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17 things about 2017 that weren't complete and utter garbage.

2017 was rough.

It was the equivalent of getting gum stuck in your hair, then realizing it wasn't gum at all. It was Nazis.

Photo by David McNew/Getty Images.

But there were positives too. Seriously.

Stop laughing! I mean it. There were good things about 2017. And I have the facts to back it up. Here are 17 things that made this a pretty awesome year.

1. Mahershala Ali became the first Muslim to win an Oscar in an acting category for his work in "Moonlight."

(OK, OK: Ellen Burstyn fans may try and tell you it was her, since she now practices a combination of religions including Sufi Islam. Perhaps Mahershala Ali is the first solely Muslim actor to win an acting Oscar. But that doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.)

Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images.

2. For 7.6 billion collective minutes, the world came together to celebrate the miracle of life.

April the giraffe's 16-month pregnancy came to a cliffhanging conclusion as the mom-to-be labored over the course of several weeks. The Animal Adventure Park captured more than 232 million live-stream views before the healthy male giraffe baby was born April 15.

3. No white men were nominated for the Album of the Year Grammy. It's the first time that's happened since 1999.

Technically, a few white men could still take home statues as producers if certain artists win. But it's pretty awesome to see people of color and women leading the field for one of music's most significant honors.

Album of the year nominee, Bruno Mars. Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for BET.

4. Through the Affordable Care Act, people signed up for health insurance from the government marketplace at a record-setting pace.

In November, during the first week of open enrollment, more than 600,000 people signed up, crushing the pace of previous years, despite Trump's efforts to weaken the program.

5. Cities and countries around the world are preparing for a gas-free future.

The Netherlands, France, and India are all in the process of phasing out the sale and use of gas- and diesel-powered cars. Cities like Oxford, Copenhagen, and Barcelona want the job done as early as 2020.

People ride bicycles during a 'car-free' day in Paris. Photo by Eric Feferberg/AFP/Getty Images.

6. The year's most popular YA novel was written by a black woman and inspired by Tupac and Black Lives Matter.

If you, or the teens in your life, haven't read Angie Thomas' "The Hate U Give," you should — especially before the movie comes out.

7. Volunteers planted 66 million trees in India. In one day.

The herculean effort was made possible by more than 1.5 million volunteers who made quick work of the project on July 2, 2017. In addition to an army of awesome volunteers, this company hopes to plant 100,000 trees each day using drones.

8. When natural disasters struck, people rallied together to raise funds and collect resources for people in need.

After the earthquake in Mexico and Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria actors, athletes, inmates, former presidents, kids, and everyone in between came together to help people in harm's way. Bad news can bring out the best in us, and it certainly did this year. (You can still donate, btw.)

Members of the Texas National Guard prepare to distribute water and emergency meals. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images.

9. Congress — you know, the folks making life a little hard right now? Well, they're part of the most diverse U.S. Congress ever.

19% of the 115th Congress are non-white, and between the House and the Senate, there are 50 black members. It looks like things can only get better, too, as 34% of the new legislators are people of color.

10. That hole in the ozone layer we've been worried about for decades? It's shrinking.

The ozone surrounds the Earth to help filter out some of the sun's ultraviolet radiation. Lessening the use of CFCs and implementing other Earth-saving measures has led to a gaping hole that's 1.3 million square miles smaller than last year. In fact, it's the smallest it's been since 1988. It's still very much there, though, so don't put away the sunscreen just yet.

Photo by Lionel Bonaventure/AFP/Getty Images.

11. While the reckoning has only just begun, people who harass, abuse, and sexually assault other people are finally getting theirs.

High profile men, including Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, Louis C.K., George Takei, Sen. Al Franken, Rep. John Conyers, and more have already faced personal and professional consequences for their actions after brave victims stepped forward and called them out. Let's hope these winds of change only blow stronger in 2018.

