The Milwaukee Bucks have the title of NBA Champions. And now one in all their staff has one other large one: Miss Wisconsin USA 2022.

Hollis Brown, a coordinator of associate technique and administration for the Bucks, was topped the brand new Miss Wisconsin USA Sunday on the Madison Marriott West Convention Middle.

“It felt wonderful,” Brown advised the Journal Sentinel Tuesday in her first official interview after receiving her new title. “You put together and you’re employed so arduous to determine who you’re as an individual, find out how to current your finest self over the previous few months. To see the whole lot and your whole arduous work truly coming to fruition, it simply completely meant the world to me.”

Her pageant {and professional} journeys

Brown participated — and received — her first pageant, the Miss Black and Gold Pageant for the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., as a sophomore at Virginia Tech, the place she majored in advertising and minored in communications.

She was recruited to be part of the competitors, which included a expertise portion, since she had 18 years of dance expertise.

“It has truthfully modified my life,” the Savannah native mentioned. “I simply grew a lot all through that course of.”

After graduating in 2018, Brown would go on to develop into the 2019 Miss Black Virginia USA. She made it into the highest 5 of the nationwide pageant.

Brown later moved to Charlotte to work for ESPN Occasions and assist with their collegiate basketball tournaments throughout the East Coast. Throughout her time there, she made it into the highest 10 within the Miss North Carolina USA pageant.

In Could of 2021, Brown moved to Milwaukee to work for the Bucks as a gross sales affiliate. She was promoted to her present position — her “absolute dream job” — in November.

“This group is like none that I’ve ever seen earlier than,” she mentioned. “The persons are completely wonderful. And never solely are they keen to pour into your skilled growth and objectives, additionally they actually care about what’s vital to you as an individual.”

The Miss Wisconsin USA competitors

The Miss Wisconsin USA competitors was held over the weekend.

Brown’s family members have been in a position to be there in-person cheering her on. And her Bucks household made “Go Hollis” T-shirts for them, Brown mentioned.

On Saturday, Brown took half within the interview portion of the competitors, the place she talked about her passions: Sexual assault consciousness as a survivor and the podcast she co-hosts referred to as “Outnumbered with Kelli and Hollis.” It focuses on “breaking the limitations for ladies in male-dominated industries, specifically sports activities, like myself,” she mentioned.

“All through this 12 months, I have been in a position to construct a really robust self-awareness of what I can convey to the group and what distinction that I actually wish to make in the neighborhood,” she mentioned. “To have the ability to join and have that dialog with the judges is fingers down my favourite half.”

Additionally on Saturday was the preliminary spherical by which 28 contestants competed in swimwear and night robe classes, she mentioned.

Finals for the highest 15 have been held on Sunday and in addition featured swimwear and night robe contests. The highest 5 contestants then every confronted an on-stage, on-the-spot interview query.

In true Bucks style, Brown got here out victorious. Now hopefully her group has the identical destiny in opposition to the Boston Celtics this week.

How Brown plans to make use of her platform

Brown plans to “profit from this 12 months” by utilizing her new platform to proceed spreading sexual assault consciousness.

Brown works with the Finish Violence Towards Ladies group, serving to share their “Begin by Believing” marketing campaign round Wisconsin.

Brown mentioned she has given displays to teams, similar to Women Inc. of Larger Madison, to coach folks on find out how to initially react if somebody shares that they have been sexually assaulted, what to say and find out how to assist them.

“Your preliminary thought is to guard the particular person you like a lot as a result of it’s such a traumatic expertise,” she mentioned. “On the time, the survivor might not be open to safety or no matter you assume could also be finest in that second. You actually need to take heed to the sufferer.”

Previously, Brown has additionally spoken at Pathfinders Milwaukee’s “Evening of Therapeutic,” which helps youth survivors and their supporters, and options audio system and therapeutic actions.

On the occasion, she make clear Denim Day — an annual worldwide occasion by which folks put on denims to point out assist for sexual assault survivors and in addition ship a message to cease victim-blaming — and shared her expertise as each an advocate and survivor.

Extra:One in six males have been sexually abused or assaulted. Why extra male survivors are sharing their tales in Milwaukee.

Extra:How this Milwaukee lady helps others who’ve skilled sexual assault and home violence

To comply with Brown’s journey as Miss Wisconsin USA, go to instagram.com/misswiusa or misswisconsinusa.com.

Contact Hannah Kirby at hannah.kirby@jrn.com. Observe her on Twitter at @HannahHopeKirby.