DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Ameera Hashwi, 25, an attorney and proud hijab-wearer, broke pageant tradition on Sunday, August 10, by becoming the first woman in a hijab to win Miss Wayne County. In Dearborn Heights – a city with deep Muslim roots – her victory, while hailed as groundbreaking, also felt right at home for many in the community.

On Instagram, Hashwi introduced herself as the new titleholder and highlighted her service initiative, Step Up and Serve, which promotes fitness and community engagement.

From law clerk to pageant crown.

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According to her LinkedIn profile, Hashwi works as an attorney at Seward Henderson PLLC. She previously clerked for NORMA Group and the Cochran Firm in Detroit, worked as a data entry specialist at Zoom Ride, interned for Michigan Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer and is a Wayne State University grad in economics and law.

Praise and pushback.

Support poured in from fellow contestants, with Miss Greater Kalamazoo Lauren Mroczek calling her a “groundbreaker and change maker.” But not everyone was on board. Conservative commentator Laura Loomer dismissed the win as “gross,” while another critic on X warned of “Michigan being conquered by Islam.”

What’s next?

With this win, Hashwi advances to the Miss Michigan pageant and possibly even Miss America. She follows in the footsteps of Halima Aden, who almost a decade ago was the first hijab-wearing contestant in Miss Minnesota USA.