As South African Zozibini Tunzi received the Miss Universe crown on Sunday, she said the moment made her feel "so proud" as she accomplished a long-awaited goal.
"It feels like I'm really doing something I set out to do. I really wanted so badly for young girls and women to look at me and see themselves represented and see their faces represented in mine," Tunzi told Cheddar Thursday.
When she won the crown Sunday night, the 26-year-old said "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. I think it is time 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."
A self-described activist, Tunzi said she hopes to continue her work against gender-based violence and in favor of gender equality.
During the competition, Tunzi wore her hair short and natural, which she called "a symbol of my firm belief in fair representation."
This year marks the first time Miss America, Miss Teen USA, Miss USA, and Miss Universe are all black women.
"It's so important for people to see things in order to believe them," she told Cheddar.
Celebrities and excited viewers chimed in online to offer congratulations to the new Miss Universe, including Oprah who tweeted, "Agree with you...leadership is the most powerful thing we should be teaching young women today."
Experts in England have reconstructed the face of a teenage girl who lived over 1,000 years ago.
In the latest Cheddar Feed, where we highlight some of the stories spotlighted on our social media, a 103-year-old Maine woman continues to lobster trap with family while an estimated 7.5 million Baby Shark products were recalled after several reports of injuries.
Taylor Swift performed her 'Dear John' song for the first time in years and pleaded to fans to stop cyberbullying as the song is long believed to be about her ex-beau, singer John Mayer.
Musical legend Elton John captivated audiences at the Glastonbury festival in what he said could be his last concert in England.
Mrs. Kasha Davis, star of "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars," which recently kicked off its eighth season, spoke with Cheddar News about her time on the show, what she does outside of her program and how important it is for her to help children stay inclusive.
Legendary rapper Busta Rhymes was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award and musical icon Patti LaBelle powered through a mishap while honoring the late Tina Turner.
Thousands gathered to attend New York City's annual Pride parade.
Hikers have found human remains in a Southern California mountain area where actor Julian Sands disappeared five months ago.
Thousands of effusive marchers danced to club music in New York City streets Sunday as bubbles and confetti rained down, and fellow revelers from Toronto to San Francisco cheered through Pride Month's grand crescendo.
The 2023 BET Awards celebrated 50 years of hip-hop with tributes to the genre’s earliest voices, late legends, and new talent during a show packed with spectacular performances that consistently felt like a party.
