'Jane the Virgin' star Gina Rodriguez wins Golden Globe

This is Gina Rodriguez’s first time at the Golden Globes, and so far, it’s going pretty well: The Jane the Virgin star just won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a TV Comedy.

“Thank you God for making me an artist,” she began her speech. “This award is so much more than myself. It represents a culture that wants to be seen as heroes.”

She went on to thank her family and the CW before sharing an anecdote about her dad: “My father used to tell me to say every morning, ‘Today’s going to be a great day, and I can, and I will,'” she said. “Well, daddy, today is a great day. I can, and I did.”

Backstage, Rodriguez teared up as she talked about how much the award meant to her as a Latina actress. “First and foremost, the nomination alone was a win for me because it allowed Latinos to see themselves in a beautiful light,” she said. “We are dealing with a society that is so diverse, so beautiful and so human. We need to remember that we have the same stories, and see it as such. When I was a little girl I dreamed of this moment and there’s no better way to tell others that they can win too by living your dreams.”

This is not only the first Golden Globe win for the relative newcomer actress, but also the first time Jane the Virgin‘s network The CW has ever won a major award at either the Globes or Emmys.

Since Jane the Virgin has struggled in the ratings—it’s one of the lowest-rated shows on a major broadcast network—the award is a major victory for The CW, which is enjoying a much-needed comeback this fall after launching its biggest hit in years (The Flash) and fellow freshman series Jane the Virgin being nominated for best comedy series, along with Rodriguez being honored for best actress. Jane the Virgin‘s nominations alone were considered a surprise, but now with this win (Transparent took the award for comedy series), the series and The CW have received a major industry boost that puts both on the map for awards season.

One question is whether the award will actually bring more viewers to the show. Earlier Sunday, The CW’s president Mark Pedowitz urged reporters at the TCA press tour to give Jane the Virgin some more time to find an audience. “[Jane is] a quality show,” he said. “You guys have supported it as a quality show. Give it time.”

—James Hibberd contributed to this report