Ariana DeBose gives impassioned speech during history-making win

Los Angeles : Actress Ariana DeBose, who won the Oscars for the Best Actress in a Supporting Role for the remake of the musical ‘West Side Story’, delivered an impassioned speech during her win.

DeBose is the first openly queer woman of colour to win an Academy Award. She and star Rita Moreno, who played Anita in the 1961 ‘West Side Story’, are the first pair of actresses to win an Oscar for the same role in different movies.

“I’m so grateful your Anita paved the way for tons of Anitas like me,” DeBose said in her speech.

“What is this?!” an excited DeBose screamed as she held the coveted statuette.

“Now you see why that Anita says ‘I want to be in America,’ because even in this weary world that we live in, dreams do come true, and that’s really a heartening thing right now.”

“If I took the time to say thank you to every single beautiful person who has lifted me up on this stage, you fine people would be sitting here until next Oscars, so I’m not going to do that, but just allow me to say that it was the summer of a lifetime and I am that most privileged and grateful to have spent it will all of you.”

She thanked filmmaker Steven Spielberg. The actress also thanked Rita Moreno, who first played the role in the 1961 original.

“My god. Thank you Steven Spielberg. You’re stuck with me now,” she added.

“Thank you, Kristie Macosko Krieger and Tony Kushner and the divine inspiration that is Rita Moreno, you are staring at me right now, and I’m so grateful your Anita paved the way for tons of Anitas like me. And I love you so much.”

DeBose also had a few words for her family and her partner, Sue.

“I’m gonna wrap this up and talk about my family. My mother who is here tonight. Mama, I love you with my whole heart. And this is as much yours as it is mine,” the 31-year-old actress said.

“Some of my tribesman, my family, my love Sue, Jonathan, Diana, Anthony Calamita, I couldn’t do what I do without each and every one of you.”

She also used the moment to encourage those questioning their identity to look to her story and know that there is always a place for them in the world of performing arts or any other.

“Lastly, imagine this little girl in the backseat of a white Ford Focus, you see a queer, openly queer woman of color, an Afro-Latina, who found her strength in life through art,” she said.

“And that’s what I believe we’re here to celebrate.”

“So, to anybody who has ever questioned your identity, ever, ever, ever, or you find yourself living in the gray spaces, I promise you this: There is indeed a place for us,” she continued, wrapping up her emotional speech.

According to etonline.com, DeBose is just the second Latina to win the Best Supporting Actress, following Moreno, and the award also makes her the first out LGBT Afro-Latino person to win an acting Oscar.