at the most prestigious acting school in the world, Wiley helps to disprove the notion that young African American actresses are only capable of playing nannies and other, less-than-complicated characters.

But beyond her talents, Wiley's public presence also stands to tear down barriers for black women in the gay community. The actress is openly gay -- in fact, she's in a relationship with one of the female writers on "Orange" -- and her position as a successful, out lesbian offers a positive example for many gay African American women who struggle to find self-acceptance.

Kerry Washington is a show business veteran whose star power has skyrocketed in the past several years. Over the last decade, her roles in acclaimed movies like "Ray," "The Last King of Scotland" and "Django Unchained" have earned her NAACP Image Award recognition and widespread visibility. But it wasn't until her starring role as Olivia Pope in Shonda Rhimes' ABC drama "Scandal" that Washington truly starting shattering records.

"She's the first African American female lead in a network TV drama in almost 40 years," says De La Rosa. "She has expressed how thankful she is for not only her job, but also for the support of other African American women in Hollywood... She is a breath of fresh air."

If that weren't enough, Washington is also extensively involved in activism for government organizations that support the arts, as well as the movement to end violence against women and girls. From every angle, De La Rosa maintains that she's undoubtedly one of Hollywood's most admirable figures.