Marisa Butler of Maine has been named Miss Earth USA 2021 during the competition aired Jan. 17 on the VIP Pageantry channel. The pageant took place at the Chapin Theater inside the Orange County Convention Center of Orlando. After the United States took home the most recent Miss Earth crown, Butler aims to give the United States a historical back-to-back win at the international competition.
Age 27, Butler is a graduate of Stonehill College, holding a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. She was on the collegiate cheerleading, soccer and lacrosse teams and now works as a financial advisor. Butler also represented Maine at Miss USA 2016 and served as America’s representative for Miss World in 2018.
As Miss Earth USA, Butler is awarded numerous prizes, travel and endorsements as well as the $5,000 Rosen Scholarship to aid in environmental efforts. She will serve as spokesperson for The Clean Earth Project, wildfire restoration and other environmental efforts. Miss Earth is the only international pageant endorsed by the United Nations Environment Programme.
Butler will represent the USA at the Miss Earth competition later this year. Managed by Carousel Productions of the Philippines, Miss Earth focuses on empowering women, promoting eco-tourism and aiding environmental causes. Each year, nearly 100 delegates known as “beauties for a cause” represent their nations during the highly anticipated month-long competition.
Last year’s Miss Earth USA Lindsey Coffey of Pennsylvania was the first American delegate to capture the Miss Earth crown. Coffey crowned Butler at the end of the pageant, held at the acclaimed Orange County Convention Center. Pre-pageant activities included a project with Keep Orlando Beautiful and Garbo Grabber, the HOTWORX spokesmodel competition and various challenges such as talent.
“We have learned a great deal on how to protect one another during this pandemic. Our venues were very helpful to ensure protocols were followed,” said National Director Laura Clark. “We hope spirits were lifted by the talents and smiles of these amazing young women who represent beauty for a cause.”
National competition included categories of community service, interview, multimedia, swimwear, runway and evening gown. Judges are notable pageant experts Bill Alverson, producer of “Insatiable” on Netflix; Elizabeth Safrit, second runner-up Miss World; Mara Martin, Sports Illustrated model; Andreia Gibau, Top 10 Miss USA; and Kimberly Pixton Millar, fashion designer.
The top 5 national court included Alyssa Klinzing of California, Alyssa Magalong of Colorado, Kennedy Thomas of Alabama and C’yana Denby of Maryland. The national director of Miss Earth USA is Laura Clark, founder of Beauty for a Cause USA 501(c)3 charitable organization, based in Northern Virginia.
The stage competition is available for viewing on the VIP Pageantry mobile app and television channel on Roku, Apple and Amazon Fire TV. Visit missearthusa.com for state program information and missearth.tv for international pageant information.
