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Issa Rae refers to Sienna Naturals’ expansion with Sephora as a “dream come true.” Rae co-founded the award-winning hair care brand Sienna Naturals, which was first envisioned by Hannah Diop in 2012. Diop, reflecting on her own challenges in finding hair products that met her needs, recalls how clarifying shampoos fell short in restoring her hair’s health during her time on the swim team. This firsthand experience played a pivotal role in shaping Sienna Naturals, a brand founded on a proprietary clean chemistry approach that prioritizes scalp health , according t o the brand’s website. The haircare line is powered by hydrating, abiotic, pH-balanced ingredients (H.A.P.I.). “The first impression I want people to have when they use Sienna Naturals is how beautiful their hair is. So that wet-feel design is very intentional,” Diop told AFROTECH™. Photo Credit: Sienna Naturals When Rae discovered Sienna Naturals, she was in the process of learning how to best care for her natural hair...
Issa Rae proudly represents her home state as a powerhouse actress, producer, and entrepreneur. The Los Angeles, CA, native, well known for her rise from “ Awkward Black Girl” to “Insecure” continues to stretch herself in new ways. “ One of Them Days,” featuring SZA and Keke Palme r, made its way to the big screen in 2025, marking Rae’s first feature film released under her production company, Hoorae. According to Variety and Collider, the film made $22.2 million after its first two weekends, including the extended Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Issa Rae (@issarae) Just a few months earlier, Rae made a new dent in the hospitality space, opening Somerville in South Los Angeles, a restaurant offering a “progressive American dining experience.” This marked her second food and drinks venture, as she had expanded Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen to the city in 2023, per Forbes. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Issa Rae (@issarae) Rae has...
Issa Rae transformed her online presence from an “awkward Black girl” to a media mogul with several hit series. Now, she’s channeling her success into empowering the next generation of creators, helping them forge their own paths in the industry. As shared in a press release, the award-winning actress, writer, and producer’s management firm, ColorCreative, which promotes women and minority talent, has partnered with Tubi to launch Stubios. The program will help five creative teams develop debut projects that will premiere on the streaming platform. ColorCreative will provide mentorship, while Tubi will fund the productions, according to TubeFilter. “I am deeply passionate about creating pathways to sustainable careers into Hollywood for creatives of diverse backgrounds,” Issa Rae previously said in a statement. “We at ColorCreative are thrilled to see Tubi taking this important and bold step, and we’re excited to support and guide Stubios creatives on their first long-form...
Issa Rae has expanded her business empire with yet another venture that caters to creatives. Business Insider reports that the media mogul has launched Ensemble, a company that works to connect brands with Black and brown creators. Moreover, the ultimate mission is to be a part of closing the creator pay gap between creators of color and their white counterparts. Funded by Rae, the company is already working with 50 creators such as comedian Mark Phillips, who is co-founder of the popular social media collective RDCWorld. What’s more, several major brands have joined Ensemble’s roster, such as Pepsi, Chili’s, and Popeyes. “We want Ensemble to be seen as a general market company,” said Montrel McKay, president of development and production at Hoorae Media , Rae’s media and entertainment company. “We want to go after media budgets. We don’t want to go after small allocations that are for diversity buys. That’s why it’s important to work with Pepsi out of the gate — we want to show the...
There is a saying regarding the fine arts that suggests art often imitates life. And if anyone ever took this phrase seriously, it is our favorite self-proclaimed awkward Black girl, Issa Rae. As the creator of the YouTube series “The Misadventures of an Awkward Black Girl” and the cult-classic “Insecure,” Rae has been given the world a loosely based look into her life. Her characters are relatable and accurately depict the cohort of millennials she represents. What’s more, they bring the very much-needed comedic relief necessary for surviving adulthood. With an array of awards and honors under her belt, it is safe to say that Issa Rae is that girl! But before the fame and the large platform, one of the most relatable qualities about Rae was that she worked hard and got it out the mud like many future, current, and aspiring creatives. So much so that when she once lived in Harlem, New York, she went six months without paying rent and was in for the surprise of her life when the...
