By Erin Byers
As I clutched the bright yellow cover of The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl by Issa Rae, it hit me: Every person, male or female, black or white, is an awkward black girl living a life of misadventures trying to figure this shit out. College is a socially acceptable time for individuals to get their lives on track and career moving — Permitting young adults like myself a mere four years to figure out their purpose in life.
To no surprise, this leaves us overwhelmed, stressed, and in constant anticipation of the future instead of living in the moment. In Issa’s comedic autobiography she shares embarrassing memories, familiar ignorance, and things that 99 percent of adolescents stumble on while coasting through life.
Not familiar with Issa Rae? Well, what rock do you live under?
The writer, producer, and lead actress in HBO hit series, Insecure, is now deemed a household name, and it’s about time yourself and others get acquainted. Airing on HBO for the first time is 2016, Insecure changed the definition of what it means to be a “black girl”.
The show has a unique way of demonstrating the immense range in black personalities with skin tone, cultural, and socioeconomic differences in the cast. Rae admitted in an interview with the Guardian how she wanted a better representation for women who looked like herself, “I just wanted to see my friends and I reflected on television, in the same way that white people are allowed and which nobody questions.” This has translated to the audience understanding that black women are not just stereotypical, loud, overly obnoxious beings.. but individuals who are powerful in all traits of life.
Rae makes a clear point that women of color don’t always receive the proper recognition they deserve and has made a significant impact in the industry thus far, despite the misadventures she has overcome. Her show highlights significant issues that young women of color deal with on an everyday basis, such as career troubles, the messy side of dating, and maintaining friendships. Rae offers raw unfiltered advice and shares relatable stories that are served with a spoonful of laughter.
In her book, she rationalizes some of her adolescent behavior with a desire to appeal to her peers and society. “I felt a lot of pressure riding on me to be social, so I pretended that I knew how to dance,” Issa said as she explained her inability to move her bumper like the music vixens she saw on tv. She explains, “I’m not horrible. On a scale of Michael Jackson to drunk white girl, I come in at drunk black girl.” Her amusing experience is something a majority of young people can relate to when trying to find their niche in high school or college. Rae imitating a twerking video was her way of connecting with her peers and seeking validation.
Let’s face it, to some extent we have all tried to relate to our peers through an out of the ordinary action or statement, which lead to a misadventure. The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl allows the reader to relieve a deep held sigh, and enjoy the embarrassing parallels for once. Issa Rae illustrates through her work that despite the struggle a person may endure, it is a lesson or a blessing having misadventures in life.