Minnesotan honored to wear a hijab during Miss Minnesota USA pageant

A Somali-American woman is competing in the Miss Minnesota USA contest.

19-year-old Halima Aden of St. Cloud will be wearing a hijab and a full-body outfit called a burkini during the swimsuit competition. She also modified her evening gowns.

Aden says she'd been bullied for wearing her hijab and hopes the pageant will help end some of the misconceptions about her religious and cultural beliefs.

“I’ve been so overwhelmed by the positive support I’ve been getting from community members, from girls all over the country. Some girls from Indonesia messaged me saying that they were really proud of me, and what I was doing was inspirational to them. That made it all worth it,” Aden said.

The winner of the competition moves on to the Miss Universe pageant formerly owned by President-Elect Donald Trump.