RIMA FAKIH

They say 'expect the worst.' I say 'Expect the best and even better will happen.'

I understand there are a lot of people looking up to me.

I consider myself to be blessed. I have a family that is a mix of different religions and different ethnicities. I hope everyone can look beyond the bikini or beyond the whole beauty pageant stereotype of Miss USA, and realize that what I'm doing is more significant than just that. It represents the United States as a country of opportunity, where you can do anything you want to, and ethnicity and religion cannot stop you.

My family is just an amazing melting pot of wonderful religions and faiths.

My father always said, "You don't know who you are until you know where you came from." That's one thing I always remembered. The other thing that my family always taught me was respect and reputation. You always respect yourself.

I do like to have fun. I don't need alcohol to have fun.

Everyone should be proud of who they are and where they come from because America is a big melting pot of diverse ethnicities. It's great to be part of this wonderful country.

I'm not a party animal; I took my job as Miss USA very seriously... Sometimes, of course, I want to let it all go. Even though I'm a beauty queen, you're also an unofficial ambassador, and there's a lot of pressure.

I'm Miss USA, not Miss Religion USA.

America is the land of opportunity, and people can live in America and be who they want to be. Don't deny your faith. Don't deny your ethnicity. Don't stereotype Muslim women, because as you can see with me, or in Lebanon, for example, beauty is appreciated.

I went out with some old friends and we were having fun. A couple of them were very intoxicated. When I went to leave, I refused to let them drive. So when I got pulled over, I was the driver.

My family is just an amazing melting pot of wonderful religions and faiths.

I'm Miss USA, not Miss Religion USA.

I do like to have fun. I don't need alcohol to have fun.

We're a Muslim family, but we're also very cultured and we have a mixture of different religions. For example, my brother-in-law is Catholic, and my sister converted and my nephews are baptized. I have an uncle who just graduated and currently he's a priest.

Everyone should be proud of who they are and where they come from because America is a big melting pot of diverse ethnicities. It's great to be part of this wonderful country.

My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was 13 and it was something we weren't really aware of as a family.

They say 'expect the worst.' I say 'Expect the best and even better will happen.'

I believe that birth control is just like every other medication even though it's a controlled substance.

I'm not a party animal; I took my job as Miss USA very seriously... Sometimes, of course, I want to let it all go. Even though I'm a beauty queen, you're also an unofficial ambassador, and there's a lot of pressure.

I understand there are a lot of people looking up to me.

America is the land of opportunity, and people can live in America and be who they want to be. Don't deny your faith. Don't deny your ethnicity. Don't stereotype Muslim women, because as you can see with me, or in Lebanon, for example, beauty is appreciated.

My father always said, "You don't know who you are until you know where you came from." That's one thing I always remembered. The other thing that my family always taught me was respect and reputation. You always respect yourself.

I consider myself to be blessed. I have a family that is a mix of different religions and different ethnicities. I hope everyone can look beyond the bikini or beyond the whole beauty pageant stereotype of Miss USA, and realize that what I'm doing is more significant than just that. It represents the United States as a country of opportunity, where you can do anything you want to, and ethnicity and religion cannot stop you.