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Issa Rae
American actress and writer

JoIssa Rae Diop, professionally known as Issa Rae, is an acclaimed American actress, writer, and producer. She gained fame as co-creator and star of the HBO series Insecure, earning multiple Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy nominations. Rae first attracted attention through her YouTube series Awkward Black Girl, and her memoir The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl became a New York Times bestseller. She founded Hoorae Media and has appeared in films like The Hate U Give and Barbie. Rae was named to the annual Time 100 list and honored with the Peabody Trailblazer Award.

Early life

Jo-Issa Rae Diop was born in Los Angeles, California.14 Her father, Abdoulaye Diop, is a pediatrician and neonatologist from Senegal, and her mother, Delyna Marie Diop (née Hayward), is a teacher from Louisiana.151617 Her parents met in France, when they were both in school.18 She has four siblings. Her father has a medical practice in Inglewood, California.19: xiii 

The family lived in Dakar, Senegal,20 during some of her childhood.21 She was raised mostly in Potomac, Maryland, where she grew up with "things that aren't considered 'black,' like the swim team and street hockey and Passover dinners with Jewish best friends."22 Rae was raised Catholic, her mother's faith.23

When Rae was in sixth grade, her family moved to the affluent View Park-Windsor Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, where she attended a predominantly black middle school. Rae graduated from King Drew Magnet High School of Medicine and Science, where she started acting.24 Her parents divorced when she was in high school.25: 100–102  Rae is fluent in French.26

In 2007, Rae graduated from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Arts in African and African-American Studies. As a college student, she made music videos, wrote and directed plays, and created a mock reality series called Dorm Diaries for fun. At Stanford, Rae met Tracy Oliver, who helped produce Awkward Black Girl and starred on the show as Nina.27

After college, Rae received a theater fellowship at The Public Theater in New York City.28 Oliver and Rae started taking classes together at the New York Film Academy. Rae worked odd jobs and at one point was struggling to decide between business school and law school, but abandoned both prospects when Awkward Black Girl gained wider popularity in 2011.29

Career

Awkward Black Girl

Main article: Awkward Black Girl

Rae's web series Awkward Black Girl premiered on YouTube in 2011.30 The show follows the life of J (played by Rae) as she interacts with co-workers and love interests who place her in uncomfortable situations. The story is told through a first-person narrative as J usually reveals how she feels about her circumstances through voice-over or dream sequence.

The series went viral through word of mouth, blog posts, and social media, resulting in mainstream media coverage and attention.313233 In an effort to fund the rest of the first season, Rae and producer Tracy Oliver decided to raise money for the series through Kickstarter. On August 11, 2011, they were awarded $56,269 from 1,960 donations and released the rest of season one on Rae's YouTube channel.34

Rae partnered with Pharrell and premiered season two of the series on his YouTube channel iamOTHER.35 Rae began releasing other content on her original channel, predominantly created by and starring people of color.36

In 2013, Awkward Black Girl won a Shorty award for Best Web Show. Rae created Awkward Black Girl because she felt the Hollywood stereotypes of African-American women were limiting and she could not relate to them:

I've always had an issue with the [assumption] that people of color, and black people especially, aren't relatable. I know we are.37

By using YouTube as her forum, Rae was able to have autonomy of her work because she writes, films, produces, and edits most of her work. Rae's other shows—Ratchet Piece Theater, The "F" Word, Roomieloverfriends, and The Choir, among others—also focus on African-American experiences that are often not portrayed in the mainstream media.38 Rae's YouTube series often imitate the production style of network television comedies, including "cut-away scenes" showing imagined behavior, similar to those seen in Scrubs and How I Met Your Mother.39

Insecure

Main article: Insecure (TV series)

In 2013, Rae began working on a comedy series pilot with Larry Wilmore, in which she would star.40 The series, about the awkward experiences of a contemporary African-American woman, was eventually titled Insecure. HBO picked up the pilot in early 2015 and it was subsequently greenlit.41 Since its release in 2016, the series has received critical acclaim; Eric Deggans of NPR wrote that "Rae has produced a series that feels revolutionary just by poking fun at the life of an average, twenty-something black woman."42

In late 2016 Rae's mother, Delyna Diop, was featured in season 1, playing Rae's role model in her guest appearance.43

In 2017, the American Film Institute selected Insecure as one of the top 10 Television Programs of the Year.44 For her acting work on the show, Rae has received two Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy in 2017 and 2018,45 as well as three Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2018, 2020, and 2022.

