GREEN BAY (NBC26) — Green Bay resident Aneisha Cox represents Wisconsin at the Miss USA competition in Reno, Nevada this week as she vies for the national title.
Meet Aneisha and hear her message to Green Bay in the video below:
Cox, who has called Green Bay home for almost two years, managed to squeeze in a video call with NBC 26 Monday despite her packed schedule as the Miss USA competition ramps up.
"Miss USA ... it still even sounds like, crazy to have this shirt on right now," Cox said, showing off her pageant t-shirt.
Born and raised in Kentucky, Cox entered her first pageant at nine years old at a county fair with encouragement from her dance teacher.
"I signed up literally two weeks before the pageant, any pageant girl knows that that is crazy," Cox said.
Despite the short preparation time, she finished in the top three and continued that competitive tradition all the way to Miss USA.
"Little nine-year-old me didn't even know this was my plan, but God did," Cox said.
Love brought Cox to Green Bay, more specifically, her boyfriend, Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed. Now, she has built a community online selling customized sports paraphernalia, jackets, shoes, hats and other accessories.
For the first time, both current Miss Wisconsin USA and Miss Wisconsin America titleholders are women of color, a responsibility Cox doesn't take lightly.
"When I came [into] pageantry, I was one of 74 at my state pageant in Kentucky that was a minority," Cox said.
Cox pays it forward by mentoring young girls of color like eight-year-old Aleah Downs.
"She is just the best," Downs said. "She's always so natural, she's so, like, genuine. I love it. I'm very proud of her and I'm just so excited to watch her."
Before taking the stage, Cox has a message for Wisconsin.
"I want you all to know that you can have faith in Wisconsin ... and I'm here to put us on the map," Cox said.
The Miss USA pageant and coronation begins at 7 p.m. Central Time on Friday. The winner will compete at the Miss Universe pageant next month in Bangkok, Thailand.
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