Last Thursday, USC Annenberg’s Charlotta Bass Journalism and Justice Lab had the honor of hosting Emmy-nominated producer, actress, and entrepreneur Issa Rae to present her with the Charlotta Bass Media Trailblazer Award. This award was created to recognize media figures who use their platforms to amplify marginalized voices, challenge injustice, and push the boundaries of storytelling for social change.
Rae, on top of redefining what it means to be a Black woman in comedy, has opened doors for underrepresented communities through the success of her TV show “Insecure” and her companies HOORAE and Reaedio. Through her projects, she aims to “open doors while walking through them” by advocating for diverse leaders in the entertainment industry.
Rae sat down with Dr. Alissa V. Richardson, author, professor, and Bass Lab founder, to discuss Rae’s career journey and commitment to storytelling. Throughout the event, she answered questions from both Richardson and audience members about the importance of trust in oneself and one’s team. She even hinted at a few new projects in the works, like a “One of Them Days” sequel.
The discussion brought in hundreds of students from around USC, largely including those from Annenberg and the School of Cinematic Arts (SCA). During the event, Rae emphasized the importance of recognizing where you came from and being proud of one’s individual identity.
“I do sometimes attribute my success to others,” she said during a Q&A panel. “When I got hired to write a pilot for ABC, I was more like, I’m not going to write this for myself. I want to write what they want to see. And it took me a while to understand that people are hiring you because they want your voice, they want me, and they want my point of view. And that is valuable.”
Rae noted that throughout all of her projects that she has worked on, she has always been driven by the desire to see people who looked like her in places where they weren’t always welcomed in. This desire became the inspiration for the coffee shop she co-owns, Hilltop Coffee and Kitchen, as well as companies like HOORAE that aim to amplify underrepresented voices in film, music, and TV.
One of the most notable moments of the evening was when Rae explained that a big part of collaborating with others and building a business relies on being able to trust those you work with. “I’ve ignored the feeling in my body that sets off alarms, because I’ve trusted the opinions of the people recommending [past coworkers]. And every time that I’ve ignored that feeling, it’s just not worked out,” she said. “Now, we say hire slow, fire fast, because I trust those instincts. I’ve let them play out too long, and so in that way, I’m like, girl, you know who you work well with. So just trust that.”
The evening was filled with heartwarming and comedic anecdotes from Rae that left students feeling more confident in their own abilities to reach their goals, no matter what they may be.
After the event ended, many students remained in the lobby to discuss their own career aspirations in the industry.
“I do wish she did touch upon the social justice aspect of her career a bit more, especially with receiving the award, but talking about her career and how she started on the internet was very inspirational for someone who’s a young, black creative,” said SCA film and TV production student Vaughn Williams.
He notes that it is important for young black creatives to show up for and learn from those who have made it in the industry, and credits Rae’s advice for helping him get past his imposter syndrome. “We’re not here by coincidence. We’ve all worked really hard to get into the school,” he said. “I know who I am. I know what my abilities are. I know what I’m capable of, and I’m going to lead through the rest of my academic and professional career knowing that.”
Similarly, Film and TV production student, Emma Williams, said that she felt inspired seeing a woman of color being able to do so much in an industry that was, at one time, largely run by men. “I feel like sometimes there’s a tendency to feel like you have to choose just one lane. But she’s an example of someone who chose to have it all, and showed me that I actually can too. So I think that’s huge.”
With the next generation of creatives entering the job market, Friday’s discussion with Issa Rae shed light on what it means to use one’s platform to uplift others. For there is a great responsibility that comes with finding success: to create space, tell stories honestly, and remind aspiring creatives that their perspectives are not only welcome, but necessary.