Meet Miss Universe 2019, Zozibini Tunzi

Congratulations Zozi! You've put yourself and every black girl out there on the map by proudly wearing your natural hair in the world's biggest beauty pageant. You have proved to the entire universe that Black Girl Magic isn't just a myth and that our hair is beautiful. 

Hey Bouquet! I hope you're all well. It's been quite a while since I published a Black Girl Magic post and  it was starting to wear me down. In all honesty, I've been very discouraged in terms of being black and proud. I mean, I love being black and I'm all for black excellence but the intensity of the stigma around black women lately had me very discouraged. Yes, I'm well aware of the fact that people are fickle and their opinions shouldn't define us as black women but like everyone else, we get tired of being strong too. However, Zozibini being crowned Miss Universe has given me so much hope.

Zozi being crowned Miss South Africa was already amazing for me. Not because I don't think black women aren't worthy of the crown, but because I've always worried about the people who are in charge of these pageants seeing us as unworthy. I know it sounds crazy  considering the fact that Zozi isn't the first black Miss Universe but I strongly believe that black women understand - especially those who have warmer skin tones like myself. However, I don't want to focus this post on her defying societal beauty standards because I feel as though it will suggest that she won just because of that. I want us to focus on the fact that she won for being beautiful and intelligent.

A few days after she was crowned Miss South Africa, Zozi was interviewed on eNCA and was asked what her thoughts  about critics saying that she used her NATURAL hair to win the pageant is. Queen Zozi responded by saying: "This is my natural hair. It's not my " look." Those words really hit me because I can totally relate. As a black woman, EVERYTHING you do is questioned. Even growing out your natural hair. But, because black girl magic is real, Zozi is the first black South African Miss Universe.

Yes, the crown is hers and she worked hard for it but I feel that her win is for us all as black women. She has shown us all that being and believing in yourself is all that it takes to achieve great things.

To every black woman out there, I hope you'll use Zozi's win as your strength and take up space wherever you've been excluded in the past. Take care and stay in your magic! 

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