On Sunday, November 9, 2019, history was made in Atlanta, Georgia, as Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa was crowned as our Miss Universe 2019. Out of almost 100 beautiful women, Tunzi’s performance throughout the entire competition won the judges over and won her the title of Miss Universe. The most extraordinary part of her performance was her answer to the final question. See Tunzi eloquently answer the question here:
To follow up her answer, she left an inspiring final word, saying, “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 last response. “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.”
Tunzi’s crowning is not only exciting because of the achievement she’s made for her country, but because she made history in the pageant world. As of Sunday, black women hold titles in four of the largest pageant systems, both globally and nationwide. Nia Franklin is Miss America, Cheslie Kryst is Miss USA, Kaliegh Garris is Miss Teen USA, and of course, Zozibini Tunzi is our new Miss Universe.
As a pageant competitor, it inspires me to see black women like myself hold such high leadership positions. The accomplishments of these four women not only inspire pageant competitors, but they show little black girls what they are capable of despite history and despite those who may doubt them. Zozinibi, Nia, Cheslie, and Kaliegh inspire me to reach for my goals no matter how big and not to let my differences stop me from doing that.