Brittany Lee Lewis

Brittany Lee Lewis (born July 21, 1990) is an activist, television personality, political commentator, disc jockey (DJ), Miss Delaware 2014, and Miss Black America 2017. She is a native of Brigantine, New Jersey.[1] Lewis was crowned the 49th Miss Black America in 2017 and she competed in the Miss America Pageant as Miss Delaware in 2014. She is also a regular commentator on RT News,[2] Roland Martin Show,[3] Fox5DC,[4] and various Sinclair Broadcasting programs.[5]

Brittany Lee Lewis
Born (1990-07-21) July 21, 1990
Education
Occupation
  • Television personality
Known for
Websitehttps://www.brittanyleelewis.com/

Lewis is an advocate for domestic violence awareness and chooses it as her platform topic in pageants; her sister was fatally shot in 2010 after an abusive relationship of five years.[6] Lewis is a historian and educator, having taught at both the college and post-secondary levels. She has a B.A., M.A., and is a PhD candidate in the history department at George Washington University.[7]

Her activism and pageantry have been covered by NPR,[6] The Washington Post,[8] Southern Living,[9] and Good Morning Washington,[10] among others.

Pageantry

Lewis began entering pageants at the age of 21 when she a senior in college to help pay off student loans.[1]

In 2012, Lewis was awarded Miss Greater Reading Pennsylvania 2012, and was third place in the Miss Pennsylvania Scholarship Pageant performing ballet en pointe to "Don Quixote: Kitri Variation".[11] She followed that up in 2013, when she was crowned Miss Hockessin.[12] She later emceed the pageant in 2014.[13]

On September 14, 2014, she competed as Miss Delaware in the Miss America 2015 Pageant, earning first runner-up for the Quality of Life Award.[8] She later donated a shoe she wore in the pageant to the Atlantic City History Museum.[14] Nearly three years later, Lewis was crowned Miss Black America 2017 on August 26, 2017. During the pageant she danced to "Stomp to my Beat" by JS16.[15] Lewis later said she competed as "part of her research" for her PhD dissertation.[16]

Domestic violence advocacy

Lewis actively advocates for awareness of domestic violence. Her sister, Gina Clarke-Lewis, was killed in March 2010 as a result of domestic violence.[17] Lewis has worked with state and national nonprofits and "led the charge to declare October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month."[18] She also has worked with the Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Department of Justice's Violence Unit speaking on college campuses and secondary schools about the issue.

Education

After graduating from Holy Spirit High School in 2008,[19] Lewis earned a BA from Temple University where she double majored in African-American Studies and Broadcast Journalism. At Temple University, she also danced competitively on the Diamond Gem Dance Team,[20] formed the Black New Voice Newsletter,[21] and joined the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.[22]

In 2013, she earned her MA Degree in Secondary Education, as part of the Teach for America program.

In 2015, Lewis entered the PhD program at George Washington University, specializing in African- American, urban, women's, and US 20th century history with an emphasis on political ideology, social movements, and the state.[23]

Lewis also works as an adjunct professor at Wilmington University, teaching the course "Ethnic Studies: The Black Woman.”[24]

Television

Lewis has worked as a television personality and political commentator for multiple networks.

She regularly appears on Fox5DC, RT News, the Roland Martin Show, and several Sinclair Broadcasting programs.[25][26][27]

References
  1. "N.J. woman is not just a pageant winner – she's a Miss America scholar". The Inquirer. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
  2. RT America (January 20, 2020). "NY Times endorsement: 'Patronizing' to women?". YouTube. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  3. Martin, Roland S. (June 1, 2020). "#GeorgeFloyd independent autopsy; Louisville Black man killed; Conrad Worrill: vote for Biden" – via YouTube.
  4. Cleary Strategies, LLC (February 18, 2020). "Brittany Lee Lewis on #FOX5LION on WTTG Fox 5 in Washington, DC". YouTube. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  5. Armstrong Williams (April 1, 2019). "Armstrong Williams 30min 2-21-19 "SOCIALISM VS CAPITALISM"". YouTube. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  6. "Newly Crowned Miss America Felt Helpless Against Domestic Violence". NPR.org.
  7. "Black History Month: Reflecting on the past and present at GW". The GW Hatchet. February 25, 2019. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  8. "Miss America: The 12 cheesiest 'home state' intros from the contestants". Washington Post. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  9. "Your Southern Contestants in the Miss America Pageant". Southern Living. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  10. WASHINGTON, GOOD MORNING (October 20, 2017). "Meet the new Miss Black America Brittany Lewis". WJLA. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  11. "Miss Greater Reading third at state pageant". Reading Eagle. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  12. Lamar, Andre. "Wilmington's Brittany Lewis crowned Miss Hockessin 2013". Dover Post. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  13. "Three Crowned at Hockessin Pageant". Town Square Delaware. January 19, 2015. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  14. "MISS DELAWARE DONATES SHOE TO A.C. HISTORICAL MUSEUM". Atlantic City Free Public Library. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  15. "Brittany Lewis is crowned the new Miss Black America for 2017–18". The Philadelphia Sunday Sun. September 1, 2017.
  16. "Newest Miss Black America Says She Entered The Competition As Research For Her Ph.D. Dissertation". blavity.com. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  17. Caracci, Michelle (October 19, 2014). "Miss Delaware promotes domestic violence awareness through pageant platform". The Review. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  18. "History Student Reigns as Miss Black America". Columbian College of Arts & Sciences. The George Washington University. October 11, 2017.
  19. DeRosier, John. "Brigantine's Brittany Lewis crowned Miss Black America", The Press of Atlantic City, August 30, 2017. Accessed July 10, 2020. "Former Miss America contestant and Brigantine resident Brittany Lewis was crowned Miss Black America on Saturday at the Venice Island Performing Arts & Recreation Center. Lewis, a 2008 Holy Spirit High School graduate, was a Girl Scout and dancer growing up."
  20. "Diamond Gems Place Fourth at Nationals for the Second Straight Year". Temple University Athletics. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  21. "Everyone Has a Story: Brigantine resident beauty queen accepted into Teach For America". Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  22. Becque, Fran (September 15, 2014). "Miss America 2015 – The Sorority Women Who Competed in 2014". Fraternity History & More. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  23. "Brittany Lewis | Department of History | The George Washington University". history.columbian.gwu.edu. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  24. Gulledge, Britney. "Brittany Lewis: Building a Legacy that Honors African-Americans' Past, Present and Future". WilmU Magazine. Archived from the original on May 10, 2018.
  25. "2020-02-18, Brittany Lee Lewis on #FOX5LION on WTTG Fox 5 in Washington, DC". YouTube. Cleary Strategies LLC. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  26. "NY Times endorsement: 'Patronizing' to women?". YouTube. RT America. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
  27. "#GeorgeFloyd independent autopsy; Louisville Black man killed; Conrad Worrill: vote for Biden". YouTube. Roland S. Martin. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
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