I am a full-time model, advocating for climate action and environmental protection. My passions include law, animal rights, mental health, ethics and morality, and environmental protection. My authenticity helped me during the Miss Earth competition by being able to have a genuine connection with my audience.
1. Tell us about your background and journey.
My life came with the best of both worlds. I grew up in a small town in the country riding quads and playing sports, while also flourishing through the hustle and bustle of city life from New York to LA.
I studied Political Science at University focusing on political behavior from a variety of perspectives as well as looking in-depth at governmental structures.
After university, I spent my time globetrotting visiting remarkable places, and meeting even more remarkable people. Through my travels, I gave a piece of my heart to every country I visited, vowing to leave her a little better than how I found her.
This past year I wrote a new chapter. I jumped into the pageant scene not knowing what to do or what to expect. As a rookie newbie, all I knew was my passion to make a difference in the world and that passion drove me through my doubt and my uncertainty, right into the history books.
Now, a world traveler, full-time model, and your first ever Miss Earth 2020 from the USA, I am truly blessed.
2. What is your greatest strength and how did it help you to become Miss Earth 2020?
My greatest strength is my authenticity. I never noticed it much until I kept being commended for it. Being unapologetically you lead one on a path of joy, confidence, and fulfillment.
My authenticity helped me during the Miss Earth competition by being able to have a genuine connection with my audience. When a person can see you for you, it creates a connection based on sincerity and appreciation.
3. What is your opinion of body image created by the media and how hard is it to put up with it?
When it comes to societal beauty, we were given the blessing of choice and perception. The media is a saint and a sinner. Avoid outlets and influencers who make you feel less than you and start practicing kindness and inclusiveness.
Use your own social platform to promote justice and equality, and begin supporting and encouraging one another. Healthy is beautiful, not a waist measurement, hair color, or facial feature.
Healthiness is happiness and happiness is about focus. If you are upset by your reality, change your focus, which will in turn change your reality.
4. How important is social media validation in your profession?
I am not the biggest fan of social media, however, it plays an important part in my career. As a model, having a social media presence is important when it comes to exposure and gaining new clients.
Social media helps you market yourself to give clients a better idea of who you are and what your brand is. It also works as an additional advertisement for companies. A client will book a social media influencer to promote their product broadening their reach.
Unfortunately, social media validation is a thing, however; there are successful models who do not have as large of a presence.
5. How can one take care of their mental health in this high-pressure glamorous field?
There is no one way to take care of mental health. There are many ways to reduce stress, depression, and anxiety such as speaking to a healthcare professional, diet and exercise, plant therapy, and meditation.
It is critical to gain self-awareness for mental health as solutions are found within identifying the cause. When you acknowledge your trigger you can analyze your emotions and adjust accordingly. Talk it out with a professional, a trusted loved one, or even with yourself.
By becoming self-aware and learning how my mind works, I developed the gift of rationalizing and breaking down my reactions in a beneficial and logical way.
6. Do beauty pageants help or hurt how society views women?
This is all about perception and knowledge. Speaking from my past self who only knew the stereotypical and trivial idea of pageantry, I strictly viewed it as a beauty contest not seeing the substance within. When I learned of the background and platform aspect, my perception completely changed.
Pageantry gives women opportunities to learn, grow, bond, and overall develop as a person while blessing them further with the opportunity to make a difference in the world.
Because of the lack of knowledge and a general understanding of pageantry, one's viewpoint on the industry may be demeaning or derogatory, but we see that with everything in life such as racism and inequality.
People can not relate to instances they have not experienced and they dislike what they do not understand. Ignorance is not always bliss.
7. What are some of your upcoming projects?
I have several organizations I want to collaborate with on awareness campaigns as well as host a global webinar. These projects are in the works so I must stay hush-hush.
8. Which is your favorite book and why?
I honestly do not have a favorite book and often just mention one I really like. I enjoy 1984 by George Orwell, Half the Sky by Nicolas Kristof, and A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson.
1984 is a beautifully dark perception of society. Orwell takes the questions of how should we look, speak, feel, and think and rests them in the hands of our government, our “Big Brother”. This is a great book that opens your eyes to new perceptions of society’s nature.
Half the Sky is a touching and eye-opening novel about the struggles and oppression of women. This book tells you how women really do hold up "half the sky”.
Lastly, A Short History of Nearly Everything is exactly what it says it is! The reader is taken through the beginning of time and into the realm of scientific evidence and theories about our planet and beyond.
9. What message would you like to give the world about beauty pageants and the girls who want to be a part of it?
When it comes to beauty pageants or anything in life, learn about it before you speak upon it. Pageants teach girls and women skillsets that carry them through life. Modern-day pageants are not solely about extrinsic beauty but also intrinsic.
There are segments within each pageant that teach women how to present themselves, create friendships, prepare for an interview, while also teaching confidence and fueling passions.
When it comes to pursuing pageantry, my best advice is to stop doubting yourself, be kind, stay open-minded, give your absolute best, show your authenticity, and lead with zero expectation.
Instagram ID - @lindseymariecoffey
My passions include law, animal rights, mental health, ethics and morality, and environmental protection.
I graduated with a B.A. in Political Science, held a Communications Art minor, as well as a concentration in Professional Writing. During my undergraduate studies, I focused on government, public policy, and political behavior using humanistic and scientific perspectives. I also studied rhetoric, theater, and the art of citizenship in both civic and professional communities.
My education continued in Italy, Turkey, Cyprus, Israel, and Greece, learning of their social and political history, as well as investigating the current economic trends in each country.
Currently, I am a full-time model, advocating for climate action and environmental protection.
Miss Earth 2020, Miss Earth USA 2020
Interviewed By - Aditi Ashok
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