May 5, 2020: Write about a famous person whom you admire. What do you respect about this person?
Here are the reasons I STAN Issa Rae.
It all started my freshman year of high school. I was catching up with one of my friends when he told me about a funny web series he was into called Awkward Black Girl.
‘The main character is basically you in adult form, Nikki.’
First off, rude. But I was intrigued. I logged onto YouTube and watched the first episode, which was a mere five minutes. From the first mirror rap, I was hooked. I binged watched all the episodes that were uploaded that night and made it my duty to watch each episode as they were uploaded. Once ABG ended, I started watching another web series by her called First, which was, in my opinion, even better than some shows on television.
I think one of the reasons Issa Rae and ABG resonated with me so much is because it was funny, awkward and real. Watching the show, it never felt forced. When we see black women in most film or television shows, they are damn near perfect. They’re extremely beautiful, long haired women who can’t help but ooze sex appeal. But that’s not who we all are. I, personally, was extremely awkward and I still have moments where I can’t help but cringe at some of the things I do/say. At age 14, ABG made me realize that I wasn’t the only one dealing with my awkwardness.
Other than being a fellow awkward black girl, Issa is a badass writer (badass in a good way). As a black creative, I’m ALWAYS gonna root for anyone black. But what I find refreshing about Issa’s work is that her stories show versions of the black experience that are otherwise overlooked in film and television. Much like the shows Living Single or Girlfriends, Issa’s work shows black people having everyday experiences: black people balancing relationships, black people falling in love, black people going through the motions of life outside of their race. Rather than revolving her characters around stereotypical caricatures, Issa works to make her characters complex, relatable and raw. I admire her ability to storytell and I hope one day I will be able to do the same.
Issa is living proof that working on your craft always pays off. From a YouTube series with only 3-10 minutes per episode to having her own production company, producing a hit television show, and countless other accolades, she is a BOSS. She has given black artists a platform since the beginning and continues to tell our stories flawlessly. How could you NOT stan?
