Dearborn's Own Miss USA Continues to Break Barriers

In May 2010, Dearborn’s own Rima Fakih became the first Arab-American and Muslim to be crowned as Miss USA. Nearly a year later, Fakih’s success has made history and continues to create headlines–most recently, as a cast member on an upcoming reality TV show.

Born in Sour, Lebanon, Fakih’s family immigrated to New York when she was just 7 years old. It was at that young age where Rima’s mother, Nadia Fakih, knew her daughter had something special.

“When she was young she was always so strong,” Nadia said. “In school, if someone came ahead of her in something she always wanted to be No. 1. She was fearless, determined and did everything she set her mind to.”

In 2003, the family moved to Dearborn. According to Nadia, she and her husband Hussein Fakih, decided to move to Dearborn because they wanted to be around their own people and family. And from Dearborn, Rima–also a student at the University of Michigan-Dearborn–earned the title of Miss Michigan.

Rima’s journey through the pageant world was a tough one, according to Nadia. Nadia says what most people don’t realize that it’s not just about looking beautiful, but it’s maintaining who you are. Rima’s upbringing was the opposite of all things superficial. Nadia was even against Rima changing her hair to a different color in order to keep her natural beauty.

Nadia said that the best thing that came from all the glamour Rima experienced was that she stayed true to roots.

“Because she is a girl of Arab descent and practices the Muslim religion … that was the best part,” Nadia said. “She did it all by herself. We supported her and encouraged her, but she did everything on her own.”

Shortly after Rima won, the Muslim community began to voice their disapproval and media outlets began to release controversial photos of America’s newest princess.

“Nothing changed–believe me everything was the same,” Nadia said. “We know our daughter and we know who she is and we know how much she struggled to get where she is today.”

The only difficulty the Fakih family endured was not being able to see Rima very often. As she prepared to begin a new lifestyle in New York City to serve her duties as Miss USA, it was rough on Nadia to accept that she and her daughter would be separated for quite some time.

“It was a big surprise for me, and I didn’t think something like this was going to happen,” Nadia said. “I didn’t know they were going take her from me to your New York … and so I started crying again.”

Every so often, Rima comes back to Dearborn to share a home-cooked meal and to spend time with her family and friends. One of her closest friends is Amber Scherbaty, who works at . Upon entering Scherbaty’s work room, pictures of Rima are posted on each corner of a large mirror.

An emotional Scherbaty spoke about how disappointed she was in how the media portrayed Rima shortly after she earned the title of Miss USA.

“I've known Rima for about six years,” Scherbaty said. “I hope people can see the boundaries and stereotypes she’s trying to break every day. She's as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. Closed minds should open an ear and let God do the judging.”

Scherbaty, along with several of Rima’s closest friends and family members, watched Rima’s crowning of Miss USA at restaurant.

“When she won … I stood up and froze,” Scherbaty said. “I couldn't believe what I heard. My sister shook me and yelled, 'She won!' and I burst into tears and my heart was overwhelmed.

“Then Rima said, ‘Ask me how I feel after I eat a pizza’ and I said, ‘That's my girl.'”

A few weeks after Rima’s win, Scherbaty spent some time at Rima’s house going through Rima’s new and finer things in life. She said she picked up one of Rima’s custom made shoes and compared that shoe to Cinderella’s slipper.

“The shoes that were made for her in my eyes … were the shoes that she has climbed and moved mountains in, which is why I refer to them as that,” Scherbaty said.

Both Nadia and Scherbaty believe that Rima has paved the way for many future ethnic contestants. Nadia said that in the most recent Miss Michigan draft, which she and Rima attended together, there were a handful of Arab-Americans hoping to follow in Rima’s footsteps.

Thus far as Miss USA, Rima has become a spokeswoman for breast and ovarian cancer education; she had made a number of appearances at notable events such as speaking at Ronald Regan’s centennial celebration; and has also attended an American Chamber of Commerce conference in Cairo with former president Bill Clinton.

Most recently, Rima is set to appear in a reality show with World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. called Tough Enough.

The show will air on Monday nights beginning April 4 on the USA Network. Though there is something unique about a pageant winner on a wrestling reality show, Scherbaty says that wrestling is Rima’s favorite sport.

In June 2011, the new Miss USA will be crowned and Nadia and her family plan to take a trip to Lebanon for the summer. Every now and then, Nadia says she watches on DVD the day her daughter made history and she and her husband could not be more proud of Rima’s accomplishments.

“A lot of people are telling her (Rima) you are changing the way people think of Arabs and Muslims as a whole,” Nadia said. “It’s a good thing.”

Correction: This article originally stated that a show featuring Fakih, Tough Enough, would be airing on MTV. That is incorrect. The program will actually be shown on the USA Network.