In 2018, at the 77th annual Peabody Awards, Insecure was honored for "creating a series that authentically captures the lives of everyday young, black people in modern society."46

On November 14, 2016, HBO renewed the show for a second season.47 The second season premiered on July 23, 2017.48 On August 8, 2017, it was announced that the show was renewed for a third season,49 which premiered on August 12, 2018. Season five premiered October 24, 2021. The final episode of Insecure aired December 26, 2021.

Film work

Released in 2020, The Photograph follows the journey of Issa's character, Mae Morton, and LaKeith Stanfield's character Michael Block, as the two search for the backstory of Mae's mother. The New York Times said the film is "an unabashedly old-school love story".50 Empire magazine said that "The Photograph is an African-American romance that, for the most part, feels relatable and true".51

Released in 2020, The Lovebirds directed by Michael Showalter, Rae played the role of Leilani. The film also starred Kumail Nanjiani, who played Jibran, Leilani's boyfriend. Throughout the film, the couple struggles to maintain their relationship and during this, they face an eventful murder.

Book

Rae's first book, a memoir titled The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, was released in 2015 and became a New York Times bestseller.52 In the book, she chronicles her life through a series of humorous anecdotes and opens up about her personal struggle with not fitting in, and not being considered "black enough" at times.53

Other work

In 2016, Rae created the podcast called Fruit.

On October 11, 2019, Google announced that Rae would be an additional voice to the Google Assistant. Users could make Google Assistant speak in Rae's voice by saying "Ok Google, talk like Issa."54 Issa's voice was available until Friday, October 1, 2021.55

Also in 2019, Rae, through her newly launched record label Raedio, partnered with Atlantic Records to produce "Kinda Love" by singer-rapper TeaMarrr.56

In March 2021, Rae's production company, Hoorae, signed a five-year film and television deal with WarnerMedia.57 In 2021, Sweet Life: Los Angeles, a reality television program created by Rae, was produced as part of this deal.58

Rae is a co-owner of Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen, a Los Angeles-based independent coffee chain.59

Personal life

Rae's birth name, Jo-Issa, comes from a combination of the names of her grandmothers: Joyce and Isseu. Her middle name, Rae, is after an aunt, who was an artist.60

Rae married her longtime boyfriend, Louis Diame, a Senegalese businessman, in a private ceremony in France in July 2021.61 Rae first wore her engagement ring publicly on the cover of Essence magazine's April 2019 issue.62

Public image and activism

In 2012, Rae was included on the annual Forbes '30 Under 30' list in the entertainment section.63 She was listed two times in the annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world.

In May 2015, Rae appeared on the cover of Essence magazine's Game Changers issue, alongside Shonda Rhimes, Ava DuVernay, Debbie Allen, and Mara Brock Akil. Rae expressed her desire for more people of color working in production behind the scenes to make a lasting impact in the television industry.64 On the red carpet at the 2017 Emmy Awards, Rae told reporters, "I'm rooting for everybody Black." The quote went viral and appeared on T-shirts and in the song "Sue Me" by the rapper Wale.65 Rae was also vocally supportive of the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike.66

Rae is an advocate for civil rights and women's rights movements. Her work includes themes of equality and social justice. She works closely with organizations like the ACLU, BLD PWR, and Black Lives Matter.67 Rae has used her platform to bring attention to police violence and brutality against African-Americans. Following the police shooting of Alton Sterling in 2016, she raised $700,000 for the Sterling Family Trust to help pay for the Sterling children to attend college.68 Also in 2020, Rae told the Hollywood Reporter about how her staff and her wanted to support initiatives within organizations like Black Lives Matter and BLD PWR in order to hold the police accountable and to defund the police following the rise of police brutality. Rae also spoke of supporting these initiatives in hopes to also aid protesters working against the violence and brutality.69

Her show Insecure has changed the public perception of the South Los Angeles community by highlighting Black businesses.70

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2014Black Twitter ScreeningShort film; writer only
Protect and ServePolice RecruitShort film; also executive producer
A Bitter LimeJane Johnson
2018The Hate U GiveApril Ofrah
2019LittleApril Williams
Hair LoveMotherShort film; voice role
2020The PhotographMae MortonAlso executive producer
The LovebirdsLeilani
Coastal ElitesCallie Josephson
2022VengeanceEloise
2023Spider-Man: Across the Spider-VerseJess Drew / Spider-WomanVoice role
BarbiePresident Barbie
American FictionSintara Golden
TBASpider-Man: Beyond the Spider-VerseJess Drew / Spider-WomanVoice role; In production
Key
Denotes film or TV productions that have not yet been released

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2012–2013The Misadventures of Awkward Black GirlJMain cast; also creator; director and writer for episode: "The Sleepover"; producer for episode: "The Check"
2012The CoupleLisaEpisode: "Exes and Texts"
2012–2013The NumberLisa6 episodes
2013True Friendship SocietyMama MothEpisode: "Pilot Part Two"
My Roommate theJEpisode: "Awkward Black Girl"
InstacurityIssaEpisodes: "The Birthday Party" and "Instacurity PSA"
Little HorriblesBest FriendEpisode: "Sexual Activity"; also executive producer (3 episodes)
2014RubberheadBride 2Television film; segment: "Absorption"
2016–2021InsecureIssa DeeMain cast; also creator & writer
2018BoJack HorsemanDr. Indira (voice)2 episodes
2019–2021A Black Lady Sketch ShowVarious6 episodes; also executive producer (16 episodes)
2020Saturday Night LiveHerself (host)Episode: "Issa Rae/Justin Bieber"
Sesame StreetThe Queen/The PrincessEpisode: "Cardboard Castle"
BlackAFHerselfEpisode: "yo, between you and me... this is because of slavery"
2022Roar71Wanda ShepardEpisode: "The Woman Who Disappeared"
The Hair TalesHerself
2023Young LoveAngela Love (voice)TV Series; 24 Episodes
2025No Taste Like Home with Antoni Porowski'HerselfGuest
Black MirrorBrandyEpisode: "Hotel Reverie"

As producer only

YearTitleCreditsNotes
2013How Men Become DogsExecutive producer9 episodes
Little Horribles3 episodes
Inside Web SeriesTelevision documentary
Black ActressProducer
2013–2014RoomieloverfriendsExecutive producer4 episodes
2013–2015The ChoirExecutive producer; director (2 episodes); writer (12 episodes)
2014Hard TimesExecutive producerShort film
So JadedTelevision film
Words with Girls
Bleach
2014–2015FirstCo-executive producer (10 episodes); co-producer (1 episode)
2015Get Your LifeExecutive producer
Killing LazarusProducer
2022Sweet Life: Los AngelesCreator and executive producer
Rap Sh!t72Creator, executive producer and writer
2025One of Them DaysProducer

Music videos

YearSongArtistRole
2013"Happy"Pharrell WilliamsDancer
2017"Moonlight"Jay-ZRachel Green
"Spice Girl"AminéGirlfriend
2018"Nice for What"DrakeHerself
2019"Kinda Love"TeaMarrrTherapist
2020"Lights On"D Smoke, SiRStripper
"Entrepreneur"Pharrell Williams, Jay-ZHerself

