The end of an ICONIC era! Issa Rae’s decision to end her hit series Insecure STILL has us in our feelings, okay? In a world where representation finally seems to matter to the masses, it saddens us to know television’s landscape has become a little less melanated with the show’s dreaded departure.
Working her way to the world’s stage by creating her own content on YouTube with The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, Issa charted her own path to success, becoming an instant source of inspiration to millions of aspiring creatives around the world. Her coming to prominence truly marked the changing of the guards, proving the age-old saying; “if you build it, they will come.”
Looking back at five seasons of unapologetic Black excellence, it’s clear that both the show and Rae have left an indelible mark within the industry, becoming cultural phenomena. A love letter to Black women, Black Los Angeles, and Black people everywhere, Insecure was a show for us by us, with Rae proudly holding the historic title as the first Black woman to both create and star in a cable network series.
There are SO many reasons we are missing Insecure, but we’ve managed to whittle them down to just three, which are sure to HIT with fans of the show.
3. Reason number 3: Issa Showed the Beauty of South LA
A Hollywood Confidential guest at the close of Insecure’s critically acclaimed season debut, Rae was asked why she made a conscious decision to show the beauty of South LA by series creator Steve Jones, to which she responded, “I wanted to show the vast amounts of Melanin. Los Angeles is so rich in Latino and Asian communities and culture, but it’s always presented so dark. I wanted to show a different side.” And that she did!
With the stroke of her pen, Rae gave viewers a look into historically black neighborhoods Ladera Heights, Leimert Park, and Baldwin Hills — affectionately known as the Black Beverly Hills. She also highlighted some of the best food South LA has to offer including but not limited to Simply Wholesome, Worldwide Tacos, Post & Beam, all which happen to be BLACK owned. She even turned Inglewood’s DUNE apartments into a cultural landmark and tourist attraction.
Issa depicted living South of Ten Freeway with class, dignity, and pride, allowing us to see the city of Los Angeles in an authentic, refreshing, and unforgettable way.
2. Reason number 2: Issa gave us nuanced and normalized depictions of African Americans
Simply put, Rae gave Black people permission to just BE. She granted us nuance, and for that we can’t say thank you enough. If falling forward were a series, Insecure would be it. We loved seeing Issa, Molly, Lawrence, and the gang strive to becoming their best selves while occasionally participating in self sabotaging behavior. Why? Because that’s how you GROW, through trial and error. For many of us, we felt seen and heard for the very first time.
Rae also normalized the Black experience by allowing viewers to see their own lives reflected at them with a semblance of actual reality. From exploring the joys and pains of relationships, to dealing with microaggressions in the workplace, Issa gave center stage to our average everyday issues, showing that our stories are worthy of being told, void of drama.
When asked why she places such a premium on telling these kinds of down-to-earth stories, Rae shared that it’s because it reflects what life actually looks like for her. “It’s important to show the mundaneness, because it shows [black people] as human—we don’t get to have those moments of celebrating ourselves,” she said. “We have a very specific struggle even in the mundane, like with micro-aggressions. But that doesn’t mean the world stops. We still keep moving.”
1. Reason number 1: Issa gave us the GOOD Black LOVE
Journalist Sasha Wayman said it best. “From “cocoa butter kisses” to the mutual understanding of the Black struggle, Black love symbolizes a oneness. It encapsulates much more than two people of the same skin color uniting for the sake of doing so, but rather a soul connection bringing two melanated humans to their highest potential. This love is healthy, supportive, and beautiful: a harmonization of Black souls uplifting each other as not only people, but socially and politically amongst their own community and larger society.” And that’s just what Insecure gave us through each storyline and relationship, romantic or platonic. It’s what we miss most about the series, and what we hope to see more of in TV series to come.
