South Africa's Zozibini Tunzi wins Miss Universe in short-cropped haircut
It has been 8 years since a black African won the Miss Universe competition. Since its inception, nobody has ever won the crown in short hair. Spotting a short-cropped haircut and a fade, South Africa’s Zozibini Tunzi not only broke Africa’s dry spell for the Miss Universe crown, but toppled what the world perceived as pageant beauty standard on its head.
The Miss Universe pageant is one of biggest pageants in the world, second only to Miss World in number of participating countries. This year, it drew candidates from 90 countries from all over the world, 89 of whom Zozi routed to lay claim on the most expensive crown the the wold.
The Miss Universe crown, dubbed Power of Unity, is valued at $ 5 million, which translates to over half a billion Kenyan shillings.
The Top 3 was made up of Madison Anderson from Puerto Rico while Mexico’s Sofia Aragon came in third.
Zozi won courtesy not just her impeccable looks and styling, but mostly because of her good oratory skills and ability to articulate opinions and facts on social issues.
The natural beauty advocate made iconic statements on the Miss Universe finals night, for which she has been lauded by Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, actress Gabriel Union, top models Naomi Campbell and Tyra Banks, pop singer Ciara among many more.
“I grew up in a world where a woman who looks like me; with my kind of skin, and kind of hair isn’t considered beautiful. I think that it is time that stops. I want children to look at me, and see my face, and I want them to see their faces reflected in mine,” she said in her closing statement.
