Brook Lee
Born
Brook Antoinette Mahealani Lee

(1971-01-08) January 8, 1971
Pearl City, Hawaii, U.S.
Height5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Beauty pageant titleholder
Title
Hair colorBrown
Eye colorBrown
Major
competition(s)
  • Miss Hawaii USA 1997 (winner)
  • Miss USA 1997 (winner)
  • Miss Universe 1997 winner)

Brook Antoinette Mahealani Lee (born January 8, 1971) is an American former beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Hawaii USA 1997, Miss USA 1997 and Miss Universe 1997. Lee is the first native Hawaiian to win the title of Miss Universe.[1]

Early life

Lee was born on January 8, 1971, in Pearl City, Hawaii. She is of Chinese, Korean, Native Hawaiian, Portuguese, French, Dutch and English ancestry.[2] Her Korean grandfather emigrated to Hawaii in the 1950s. Lee's mother, Toni, was president of Na Pua Ke Ali'i Pauahi, an alumni association of the school who petitioned the board for reforms.[3]

Lee attended University Lab School for one year (1987–88) and graduated from Kamehameha Schools in 1989.[4][5] She is a graduate of Chaminade University.[6] Lee also pursued graduate-level studies in communications at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.[5]

Her Korean name is Lee Shi-nae (이시내).[7]

Pageantry

Miss USA 1997

Lee won Miss Hawaii USA, then went on to participate in Miss USA 1997 at Shreveport, Louisiana on February 5, 1997, and was crowned by outgoing titleholder Ali Landry of Louisiana.[4][8]

Miss Universe 1997

Lee represented the United States in the Miss Universe 1997 pageant in Miami Beach, Florida.[9] On May 16, 1997, she won the crown at 26 years and 128 days, becoming the oldest Miss Universe to win at the time.[9][10][11]

Lee and Al Masini, along with funding from the state, helped bring the Miss Universe 1998 pageant to Honolulu, Hawaii, for the first time.[2][12]

Career

"She is the host of KHON2’s “Modern Wahine Hawaii;” she is the co-host for the Podcast “It’s a Hawaii Thing;” and she dances hula at Halekulani’s House Without a Key.” She also believes in service to the community, taking on the Artistic Director role with the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame, where she produces the annual Lei of Stars installation of Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame inductees, and serves as the secretary for the nonprofit BEHawaii."[13]


References

  1. ↑ Kim, Leland (June 5, 2009). "Where are they now? Hawaii's Miss Universe Brook Lee".
  2. 1 2 Wilson (2000). Reimagining the American Pacific: From South Pacific to Bamboo Ridge and Beyond. Duke University Press. pp. 16–. ISBN 9780822325239.
  3. ↑ Rath, J. Arthur (2006). Lost Generations: A Boy, a School, a Princess. University of Hawaii Press. pp. 210–. ISBN 9780824830106.
  4. 1 2 "Never forget when Miss Universe Brook Mahealani Lee gave the best pageant answer ever". Hawaii Magazine. October 16, 2015. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  5. 1 2 "Hawaii's Miss USA jumps into the job". archives.starbulletin.com. Archived from the original on December 30, 2015. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  6. ↑ Kakesako, Gregg K. "Hawaii's Miss USA jumps into the job". Star-Bulletin.
  7. ↑ "[클로즈업]한국계 97년 미스 유니버스 브룩 리 : 연재 : 뉴스 : 동아닷컴". Donga.com. September 13, 2000. Retrieved September 1, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Miss Hawaii Named Miss USA". Newspapers.com. February 6, 1997. Archived from the original on July 19, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  9. 1 2 "Miss USA new Miss Universe". Newspapers.com. May 17, 1997. Archived from the original on July 19, 2021. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  10. ↑ "From the oldest to the tallest winners and backstage sabotage: 11 winning facts about Miss Universe". Channel. October 16, 2019. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  11. ↑ Power, Monito (June 18, 2021). "Who Is Andrea Meza? From Miss World and Miss Mexico, the Journey to Her Miss Universe 2020 Win". queenly.com. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Hawaii landing the crown jewel of pageants was like 'winning the right to host the Olympics'". archives.starbulletin.com. Archived from the original on March 2, 2014. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Celebrity Emcee". Chaminade University of Honolulu. August 16, 2023.
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