Zozibini Tunzi beat out nearly 90 other women from various countries and territories to win the 2019 Miss Universe pageant on Sunday night.
Tunzi, 26, is a public relations professional and activist whose platform is largely based on her fight against gender-based violence.
She takes over the Miss Universe title from Catriona Gray from the Philippines, who won the title last year.
Miss Puerto Rico was the first runner up while Miss Mexico also made it to the final three. The final three’s on-stage question was: “What is the most important thing you should be teaching young girls today?”
“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,” Tunzi 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.”