Issa Rae Is The Storyteller We Need Right Now

Before Issa Rae was showing us what Insecure could really mean, she was taking the internet by storm with fresh, hilarious web content that gave voice to people of color in a way that had rarely been seen. Noticing a void in the representation of people like herself, she took matters into her own hands, and the rest, it seems, is history. “I’ve always had an issue with the [assumption] that people of color, and Black people especially, aren’t relatable,” Rae said in 2013. “I know we are.” 

The web series that later became the jumping off point for Insecure, The Mis-Adventures of Awkward Black Girl, premiered on YouTube back in 2011, and it didn’t take long for it to go viral, propelling her towards her future at HBO. Rae drew from personal experiences to write the series, and had her interest further sparked after reading an article by Leslie Pitterson that illustrated the looming absence of black female nerds on screen. Awkward Black Girl follows J, a young black woman who navigates the uncomfortable situations she’s placed in by friends, co-workers, and love interests on a daily basis. The compelling first-person narrative style of the series made it easily accessible and relatable, and Awkward Black Girl‘s success slowly but surely turned Rae into a star. Few others have taken matters into their own hands when it comes to telling stories that matter to them, and Rae has embraced breaking through boundaries and filling voids head-on.

It would have been exciting enough if Awkward Black Girl‘s success had stayed web-contained, but Rae’s voice demanded a larger platform – and luckily, she got one. Larry Wilmore collaborated with Rae to begin creating Insecure, and by fall 2016, it had premiered on HBO to critical acclaim. “We’re just trying to convey that people of color are relatable. This is not a hood story,” Rae told the LA Times. “This is about regular people living life.” Like Awkward Black Girl, Insecure is an exploration of the black female experience through its two female protagonists, Issa (Rae) and her best friend Molly (Yvonne Orji). In its half hour format, the series manages to tackle run-of-the-mill love life struggles, social topics, racial issues, and more, and it does it all with both humor and depth, making it one of the most unique comedies on television. There’s an honesty to all of Rae’s work that makes it impossible to ignore and a total delight to indulge in. The specificity of every scene is what makes it so damn great; there’s something on Insecure for everyone, a message for any viewer to take away at any given moment, and it gives a much-needed megaphone to a nuanced exploration of the complexities black experience, as Rae discussed when developing the show.

Insecure‘s second season kicked off last night, and if early buzz is to be believed, the series is continuing its winning streak and owning its much deserved new primetime slot alongside smash-hit Game of Thrones. Awkward Black Girl and Insecure aren’t Rae’s only triumphs, however; under her Issa Rae Presents banner, she’s produced a slew of new series, including one with production company Brown Paper Dolls that’s bound to get picked up in the future called Milk + Honey. Executive produced by Idris Elba, the series follows four black women in Los Angeles as they tackle life, love, careers, and spiritual identities. It’s just as addicting as Awkward Black Girl or Insecure, but armed with a touch more drama, and new episodes drop on Wednesdays. It would come as no surprise if HBO or another streaming platform picked up Milk + Honey, because it’s just that good. Rae is a master of short-form content, a rare queen telling quality, compelling stories in a largely lacking landscape.

Without Rae, we might still be stuck in the stone ages of one-note storytelling, of overused characters, of contrived experiences. Through series like Insecure, she proves that we’re all trying in our own ways, that black voices are valid and important, that experiences are both specific and universal, that there’s humor in even the strangest of situations. At just 32 years old, Rae has managed to open doors for new voices and leave a legacy behind that will surely outlast however long her shows end up running, and that’s what makes her revolutionary.

“I thrive on obstacles,” Rae said. “If I’m told that it can’t be told, then I push harder.”

We couldn’t be happier that she keeps pushing so hard.

Where to Stream Insecure