Awards and nominations

AwardYearWorkCategoryResultRef.
Astra Film and Creative Awards2024BarbieBest Cast EnsembleNominated73
Austin Film Critics Association2023BarbieBest EnsembleNominated74
BET Awards2017InsecureBest ActressNominated75
2018Nominated76
2020Won77
2021Nominated78
2022Nominated79
Black Film Critics Circle2023American FictionBest EnsembleWon80
Black Reel Awards2017InsecureOutstanding Writing in a Comedy SeriesNominated
Outstanding Comedy SeriesNominated
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy SeriesWon
2018Outstanding Actress in a Comedy SeriesWon
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy SeriesNominated
Outstanding Comedy SeriesNominated
2019Outstanding Actress in a Comedy SeriesWon
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy SeriesNominated
2020Outstanding Actress in a Comedy SeriesWon81
Outstanding Comedy SeriesWon
A Black Lady Sketch ShowOutstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy SeriesNominated
Columbus Film Critics Association2024BarbieBest EnsembleNominated82
Critics' Choice Movie Awards2024BarbieBest Acting EnsembleNominated83
Critics' Choice Television Awards2019InsecureBest Actress in a Comedy SeriesNominated84
2021Nominated85
2022Nominated86
Florida Film Critics Circle2023BarbieBest EnsembleNominated87
Georgia Film Critics Association Awards2024American FictionBest EnsembleNominated8889
BarbieNominated
Golden Globe Awards2017InsecureBest Actress in a Television Series – Musical or ComedyNominated90
2018Nominated91
2022Nominated92
Gotham Awards2020Rap Sh!tBreakthrough Series - ShortformNominated93
Gracie Awards2018InsecureOutstanding Female Actor in a Leading Role in a Comedy or MusicalWon
Houston Film Critics Society2023BarbieBest Ensemble CastNominated9495
MTV Movie & TV Awards2017InsecureNext GenerationNominated96
2018Best Performance in a ShowNominated97
2021Best Comedic PerformanceNominated98
NAACP Image Awards2017InsecureOutstanding Actress in a Comedy SeriesNominated99
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy SeriesNominated
2018Outstanding Actress in a Comedy SeriesNominated100
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy SeriesNominated
HerselfEntertainer of the YearNominated
2019InsecureOutstanding Actress in a Comedy SeriesNominated101
BoJack HorsemanOutstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television or Film)Nominated
2021The PhotographOutstanding Actress in a Motion PictureNominated102
Saturday Night LiveOutstanding Guest Performance in a Comedy or Drama SeriesNominated
InsecureOutstanding Actress in a Comedy SeriesWon
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy SeriesNominated
2022Outstanding Actress in a Comedy SeriesWon103
Outstanding Writing in a Comedy SeriesWon
2024American FictionOutstanding Ensemble Cast in a Motion PictureNominated104
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-VerseOutstanding Character Voice Performance – Motion PictureWon
Young LoveOutstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Television)Nominated
NAMIC Vision Awards2017InsecureBest Performance - ComedyWon
2021Won
2022Nominated
North Carolina Film Critics Association2024BarbieBest Acting EnsembleNominated105
Peabody Award2023HerselfTrailblazer AwardWon106
People's Choice Awards2020The LovebirdsFemale Movie Star of the YearNominated107
Comedy Movie Star of the YearNominated
The PhotographDrama Movie Star of the YearNominated
InsecureComedy TV Star of the YearNominated
Portland Critics Association2024BarbieBest Ensemble CastNominated108109
Primetime Emmy Awards2018InsecureOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy SeriesNominated110
2020Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy SeriesNominated111112
Outstanding Comedy SeriesNominated
A Black Lady Sketch ShowOutstanding Variety Sketch SeriesNominated
2021Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy SeriesNominated113
2022Outstanding Variety Sketch SeriesNominated114
InsecureOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy SeriesNominated
Producers Guild of America Awards2022HerselfVisionary AwardWon115
San Diego Film Critics Society2023BarbieBest EnsembleRunner-up116
Satellite Awards2018InsecureBest Actress in a Television Series – Musical or ComedyWon117
2019Nominated118
2021Nominated119
Screen Actors Guild Awards2024Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion PictureAmerican FictionNominated120
BarbieNominated
Seattle Film Critics Society Awards2024BarbieBest Ensemble CastNominated121
St. Louis Film Critics Association2023BarbieBest EnsembleRunner-up122
Streamy Awards2018GiantsBest Drama SeriesWon123
TCA Awards2017InsecureIndividual Achievement in ComedyNominated124
2020Nominated125
Utah Film Critics Association2024BarbieBest Ensemble CastNominated126
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards2023American FictionBest EnsembleNominated127
BarbieNominated
Webby Awards2019HerselfVideo Person of the YearWon128

