Ida Ljungqvist (born September 27, 1981) is a Tanzanian-Swedish model and the first African-born person to be selected as a

Playboy ''Playboy'' (stylized in all caps) is an American men's Lifestyle journalism, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, available both online and in print. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, funded in part by a $ ...

Playmate of the Month A Playmate is a female model featured in the centerfold/gatefold of ''Playboy'' magazine as Playmate of the Month (PMOTM). The PMOTM's pictorial includes nude photographs and a centerfold poster, along with a pictorial biography and the "Playm ...

and the 50th

Playmate of the Year This is a list of models who were chosen as a Playboy Playmate of the Year for the American edition of ''Playboy'' magazine. List of Playmates of the Year *1953: Marilyn Monroe *1954: *1955: *1956: *1957: Lisa Winters *1958: *1959: *1960: ...

Career

She was discovered by 2007 Playmate of the Year

Sara Jean Underwood Sara Jean Underwood (born March 26, 1984) is an American Model (person), model, television host and actress who was chosen as the Playboy Playmate, Playmate of the Month for the July 2006 issue of ''Playboy'' magazine. and later became List of ...

at a bebe store on Rodeo Drive in

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California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. She was named '' Playboy's''

for March 2008 and the 2009

. She is the first African-born and second Swedish model to be named a Playmate of the Year. She is also the first Playmate of the Year to publicly dedicate her title to philanthropic work through non-profit charities and organizations. Ljungqvist co-hosted the Playboy New Year's Eve Party 2009 in

Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

alongside several other playmates. Since being named Playmate of the Year, Ljungqvist has worked with Empowerment Works, a non-profit, global sustainability think-tank. Her work includes raising awareness about the organization and fundraising.

Personal life

Ljungqvist was born in Tanzania to a Tanzanian mother and a Swedish father. Due to her father's work for

UNICEF UNICEF ( ), originally the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, officially United Nations Children's Fund since 1953, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing Humanitarianism, humanitarian and Development a ...

, Ljungqvist traveled a great deal. She speaks English, Swedish, and Swahili. Ljungqvist has a degree in fashion design and marketing, and plans to study economics. In December 2007, Ljungqvist married Joshua R. Lang. Lang filed for divorce in September 2008. In November 2008,

MSNBC MSNBC is an American cable news channel owned by the NBCUniversal News Group division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. Launched on July 15, 1996, and headquartered at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan, the channel primarily broadcasts r ...

reported a custody struggle between them over their pet Chihuahua.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Ljungqvist, Ida 1981 births Living people 2000s Playboy Playmates Playboy Playmates of the Year Swedish female models Swedish people of Tanzanian descent American people of Tanzanian descent American people of Swedish descent African-American female models Tanzanian female models Tanzanian entertainers Tanzanian people of Swedish descent African-American Playboy Playmates 20th-century Swedish women 21st-century African-American people 21st-century African-American women 20th-century African-American people 20th-century African-American women