Evan Percin chatted with #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos about representing Michigan in the 2026 Mister USA competition, which will be held in late July of 2026 in Las Vegas.
Margaret Mead once said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” This quote applies to professional pilot Evan Percin, 22.
Mister USA
Mister USA is an American beauty pageant, which is held annually, and the winner goes on to represent the United States in the Mister Universe competition. It is a celebration of culture, diversity, beauty, intelligence and empowerment.
It believes in the power of young leaders to make a difference in the world. It is not solely about outer beauty; it recognizes the inner beauty and intelligence of their contestants.
On competing for Mister USA, he exclaimed, “It feels awesome to be here as Mister Michigan, and to be able to be in the running for Mister USA is an absolute honor. So, I’m very honored and very grateful.”
Repping Michigan
Regarding his ties to Michigan, he shared, “So, I grew up in Michigan. I love the ‘Great Lakes State’ and all that it has to offer in terms of its natural beauty. We live on Lake Sherwood in Commerce Township, Michigan, and the community there is amazing.”
“Everyone helps each other, people are kind, we tie our boats together, and we listen to music at the lake. It is really a fantastic time. So, I don’t think there is a better spot to have grown up in,” he acknowledged.
“It is really a fantastic time. So, I don’t think there’s a better spot to have grown up in,” he added.
Advocacy for Mister USA
On his advocacy for this year’s competition, Evan remarked, “So, my advocacy is that I want to inspire young men to be able to live their life to the fullest in every single sense. I feel that today, a lot of young men are kind of scared to live their dreams and to listen. I want them to live fearlessly. When there’s a lot of fear in the world, you must go beyond the lines of fear.”
“I want to challenge young men to constantly test the boundaries of fear and find what they truly want and love in life. So, living fearlessly is my advocacy this year,” he added.
Daily motivations
On his daily motivations, Evan stated, “There are a lot of things that motivate me. I would say I strive for betterment for myself and for those around me because I want to be the best version of myself. I don’t think I’m ever going to be complete, but I can always get a step closer to being complete.”
“Every single day and every single time, I compound these efforts in terms of my fitness, in terms of my friends and connections, in terms of flying airplanes, and in terms of business. Every day counts and every day makes you stronger and makes you and those around you succeed more. So, I’m really just striving towards betterment for myself and others,” he elaborated.
Future plans
On his future plans, he said, “My plans for the future are to continue scaling in terms of my aviation career. So, I want to fly professionally, either corporate or for the airlines. I want to continue acting, posting on social media, and traveling the world.”
“I want to inspire others to live fearlessly and do exactly what they want, because I wasn’t truly satisfied until I lived behind the lines of fear. I think now, since I started doing this, I feel a lot more confident and I want others to learn that as well,” he noted.
“So, seeing the world, exploring the world, becoming an airline pilot, keep acting and keep rolling are my plans,” he added.
Stage of his life
Regarding the title of the current chapter of his life, he revealed, “Revenge Tour.” “It is time to really do what I said I was going to do… it is time for me to build my businesses,” he said.
“It’s time to fly airplanes. So I’m on the ‘Revenge Tour’ to succeed and to help so many people that nobody can help but not notice,” he said.
Superpower of choice
If he were to have any superpower, it would be “more knowledge” because he would like to know what lies behind the meaning of everything. “I would like to know why we’re here, why some people suffer, why some people don’t, and what happens after. I have good ideas and senses of what does happen but I would like to have the knowledge of the world so I can share it and help other people,” he explained.
Career-defining moments
As part of his career-defining moments, he listed “moving to Florida” all by himself at the age of 18. “I was away from my family and it was really quite an adventure,” he said. “There are so many ups and downs within the aviation industry. I had to do a lot of really hard work with this training.”
“When I moved to Tampa, a lot of crazy things happened, but I realized that I can’t live fearfully. You have to keep pushing because all that’s stacked against you just means it’s going to be a better turnout at the end,” he added.
Success
On his definition of success, Evan said, “Success, to me, means that you can provide and love those around you and show that loudly. Go after your goals… and be fearless with your goals because you never know what is going to happen.”
To learn more about 2026 Mister Michigan Evan Percin, follow him on Instagram.
