Call Him Mister Connecticut: Jean Carlo Salazar’s Journey as Nurse, Model and Pageant Contestant

Call Him Mister Connecticut

Jean Carlo Salazar’s Journey as Nurse, Model and Pageant Contestant

By Frank Rizzo

Sometimes, and against what appears to be insurmountable odds, you just have to believe in yourself.

That’s the creed of Jean Carlo Salazar.

“You have to have faith in yourself because if you don’t, you have nothing,” says Salazar, 26, who lives in East Haven.

Salazar is in a downtown New Haven coffee shop telling me about his challenging immigrant journey from Colombia to Connecticut and how it led to a career in nursing, work as a model and now as a representative of Connecticut at the Mister USA pageant in Los Angeles  in July.

Dressed casually in a white waffled long-sleeved jersey, jeans, and white New Balance sneakers, Salazar is strikingly handsome with piercing green-hazel eyes but also approachable with an open, easy-going manner and welcoming smile.

He was born in Cali, Colombia and raised by a family of women—a single mother, grandmother, aunt and older sister. “Even our dogs were female,” he laughs.

At the age of 10, his family—now including a stepfather—emigrated to Connecticut. In 2018 he became a naturalized citizen.

They lived in West Haven before moving to Middletown where he was bullied as a gay teenager unsure of himself, leading him to finish school early. “Kids can be evil, and it was very tough.”

Coming from a conservative Catholic family, his coming out process as a gay teen was rough, too, he says, “It took some time for my family to say, ‘We love you. You are our child. And we don’t care what our religion or society says.’”

Because his family was struggling to fit in with its new country, Salazar had to figure a lot of things out for himself, especially his route to college and finding a career path.

“I knew I was on my own, but something beautiful my mom instilled in me was that in this country education is key to success.”

While working at Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks, he studied at Middlesex Community College in Middletown to become a phlebotomist. He then earned a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology at Southern Connecticut State College and followed that by earning a second Bachelor of Science degree in nursing at UConn. That led to positions at Stamford Hospital and Yale-New Haven Hospital, “which shaped me to be the nurse I am today.” 

In 2023, he became a board-certified ICU nurse, and he  currently works for Option Care Health in Shelton. He is also purusing master’s degree at Quinnipiac University to become a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.

Two years ago, a New York photographer saw a picture he posted on Instagram and reached out to him to see if he would be interested in modeling.

“I had no idea who this person was, and though I was shy and scared, I took a risk and said yes. Thankfully, he was a really nice person.”

Those professional photographs led to his work for a modeling agency, portfolio photo shoots, and even covers for Ardent and Vero magazines and Vero’s online platform, HoN magazines.

He learned about the Mister USA competition through his sister, Maria Camilla Medina, a marketing specialist, who won the Reina Latina 2024/2025 pageant earlier this year in Danbury.

Salazar sent in an application and received a phone call the next day for a pageant interview on Zoom. In February, he was chosen to represent Connecticut and will compete in Los Angeles in July for a $50,000 modeling contract. The winner will compete for Mr. Universe in Los Angeles in November for a six-figure cash prize. He describes the experience so far as “surreal.”

The Mister USA program describes itself as a “quest for male excellence” and celebrates “diversity, beauty, intelligence, and empowerment.” The winners, called “ambassadors,” are fit, intelligent, socially aware, and charismatic. 

“They’re truly looking for people who do advocacy work,” says Salazar. “That’s where I want to bring in my own unique story.” He says his immigrant narrative, his LGBTQ+ identity, and the challenges he faced, along with his passionate advocacy on behalf of healthcare and nursing, is what he hopes will make him stand out.

He adds, “for me, that means recognizing failure and using those experiences to ultimately succeed,” says Salazar. “It requires facing challenges head-on and embracing them to foster perseverance and personal growth.

“They’re truly looking for people who do advocacy work. That’s where I want to bring in my own unique story.” He says his immigrant narrative, his LGBTQ+ identity and the challenges he faced, along with his passionate advocacy on behalf of health care and nursing, is what he hopes will make him stand out.

“I want to raise some awareness about how nurses are a catalyst to the healthcare industry,” he says.

Style is also one of the competitive categories, and that includes formal wear and swimwear (i.e. Speedos). He describes his fashion sense as “stylish relaxed athletic.”

If there is a talent segment, which hasn’t been confirmed yet, Salazar, who also plays piano, would like to perform a piece by composer Ludovico Einaudi.

Even prior to applying for the competition, Salazar, who is single, had been working out at Powerhouse gym in North Haven just to get in better shape for himself, working on nutrition, gaining muscle and bulking his six-foot frame to around 180 pounds.

All along the way over the past 10 years, he says, there were naysayers who told him he couldn’t pursue his dreams. “But you have to do what you have to do and grow a thick skin. Life isn’t always fair, and we know that, but you can’t continue to victimize yourself.”

Jean and “Team Salazar,” will embark on a cross-country road trip to the nationals. He is still seeking sponsorship via his Instagram @salazarj_98.