Queues up “FUBU” by Solange. Shout out to Will Johnson!
Dear Issa,
You embody and personify everything I knew deep down that I wanted to be as a young girl, but was too afraid to be because I was a young girl.
You are fearless and talented and every time I consume something that you are a part of or have created, it makes my heart swell with pride. Once Webster decides to add the term “black Girl Magic” to it’s current inventory, I am sure that your image along with countless other beautiful brown women will be utilized as a reference.
When I first discovered Awkward Black Girl on YouTube, I was completely and totally obsessed. I self identify as a weird and awkward black woman and have for many years now. I used to see it as a debilitation and would try to hide and change who I was to fit in with what I thought was popular. I stifled my dreams because I felt like I didn’t have what it took and was scared of looking like a failure if I didn’t succeed.
That was years ago. I was a young girl. Now I’m an old girl who knows better and I still have dreams. I would be lying if I said that I still don’t feel apprehensive, BUT seeing women like you, Viola Davis, Ava DuVernay, Cardi B, Jackie Aina, Nikki Wilson, Lauren and Haille Young, Ayonna Hammond, Robin G Poetry, Yolanda Walker, Ebonee Hackett, Deven Daughtry, and countless others pursuing their dreams with passion it inspires me and amazes me.
Thank you, Issa. Thank you for being who you are unapologetically. Thank you for daring to chase your dreams. Thank you for letting us enjoy your art. Thank you for letting us see your vulnerabilities and for being a beacon of hope for other Awkward Black Girls like myself. But most importantly, thank you for being unfiltered, real, and raw and for speaking on behalf of 99.9% of all of US during your red carpet interview Sunday night at the Emmy’s.
You didn’t say a lot, you didn’t have to- but what you did say I felt within every fiber of my soul. I felt it to my fucking core. I felt it in every strand of my kinky hair. It was literally THE blackest moment at the Emmy’s or any other awards show that I’ve ever seen. I am sure that at the very moment when you said what you said *Ne Ne Leaks voice* that all the ancestors in the afterlife stopped 2 stepping to Earth Wind and Fire and smiled down upon you. You did it for the culture. You did it for all the people who work regular 9-5’s for companies that rarely stand up for social injustices. You did it for every kid who’s ever been 1 of like 10 other black students at their school or team activity. You did it for all of us who only watch sports like ice skating and gymnastics during the Olympic seasons to cheer for our people. You did it for all the people who know exactly why Colin Kaepernick took that damn knee and know exactly why he still has no job in the NFL. You did it for all of the teachers that are working off the clock to make sure these babies have a chance to be successful in these fucked up school systems. You did it for Obama when he was in office those 8 years. You did it for all of the black people at HBO right now who feel fucked up and conflicted because of the show Confederate. In short, you did that for us and we love you for it.
Thank you❤️
unscripted podcast 