Sheryl Lee Ralph, 66, 1st-time nominee, wins Emmy award

Veteran actor Sheryl Lee Ralph, an ageless stalwart of the industry who won an Emmy as a first-time nominee at the age of 66, relished in her victory by bellowing powerful lyrics about being an “Endangered Species,” and imploring others to never give up on themselves no matter how long it takes to be seen.

Ralph took home television’s highest honor Monday night for best supporting actress in a comedy for her role as Barbara Howard, a beloved, matriarchal Kindergarten teacher on “Abbott Elementary,” the ABC “mockumentary” sitcom about high-spirited teachers in a woefully underfunded Philadelphia public school.

In tears before gathering herself to accept the trophy inside the Microsoft Theater, Ralph opened her acceptance speech with a powerfully delivered acapella version of the song “Endangered Species” by Dianne Reeves, belting: “I am a woman, I am an artist/And I know where my voice belongs.”

“To anyone who has ever, ever had a dream and thought your dream wasn’t, wouldn’t, couldn’t come true, I am here to tell you that this is what believing looks like,” Ralph declared before pumping her fist. “This is what striving looks like!”