Newly crowned Leila Lopes of Angola reigned supreme last night as she beat 88 other ladies for the title of Miss Universe 2011 (co-owned by NBC and Donald Trump). She takes over from the 2010 winner, Mexico’s Ximena Navarrete of Mexico.

Leila is a 25-year-old business management student studying in Great Britain. She’s the fourth African American Miss Universe (following Trinidad & Tobago’s Janelle Commissiong, Mpule Kwelagobe of Botswana and Wendy Fitzwilliam of Trinidad & Tobago). When asked about racism, she responded, “Any racist needs to seek help. It’s not normal in the 21st century to think in that way.”

Check out more pics and learn more about Miss Universe after the cut

She hopes to help the people of Angola, located in south-central Africa and bordered by Namibia. “I’ve worked with various social causes. I work with poor kids, I work in the fight against HIV. I work to protect the elderly and I have to do everything that my country needs,” she said at the competition. “I think now as Miss Universe I will be able to do much more.” She added, “as Miss Angola I’ve already done a lot to help my people” and plans to raise awareness of HIV around the world.

Lopes says she has never had plastic surgery, and instead focuses on getting a lot of sleep, using sunscreen and drinking lots of water. “Thank God I’m very satisfied with the way God created me and I wouldn’t change a thing,” Lopes said. “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.” Go head girl!

The first runner-up was 23-year-old Olesia Stefanko of Ukraine and the second runner-up was Priscila Machado of Brazil. The third was Miss Philippines and the fourth Miss China.

Sweeeeeeet!

[source]

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