Works and publications

  • Rae, Issa (2015). The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl. New York, NY: 37 Ink/Atria – Simon & Schuster. ISBN 9781476749051. OCLC 901338241.
Wikiquote has quotations related to Issa Rae.

References

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  2. "UPI Almanac for Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020". United Press International. January 12, 2020. Archived from the original on January 13, 2020. Retrieved June 27, 2020. …actor/singer Issa Rae in 1985 (age 35) https://www.upi.com/Top_News/2020/01/12/UPI-Almanac-for-Sunday-Jan-12-2020/8721578623716/

  3. "Breaking the Silences - Finding Your Roots". Apple TV. January 5, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2022. https://tv.apple.com/us/episode/breaking-the-silences/umc.cmc.3idcf58pqpwkjf9925cu7h7fx

  4. Navidi, Leila (February 18, 2020). "A conversation with Issa Rae at Target headquarters". Star Tribune. Retrieved June 7, 2022. Writer and comedian Issa Rae https://www.startribune.com/a-conversation-with-issa-rae-at-target-headquarters/567990731/

  5. Hughes, William (June 23, 2016). "Issa Rae is still an Awkward Black Girl in the trailer for HBO's Insecure". The A.V. Club. https://www.avclub.com/article/issa-rae-still-awkward-black-girl-trailer-hbos-ins-238704

  6. Respers France, Lisa (July 5, 2016). "Issa Rae's 'Insecure' may already be a hit". CNN. http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/05/entertainment/issa-rae-insecure-hbo/index.html

  7. Gopalan, Nisha (February 28, 2013). "Issa Rae on Awkward Black Girl, Her Shonda Rhimes Show, and Hating L.A. Guys". Vulture. https://www.vulture.com/2013/02/issa-rae-awkward-black-girl-interview.html

  8. Kang, Inkoo (August 7, 2015). "Issa Rae's Long Road: When Are We Finally Going to Stop Wondering if Women of Color Are "Relatable"?Tumisang Marumo's friend Waxx". Indiewire. Archived from the original on May 8, 2016. Retrieved April 25, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160508104555/http://blogs.indiewire.com/womenandhollywood/issa-rae-vs-hbo-when-are-we-finally-going-to-stop-wondering-if-women-of-color-are-relatable-20150807

  9. Johnson, Margeaux (October 1, 2014). "Issa Rae's Color Creative Calls for TV Diversity". EBONY. http://www.ebony.com/entertainment-culture/issa-raes-color-creative-calls-for-tv-diversity-111

  10. ""Hair Love" Scores a Major Win for Representation at the Oscars". Teen Vogue. February 10, 2020. Retrieved January 19, 2022. https://www.teenvogue.com/story/oscars-2020-hair-love

  11. "Issa Rae: The World's 100 Most Influential People". Time. Retrieved September 22, 2020. https://time.com/collection/most-influential-people-2018/5217607/issa-rae/

  12. "Zendaya, Issa Rae, Mary J. Blige, And More Top The 2022 TIME 100 Most Influential List". Essence. May 23, 2022. Retrieved May 25, 2022. https://www.essence.com/celebrity/time-100-2022/

