At the 2022 Academy Awards, 31-year-old Ariana Debose made history by becoming the first Afro-Latina and openly queer woman to win an Oscar. Debose won best supporting actress for the role of Anita in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 adaptation of West Side Story. Anita, an immigrant from Puerto Rico who traveled to New York to work as a seamstress alongside her boyfriend Bernando, who is portrayed by David Álvarez.

The representation provided through Debose’s role as Anita is not only significant to others in the Afro-Latina community, but also to herself. In an interview with The News & Observer, Debose stated, “If you’re not interested in exploring this — this is my lived identity, I am Afro-Latina — then I don’t know that I’m your girl, because I’m a Black woman. I walk through the world as a Black woman.” Debose also used this role to navigate her own identity. She opened up about her journey through self-revelation in an interview with Vanity Fair, saying she felt like she did not represent the Hispanic community well because she was not fluent in Spanish. Debose also told the Los Angeles Times that she did not see herself as Anita, but the Hispanic community supported her as she played the role. In her Oscar acceptance speech, Debose says, “to anybody who has ever questioned your identity—ever ever ever—or find yourself living in the gray spaces, I promise you this: there is indeed a place for us.” Debose opening up about her own struggle in finding her identity allows for others to recognize that they are not alone. 

During her acceptance speech, Debose also spoke of her experiences as a queer woman. In another interview with People magazine, Debose speaks about how she was fortunate enough to find acceptance when she came out, but she acknowledges that not everyone shares this support system. “Everyone should get to live in the truth of who they are,” she told People. Debose is comfortable in her identity as an Afro-Latina and queer woman which allows for her to assist others in finding comfort in their own identity. Even through comments, she receives Debose’s reassurance leads her to say “I don’t subscribe to societal norms, and I’m more than a label someone else gives me.” Debose uses her voice and role as Anita to combat the societal norms of what it means to be an Afro-Latina and queer woman living in the US. 

Debose strives to use her platform as a voice for minority communities. She plays a part in various charitable organizations such as the International Board of Covenant House, which advocates for homeless youth and A is For, a women’s reproductive rights organization. Debose is active in supporting her community not only through her words but also through her actions. Debose uses her role as Anita to inspire others and make changes in the queer and Afro- Latina community.