Halima Aden Quotes

"If there's one message I want people to take away is never compromise being your authentic self. Even if that means making others uncomfortable."

"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."

"Always stay true to who you are - barriers can and will be broken!"

"Skin care is so much more important than makeup. Makeup is for when you're having fun and going out. But your skin is forever."

"How boring would this world be if everyone was the same?"

"For a really long time, I thought being different was a negative thing. But as I grew older, I started to realize we were all born to stand out; nobody is born to blend in."

"I remember, when I lived in a refugee camp, it was the people who weren't Somali, the people who came from Western countries, who helped the most. I remember being six and thinking, 'I want to be one of those women,' because I knew how much they helped us."

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

"I truly believe diversity is beauty."

"America has always been a land of diversity, basically made up of immigrants, and that is something I want to see continued. It's something I'm proud of when people think of America."

"Moisturizing every night is important. When you're 50 or 60, it's going to show if you don't take care of it. You have to prepare when you're young, so you still have that healthy, glowing skin when you're 60 or 70."

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

"Moving to the U.S. was an adjustment. I noticed that the kids played in groups. Back in Kakuma, everyone played together."

"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."

"There's always room to volunteer. I think that's a huge space to be involved with."

"I say this all the time, but my hijab, it really is my crown, and it's something that I bring to the table. It's something that makes me unique. It shows the world who I truly am."

"I choose to focus on the positive."

"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."

"Society puts so much pressure on girls to look a certain way."

"The hijab is a symbol that we wear on our heads, but I want people to know that it is my choice. I'm doing it because I want to do it. I wanted people to see that you could still be really cute and modest at the same time."

"Product-wise, I use a morning and night cleanser. I'm really not a brand person."

"I want everyone to live to their full potential without having to fear someone will try to knock them down or discriminate against them."

"For me, being able to say that my first-ever photo shoot was with one of the most well-known and iconic fashion photographers in the world is unbelievable."

"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 is not one description of beauty - that in fact it has different faces, different stories, and different background, and it's important to embrace all of those."

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

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

"If you think people are against you and that you're a target, things will start appearing that way. I just go about my day, and I don't think anyone is out to get me."

"I haven't received any pressure to be anything other than myself, and for that, I am so grateful."