Ms. Angola - Leila Lopes and National dress reflects growing global population

This year's Ms. Universe is Leila Lopes from Benguela, Angola (Africa). She is the first Angolan to win the title. The first runner-up was 23-year-old Olesia Stefanko of Ukraine and the second runner-up was Priscila Machado of Brazil.

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Ms. Lopes, born Leila Luliana da Costa Vieira Lopesis, is a 25 year-old business management student studying in Great Britain.

Leila Lopes won the title of Miss Universe in Sao Paulo, Brazil on September 12, 2011. She won out of 88 contestants. She is the 60th title holder and the second African of African decent to win the title. She makes the fourth winner from Africa.

Newly crowned Miss Universe Leila Lopes wants to help her native Angola further escape a history of war and impoverishment and said she plans to focus on combating HIV around the globe.

The final question was: Which of her physical traits she would like to change, she said she'd prefer to stay as she is. "Thank God I'm very satisfied with the way God created me and I wouldn't change a thing," she 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."
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Ms. Angola Leila Lopes and the "Nation as Dress" costumes represented the dominate cultures and beauty of women of color at the 2011 universe contest. Sea shells and corral was the theme of her dress.

Judging by the commentator's disrespectful comments to describe Ms. Lopes as she walked down the runway, as if she was a Caucasian woman; and, for blogger William Adam, Times News Feed, to describe the parade of national dress as tacky speaks to the growth needed for those only accustomed and expecting (seemingly) for a Caucasian only or Caucasian dominate environment. It says alsi that those of us of Color must market as often as possible to re-brand, re-define images that are not worthy.


The best national costume was won by Miss Panama, Sheldry Saez.
Attached is a clip of National dress by William Lee Adam - Adams decribed as "tacky" national dress.

I found the outfits beautiful, exotic and creative - some more than others - but all different and national.

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