Riley Hedstrom chatted with #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos about being the inaugural 2024 Mr. America Global winner.
Hedstrom on Mr. America Global
On being a part of the Mister America Global family, Hedstrom said, “It is super exciting. When I found out I was going to be Mister American Global 2024, I was both shocked and excited.”
“I knew it was going to be a lot of work so I was worried about balancing my full-time job as a BI engineer with the training involved for the upcoming competition in Thailand this fall but fortunately, the Mister America Global team has been very flexible with me,” Hedstrom noted.
“I am super excited for that because I’ve never been to Thailand, and Thailand has been on my list for a long time,” he admitted. “I have been so focused on the competition in Thailand this fall; it is going to be really cool,” he foreshadowed.
Mr. America Global is the premier national male pageant in the United States, open to men ages 18 years and over. The competition is more than just a showcase of style and presence—it is a transformative experience designed to empower participants with the skills, confidence, and knowledge to excel both personally and professionally.
Significance of the Mr. America Global organization
On the importance of the Mr. America Global organization, Hedstrom remarked, “This is my second time performing in the pageantry world. Working with this organization has been a really different experience.”
“The time and energy that Mr. America Global has invested in me has really blown me away, between our in-person training sessions each month, online check-ins, setting up photoshoots, and finding different modeling opportunities for me,” he said.
“The organization has gone above and beyond to make sure that I am prepared for the Mister Global competition in Thailand this fall. This organization really means a lot to me because of all that,” he elaborated.
Hedstrom on his advocacy for Mr. America Global
Hedstrom revealed that his advocacy for Mr. America Global will focus on men’s mental health. “It is something that people have struggled with personally, or they have seen others close to them struggle with mental health issues,” he said.
“I am really hoping I can use my platform to share my own experiences with mental health issues and to create more discourse is that space, and to highlight some of the organizations in the U.S. that I’ve worked with that specialize in men’s mental health issues,” he acknowledged.
“We wanted to use this opportunity to raise awareness there and to reduce the stigma,” he added.
Hedstrom on competing in Mister USA last summer
Hedstrom recalled his time competing in Mister USA last summer, where he represented the state of Minnesota (his home state). Hedstrom ended up finishing up in the Top 10 in the competition, and he was crowned as “Mr. Fitness.” “That was a really cool experience because I went into that completely blind,” he said.
“I was pretty surprised. That whole experience was really cool, especially since I hadn’t done anything like that before, and it was really cool getting to know the other contestants,” he said.
“I was not expecting to win the ‘Mr. Fitness’ title; it is fitting though since I’ve been involved in a lot of fitness activities in my life. That was cool since I didn’t expect to get named for anything,” he admitted.
“I still keep in touch with a handful of contestants there, and I see them every once and a while, so overall, that was a really fun experience,” he added.
Closing thoughts for future Mr. America Global contestants
Hedstrom remarked, “I hope future contestants of Mr. America Global are able to learn and grow as much as I have since working with this team. It has been a lot of work, but it is also an investment in myself and a growth opportunity.”
“I am hoping the next Mr. America Global can take away these new skills and the confidence I’ve gained from working with this team. They always treat me like a king, so it has been great. Overall, it has been an awesome experience,” he concluded.
To learn more about Mr. America Global, visit its official website, and check out its Instagram page.
For more information on Riley Hedstrom, follow him on Instagram.
