“Angelica Ross Applauds Issa Rae’s ‘Resilience’ in Navigating Hollywood Amidst the Racial Wealth Gap”

Celebrity (usartical) Interroduction: NEW YORK: Issa Rae and Angelica Ross made spaces where none existed in order for them to flourish.

At Time magazine’s Impact Dinner on Thursday, the honorees of The Closers issue were celebrated. The event featured 18 Black leaders who have taken steps to reduce the racial wealth gap, including the CEO of TransTech and star of “Pose” as well as the actress from “Insecure” and Hoorae production business.

“To grace the cover and then read all of your guys’ stories, I was like, ‘Why’d they put me on the cover?'” During dinner, Rae cracked jokes while taking the mic. “My cousins texted me a few times asking how I was doing with reducing the wealth gap in the family. Hits that resonated with the crowd were played by the DJ to start the evening, including “Into You” by Tamia, “Wild Thoughts” by Rihanna, “Independent Women” by Destiny’s Child, and “Can’t Leave ‘Em Alone” by Ciara.

The evening’s goal was to unite visitors via Black history and the future, as evidenced by the carefully chosen music, soul cuisine, and adorable moments between Tarana Burke and Rae, as well as Pinky Cole, Arian Simone, and Luvvie Ajayi Jones sitting for a Delta Sigma Theta portrait.

.@IssaRae gives a hilarious and moving acceptance speech for the 2022 Equity in Entertainment Award at THR’s #WomeninEntertainment celebration pic.twitter.com/Cw0DDivIbP

— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) December 7, 2022

Throughout dinner, a collective “mmm” and “yep!” echoed as the honorees—Rae, Ross, Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, and Aurora James, the founder of Fifteen Percent Pledge—discussed the struggle to establish positions of fairness for Black people and recent Rae talked on how her early outlook inspired her to look for a higher purpose. She remarked, “When I was younger, I had the audacity to think that I could change the world,” prompting a collective yell of laughter from the audience. “You did!”

“To be fair, I was unfamiliar with it. It seemed so simple to solve so many of the issues I heard about, including racism, sexism, homelessness, poverty, and war. “People just need to do better by each other,” was all I could think. The “Barbie” star declared that “if enough people care to change something, it will change.”

Rae said she “grew more cynical” about how she could change the world as she grew older because “the idea of changing the world is so daunting.”
Rather, she concentrated on one building block at a time, her neighborhood, and herself. Eventually, this prompted the producer and actress to commit more of her production firm, independent music label Raedio, hair care line Sienna Naturals, and other resources to Black talent.

Rae criticized elderly Hollywood elites in her Time feature for abandoning the diversity and inclusion movement in 2020 in the wake of the nation’s racial crisis following the death of George Floyd.

There is resentment because, really, who loses out when you guys retreat? Always do people of color “said the speaker. “At this point, these corporate executives are also deciding on Hollywood. You folks lack creativity. Keep your focus on the money. The young people’s attention is being drawn to those who are taking risks on sites like TikTok. Thus, you’re destroying your own sector.”
Rae stated during Thursday’s dinner that she finds “hope” in witnessing other changemakers begin small and focus on their immediate surroundings until they are able to grow.