Meet Miss Massachusetts

BROCKTON — It was mid-January when city native Sabrina Victor was crowned Miss Massachusetts USA.

She expected the next several months to be filled with appearances, including a chance to sing the national anthem at a Celtics basketball game and travel around the state to advocate for the arts.

Then came the COVID-19 pandemic.

As businesses and schools closed, events she had scheduled were canceled or postponed, including the Miss USA pageant that she qualified to compete in as a state title holder.

“I was so excited for this reign and I didn’t know if I was going to have one," Victor, 23, said.

Want news like this sent straight to your inbox? Head over to MetroWestDailyNews.com to sign up for Entertainment Headlines and make sure you never miss a thing. You pick the news you want, we deliver.

Like most, she learned to adapt to a new world. Victor's events and appearances went virtual and she relied more on social media for outreach.

During the pandemic, she said she has tried to inspire people and tell them that things are going to be OK.

"It's an honor to be a beacon of hope for some people," Victor said.

She will get a chance to represent Brockton and Massachusetts on the national stage at the Miss USA pageant in Nashville, Tennessee.

The preliminary competition with title holders from all 50 states and Washington, D.C., will take place Nov. 6 and be streamed on Miss USA's Facebook page. The competition with finalists will air on the FYI Network on Nov. 9.

Official interviews for each contestant were completed over Zoom with a member of the selection committee. Victor said this class was the first to do their interviews virtually.

The other parts of the competition, like the swimsuit and gown portions, will be done in person.

The pageant will have a limited audience. Each contestant was given two tickets for family and the rest of the tickets were available to the public, she said.

Contestants will be in a bubble and will have limited interaction, Victor said. There also won’t be as big of a support staff around, so they will need to do some things themselves, like makeup.

The winner will go to New York to begin her duties as Miss USA.

Victor left for the competition on Halloween and will be in Tennessee until Nov. 10.

To prepare, she had been going to the gym, but scaled back going in person to quarantine before her departure. Practice with her coaches for interviews has been over Zoom. She has rented a private studio to work on her stage walk.

Her preparation has been on top of her responsibilities as Miss Massachusetts USA and her job at Bridgewater State University.

“I’m wearing so many hats, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything," Victor said.

She has tried to be as safe as possible leading up to the competition, which has included carrying hand sanitizer with her and wearing a mask and a face shield when out.

Victor said following safety measures is especially important to protect people who are at a higher risk for COVID-19, including members of her family, and as cases are on the rise in Brockton and other communities.

It's been hard not seeing others as much because Victor considers herself a people person.

The pandemic has also put her educational plans on hold. She was admitted to the master's in fine arts acting program at Columbia University in New York City and was set to begin this fall. But her class has been deferred to the fall of 2021.

Some have asked if she wishes she became Miss Massachusetts USA a different year. Victor said she has told them no because she feels "prepared and ready for this moment."

This year is a historical time because of the coronavirus pandemic and the election, she said.

Victor has used her platform to remind people about the importance of voting and encourage them to use their voice to make a change locally and nationally.

It is also the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment that granted most women the right to vote. She said it's amazing to be a reigning title holder and celebrate that.

In addition to the election, Victor said the death of George Floyd and other Black Americans has had an effect on her and her role as Miss Massachusetts USA.

It was difficult when Floyd's death was what everyone was talking about, she said. Victor said she remembers feeling sad, scared and depressed to be a Black person in America.

Victor said that as a title holder there are worries about being too vocal or political, but she said title holders including her have felt empowered to call for action and speak out against injustices in America. She doesn’t want to sit by idly.

Protests stemming from Floyd and others' deaths and ways people have demanded change have inspired her to get involved, Victor said, whether it was going to a demonstration or recommending books to read.

“It was a way to do my little bit of change, whatever I could do," Victor said.

Staff writer Mina Corpuz can be reached atmcorpuz@enterprisenews.com. Follow her on Twitter@mlcorpuz. Support local journalism bypurchasing a digital or print subscriptionto The Enterprise today.