View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lindsey Coffey (@lindseymariecoffey)

MANILA – “I still haven’t found the words. My heart is so full.”

These were the words of Miss USA Lindsey Coffey after she was named the first Miss Earth titleholder from her country on Sunday morning, Manila time.

Saying her victory is quite life changing, Coffey said in a lengthy Instagram post that she joined the Miss Earth sisterhood “to become a voice, to inspire, and to make a difference in our world.”

Now that she has been given that opportunity, Coffey said it is time for her to make action, to be more than her own country.

“We are not just citizens of our nation. We are citizens of the world, and once we start to view one another as such, we will always find success. As your Miss Earth, that is the legacy I will leave behind me. Miss Earth is justice. Miss Earth is hope. Miss Earth is life,” she said.

• USA named Miss Earth 2020; Philippines wins Miss Earth Water

The 28-year old beauty then went on to thank all the people who had her back throughout her Miss Earth journey.

“Thank you to my Miss Earth USA team for guiding and supporting me. Thank you to our sponsors. Thank you to everyone who believed I was meant to do this and thank you to Carousel Productions for giving me the opportunity to stand for something much bigger than myself,” she said.

Coffey also congratulated all the Miss Earth 2020 elemental court winners and all the strong, intelligent women who represented their country.

“Continue to grow and continue to inspire,” she wrote.

During the competition’s final question-and-answer portion, the Top 8 delegates were asked how they would reconcile fake news with the concept of truth especially during a year that has brought so many conspiracy theories and conflicting news.

For her answer, Coffey said: “There have been many conspiracy theories going on. It is very difficult and hard to decipher what to believe and what not to believe. But this is why it is crucial to really look into your sources, try to find reputable sources that you can actually trust.”

“It’s very important during this time to focus on that because now more than ever, we need to respect science. We need to respect the solid evidence that’s brought before us. That’s why it is very critical to really follow up on your research and talk to one another and don’t really focus on the first thing that you hear,” she added.

Aside from Coffey, the other contestants making up her elemental court are the Philippines' Roxanne Baeyens as Miss Earth Water 2020, Denmark’s Michala Rubinstein as Miss Earth Fire 2020, and Venezuela’s Stephany Zreik as Miss Earth Air 2020.

Coffey succeeded Nellys Pimentel, the first-ever Puerto Rican winner of the Miss Earth pageant.

RELATED VIDEO FROM THE ARCHIVE

Watch more in iWantv or TFC.tv