17 Black Women Who Lived Their Very Best Lives In 2017

Lena Waithe

Waithe’s “Thanksgiving” episode of Master of None, which was inspired by her own story of coming out to her mother, ended up being perhaps the best display from the new season of the Netflix comedy, and it helped the 33-year-old nab a historic Emmy win. She was the first Black woman to win for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series. She has since been named the Out100: Artist of the Year, had the film she produced, Step Sisters, get picked up by Netflix, and is preparing for the premiere of her Showtime drama, The Chi, in January.