Ghetto Film School (GFS) — the award-winning nonprofit created to help future storytellers by educating, uplifting, and supporting their development — is backed by some of Hollywood’s best including Issa Rae and Yara Shahidi. Now, it plans to amplify its efforts further as Montea Robinson has become the first Black woman CEO. “Whether you know how to write a script or point a camera, we’re going to put a camera in your hands and get you to shoot something with it,” she said in an exclusive interview with Variety. “You’re writing, shooting, directing all of the work…We see filmmaking as a craft that we want to teach our students, but also as a secondary education that helps them understand the agency they have over their own story.” Robinson will be responsible for increasing GFS’s reach and influence while focusing on developing and creating career opportunities for participants. In addition, Robinson plans to make GFS programs more accessible to students while strengthening...
Now more than ever, creatives need resources to help propel themselves to the next level. To do that, Steve Stoute’s UnitedMasters headed to Brooklyn, NY on May 5, 2022, to build a better future for creators at the fourth annual SelectCon. Programming throughout the afternoon included DJ Drama, Coodie, Hit-Boy, and Jim Jones to help emerging artists, creatives, and entrepreneurs prepare for the future. There was even a fireside chat with Stoute and Issa Rae that was fitting for a grand finale in the evening. Before a DJ line-up featuring DJ Drama, Angel + Dren, and more invaded, though, Issa Rae talked the music industry, what’s next, and more. Check it out below.
Patreon has created a new program to help underserved creatives get themselves and their ideas funded. The creator-focused membership platform has announced Pull Up — an incubator to help creators of color not only gain access to capital but also resources and community to grow sustainable and profitable businesses — according to a press release. Anyone who identifies as a creator/ creative of color is able to join the community. Pull Up is supported by and builds on experiences of some of the biggest creators of color driving culture today including Issa Rae’s HOORAE, Amanda Seales’ Smart Funny & Black, Durand Bernarr, Jade Novah, Nicole Cardoza, Tim Chantarungsu, Blair Imani and Tina Yu, and more. “We are excited to be a part of Pull Up, powered by Patreon’s Creator Success team, who continue to be a champion for HOORAE on and off the platform,” said Issa Rae, creative partner for Pull Up powered by Patreon, according to the press release. “We share a core set of values in...
Following her being a temporary Airbnb host through Valentine’s Day weekend, according to our sister site Travel Noire, Issa Rae has joined the company for a new initiative to support South LA. According to a press release, the Inglewood native has partnered with Airbnb, along with Nasdaq, to announce a $100,000 donation to LeadersUp, a nonprofit organization that works to help create an inclusive, antiracist economy — per its website. The press release shares that the new donation will go toward creating an impact fund for South LA residents to be provided access to educational, mental health and wellness, and technological resources. The collaborative effort to support underrepresented communities is also financially assisting LA-based organizations Central Neighborhood Health Foundation and Brotherhood Crusade.
Issa Rae said it was her “me season.” In yet another deal that serves the Black creative community, Issa Rae proves that it’s her winning season even with the series ending of the beloved “Insecure.” In a press release provided to AfroTech, the creator’s company Raedio has announced that it has closed in on a worldwide multi-project development deal with Audible.
Black women are getting the support they deserve thanks to Goldman Sachs. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. announced a $10 billion commitment as a part of its One Million Black Women initiative following an Advisory Council meeting on Jan. 12. The collective pool of 17 business and community leaders includes notable names such as Secretary Condoleezza Rice, Issa Rae, and both Stephen and Ayesha Curry. The financial backing from Goldman Sachs will support One Million Black Women’s mission to funnel healthcare, job creation, workforce development, education, affordable housing, digital connectivity, financial health, and access to capital to Black women, according to its press release. “This next round of funding strategically connects the dots across several One Million Black Women impact areas and not only supports the infrastructure that Black women and their families need to thrive but has the potential to uplift communities and address generations of racial and gender inequities,”...
Issa Rae is always helping creatives get in their bag. According to Billboard, with the help of Google, artists can be on standby for t he Raedio Creators Program. The new emerging artist program aims to ensure u nderrepresented independent artists receive the support they need to thrive within the entertainment space. Issa Rae’s “audio everywhere company” — launched in 2019 — has helped four artists break through and find their voice. Yung Baby Tate and TeaMarrr are two Black female artists who have reaped the benefits of Issa Rae’s music platform. Through the partnership with Google, the intended goal is to increase representation for women of color in the music industry. “This partnership is perfectly aligned with my mission in helping open doors and provide opportunities for women to succeed and flourish in their craft,” Issa Rae told Billboard. “I can’t wait to see the impact this program and partnership has on the selectees and the music that is created as a result.”