Halima Aden, a 19 year old Somali-American, is breaking glass ceilings by participating in the running to represent Minnesota in the Miss USA Pageant in 2017 by being the first contestant to wear her hijab, a traditional Muslim headpiece, through all the rounds. She is currently competing in the Miss Minnesota USA Pageant against 45 other women, to ultimately represent Minnesota in the Miss USA Pageant in 2017.

A big question that has been asked since the announcement of Aden's participating is what she will wear during the bathing suit round? According to A StarTribune article, Aden got in touch with pageant officials and, "...was approved to wear a chaste, two-piece 'burkini' during the swimsuit segment — judged on the woman’s self-confidence, physical fitness, poise and grace, among other factors." (Source)

This isn't the first time that Aden has dealt being a pioneer. The same StarTribune article stated, "She said she was the first Somali-American to participate in student government in college and later crowned the first Muslim homecoming queen at St. Cloud’s Apollo High School." (Source)

Could she be any more inspiring? In an interview with TEGNA station KARE, her message to other women was, "“Be who you are. It’s easy to feel like you have to blend in, but it takes courage to live your life with conviction and embrace the person that you are." (Source)

Not only is she an inspiration to other Muslim women, but she is also an inspiration to women who feel more comfortable being covered up, and for women who feel too pressured by Western societal norms to branch out into fields no one has ever gone into before. We're cheering for you Halima Aden, and regardless of what the account is, thank you for encouraging women to be strong, be unafraid, and to be themselves.