Hazelhurst’s Ms. America uses her crown for a cause
Wisconsin is not known to be a “pageant state.”
Nevertheless, Brittany Wagner — who lives in Hazelhurst, Wisconsin, population 1,273 as of the 2010 census — won Ms. America on March 10.
The Ms. America pageant participants must be at least 26 years old and can be married, single, divorced or widowed. (Miss America must be single and between ages of 17 and 25.) Contestants compete in categories like evening gown, fitness (athletic wear), on-stage questions, a platform speech and a panel-style interview with the judges.
Wagner has been doing pageants since she was 11; she’s now 29, and this is her first national pageant win.
She grew up in California, one of the “pageant states.” In fact, she just moved to Wisconsin from the Los Angeles area. She was named Ms. Wisconsin in November
Although pageants aren’t as popular in Wisconsin as in California, Wagner said, “People are very inviting if I want to show up as Ms. Wisconsin.”
It’s easy to think of pageants as based too much on looks and perpetuating this idea that women should live up to a certain ideal. And yes, maybe they do.
But for Wagner and many contestants, it’s more than a beauty competition.
“The competition is fun and great,” she said. “Everyone has a different reason as to why they are there. I’m looking forward to working in the community.”
Everyone who participates in the Ms. America pageant has to do at least three community service events prior to the competition. Wagner did 10. And in her year as Ms. America, Wagner is required to make two public appearances per month for a cause, which is Wagner’s favorite part.
She’s been the spokeswoman for the California chapter of the American Diabetes Association for seven years, and she just started working with the Wisconsin chapter.
The cause hits close to home for Wagner. Her father died from complications due to diabetes in 2008.
She would like to focus her efforts on American Indian communities in Wisconsin.
“I had no idea the Native American community was such a big part of the state,” she said.
According to the ADA, nearly 16% of people with diabetes are American Indians or Alaskan Natives, which means American Indians have the highest prevalence of the disease for any racial or ethnic group.
Wagner said, “(American Indians) primarily have Type 2. … That means with proper education and resources, we can lower that statistic.”
Wagner is working with the Wisconsin ADA to bring resources and education to schools on or near reservations.
“We have two events that we’re starting this year targeting the reservations and educating people on how to prevent diabetes and if they do have it, how they can manage it and get rid of it,” she said.
In the meantime, Wagner will continue exploring her new home state. She made it through winter and has already embraced snowmobiling.
“There’s so much beauty in the nature here,” she said. “I think it’s so magical and majestic.”