History of Issa Rae in Timeline
Issa Rae is a renowned American actress, writer, and producer. She gained significant recognition for co-creating, co-writing, and starring in the HBO series "Insecure" (2016-2021). This work earned her nominations for both Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy Awards. She is also the founder of Hoorae Media. Her career has focused on television and creating her own production company.
January 12, 1985: Birth of Issa Rae
Issa Rae was born on January 12, 1985.
2007: Graduation from Stanford University
Issa Rae graduated from Stanford University in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts in African and African-American Studies.
August 11, 2011: Kickstarter Funding for "Awkward Black Girl"
On August 11, 2011, Issa Rae and Tracy Oliver secured Kickstarter funding for "Awkward Black Girl."
2011: "Awkward Black Girl" and YouTube Channel Development
Issa Rae gained attention for her YouTube web series "Awkward Black Girl" starting in 2011 and continued developing her YouTube channel with diverse content.
2011: "Awkward Black Girl" Gains Popularity
Issa Rae's "Awkward Black Girl" gained wider popularity in 2011, leading her to abandon plans for business or law school.
2011: "Awkward Black Girl" Premieres on YouTube
Issa Rae's web series "Awkward Black Girl" premiered on YouTube in 2011.
2012: Forbes 30 Under 30 Recognition
In 2012, Issa Rae was recognized for her work in the entertainment industry by being included in the Forbes '30 Under 30' list.
2013: "Awkward Black Girl" Wins Shorty Award
"Awkward Black Girl" won a Shorty award for Best Web Show in 2013.
2013: Development of "Insecure" Begins
Issa Rae started working on the pilot for "Insecure" with Larry Wilmore in 2013.
2014: Forbes '30 Under 30' List
Issa Rae was included in the Forbes '30 Under 30' list in 2014.
May 2015: Essence Magazine Cover
Issa Rae appeared on the cover of Essence magazine's Game Changers issue in May 2015, alongside other prominent Black women in television.
2015: "The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl" Published
Issa Rae's memoir, "The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl," was published in 2015 and became a New York Times bestseller.
2015: "The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl" Released
Issa Rae's memoir, "The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl," was released in 2015.
2015: HBO Picks Up "Insecure" Pilot
HBO picked up the pilot for "Insecure" in early 2015.
November 14, 2016: "Insecure" Renewed for Season 2
HBO renewed "Insecure" for a second season on November 14, 2016.
2016: "Insecure" Premieres on HBO
"Insecure" premiered on HBO in 2016.
2016: Fundraising for Alton Sterling Family Trust
Following the police shooting of Alton Sterling in 2016, Issa Rae raised $700,000 for the Sterling Family Trust to support his children's education.
2016: "Insecure" Premieres on HBO
In 2016, Issa Rae's HBO series "Insecure" premiered.
2016: "Fruit" Podcast Launched
Issa Rae launched the podcast "Fruit" in 2016.
2016: Issa Rae's Mother Appears on "Insecure"
Issa Rae's mother, Delyna Diop, made a guest appearance on "Insecure" in late 2016.
July 23, 2017: "Insecure" Season 2 Premieres
The second season of "Insecure" premiered on July 23, 2017.
August 8, 2017: "Insecure" Renewed for Season 3
"Insecure" was renewed for a third season on August 8, 2017.
2017: AFI Names "Insecure" a Top Television Program
"Insecure" was selected as one of the top 10 Television Programs of the Year by the American Film Institute in 2017.
2017: "I'm Rooting for Everybody Black"
At the 2017 Emmy Awards, Issa Rae's quote "I'm rooting for everybody Black" went viral, appearing on merchandise and in music.
August 12, 2018: "Insecure" Season 3 Premieres
The third season of "Insecure" premiered on August 12, 2018.
2018: Time 100 Recognition
Issa Rae was included in the Time 100 list of most influential people in 2018.
2018: Peabody Award for "Insecure"
"Insecure" was honored with a Peabody Award in 2018.
2018: Film Debut in "The Hate U Give"
Issa Rae made her film debut in the drama "The Hate U Give" in 2018.
2018: Golden Globe and Emmy Nominations
Issa Rae received Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for her work on "Insecure" in 2018.
April 2019: Engagement Ring Debut
Issa Rae publicly debuted her engagement ring on the cover of Essence magazine's April 2019 issue.
October 11, 2019: Issa Rae's Voice on Google Assistant
Issa Rae's voice became available on Google Assistant on October 11, 2019.
2019: Appearance in "Little"
Issa Rae appeared in the fantasy comedy "Little" in 2019.
2019: Raedio and Atlantic Records Partnership
Issa Rae's record label, Raedio, partnered with Atlantic Records to produce "Kinda Love" by TeaMarrr in 2019.
2020: "The Lovebirds" Released
"The Lovebirds," starring Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani, was released in 2020.
2020: "The Photograph" Released
"The Photograph," starring Issa Rae, was released in 2020.
2020: Emmy Nomination
Issa Rae received an Emmy nomination for "Insecure" in 2020.
2020: Roles in "The Photograph" and "The Lovebirds"
Issa Rae starred in both "The Photograph" and "The Lovebirds" in 2020.
March 2021: Hoorae's Deal with WarnerMedia
In March 2021, Issa Rae's production company, Hoorae, signed a five-year deal with WarnerMedia.
July 2021: Marriage to Louis Diame
In July 2021, Issa Rae privately married her longtime boyfriend, Louis Diame, a Senegalese businessman, in France.
October 1, 2021: Issa Rae's Voice Removed from Google Assistant
Issa Rae's voice was removed from Google Assistant on October 1, 2021.
October 24, 2021: "Insecure" Season 5 Premieres
The fifth season of "Insecure" premiered on October 24, 2021.
December 26, 2021: "Insecure" Series Finale Airs
The final episode of "Insecure" aired on December 26, 2021.
2021: "Insecure" Concludes
In 2021, Issa Rae's HBO series "Insecure" concluded its run.
2022: Emmy Nomination
Issa Rae received an Emmy nomination for "Insecure" in 2022.
2022: Role in "Vengeance"
Issa Rae starred in the comedy thriller "Vengeance" in 2022.
2022: Time 100 Recognition
Issa Rae was included in the Time 100 list of most influential people in 2022.
2023: Roles in "Barbie" and "American Fiction"
In 2023, Issa Rae appeared in the films "Barbie" and "American Fiction."
2023: Support for the Writers Guild of America Strike
Issa Rae showed her support for the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike.