Wizards of Waverly place wins big at Creative Arts Emmy Awards

Hit Disney sitcom, 'Wizards of Waverly Place' took home the trophy for 'Outstanding Children's Program' at the 2009 Creative Arts Emmy Awards. This is the show's first win, beating out fellow Disney sitcom, 'Hannah Montana' and Nickelodeon's 'iCarly.'

Get all the details on the Creative Arts Emmy Awards

In case you've missed 'Wizards,' the sitcom revolves around the Russos, a family of sorcerers of Mexican and Italian descent. While statistics show that Hispanics are the largest minority group in the U.S., 'Wizards' is one of the few shows on English-language television to reflect that reality both on and off camera.

See pics from the 2009 Daytime Emmy Awards

The show's main star, Selena Gomez, for example, is of Mexican and Italian descent; her brother on the show, actor Jake T. Austin is also part-Latino. Austin's mother is Argentinean and Puerto Rican, while his father is of Polish and Irish descent. Both were present at the ceremony along with other talent from the show.

Check out the 2009 Governors Ball Preview

When asked what this award meant for the Latino community, the show's executive producer, Mexican-American Peter Murrieta, exclaimed 'si se puede.' Cuban-American actress Maria Canals-Barrera, who plays 'Theresa,' the mother on the show, also spoke to press backstage and expressed her feelings about this achievement: 'Estamos muy orgullosos de ganar el Emmy en un show multicultural...muchas gracias.'

Read part 1 of our Governors Ball Preview special

'Wizards of Waverly Place' airs Fridays at 8pm/7pm central on the Disney Channel.

Flashback: Take a look at the 2006 Latin Emmy Awards

Dennis Pastorizo/Terra USA