Richie Grabowski chatted with #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos about repping Iowa in the 2026 Mister USA pageant.
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 being a part of the 2026 Mister USA, the 21-year-old remarked, “It feels great! It’s a blessing. Such a good feeling. I am very stoked and excited. I can’t wait.”
“While I don’t have any personal relations to Iowa, this was the state I was assigned and I am super blessed to be given this opportunity to be the head of that state in this competition,” he added.
Advocacy for Mister USA
Regarding his advocacy in this year’s Mister USA, Grabowski said, “What I am pushing a lot is really trusting God’s plan because it’s way easier said than done. I think a lot of people just sit back and let God take the wheel, but God is going to steer your boat. I think it’s super important that you have to row the boat. You have to be the motor behind the boat following God’s plan.”
“It’s super easy for people to just let stress and anxiety take them over as a person and let the whole outside world just cave in on them and for them to just shut down. I am really just trusting in God’s plan because at the end of the day, His plan is bigger than ours,” he added.
Why he should win Mister USA
When asked why he should win Mister USA, he responded, “I have a great family. I love my family and I am super close with them. I grew up in a family of five. I’m from New Jersey, so I’ve lived on the Jersey Shore my whole life.”
“I played sports my whole life. I am super competitive. I went on to play college football for two years when I went to college in 2023, before I entered the Transfer Portal. Entering the Transfer Portal really woke me up as a person. I felt it really just opened my eyes to the real world and gave me a different perspective of the amount of opportunities I have in the palms of my hands,” he elaborated.
“So, I decided to come out here. I’m in Phoenix, Arizona, now. Mainly my objective is to build my personal brand and give people a role model to look up to. I just want to give people hope and give people a good understanding of how far discipline and trusting the process can get you in life,” he elaborated.
Plans for the future
On his future plans, he shared, “Basically, I’m trying to grow my personal brand. So, I want to grow myself on socials and in the real world as well. I want to be given opportunities. I can’t wait, especially for the show.”
“I can’t wait to meet new people and make all these connections. Life right now is all about who you know. It’s all about connections. I’m super stoked to meet all these great people, these great competitors, and the great people around the organization,” he said.
“I can’t wait to see what we can all bring for each other to the table. Honestly, I want build some great connections and friendships all around. One day, I would like to become an entrepreneur. I want to own my own business. I can’t see myself working under someone else and I can’t see myself working at an hourly rate,” he elaborated.
“I am really motivated to get myself going from an entrepreneur standpoint and just really grow my own income and my own personal brand,” he added.
Stage of his life
On the current chapter of his life, he remarked, “Right now, I’m in Arizona and I’m focused on fitness, school and my socials. I’m still in college at the moment. I do have plans on reentering the Transfer Portal for football in the future. So, I do have plans on going back to playing college football after this.”
“I’m just taking things step by step, and putting it in God’s hands, and I’m just living day by day right now,” he added.
Success
On his definition of success, he said, “Success, to me, comes down to a couple of things. Growing my relationship with God, growing my relationship with my family and friends, and building my name and image. Also, being confident in yourself. That is one of the best feelings in life.”
“My goal is to make my family proud. I want my family to be able to brag about me, in a sense. I want to leave this world a better place than when I came here. I want to enter the gates of heaven knowing I did everything I could to make this place a better place, and just make an impact on this world,” he explained.
Message for his fans
For his fans and supporters, he said, “To my fans of Iowa, I’m super blessed. I’m super excited to represent your state. I know I might not have all the affiliation with the state of Iowa, but I cannot wait to be the head of your state in this year’s Mister USA 2026 competition. Only time will tell.”
Closing thoughts on Mister USA
Grabowski remarked, “What I want people to get out of me is that I am more than just a figure or something. I want people to realize that I have a strong personality. I want people to really understand my personality and know that I’m a good person. I have good morals. I come from something good.”
“I have a good foundation and I have my head on straight,” he noted. “I’m so excited to be given any opportunity that comes my way.”
To learn more about 2026 Mister Iowa Richie Grabowski, follow him on Instagram.
