Philip Fusco is a man of many talents: personal trainer, fashion model, influencer, environmental advocate, and life coach. He chatted with #Powerjouranlist Markos Papadatos about his road to Mister USA, where he will be representing the state of New Hampshire.
Bestselling author Sarah Ban Breathnach once said: “The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do.” Philip Fusco embodies this wise quote.
Background on the 2024 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. They believe 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.
The pageant will be held on August 11, 2024 in Hollywood. The winner of Mister USA will subsequently represent USA at “Mister Universe” on September 28, 2024 at The Biltmore in Los Angeles.
“The road to Mister USA has been amazing so far,” Fusco said. “All the publicity from Mister USA and Mister Universe has been incredible. It is a little nerve-wracking because I just saw the big stadium that we are going to be in, and it’s huge. It is actually a cool journey and a really cool opportunity. I feel very blessed to have been nominated to be a part of a big campaign like this.”
Fusco on using Mister USA to make a positive difference in the world
“With the Mr. USA platform, it will afford me with the opportunity to help a wider range of people than I have ever had,” he said.
“I want to use this platform to try to connect with more individuals, especially those that are looking for some sort of inspiration, in any way, shape or form,” he expressed.
“Serving in the capacity of a personal trainer, I advocate health and healthy living. I am hoping this platform will bring me closer to people that need some kind of inspiration. I love helping people create meal plans and diets to reach their goals. I want to help elevate them mentally,” he said.
Philip Fusco: The environmental advocate
Fusco has a passion for such important causes as climate change, soil health, and regenerative agriculture. “Also, I want to use this platform to have raise more awareness on the environment, especially soil health, regenerative agriculture, and organic food because food is medicine,” he said.
“I encourage anybody to watch the environmental documentaries ‘Kiss the Ground’ and ‘Common Ground’ because the future generations depend on this. If the soil dies, humans die. Regenerative agriculture is essential to help reverse climate change,” he elaborated.
“The environment and nature have always been a big thing for me from the beginning,” he acknowledged.
Representing the state of New Hampshire
On being “Mr. New Hampshire,” he said, “I think it’s pretty cool. I do have some connections in New Hampshire; it’s a nice state. I’ve always enjoyed it; it is very peaceful with a lot of nature, and I’m a big fan of nature. It works for me. I like being Mr. New Hampshire. I am going to represent this state as best as I can.”
Daily motivations
“Always wanting to do better! I always try to help somebody or some situation out every day. Whether it is helping a homeless person by giving them food or helping out a charity, I always want to do something good and positive each day. I have a drive to try to make people happy and try to make myself better as a person, so that I can help people more.”
Future plans
Regarding his future plans, he shared, “I am really comfortable where I am at. I want to keep doing this for as long as I can. I definitely want to get bigger in the life coaching and personal training sector because I want to help people improve their mental health.”
“I just want to keep doing better and keep being better,” he added.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Fusco acknowledged, “I am in a Renaissance or Rebirth.”
Defining moment
Fusco revealed that a defining moment for him was when he made his first magazine cover for “Exercise for Men,” especially since he wasn’t sure how modeling would be like. “I didn’t know if it was going to be something real, or something along the lines of a hobby,” he said.
“That allowed me to start a platform where I start vlogging and connecting with people. I was able to talk to people and hear their stories,” he added.
Best thing about being his age
Fusco addressed the best thing about being his age. “The best thing about being my age is that I already feel like I’ve experienced a lot,” he admitted. “I am not in my 20s anymore. I feel like I’ve experienced everything that I feel I should have experienced.”
“Doing modeling from a young age definitely helped me grow up faster, and it taught me how to communicate with people more effectively,” he added.
Success
On his definition of success, he said, “For me, success has no monetary value. Success is a measure of how happy I am because it means that I am doing what I am meant to be doing.”
Closing thoughts on Mister USA
Fusco stated about “Mister USA,” “I want people to know that they shouldn’t hold themselves in a box or conform to anything they are not comfortable with. I want Mister USA to be able to teach people that they can do whatever they want, and they can accomplish whatever they want to accomplish as long as they put their mind, heart, and soul into it.”
“There are a lot of stigmas going around on how people should do certain things or be a certain way. Mister USA and all of these pageants should teach people that they do not need to live in a box, and they don’t have to follow stigmas: you can be yourself and you can be the best version of yourself,” Fusco concluded.
For more information on Philip Fusco, follow him on Instagram.
