Happy Birthday, Issa Rae: Fem Film Rogue Icon Spotlight

 

On this day, a superstar was born at the right time to a Senegalese doctor father and a teacher mother, Jo-Issa Rae Diop known to the world as simply Issa Rae, a humorous actress, talented writer/producer/creator/New York Times Bestselling author, and avid supporter of Black voices. 

Rae, a Stanford grad took a huge bite of American pie, taking on the web with the terrific series The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl. TMABG was a fresh, relatable view at the other side of Black girl life in a hilarious, vivid arena that television could not touch most likely due to its star and storytelling being unapologetically Black during a moment where such crucial stories were not always told by Black voices, let alone starred monoracial Black women. The big plus was the natural hair movement too— that a dark-skinned J had her big chop and didn’t look back. Essentially, J’s positive mirror reflections would soon migrate into award-winning television. 

Yes. Yes.

Years later, HBO granted Rae the reins to co-create Insecure, another vehicle to showcase her unique characters to a larger audience, showcasing the pitfalls of Black women who still did not have themselves completely together even after turning thirty. They did not have to have it all figured out, let alone be Black women stereotypes. Yet just like in TMABG, female friendships were essential, a glue that was either stuck together or unevenly lopsided much as seen between Issa/Molly. 

In addition to making sure that Black women were watching shows with them first in mind, Rae was producing other talented artists, ushering them into a back door ala Issa Rae Presents, a YouTube platform that features incredible short films like Inamorata and web series like First and the Emmy winning Giants. 

Nominated four times for a Primetime Emmy including for Best Comedy Series and two time (hopefully three) Golden Globe, this BET Award, four time Black Reel, NAMIC, and Satellite Award winner has made many wonderful things happen onscreen and off. On the big screen, Rae has starred in films: Little, The Hate U Give, The Photograph, and The Lovebirds. 

Coming next for Issa Rae is Vengeance, a horror/mystery thriller written by B.J. Novak and a comedy titled Empress of Serenity co-starring Bill Hader. Her Issa Rae Productions will be producing Seen & Heard, a two part documentary on the history of Black television. 

Great moments have happened due partly to Issa Rae’s growing influence— after all, she has defined a whole new vibe. Her vibrant creativity and sweet nod to Black pop culture shows love and respect to those before her while propping up those coming after her. She has inspired up and coming creators to believe in themselves, to acknowledge their respective upbringings, and share unique stories to the forefront. She is not only an innovator, she is a phenomenal leader bringing multitudes of Blackness into a gratifying, fun, hilarious future that we deserve to see. 

Some of Issa Rae’s most memorable quotes include: 

“I’m rooting for everybody Black.” 

“For a long time ... I defined myself by what I wasn’t, which constantly set me up for failure and disappointment. And, my life changed when I focused on what I was good at, what I liked most about myself and what made me stand out.”— from her 2017 Black Girls Rock speech

“It's a bit cliche, but you can't go wrong by writing what you know. Even if you're a horrible writer, your own knowledge and experience is unrivaled. Nobody knows what you know like you know what you know. The way you see things is pretty unique.”

“The black characters on TV are the sidekicks, or they're insignificant. You could put all the black sidekicks on one show, and it would be the most boring, one-dimensional show ever. Even look at the black women on 'Community' and 'Parks and Recreation' - they are the archetype of the large black women on television. Snide and sassy.”