Congrats are in order for the next Miss Universe!
Zozibini Tunzi, Miss South Africa, beat out 90 other contestants from around the world for the coveted title and crown on Sunday night, airing live from Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta.
Onstage, Tunzi, who proudly sports a short, tapered haircut, spoke about the importance of diverse beauty standards.
“Society has been programmed for a very long time that never saw beauty in a way that was Black Girl Magic, but now we are slowly moving to a time where women like myself can finally find a place in society, can finally know they’re beautiful,” she told the audience.
Tunzi added, “I believe that whatever we put into the universe always come back to us, and I think that if we all work together and do all that we can, truly we can make a change.”
The crowned winner continued that she’s already trying to bring a “new, fresh and different of what South Africa is.”
Tunzi’s runner-up was Miss Puerto Rico Madison Anderson, with Miss Mexico Sofía Aragón coming in third place.
With this win, the Black woman reign continues in the pageant world in America. For the first time ever, three Black women simultaneously hold titles from America’s biggest pageants. ESSENCE cover girls Cheslie Kryst, Kaliegh Garris and Nia Franklin have been named Miss USA, Miss Teen USA and Miss America 2019, respectively.
Congrats again!