Emmys 2017: A win for diversity

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The opening drama on Sunday night of US President Donald Trump retweeting a GIF of himself hitting a golf ball that knocked Hilary Clinton to her knees could not steal the thunder from the real winners at this year's boundary-breaking Emmys.

First win for man of Asian descent

Riz Ahmed made history as the first Muslim in the Emmys seven-decade history to win an acting award.

Ahmed, who was born into a British-Pakistani family, won over Benedict Cumberbatch, Robert De Niro and Ewan McGregor to take Outstanding Lead Actor for his role in "The Night Of".

Riz Ahmed at the 69th Emmy Awards. /Photo from web

In the show, Ahmed plays a Pakistani/Iranian-American college student – Nasir "Naz" Khan, who is accused of murdering a girl. The show puts the issue of race under the spotlight and examines racial bias within the criminal justice system.

Ahmed’s win made him one of four people of color who won acting awards during Sunday’s ceremony.

People of color hit new highs

Donald Glover and Lena Waithe both made history with their wins.

Glover was the first black person to win Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series for his work on "Atlanta". Glover bagged a second Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor for the same series, the first person black man to win the award in 32 years.

Lena Waithe delivers a speech at the 69th Emmy Awards. /Photo via YouTube

Lena Waithe became the first black woman to win an award for Outstanding Writing on a Comedy Series for her work on "Master of None" along with the show’s co-creator Aziz Ansari.

Waithe delivered a powerful acceptance speech and called for more diversity in the entertainment world and the embrace of different cultures.

"I see each and every one of you. The things that make us different, those are our superpowers. Every day when you walk out the door and put on your imaginary cape and go out there and conquer the world because the world would not be as beautiful as it is if we weren't in it," she said.

Women take center stage

This year’s Emmy nominations put women’s stories center stage.

"Big Little Lies," "The Crown," "The Handmaid’s Tale" and "Feud: Bette and Joan" dominated the nominations.

AP Photo

The range of these stories - and the women who helped bring them to life - is a reminder that the Golden Age of TV, that once was heavily skewed male, is increasingly casting a spotlight on the collective female experience. The shows were seen as a vivid way to explore the human condition.

For many of the winners as well as many fans who were cheering them on, the Emmycast unfolded as a bracing rebuttal at a time when surveys continue to expose unfair representation by women in Hollywood.

"Let’s hope that this is the beginning of something even better in our country and the world," said Louis-Dreyfus, savoring her record-breaking sixth win as Selina Meyer on "Veep".

"I think the world would be a better place if more women were in charge.”