Zozibini Tunzi is Miss Universe 2019

On December 8th Miss South Africa Zozibini Tunzi was crowned Miss Universe 2019 at the Tyler Perry Studio in Atlanta Georgia.

Zozibini succeeds Catriona Gray of Manila, Philippines. 

Beating out 90 other women from various countries. She is a public relations professional and is a passionate activist and engaged in the fight against gender-based violence. Her bio continues to read, "she has devoted her social media campaign to change the narrative around gender stereotypes. She is a proud advocate for natural beauty and encourages women to love themselves the way they are"

 She edges out her runner-up Miss Puerto Rico Madison Anderson and  & Miss Mexico Sofia Aragon who came in third place. 

Zozibini is the 3rd South African to win the prestigious title. Margaret Gardiner won in 1978 and in 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel Peters won the title.

The 26-year-old is from Tsolo South Africa, she competed in the 2019 Miss South Africa pageant and won. According to an interview with SABC, she stated that "I guess they've been programmed to not see that black is being beautiful and so the blacker you are, the further away you are from beauty" 

Check out her final word and closing remarks below.

"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. And I think that it is time that it stops today. I want children to look at me and see my face and I want to see their faces reflected in mine" 

 Photos courtesy of the Miss Universe Organization