Issa Rae Honored on Black Women's Day
Black History Month, or National African-American History Month, is an annual celebration of achievements by black Americans and a time for recognizing the central role of African Americans in U.S. history. In celebration of Black History Month, Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson honored Issa Rae, critically acclaimed star and Executive Producer of HBO’s Insecure, for her outstanding work as an actress and producer and for her commitment to opening doors for people of color in the entertainment industry.
“On Black Women’s Day (February 21), I am proud to honor Issa Rae as an exemplary role model and a shining example of the many stories and storytellers of South Los Angeles,” said Councilmember Harris-Dawson. “Issa Rae saw that, all too often, the picture of our neighborhoods and our people are inaccurate. She didn’t ask permission, she just created a new image of South LA, one that was more honest about the real lives and stories she has experienced. HBO’s Insecure is one of the hottest shows out today! As Issa Rae shoots all across South Los Angeles, she is creating jobs for people of color and inviting audiences to see something real that the media has glossed over.”
Issa Rae built a social media empire garnering over 23 million views and over 200,000 YouTube subscribers to her renewed series Awkward Black Girl.
She utilized that success to develop Issa Rae Productions, which produced several web series celebrating the complex lives of people of color and creating opportunities for actors, writers, and producers of color. Issa Rae is the author of the New York Times Best Seller The Misadventures of an Awkward Black Girl. Rae was named Glamour Magazine's "35 Under 35", Forbes' "30 Under 30" and Entertainment Weekly's "Breaking Big". In 2012, Awkward Black Girl won the Shorty Award for Best Web Series. In 2017, Issa Rae was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy, nominated for a NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series, and Insecure was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series.
After being honored, Issa responded, "Thank you Marqueece Harris-Dawson for recognizing my work and my dedication to changing people's perceptions of South LA,” said Issa Rae. “I'm an LA native and know how diverse and rich with culture this part of LA is. One of my goals thru Insecure is to make South Los Angeles just as exciting and sexy and desired as Hollywood or Beverly Hills or Silverlake."
Harris-Dawson also recognized five members of City Year for their service and excellent example in South Los Angeles. “The dedication of City Year and the four women we honored here today ensure that our young people have the village they need to grow and become the best Angelenos they can be,” said Councilmember Harris-Dawson. “A lot of the great work they do inspires the character of Issa in Insecure and I wanted to honor the women whose hard work is so impactful for our young people.”
Thank you Issa for being a trail blazer for all women of color. Your hard work is admirable and does not go unnoticed. To see a glimpse of Issa Rae's honoring, check out the video below: