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."
'Dick Clark's New Year's Rock and Eve' with Ryan Seacrest is bringing some new faces to this year's live broadcast.
The Museum of the Dog, which opened in 2019, features some of the world's largest collections of canine fine art. Alan Fausel, curator of the AKC Museum of the Dog, joined Cheddar News to discuss the museum's operations and history while also explaining the latest exhibit, "Fashionable Dogs."
Police officers in New Jersey were sent on a wild chase recently after a deer crashed through a window of an elementary school in Toms River.
Dhomonique Murphy, lifestyle expert, joined Cheddar News to kick off its new series, Holiday Gift Guide, by helping with suggestions on what to buy for your significant other.
The opening statements Monday in the trial against actor Jonathan Majors centered on whether the actor assaulted his former girlfriend, Grace Jabbari, after she read a romantic text message sent to his phone by another woman.
Instead of embracing the antiquated practice of ranking very different albums against one another, the Associated Press is celebrating the best next to the best.
Danny Seo, editor-in-chief of Naturally Danny Seo Magazine, shares some items that will help you create a delicious vegan meal that all of your guests can enjoy.
Smash hit 'Barbie' is coming to Max on Dec. 15.
Season two of Paramount's Halo series just got its first trailer in this latest season.
Amazon Prime released a teaser for season four of 'The Boys.'
