Miss Montana USA talks about how she almost didn't compete at Miss USA!

Merissa Underwood is an Environmental and Animal Rights activist. She attended Loyola Marymount University pursuing a degree in Political Science. In 2019 she won the title of Miss Montana USA which allowed her to speak openly about the relationship between Animal Agriculture and Climate Change, as well as the ethics of living a vegan lifestyle. As cattle ranching is one of Montana’s largest revenue sources, she was attacked and ostracized for her beliefs. Angry members of the Animal Agriculture industry created a change.org petition which garnered thousands of signatures to strip her of her title of Miss MT USA. She was harassed endlessly across social media platforms and even threatened physically in person by gun wielding ranchers holding military grade weapons in downtown Missoula. Rather than hide and remain silent, Merissa continued to speak out for animals and environmental protection as she traveled across Montana speaking to different groups about the benefits of a vegan lifestyle. During this journey she discovered the importance of speaking to those who disagree and responding with empathy and love, even when hatred was thrown in her face. These experiences brought her to have multiple Op-Ed pieces published, including one in the Billings Gazette, Montana’s largest newspaper. She was a panelist speaker at the Earth Optimism Summit for EarthDay.org in 2020, has been interviewed on many podcasts, including Our Hen House, and went on to compete at Miss USA 2020. 

When not using her voice for the planet you can find Underwood DJing, writing, or singing.

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Vegan Blogs mentioned in the show:
Cruelty Free Kitty
Ethical Elephant