Los Angeles, Feb 10 (IANS): Former athlete Matthew A. Cherry won his first Oscar on Sunday for his animated short film "Hair Love". It's the same category that late basketball player Kobe Bryant won in 2018.

"Hair Love" tells the story of an African American father and his daughter attempting to do her hair, and learning to love what makes her in the process.

"'Hair Love' was done because we wanted to see more representation in animation, and because we wanted to normalize black hair," Cherry said on the Dolby stage, reports thewrap.com.

Cherry dedicated the win to Bryant: "This award is dedicated to Kobe, may we all have a second act as great as his."

Cherry also used the biggest stage in Hollywood to shoutout the Crown Act, which ensures protection against discrimination based on hairstyles by extending statutory protection to hair texture and protective styles in the Fair Employment and Housing Act and state Education Codes.

"Toy Story 4", on the other hand, won best animated feature Oscar.