Lena Waithe
Biography
Born and raised on Chicago's South Side, Waithe graduated from Columbia College Chicago in 2006. During her senior year, she participated in the college's Semester in LA program and remained in Los Angeles, where she began building her career in television and film. Her early credits included work on The Real World and Bones, followed by writing and production work on projects including Dear White People.
Waithe gained wider recognition through Netflix's Master of None, where she played Denise and co-wrote the episode “Thanksgiving” with Aziz Ansari. Drawing partly on Waithe's experience coming out to her mother, the episode won the 2017 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series. She went on to create The Chi, write Queen & Slim, and create Twenties, while continuing to work as an actor and producer.
Waithe founded Hillman Grad, a creative company that develops film and television projects while supporting underrepresented artists through mentorship and industry-access initiatives. Its work includes productions such as The Chi, Queen & Slim, Twenties, and Beauty, as well as the Hillman Grad Mentorship Lab and Rising Voices.
BQW Impact
Waithe has contributed to greater visibility for Black queer women in mainstream film and television. Her Emmy-winning “Thanksgiving” episode placed a Black lesbian woman's coming-out experience at the center of a major television story and drew directly from Waithe's own experience.
Her subsequent work has continued to create space for Black stories and queer perspectives in entertainment. Through Hillman Grad, she has also expanded that work by supporting emerging artists from underrepresented communities through mentorship, funding, and access to the entertainment industry.
Notable Works
Master of None, “Thanksgiving” (2017)
Emmy-winning episode written by Waithe and Aziz Ansari, drawing partly on Waithe's experience coming out to her mother.
The Chi (2018)
Drama series created by Waithe about interconnected lives on Chicago's South Side.
Queen & Slim (2019)
Feature film written by Waithe and directed by Melina Matsoukas.
Twenties (2020)
Comedy series created by Waithe about three Black women navigating careers and relationships in Los Angeles.
Learn More
Waithe's creative company and its work developing productions, mentorship programs, and opportunities for emerging artists.
Institutional biography documenting Waithe's television career and Emmy recognition.
Alumni profile covering Waithe's Chicago upbringing, education, early career, and major work.
Waithe's professional Instagram account.