  13. "Forbes 30 Under 30". Forbes. 2014. https://www.forbes.com/special-report/2014/30-under-30/hollywood-and-entertainment.html

  14. "Joissa Rae Diop Potomac Maryland Birth Index". FamilySearch. January 12, 1985. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VG62-5PG

  15. "Breaking the Silences - Finding Your Roots". Apple TV. January 5, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2022. https://tv.apple.com/us/episode/breaking-the-silences/umc.cmc.3idcf58pqpwkjf9925cu7h7fx

  16. Gray, Emma (November 5, 2013). "Issa Rae, Creator Of 'Awkward Black Girl', Felt Like Her Voice Was Missing From Pop Culture – So Here's What She Did". The Huffington Post. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/05/issa-rae-awkward-black-girl_n_4209313.html

  17. Obaro, Tomi (February 16, 2015). "Issa Rae on Her New Memoir and Being "Halfrican"". Chicago. http://www.chicagomag.com/arts-culture/February-2015/Issa-Rae-and-Samantha-Irby/

  18. "Who is Issa Rae?". March 6, 2017. http://www.okayafrica.com/issa-rae/

  19. Rae, Issa (2015). The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl. New York, NY: 37 Ink/Atria – Simon & Schuster. ISBN 9781476749051. OCLC 901338241. 9781476749051

  20. Wortham, Jenna (August 4, 2015). "The Misadventures of Issa Rae". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/09/magazine/the-misadventures-of-issa-rae.html

  21. Brown, Stacia L. (February 10, 2015). "Meet the Black _________". The New Republic. https://newrepublic.com/article/121020/issa-raes-misadventures-awkward-black-girl-reveals-real-rae

  22. Hua, Vanessa (May 2012). "Awkward Stage: A web sitcom's quirky black heroine is poised for takeoff". Stanford Magazine. https://stanfordmag.org/contents/awkward-stage

  23. "Exclusive preview: Issa Rae on Ramadan and growing up between America and Senegal". Yahoo Life. September 20, 2018. Retrieved September 11, 2023. https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/exclusive-preview-issa-rae-ramadan-173056559.html

  24. Wortham, Jenna (August 4, 2015). "The Misadventures of Issa Rae". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/09/magazine/the-misadventures-of-issa-rae.html

  25. Rae, Issa (2015). The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl. New York, NY: 37 Ink/Atria – Simon & Schuster. ISBN 9781476749051. OCLC 901338241. 9781476749051

  26. "Issa Rae's Motivational Mantra (and 5 Other Facts)". O, the Oprah Magazine. Harpo Productions. Retrieved October 20, 2020. http://www.oprah.com/entertainment/issa-rae-interview-august-2017-o-magazine

  27. Hua, Vanessa (May 2012). "Awkward Stage: A web sitcom's quirky black heroine is poised for takeoff". Stanford Magazine. https://stanfordmag.org/contents/awkward-stage

  28. Wortham, Jenna (August 4, 2015). "The Misadventures of Issa Rae". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/09/magazine/the-misadventures-of-issa-rae.html

  29. Gray, Emma (November 5, 2013). "Issa Rae, Creator Of 'Awkward Black Girl', Felt Like Her Voice Was Missing From Pop Culture – So Here's What She Did". The Huffington Post. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/05/issa-rae-awkward-black-girl_n_4209313.html

  30. Brown, S Tia (September 12, 2011). "Nerdy Girls Rock". Jet. Vol. 120. Iss. 11. p. 31.

  31. Whitfield, Fredricka (October 8, 2011). "'Awkward Black Girl' web hit" (video interview). CNN. http://www.cnn.com/videos/living/2011/10/08/whitfield-issa-rae-interview.cnn

  32. Anderson, Stacy A. (September 12, 2011). "Diverse Web series grows through social media". The Philadelphia Tribune. The Associated Press. http://www.phillytrib.com/entertainment/diverse-web-series-grows-through-social-media/article_7da9523e-033d-5218-aef4-4b87d7655150.html

