Willow Newell Becomes the First Black Woman Crowned Miss Wisconsin
This June, Wisconsin held the annual Miss Wisconsin competition and Willow Newell became the first Black woman to be crowned.
Willow Newell, a 22-year-old from Racine, donning a crown of natural coils and a stunning green gown was honored with the title, Miss Wisconsin 2025.
A contestant in competitions since 2017, when she was a teen, the 22-year-old beauty went up against 29 contestants from around Wisconsin, as reported by WMTV-15 News.
Newell received $13,000 in scholarships along with other awards as result of successfully competing in five categories: evening gown, talent, private interview, health and wellness, and an on-stage conversation on community service.
Named the top-scoring vocalist for the talent section, Newell won the Ryan Guy Memorial Music Scholarship by singing "And I'm Telling You" from the Dreamgirls musical, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Her community service initiative, “Expression Without Exclusion,” aims to create inclusive and accessible opportunities in the arts through community connections, resources and storytelling.
The newly crowned Miss Wisconsin will travel to Orlando, Florida in the fall to compete for the title of Miss America 2026.
