A lot of people have the misconception that, as a Muslim woman, I am somehow against women wearing bikinis. No, I want women to feel comfortable and confident in whatever they wear.

My goal is to send a message to Muslim women and young women everywhere that it's okay to break stereotypes and be yourself.

There are so many Muslim women that feel like they don't fit society's standard of beauty. I just wanted to tell them it's OK to be different; being different is beautiful, too.

When I was younger, I didn't have that type of person that I could look up to and be like, 'OK, this is someone who dresses like me and I relate to.' I didn't have that growing up, so to give that opportunity to a younger generation of women - and not just Somali women, but anyone who feels different - that means a lot to me.

It's always been hard trying to find the right pieces that go together, but it's always been something that interests me - finding new ways to be fashionable and cute but still being modest.

You don't have to show a lot of skin to be beautiful.

What I do is I always try to educate myself about my neighbors, about the people I meet.

We all have different things that make us strong and weak, but if we communicate and we really open ourselves and open our hearts, you're going to be amazed by the things that you can learn.

A lot of people had a misconception that I would be the perfect poster child for Islam. So I got a lot of Instagram comments like, 'Oh, you don't have your neck covered, you're not a Muslim!' My thing is, stop judging women, especially if you're a man, because you don't know the responsibility that comes with wearing a hijab.

I know that for me, a lot of people will look at me and they'll think 'Somali' or 'outsider' instead of 'Minnesota.'

To be honest, before I joined the industry, I knew very little about the fashion world, and I hardly knew any name brands. Probably because the price tags were a little too high, and home girl needed to work.

I like shopping at retail places like JC Penney or Macy's, and maybe buying a top or a shirt, and then buying a skirt from Rue 21 or Forever 21 because they have the maxi skirts, which I appreciate so much, and then topping it off with something that I buy from a Somali shop.

People I looked up to a lot were, you know, Oprah because she had a rough childhood but overcame so many obstacles and broke barriers to become who she is. It was really eye opening to me: just because I had a rough childhood doesn't mean that I can't make something of myself.

What I have learned is that designers are willing to tell the world that they are here to empower women from all different backgrounds and different walks of life.

I love speaking at schools. That's always my favorite because I wish I'd had someone who was like me come speak at my school.

I think to be Miss U.S.A., first of all, you need to represent everybody, all of us here.

I made a lot of mistakes growing up, trying so hard to fit in. I got so lost trying to please everybody.

I think it's important to be diverse, and I hope we continue to see that as a trend in the fashion industry.

Shopping for hijabs has always been fun for me. I was so excited to begin wearing a headscarf. I had always looked up to my mother as she wore hers, and I was eager to emulate her beauty and the wonderful things she represented.

I feel best when I am modestly dressed. It's a choice I make and am proud of; for me, I don't think I have to show skin to be beautiful.

There is a misconception that young Muslim women are oppressed. That simply isn't the case. I choose to dress modestly and choose to cover my hair with a hijab; not all Muslim women make that choice, and that's okay. We are all different!

I never grew up seeing women that looked like me in magazines or on TV and didn't feel like I had a place in the world of fashion. I am honoured to be part of that change.

I think often the West does not understand the history and the privilege of wearing a hijab. They always think of oppression.

When you're a kid, to be honest, you could be in the worst situation ever, but you're still going to have ways to enjoy it.

It's important to remember all the millions of people that are starving.

I learned that when you stand up for what you believe in, you'll get a lot of support. But there are always going to be negative things said about you.

When I was younger, I got bullied for wearing my hijab.

I'm covered up, but I'm still getting these comments that say I shouldn't be. But the girls who wear the bikinis, they're being told they're too revealing! Enough. It's their body, their choice.

Wearing modest clothing is a belief, and I'm not going to say that every Muslim woman is in my shoes, but the majority of us do have a choice.

I don't just want to support only Muslim women. I want to inspire women across the board, and I'm hoping they won't allow things to get in the way.