12. Germany, Australia, and Austria popped champagne for marriage equality.

German parliament overwhelmingly passed a bill in June and the country's first weddings took place this fall. 61% of voters in Australia voted in favor of marriage equality, paving the way for legislators to legalize marriage equality in the country. And Austria's Supreme Court just paved the way for marriage equality to begin in 2019. That's definitely bubbly-worthy news.

Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images.

13. Children's scouting programs did some pretty amazing stuff. And I'm not even talking about the cookies.

The Girl Scouts introduced a badge for cybersecurity and a pretty amazing guide to helping parents talk to their kids about weight and body image. The Boy Scouts announced that they're welcoming transgender children and girls to their ranks. And this Cub Scout made headlines for calling BS on a state politician. Children are the future — and the future looks pretty freakin' cool.

Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images.

14. Transgender lawmakers won big at the state and local level.  

Virginia's Danica Roem and Minneapolis' Phillipe Cunningham and Andrea Jenkins all earned seats on state and municipal councils. Roem even beat out the self-described "chief homophobe." Good riddance to backward, shortsighted people making decisions for all of us.

Andrea Jenkins, center, celebrates her city council win. Image by Carlos Gonzalez/Associated Press.

15. In some of the best news of the year (unless you're vegan ... or a saltine): Cheese may be good for you.

Results from a new study reveal a small portion (about the size of a matchbox) each day may improve heart health. And yet, still no funding for my study  on stuffed crust pizza and its effect on mood.

16. In a true feat of scientific achievement, NASA's Cassini spacecraft pulled a Bruce Willis and dove into Saturn's atmosphere.

For 13 years, Cassini orbited Saturn and took truly incredible, detailed images of the ringed planet and its moons. Where would we be without the hard work of researchers, scientists, and this brave robot's sacrifice?

Photo via NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

17. We were graced with Bodak Yellow.

The world is better, brighter, safer, and happier now that Cardi B's "Bodak Yellow" is in our lives. Frankly, I was thinking of making all 17 items on this list Bodak Yellow. Not into hip-hop? Make it a gospel jam. It even brings perfect strangers together.

2017 was scary, frustrating, and downright troubling. But there's always good stuff too.

When things are at their worst, do your best to seek out and remind yourself of all the ups, bright spots, and big wins going on too. And if you can't find them, at the very least, play some "Bodak Yellow."

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Mahershala Ali, a Muslim, makes history with his big Oscar win for 'Moonlight.'

Mahershala Ali made history on Feb. 26, 2017.

He won Best Actor in a Supporting Role at the 89th Academy Awards for his standout job in "Moonlight." With it, Ali became the first Muslim to snag an Oscar in an acting category.*

In his emotional speech, Ali thanked his past acting teachers, his co-stars in the film, and his wife, who gave birth to Ali's first child just days ago.

Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images.

Ali's win comes at a tumultuous time for Muslims in the West. Hate crimes targeting their communities have risen sharply in the U.S., a terrorist attacked a mosque in Quebec City on Jan. 29, 2017, killing six people and injuring others (President Donald Trump's silence in the shooting's aftermath spoke volumes), and within days of his inauguration, one of Trump's first executive orders was banning travel from seven predominantly Muslim countries — a controversial move that has since been blocked in court.

Ali's historic victory is important in showing that Muslims are our neighbors, our teachers, our leaders, our friends — and, now, Oscar winners too.

*Ellen Burstyn won Best Actress for "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" in 1975. Her faith is a blend of many religions, including Sufism, which is a form of Islam.

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7 times SAG Award winners slammed Trumpism without mentioning him by name.

As chaos ensued at airports across the country after President Donald Trump issued an executive order banning travel to the U.S. from seven mostly Muslim countries, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards rolled out the red carpet in Los Angeles.

If there's one thing we know to be true among Hollywood's A-listers, it's that actors hardly ever shy away from getting political. The awards show didn't go by without the immigration ban getting a mention.

