Miss USA bags Miss Earth crown

MANILA, Philippines — Miss USA Lindsey Coffey was crowned Miss Earth 2020 during the 20th anniversary edition of the pageant yesterday morning, held virtually for the first time due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coffey is the first American representative to win the title.

The Philippines’ Roxanne Baeyens was named Miss Earth Water, Denmark’s Michala Rubinstein as Miss Earth Fire and Venezuela’s Stephany Zreik Miss Earth Air.

In an Instagram post, Coffey wrote about her “life-changing moment,” promising to become a voice “to inspire and make a difference.”

“Tonight was life-changing. We made history as the first USA representative to earn the Miss Earth crown,” she said. “I joined the Miss Earth sisterhood to become a voice, to inspire, and to make a difference in our world. Now is that opportunity.

She said now is the time for action, the time to be more than country. “We are not just citizens of our nation. We are citizens of the world, and once we start to view one another as such we will always find success. As your Miss Earth, that is the legacy I will leave behind me.

“Miss Earth is justice. Miss Earth is hope. Miss Earth is life.”

She thanked the Miss Earth USA team for guiding and supporting her. She also thanked the sponsors. “Thank you to everyone who believed I was meant to do this and thank you to Carousel Productions for giving me the opportunity to stand for something much bigger than myself,” she said.

She also congratulated her court for being “strong, intelligent women representing their respective countries.”

Coffey, according to the Miss Earth USA website, is a political science graduate who is passionate about “law, animal rights, mental health, ethics and morality, and environmental protection.”

Meanwhile, the country’s bet Baeyens said she was grateful for the experience and thanked her supporters during the coronation event.

“I’m just so grateful for the entire experience and of course, to the Miss Earth organization for making us find power in our voices, to continue our advocacy journey during these trying times,” she said. “ I can’t wait for me and my eco-sisters to have an amazing reign. Thank you for the love, and always send love for Mother Earth.”