Hijabi teen makes it to top 15 in Miss Minnesota USA pageant

Halima Aden in Miss Minnesota USA competition.
Halima Aden competed in the Miss Minnesota USA pageant wearing a burkini and headscarf.
Courtesy of Future Productions and the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA state pageants

The 19-year-old Somali-American teen who made history this weekend by competing in the Miss Minnesota USA pageant wearing a burkini and a hijab didn't win the title, but made it to the top 15.

Halima Aden, of St. Cloud, was the first Muslim woman to compete in the state pageant covered head to toe. Before the pageant she said she wanted it to be an venue to show the world who she is comes at a time her community needs positive representation.

Even though she didn't win the title, Aden was greeted by loud cheers and a line of news cameras as she entered the stage, reaching her goal of raising awareness about the hijab and her religious beliefs.

The winner was Meredith Gould, a 22-year-old from Minneapolis.

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