Meryl Streep, Jocelyn Towne — with the words "let them in" on her chest in reference to Trump's immigration ban — and Simon Helberg. Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images.

While a few actors brought up the 45th president during their acceptance speeches — Bryan Cranston, who plays Lyndon B. Johnson in HBO's "All the Way" said LBJ would have told Trump not to "piss in the soup that all of us got to eat" — most actors actually didn't mention our reality-star-turned-world-leader by name, even as their speeches were powerful rebukes to Trumpism in this dark moment in U.S. history.

Here are seven times SAG Award recipients tore Trump's policies and ideas to shreds without ever having to utter his name:

1. Ashton Kutcher started things out with a bang, blasting the ban during the ceremony's very first opening lines.

"Good evening, fellow SAG-AFTRA members and everyone at home — and everyone in airports that belong in my America," Kutcher said loudly into the microphone. "You are a part of the fabric of who we are. And we love you, and we welcome you."

Photo by Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images.

"We also welcome you to the 23rd annual Screen Actors Guild Awards," he then quipped with a grin as the audience laughed.

2. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who won Best Female Actor in a Comedy Series, spelled out why the ban hits so close to home for her.

"I want you all to know that I am the daughter of an immigrant," she said. "My father fled religious persecution in Nazi-occupied France, and I'm an American patriot, and I love this country. And because I love this country, I am horrified by its blemishes. And this immigrant ban is a blemish, and it's un-American."

Photo by John Sciulli/Getty Images for TNT.

3. David Harbour, who spoke on behalf of the cast of "Stranger Things," gave arguably the most blistering takedown of Trumpism of the night.

"As we act in the continuing narrative of 'Stranger Things,' we ... will repel bullies, we will shelter freaks and outcasts, those who have no home," Harbour said boldly on stage, his voice rising and hands shaking. "We will get past the lies, we will hunt monsters, and when we are at a loss amidst the hypocrisy and the casual violence of certain individuals and institutions, we will, as per chief Jim Hopper, punch some people in the face when they seek to destroy the weak, the disenfranchised, and we will do it all with soul, with heart, and with joy."

Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for TNT.

Harbour's entire speech is worth the watch.

4. Taraji P. Henson, who accepted the SAG award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture on behalf of "Hidden Figures," called for an end to divisiveness while honoring the trailblazing women of color who made the film possible.  

"This film is about unity," Henson said. "We stand here as proud actors thanking every member of this incredible guild for voting for us, for recognizing our hard work. But the shoulders of the women that we stand on are three American heroes: Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson. Without them, we would not know how to reach the stars."

Photo by John Sciulli/Getty Images for TNT.

5. Mahershala Ali, who is Muslim, spoke out about why religious tolerance is so vital in his speech accepting the award for Male Actor in a Supporting Role for "Moonlight."

"My mother is an ordained minister," Ali said. "I’m a Muslim. She didn’t do backflips when I called her to tell her I converted 17 years ago. But I tell you now ― you put things to the side, and I’m able to see her and she’s able to see me. We love each other. The love has grown."

Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for TNT.

The "Moonlight" star also explained why his character should be a role model for the rest of us:

"I think what I’ve learned from working on 'Moonlight' is we see what happens when you persecute people. They fold into themselves. And what I was so grateful about in having the opportunity to play Juan was playing a gentleman who saw a young man folding into himself as a result of the persecution of his community and taking that opportunity to uplift him and to tell him he mattered, that he was OK, and accept him. I hope that we do a better job of that."

6. Lily Tomlin, who was given a lifetime achievement award in part for her work in civil rights advocacy, couldn't resist a jab at Trumpism either.

She joked that the new administration has inspired her to start thinking about "what sign should [she] make for the next march: global warming, Standing Rock, LGBT issues, immigration — there are so many things."

Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for TNT.

