South Africa’s Zozibini Tunzi has been crowned Miss Universe 2019 in a dazzling ceremony in Atlanta, Georgia on 8th December 2019. She was crowned by last year’s Miss Universe Catriona Gray from the Philippines.
The new #MissUniverse2019 is… SOUTH AFRICA!!!! ?? pic.twitter.com/gRW8vcuT3A
— Miss Universe (@MissUniverse) December 9, 2019
She beat over 90 contestants from around the world in this 68th edition of the Miss Universe pageant.
Miss Puerto Rico Madison Anderson and Miss Mexico Sofia Aragon were the first and the second runners up respectively.
The 26-year-old from Tsolo in South Africa is an activist against gender-based violence. She is the only third woman from the African nation to have been crowned Miss Universe.
“I grew up in a world where a woman who looks like me — with my kind of skin and my kind of hair — was never considered to be beautiful,” she said in her final response to the judges. “I think it is time that that stops today. I want children to look at me and see my face and I want them to see their faces reflected in mine.”
Zozibini was also very eloquent and her answers impressed everyone, right from the jury to the audience.
When asked what the most important thing we need to be teaching young girls today, Zozibini told host Steve Harvey: “I think the most important thing we should be teaching young girls today is leadership. It is something that has been lacking in young girls and woman for a long time. Not because we don’t want to but because of what society has labelled women to be. I think we are the most powerful beings on the world and that we should be given every opportunity. That is what we should be teaching these young girls. To take up space. Nothing is as important as taking up space in society and cementing yourself.”
The event was hosted by TV personality Steve Harvey at the Tyler Perry Studio in Atlanta.
Team Newsum wishes the winners the best of luck!
0
