Exclusive: Issa Rae Talks American Express Ambition Project, Celebrating Women, & ‘Insecure’

Issa Rae is partnering with American Express in celebration of their newest initiative, The Ambition Project. 

Just in time for International Women’s Day (March 8), the project sets out to achieve the goal of finding “meaningful ways to continue advocating for women’s advancement.”

American Express has already proven success with their internal programming, reporting that“More than 100 women have been promoted or joined the company at the executive level or above,” and that “American Express women are now paid at parity to their male counterparts.”

The findings in American Express’ research is proof that supporting women’s ambition can have long-lasting effects personally, professionally, and globally.

Issa Rae joins American Express in urging people across the globe to take the lead in supporting women’s ambition. In an exclusive interview, she told us about her involvement in the project, shared some of her most admired ambitious women, along with those who should be celebrated more, and gave insight on her highly anticipated season of Insecure.

Issa Rae poses for a portrait on Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018, in New York to promote her HBO series “Insecure,” which returns for a third season on Sunday. (Photo by Taylor Jewell/Invision/AP)

The Knockturnal: Can you talk about your decision to partner with American Express on The Ambition Project?

Issa Rae: “I worked with American Express before. It feels like our visions always align. I think with The Ambition Project in particular, it just [embodies] how I feel. I work with a lot of entrepreneurial women, I am an entrepreneurial woman. I’ve always been proud to try to achieve, to try to strive. I consider myself extremely ambitious, and that’s where a lot of my confidence lies, in the ability to just say that I want to do something and set out to accomplish it.”

The Knockturnal: What’s your process for approaching new projects?

Issa Rae: “I spend a lot of time with those projects by myself first. I’m a heavy journaler. I will write those ideas down, sometimes weeks at a time… And then I’ll talk them over with team members and listen. I listen a lot, and then challenge everyone to make it happen.”

The Knockturnal: What’s your definition of an ambitious woman, and who are some women you look up to because of their ambition?

Issa Rae: “I think ambition is setting a goal, adopting a mindset to complete that goal, and never being complacent until that goal is achieved, and then setting the next one. It’s an endless cycle. And I look up to so many ambitious women. I think about Ava DuVernay, I think about Shonda Rhimes, I think about Debbie Allen. Those are women that I feel are ambitious… Oprah is the epitome of an ambitious woman to me. So yeah, I have a lot of markers of ambition.” 

The Knockturnal: Who are some women you wish were celebrated more?

Issa Rae: “I think a lot of female editors. This is so random, but I’m editing Insecure right now, and I think about the work that so many people do behind the scenes that don’t get celebrated. And editors put the picture together, they put music-to-picture. It is another form of directing… So I have to shout out the people that really don’t get the credit often.”

The Knockturnal: Speaking of Insecure, the release date is on Easter. It’s coming out on April 12, which is Easter Sunday…

Issa Rae: “[Laughter] We have risen.”

The Knockturnal: Was there any significance with the April 12 release date?

Issa Rae: “I have no control of the date, but I am not mad at it…I was just happy it was coming out in spring. A lot of people were expecting it to come out summer or later, but I think it’s funny that it comes out on Easter because it’s like we’re back from the dead.”

The Knockturnal: I’m sure you’ve been getting a lot of questions about when it’s coming out over the last year or so…

Issa Rae: “Yes, every day.”

The Knockturnal: What can we expect this season? What’s the heartbeat of it?

Issa Rae: “We’ve been saying that this season kind of explores whether the people in your life are in your life for a reason or season.”

The Knockturnal: Any guest stars? I mean, I know y’all didn’t call me for season 4, but I’m available for season five. But outside of me, who else?

Issa Rae: “That’s hilarious! [Laughter] Sorry, but yes, maybe season 5. This season we have a lot of good guest stars, I’m so excited. I can’t tease anybody. I want them to be surprises. But we have some great talent, especially on the music side, this season.”

The Knockturnal: Who are you listening to right now? What’s on your playlist?

Issa Rae: “I’m listening to TeaMarrr of course, I love Yung Baby Tate, Baby Rose is in heavy rotation, and of course Lucky Daye. Lucky Daye’s album is so phenomenal and I revisit it often.”

The Knockturnal: Any last remarks you’d like people to know about this awesome project?

Issa Rae: “I think it’s just so important for us to celebrate women who have drive. I think we’re often told to dim our light so many times to make other people more comfortable. I think even on the presidential candidate side, thinking about how the feedback is often, ‘oh, it’s too much,’ or ‘you’re doing too much,’ and it’s like, it’s ok to be too much as women, it’s ok to do a lot as women, it’s ok to achieve as much as you want to, and I love that American Express is celebrating that.”

Throughout the year, The Ambition Project will pledge the following:

• Share blog posts and videos of our colleagues from all levels and backgrounds who have been ambitious for their teams, families, and communities;
• Host external leaders and influencers for candid conversations about ambition;
• Expand our existing shadowing program globally, to give women of all levels access to advocates in senior positions; and
• Share key learnings beyond the company, publishing our research on the topic and continuing our annual internal survey of our colleagues’ relationships with ambition.

For more information on the American Express Ambition Project, click here.