7. And Sarah Paulson received one of the most cheered lines of the night when she encouraged viewers to donate to the ACLU — the group responsible for challenging (and winning) a temporary stay on Trump's immigration ban.

"I would like to make plea for everyone, if they can, any money they have to spare please donate to the ACLU to protect the rights and liberties of people across this country," said Paulson, who won for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series, adding the ACLU is "a vital organization that relies entirely on our support."

Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for TNT.

We are only on day 11 of Trump's presidency (yep, it will be a grueling four years). But don't expect Hollywood — or the millions of others who'll be affected by this administration — to shut up anytime soon. There's too much on the line.

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4 powerful moments in 'Moonlight' that illustrate why it won Best Drama at the Golden Globes.

"At some point, you’ve got to decide for yourself who you’re going to be."

On Jan. 8, 2017, "Moonlight" won Best Motion Picture — Drama at the Golden Globe Awards.

The film follows the life of Chiron, an African-American boy born into poverty in Southern Florida, as he wrestles with his sexual identity, dangerous bullies at school, and growing up with an abusive, drug-addicted mom.

Photo by David Bornfriend, courtesy of A24.

Shedding a light on the powerful forces of race, class, homophobia, and addiction, "Moonlight" offers the type of unique perspective that doesn't just tug at heartstrings and win awards — it challenges us to think critically about important issues, too.

Here are four powerful moments in “Moonlight” that illustrate just how important the film really is:

1. You see the gut-wrenching realities of bullying among kids who are, or who are perceived to be, LGBTQ.

In the film, young Chiron (played by Alex R. Hibbert) is forced to hide in an abandoned building after being chased down by boys slinging homophobic slurs.

Later in the film, the bullies are more successful. When teenaged Chiron (played by Ashton Sanders) is in high school, he's brutally beaten up by someone he believed to be a friend. That gut-wrenching scene ends in bloodshed.

Photo by David Bornfriend, courtesy of A24.

Bullying is a problem for many, especially LGBTQ youth, who are 91% more likely than their heterosexual peers to be bullied, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2015.

Seeing bullying play out on the big screen brings that statistic to life.

2. You see how the power of addiction can rip apart families and destroy childhoods.

At one point, teenage Chiron is assaulted by his mother (Naomie Harris), who begs him for cash in order to feed her drug addiction.

Courtesy of A24.

It's a gripping scene that shows how addiction can transform even the most doting parent into a physical and emotional abuser. It also reflects an America grappling with its own addiction crises with opioids and heroin.  

3. You see the complexity in people and why even the "bad guys" can turn out to be the heroes.

In the film, Chiron befriends prominent Miami drug dealer Juan (Mahershala Ali), who ends up feeding him, housing him, and accepting him for who he is — regardless of Chiron's sexual orientation.

Photo by David Bornfriend, courtesy of A24.

While Juan's work in the drug industry has inarguably caused harm — you can see its direct effect on Chiron's own mother — you also see how Juan's compassion saves Chiron, helping him survive his tumultuous childhood.

"At some point, you’ve got to decide for yourself who you’re going to be," Juan says in a pivotal moment on screen. "You can’t let nobody make that decision for you."

4. You see Chiron kiss a boy, Kevin (Jharrel Jerome), on the beach...

Photo by David Bornfriend, courtesy of A24.

...and then come back to his hometown as an adult (played by Trevante Rhodes) years later to find Kevin (André Holland) once again.

Photo by David Bornfriend, courtesy of A24.

It's still too rare to see same-sex love on screen — especially LGBTQ love scenes between young men of color.

Media representation matters. And to thousands of boys and men watching the complicated, contentious, and beautiful scenes between Chiron and Kevin, "Moonlight" has made a difference.

Stories like Chiron's matter. And it's not every day that films like "Moonlight" get the Hollywood recognition they deserve.

Congratulations to the cast and crew of "Moonlight" — not only on their Golden Globe win, but for creating a piece of art that will stay in the hearts and minds of many for years to come.

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