45 Famous Black Women – Influential African American Women

How we know her: Writer, director, actress, producer, entrepreneur

Why she’s praiseworthy: Rae personifies the multi-hyphenate title. There’s seemingly nothing she can’t do. Those who have followed her career since her web series know that she’s one of the most creative people in Hollywood.

The self-proclaimed “awkward Black girl” is best known for her hit HBO series, Insecure, which aired for five seasons from 2016-2021. The critically-acclaimed show earned 14 Emmy nominations and won one. Her follow-up to Insecure is Rap Sh!t, a dramedy that she created for HBO Max and is now in its second season. Rae has also starred in more than a dozen feature films, including her most recent role in American Fiction.

When she isn’t gracing screens or working on scripts, she’s launching various businesses. To date, she is part owner of Sienna Naturals, a vegan haircare line; co-owner of Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen, a local hub for creatives, owner of HOORAE, a media company and most recently, Viarae, a Prosecco brand.