West Side Story, making her the the first out queer woman of color to win an Oscar award. DeBose is also the first Afro-Latina queer Oscar winner in an acting category.Now you see why 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 a really heartening thing right now,” DeBose said in her acceptance speech.In a nod to actor Rita Moreno, who won a Best Supporting Actress in 1962 – the first Latina to ever win an Oscar – for the same role of Anita in the original film.Ariana DeBose is the first openly queer person of color to win an acting Oscar.
https://t.co/YILAwH0cbk pic.twitter.com/8o5MzcyKyp— Variety (@Variety) March 28, 2022“I’m so grateful – your Anita paved the way for tons of Anitas like me, and I love you,” she said to Moreno.“Imagine this little girl in the back seat of a white Ford Focus, look into her eyes.