  33. Andrews, Helena (July 6, 2011). "Embracing the Awkward, One Webisode at a Time". The Root. https://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2011/07/awkward_black_girl_interview_issa_rae_talks_to_the_root/

  34. "Update 1: Update Video: Thank You for Over $40K Raised!". The Misadventures of AWKWARD Black Girl. Kickstarter. August 8, 2011. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1996857943/the-misadventures-of-awkward-black-girl/posts/106068

  35. Shannon (June 15, 2012). "Pharrell Williams Teams Up With Awkward Black Girl & Launches New Brand". Pink is the New Blog. Archived from the original on May 29, 2016. Retrieved February 6, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160529225145/http://www.pinkisthenewblog.com/2012-06-15/pharrell-williams-teams-up-with-awkward-black-girl-launches-new-brand

  36. Caramanica, Jon (July 13, 2012). "Issa Rae and 'Awkward Black Girl' Are Breaking Ground". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/14/arts/television/issa-rae-and-awkward-black-girl-are-breaking-ground.htm

  37. Sherman, S. (2015). Issa Rae, "Making The black Experience Relatable". Sun Reporter, 9.

  38. Favreau, Jon (December 16, 2016). "Creativity Roundtable: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Donald Glover, Issa Rae and Damien Chazelle in One Epic Conversation" (Video roundtable includes transcript). The Hollywood Reporter. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/lin-manuel-miranda-donald-glover-issa-rae-damien-chazelle-one-epic-conversation-956697

  39. Symons, Alex (2023). Women Comedians in the Digital Age (1st ed.). Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. p. 133. ISBN 978-1-003-26868-0. OCLC 1349461077. 978-1-003-26868-0

  40. "Issa Rae & Larry Wilmore To Create 'Non-Prophet' For HBO". Vibe. August 6, 2013. http://www.vibe.com/article/issa-rae-larry-wilmore-create-non-prophet-hbo

  41. Andreeva, Nellie (October 15, 2015). "Issa Rae Comedy 'Insecure' Gets HBO Series Order". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 9, 2016. https://deadline.com/2015/10/issa-rae-insecure-comedy-series-hbo-1201584383/

  42. Deggans, Eric (August 2, 2016). "At TV Press Tour, Actors And Producers Of Color Speak Of Hollywood Struggles". NPR. https://www.npr.org/2016/08/02/488380575/at-tv-press-tour-actors-and-producers-of-color-speak-of-hollywood-struggles

  43. "Did You Catch This Surprise Cameo On Insecure Last Night?". MadameNoire. November 21, 2016. Retrieved February 8, 2024. https://madamenoire.com/726846/catch-surprise-cameo-insecure-last-night/

  44. "AFI Awards 2017". www.afi.com. Archived from the original on December 8, 2017. Retrieved January 26, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20171208174824/http://www.afi.com/afiawards/AFI-Awards-2017.aspx

  45. "Issa Rae". www.goldenglobes.com. Retrieved January 26, 2018. https://www.goldenglobes.com/person/issa-rae

  46. "Insecure (HBO)". Retrieved January 18, 2019. http://www.peabodyawards.com/award-profile/insecure

  47. Andreeva, Nellie (November 14, 2016). "'Westworld', 'Divorce' & 'Insecure' Renewed For Season 2 By HBO". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 14, 2016. https://deadline.com/2016/11/westworld-divorce-insecure-renewed-season-2-hbo-1201853994/

  48. "Issa Rae on Twitter". https://twitter.com/IssaRae/status/841695814627938305

  49. Lockett, Dee (August 8, 2017). "Insecure Is Hella Renewed for Season Three". Vulture. Retrieved August 8, 2017. https://www.vulture.com/2017/08/hbo-renews-insecure-for-season-three.html

  50. Dargis, Manohla (February 13, 2020). "'The Photograph' Review: An Unabashedly Old-School Love Story". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 2, 2021. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/13/movies/the-photograph-review.html

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