The 93rd annual Academy Awards returned during a year where normalcy is an ever-evolving concept – an institution that was once poorly fitted for an incredibly diverse industry has begun to tailor itself to better represent Hollywood and beyond.

Last night we witnessed a few beautiful firsts:

Chloé Zhao has set a record as the first woman of color and second woman at all to win as best director for her movie Nomadland.

Yuh-Jung Youn, star of Minari, has set the record as the first Korean actor to win an Oscar – she graciously accepted and thanked the academy for its "American Hospitality."

Mia Neal and Jamika Wilson have set the record as the first Black women to win an Oscar for hair and makeup and made a note that while this win might be groundbreaking today, it will be normal and frequent in due time.

Soul became the first animated movie to win an award without having first been released in theatres, which has been indicative of a shift in how media is consumed and will possibly continue to be distributed in the future.