Stefano Garcia chatted with #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos about representing Washington, D.C. in the 2026 Mister USA competition.
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 is definitely really cool. This was something that I wasn’t expecting at all. When they reached out to me, I was really excited.”
“When I spoke with Jino, the CEO, the whole mission really aligned with me, so I am very excited to be a part of it,” he noted.
“Mister USA seems really cool, and I am very, very blessed to have been presented this opportunity,” he added.
Repping our nation’s capital
On representing Washington, D.C., he said, “D.C. has significance in my family’s history because my father first immigrated there from Venezuela. So, it’s really interesting and my uncle lives in Washington, D.C. as well.”
“While I live in Miami, Florida, I’ve been to D.C. a few times and I liked it a lot. It’s a very beautiful place, and the fact that it’s our nation’s capital is super cool,” he added.
Advocacy in this year’s Mister USA
On his advocacy for Mister USA, he shared, “I really believe in purpose and standing for something greater than yourself. Also, living a life of service towards others and being the best man that you can be in order to push others and bring others up there with you.”
“I’m a man of Catholic faith and that is a big part of my life. I am trying to push other people to be the best versions of themselves they can be and I try to help in any way that I can,’” he acknowledged
“Honestly, that is my main mission… to truly inspire other people to be better, not just for themselves, but for the people around them. It’s kind of a domino effect,” he added.
Daily inspirations
Regarding his daily motivations, he remarked, “Well, I’m someone who has always been extremely passionate about being better as a person not just physically, but mentally and spiritually as well.”
“I am trying to help the people around me, and I want to be a brighter light in their lives as well. What drives me is that I want the people that may look up to me to see a man of integrity… that’s a big thing for me,” he explained.
Why he should win Mister USA
On why he should win Mister USA, he responded, “I should win Mister USA because I believe that the winner should be someone who genuinely does stand for something more than themselves.”
“As someone who is participating in this competition, my whole objective and purpose isn’t just to serve myself,” he noted.
Stefano continued, “I see it as a platform to put out my message to make a greater impact on those around me and show them that the person that wins — the person that succeeds — is someone who lives a life of purpose.”
“Also, the winner is someone who lives a life with a mission and takes action to be who they want to be and lives a life that they know will impact other people and that will serve other people, someone who lives selflessly and someone who basically lives a life of service,” he elaborated.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, he revealed, “Building.” “I truly am in such a building stage,” he said. “I feel like I’m always in a state of growth. I feel that I can always try to be better, and I don’t mean that in an unhealthy way.”
“I mean that in a way of being able to look at yourself and realize like, I’ve come a long way, but there’s always room to improve,” he clarified.
“There are always ways that I can be better, not just for myself, but to repeat it again for the people around me,” he added.
Success
On his definition of success, he said, “For me, success means being someone that other people can say has made a positive impact in their lives.”
“True success comes from being able to push past the roadblocks in your life, to be able to get past all these hard times and be a better person for you, but also to have made a significant impact on at least some people’s lives, whether it’s in your close circle or in the world,” he elaborated.
Closing thoughts on Mister USA
For his supporters, he said, “The one thing that I want people to get out of me competing in Mister USA would probably be another part of my mission.”
“I feel like it’s hard for me to always include everything that I have in my mind, but it’s that people, especially men are worthy of what they want, but they have to take the action and live with the intention to be able to prove it to themselves,” he noted.
“I’m someone who used to struggle deeply with self-image. I don’t know if this is a little too exaggerated, but maybe even self-loathing, I’ve been through very hard times in terms of internal battles with myself,” he elaborated.
“I realized that a lot of the things and a lot of the pressures I was putting onto myself really, truly don’t define me, and that is was up to me to make that difference,” he admitted.
“I could make the choice to be the man that I wanted to be, and I want others to see that they can do the same as well, and that they are never trapped,” he concluded.
To learn more about Stefano Garcia, follow him on Instagram.
