Issa historic moment!
Multi-hyphenate powerhouse Issa Rae has once again manifested her destiny. Rae’s 2010 tweet that said, “When I grow up, I want to be a more successful version of me,” went on to be a part of Twitter’s “Tweet It Into Existence” marketing campaign. Since tweeting those words into existence, the media mogul created the groundbreaking series Insecure, which included in its fifth and final season, a scene of the successful version of Issa Dee being given the key to the city of Inglewood.
Now, instead of being presented with the key to the city by Tyra Banks, who played the mayor in episode eight of season five, Rae has been awarded the key by real-life Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts. She is the very first person in the South Los Angeles city’s 114-year history to receive such an honor, People reports.
“I’m a little emotional, I’m trying to be a thug right now. The mayor really flabbergasted me in that this is the first key in 114 years. It’s a huge honor and I just want to thank you all so much for your support,” Rae said during her speech at the Taste of Inglewood festival on Saturday.
In Inglewood this afternoon, 24 hours before Super Bowl kickoff at SoFi across the street, as Issa Rae is given the key to the city. It’s the first one given in Inglewood’s 100+ year history pic.twitter.com/AXAVD6RnTl
— Kirsten Chuba (@KirstenChuba) February 12, 2022
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“Thank you to the mayor, thank you to the city of Inglewood for making it so easy for us to film here, for helping us to showcase this city that I love so much,” Rae continued.
“I have to give love to my grandparents who have lived here, who have lived in Briarwood for a long time and who established my first point of view of Inglewood and love the city themselves; my mom and my sister who live here actively,” she added. “And just for being here, I have to give a shout-out to my collaborators and my company members at Hoorae who have come out here to support me. But I’m truly honored to receive this. I will always put on for my city. Inglewood, South L.A., stand up.”
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If anyone puts on for their city, it would be Rae, who takes every opportunity to highlight the city’s rich culture and Black-owned businesses through her work.
All hail to the “Queen of Inglewood.”
Photo credit: Karim Saafir/Getty; Merie Wallace /HBO