If you're like us, you might have fallen in love with Lena Waithe's work before you knew her name. As the mastermind behind the 2011 viral video, "Shit Black Girls Say," which features comedian Billy Sorrells, her knack for storytelling and entertaining is undeniable and long-proven. For her commitment to centering and elevating the unsung while leading a one-woman master class in style, we salute Madame Waithe as today's Extraordinary Woman Making History.
Before her current post as creator and writer of hit Showtime series The Chi, the Chicago-born actress and producer helped bring Justin Simien's film Dear White People to life and was the first female Chocolate Wonder to win an Emmy for comedy writing for writing the hell out Master of None's Thanksgiving episode, which was loosely based on her experience of coming out to her family as a lesbian.
Looking to fall more deeply in love with Lena? Look out for her in Steven Spielberg's upcoming science fiction adventure Ready Player One alongside Letitia Wright. Then, over at TBS, she has a pilot on the way for a comedy about a queer black girl named Hattie. AND she and her Hillman Grad production company just signed with Sight Unseen Pictures "to introduce the industry to new and exciting voices, while putting money in those writers pockets." Luchini and representation for everyone.
She's also a fierce advocate and source of support for the LGBTQ community. Accepting an award at ESSENCE's recent Black Women in Hollywood event, she said, “Being born gay, black and female is not a revolutionary act,” she said. “Being proud to be a gay, black female is.”
And she's willing to read your script if it's not terrible. For more on Lena and her extraordinary work, follow her on Twitter here.
CALLING ALL WOMEN: During the entire month of March, we will be honoring Women's History Month by accepting submissions/pitches related to women. If you have something to say about being a woman, how you embrace women (even when they're different from you), the impact you see women having in the world, or anything else related to womanhood, we want to hear from you!
Please send all pitches/submissions to submissions@theextraordinarynegroes.com.
We look forward to hearing from you!