Black HerStory Month Day 14
French: hé je m'appelle Jo-Issa Rae Diop
English Translation: Hey, my name is Jo-Issa Rae Diop
She’s a WHOLE vibe, a Black Hollywood Queen royal; that "Awkward Black Girl," She’s that visionary, Your Highness for the ages. She makes you want o dream, inspires you because she’s real! She is as "Black and Proud" as they come! She gives you that sense of power that comes with being a black woman in Hollywood! She is a no-nonsense regal gem that makes you think twice about her words! She is that girl from around the way that had a dream and didn't stop until she got it, and hasn't stopped since. She is the multi-talented, hilariously-awkward phenom, Jo-Issa Rae Diop. "I thrive on obstacles. If I'm told that it can't be done, then I push harder."
How It Started:
"I've always had an issue with the assumption that people of color, and black people especially, aren't relatable. I know we are"
It was January 12, 1985, in Los Angeles, California. Abdoulaye Diop, a pediatrician and neonatologist from Senegal, and Delyna Diop, a Louisiana teacher, welcomed a baby girl Jo-Issa Rae Diop. Issa's childhood was adventurous, she and her family lived a short time in Dakar Senegal, but she was raised mostly in Potomac, Maryland, until moving to Los Angeles when she was in the sixth grade. However, while in Maryland, Issa spent much of her time around "non-culturally black" experiences such as swim team, street hockey, Passover dinners with her Jewish friends, etc. Her upbringing, you could say, provided her with the well-rounded view of the world that she has, and why she is such an inspiration! Fast forward to sixth grade, and her and her family moving to the View Park-Windsor Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles! #Fancy. Here Issa went to a mostly black middle school, graduating from King Drew Magnet High School of Medicine and Science, where she started acting!
Because she is so amazingly talented and effortlessly beautiful, she graduated from Stanford University in 2007 with a BA in African American Studies. While in college, she honed her craft, creating countless music videos, writing scripts, directing plays, and from that, developed a mock reality series called Dorm Diaries. Unbeknownst to us, she was gearing up for a career as a BOSS! With creations the every famous Awkward Black Girl, WHICH I LOVE, you knew from then she was meant to be where she is!!
Her exceptional talents landed her a Theater fellowship at The Public Theater in New York City. Both Issa and Tracey Oliver- who was the one that helped her produce Awkward Black Girl- started taking classes together at the New York Film Academy! Queen Issa worked little jobs here and there, tossing between business school and law school. Her heart wasn't in either, and she dropped both ideas in favor of a more awkward and unconventional path! 2011 brought a mile high soar to Awkward Black Girl, and everything else is vision board history!
How It’s Going:
The Misadventures of Awkward Black girl just had its tenth anniversary! Need I say more! In certain instances, you let the work you do speak for itself! That is what this Queen is doing! She is a WHOLE mood! She serves you the laugh, the chills, the goals, the hope, the drive, the fierceness and the gorgeousness! My GAWD woman save some sauce for the rest of us!! Issa Rae is not like many others on this list as she was born into a family some may call upper-class, she had options! BUT DON'T GET IT TWISTED!! She has EARNED everything she has!
Her first book, The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, is based on her life. In the book, she writes about her life in nothing short of a humorously anecdotal fashion. She also talks about her struggles of not fitting in and not being "black enough" in certain instances. BUT GOD, in 2011, she linked with GOOGLE….GOOGLE!!!! She is a voice on the Google Assistant; all you have to do is say, "Ok Google, talk like Issa," and she comes through your speakers… can you say LEVELS!!!
Issa got a BOO!! I admire this beauty for wanting to keep aspects of her life private! Because, in the long run, it is her life, and she can share as much as she wants to or doesn't want to! But recently, as of 2019, she went public with her engagement to longtime boyfriend, Louis Diame, a Senegalese businessman, by wearing her engagement ring on the cover of Essence!! GIRLL, let em' know!!
She is also not afraid to speak up! I mean, when you are that radiant, who wouldn't listen!! On many occasions she used her platform to raise awareness surrounding the violence and brutality against Black Americans! Thank you, Miss. Rae!! in 2016, After the police shooting of Alton Sterling, She raised $700,000 for his family to allow the Sterling children to go to college!! #BlackExcellence!
But wait, let us not forget. Issa made Forbes '30 Under 30 list in 2012. She graced the cover of Essence along with Shonda Rhimes, Ava DuVernay, Debbie Allen, and Mara Brock Akil in 2015. And who could forget her 2017 Emmy Awards appearance where her iconic quote “I’m rooting for everybody Black” went viral! #GoIssa!!
Where to Find More: Who knew this little Black girl from a white neighborhood would grow to be a Hollywood royalty? Who knew she would help foster a new Black renaissance on television? Who knew she would create a web series for free then be able to profit from it later? She did. That is what it takes. So believe in your dreams today, work today, and create YOUR Tomorrow!! She has brought joy into your life; she has shown that her talents are endless and she has reached her goals with more to come. If you want to learn more about the ever so talented, multi-faceted Issa Rae, click here!
Thank you ALL for allowing me to share my passions with you, and I hope that my blog inspires you to go after what you want and believe in yourself in every aspect because I believe in you! Now strike your POWER POSE 🕺💃- We got this, NOW LET'S GET TO IT!!!
Keep Shining Loves
-💕 Jazz
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