The 2017 Emmy’s were, as usual, a glitzy and star-studded event filled with humor, gorgeous dresses and fashion fails. This year was especially exciting because it was considered the most historically diverse Emmy Awards, so far. In fact, thirty diverse performers were nominated at this year’s Emmy’s. This is a powerful statistic that should be celebrated, as it shows a changing in the tide for the recognition of diverse talent in Hollywood, that even in 2017 faces white washing.
However, no matter how exciting this move towards diversity is, it is very disappointing that it is 2017 and we are just now having a black man win Outstanding Director for a Comedy Series and a black woman win for comedy writing. Donald Glover’s accomplishment with his incredible series, Atlanta, and Lena Waithe’s accomplishment with her truly hilarious, Master of None‘s “Thanksgiving” episode should be lauded and held as a standard to be met every year. There should be a point when articles like this do not even need to be written, when a black person winning an award they deserve is the norm, not an anomaly.
Unfortunately, even when there is a move towards diversity, this push does not always last. Riz Ahmed was the first Asian man to win an Emmy for acting, but seven years earlier Archie Panjabi was the first Asian woman to win. Seven years—let that sink in. Just think about how long that is for a group of people to go without winning such prestigious prizes. Even more shocking, it has been nineteen whole years since a black person has won an Emmy for “Lead Actor in a Drama.” Sterling K. Brown’s win is tremendously exciting, but it is just sad that is has been almost twenty years—two decades—since an African-American has won.
Even with how exciting these accomplishments are for the progress of diversity, we cannot ignore that the Latino population was missing from this year’s Emmy’s. Lin-Manuel Miranda was the only Latino nominated. There has only been one Latina actress Emmy winner in the history of the Emmy’s, and the last time a Latino actor won was twenty-seven years ago.
It’s important to remember that we need to be constantly striving for diversity and equality wherever and whenever possible, and while diversity accomplishments should be celebrated and something to be excited about, there are always new strides to be taken. After all, diversity isn’t diversity just because it isn’t completely white; diversity needs to be inclusive of everyone.