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Fortune
Emma Hinchliffe, Nina Ajemian

Women of color win big at the 2024 Emmys

(Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)

Good morning, Broadsheet readers! North Dakota's abortion ban was overturned and Arizona's was repealed, Nasdaq chair and CEO Adena Friedman takes on fraud, and women of color win big at the Emmys. Have a mindful Monday.

- Hope in Hollywood. During a year in which much of corporate America has retreated from DEI, actor John Leguizamo gave the acronym a new meaning at last night's Emmy Awards. "The ‘D’ is for diligence, the ‘E’ is for excellence, the ‘I’ is for imagination,'" he said to a room full of TV's biggest stars and behind-the-scenes talent.

Leguizamo spoke out in favor of better roles for Latinos and people of all backgrounds, in a speech that followed a full-page ad he took out in the New York Times in June urging Emmy voters to choose people of color for this year's awards. "I know everyone is exhausted about inclusion, but not us who are not included," he said at the time.

His work bore some fruit on Sunday night—as the actor noted in his speech. "Our industry is making progress," he said.

Women of color won some of the night's biggest awards. Anna Sawai took home the statue for best actress in a drama for her role in the FX series Shogun. "This is to all the women who expect nothing and continue to be an example for everyone,” she said. She was the first actress of Asian descent to win in the category, beating out stars Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 15: Liza Colón-Zayas, winner of the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for “The Bear”, poses in the press room during the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on September 15, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images)

Liza Colón-Zayas became the first Latina to win the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series award for her role in The Bear. For her first Emmy nomination at 52, Colón-Zayas was up against Hollywood legends including Meryl Streep and Carol Burnett. In a heartfelt speech, she took the opportunity to get political: "And to all the Latinas who are looking at me? Keep believing. And vote. Vote for your rights," she added.

The 2024 election was a theme echoed throughout the night. Presenter Candice Bergen reminisced about her decade playing the pioneering reporter Murphy Brown—including Vice President Dan Quayle's 1992 attack on her character's choice to have a child as a single mother. “Oh, how far we’ve come,” Bergen said. “Today, a Republican candidate for vice president would never attack a woman for having kids.”

There were some big wins too for Jean Smart and Hacks and Elizabeth Debicki for her portrayal of Princess Diana in The Crown. Overall, the night was a reminder of the power storytelling has to not just reflect but shape the world around us.

Emma Hinchliffe
emma.hinchliffe@fortune.com

The Broadsheet is Fortune's newsletter for and about the world's most powerful women. Today's edition was curated by Nina Ajemian. Subscribe here.

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