Leila Lopes of Angola is Miss Universe 2011!

Leila Lopes, Miss Angola 2011, was crowned Miss Universe 2011 last night. Lopes becomes the second African woman to win the coveted title at the 60th anniversary of the international beauty pageant competition.  The 25-year-old is also Angola’s first winner so this win is not bittersweet but historic.  Her win is credited to her personality, charisma and most importantly her response to her interview question.

Leila Lopes’s reply for her interview question on what physical trait she would change if she could: “Thank God I’m very satisfied with the way God created me and I wouldn’t change a thing. I consider myself a woman endowed with inner beauty. I have acquired many wonderful principles from my family and I intend to follow these for the rest of my life.” (quote source)

Leila, a business management student from Great Britian, was crowned the official Miss Angola UK on October 8, 2010 but it was her talent in the national Miss Angola 2010 competition that sealed her fate in the Miss Universe 2011 pageant. Leila’s win will go won in the history as she is the second African woman and the fourth black woman to be Miss Universe. The first African woman to win the title was Mpule Kwealagobe of Botswana in 1999, who hosted the 2011 F.A.C.E List Awards! Wendy Fitzwilliam is the third black woman and the second woman from Trinidad & Tobago to win the Miss Universe title. Wendy Fitzwilliam, a lawyer, radio TV host, author, and beauty pageant guru/entrepreneur, became Miss Universe in 1998. Wendy signed onto Facebook to honor Leila’s historic win.

Wendy Fitzwilliam, Miss Universe 1998 (Trinidad & Tobago),  on Miss Angola’s win: Congratulations to Leila Lopes, Miss Universe 2011! I am so proud of Leila and her beautiful country of Angola. Thank you all for your unwavering love and support. Leila has done us all proud this evening and I warmly welcome her to the Miss Universe sisterhood. God bless Leila, Angola and all of you! Always, Wendy

Only four black woman has won for the coveted Miss Universe Title and they are Wendy Fitzwilliam of Trinidad & Tobago (1998), Mpule Kwelagobe of Botswana (1999), Leila Lopes of Angola (2011), and Janelle Commissiong of Trinidad & Tobago (1977). FeelsGood2BHome.com continues to salute Africans on the rise!

images via Mpule.com & AP &  Miss Universe