‘To all the Latinas who are looking at me’: Why this year’s Emmy Awards was such a powerful night for Latinx history

The 76^th Annual Emmy Awards took place over the weekend. Historically, this has been a night where BIPOC creators have struggled for recognition. While this year’s Emmys did not necessarily shatter its reputation for being #SoWhite, there were a few really big moments for Latinx viewers.

A history-making win for Liza Colón-Zayas

Liza Colón-Zayas won the award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. With this, she became the first Latina to win in this category. It’s very telling that in 2024, after 76 years, there are still firsts to be made. Colón-Zayas is well aware of how few opportunities exist for Latinas in Hollywood and even fewer opportunities to really be seen and taken seriously.   

Colón-Zayas’ win was for playing role of Tina Marrero on The Bear. Mostly in the background to all the yelling matches on the show, the episode “Napkins” was all about Tina. As Ayo Edibiri’s directorial debut, it was a relatable commentary on job loss in this economic landscape. Colón-Zayas was exceptional in the episode, channeling the frustrations and fears of so many Americans with the added layer of complexities that race and class bring into the mix.

There was a scene in the episode that I think was especially resonant for women of color. After Tina gets her hopes up about an interview, she is told by an indifferent clerk that there is no job to interview for with very little explanation or empathy. She snaps at the young person who is startled by Tina’s reaction. There’s a stereotype about women of color being angry, spicy, having too much attitude.

The snap comes from somewhere. It comes from the hundreds of interactions you had before that one time you just weren’t able to hold back. It’s less about the situation or person we exploded on, and more about the lack of control we have about our circumstances and how we are perceived in the world before we even have a chance to prove ourselves. It’s from this place that Colón-Zayas looked into the audience, and spoke directly to Latinas saying, “Keep believing”.

Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal presenting in Spanish

It’s always so good to see Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal together. On Emmys night, they came with an important message about inclusion. They start by saying that the Emmys are losing their audience. Then Diego Luna switches to Spanish.

Luna told the audience that there are over 50 million people in this country who speak Spanish. It’s a significant enough number to ask the question, why are Latinx families not seen as a market segment where media can experience growth? It might be time to rethink that because Latinx households are only growing in the U.S. and we’re not going anywhere.

John Leguizamo on representation in media

John Leguizamo introduced the first-ever Latino chair of the Television Academy, but first he talked about the diversity problem in entertainment. Leguizamo has been outspoken for many years on this topic, especially in the way it affects Latinx people. He introduced himself as the Academy’s DEI hire – standing for Diligence, Excellence, and Imagination.

He went on to talk about the history of brownface in Hollywood. Citing Marlon Brando in Viva Zapata, Al Pacino in Scarface, and Natalie Wood in West Side Story, he said, “Everybody played us … except for us.” He then went on to talk about problematic depictions of Latinx folk and further, our complete absence from narratives.

It’s through these examples that we see the full story of how important this night was for Latinx viewers. It has been a long struggle to be seen, included, acknowledged, and celebrated. We have so far to go, but Leguizamo saw promise in the diversity of the nominees. I just hope that it was taken to heart by people who really needed to hear this.