Today we’d like to introduce you to Ameera Hashwi.
Ameera, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
One day while scrolling on TikTok, I came across a law student who was competing in the Miss America Opportunity and talking about how meaningful the experience had been for her. She shared how it helped her improve her community service efforts, build strong connections, and earn scholarship money. That immediately caught my attention, especially as someone who was already passionate about service and education.
Later that same day, I looked up the Miss America Organization, found the local pageants in my area, and decided to sign up for my first one. That decision ended up being a turning point in my life. Competing helped me sharpen my communication and interview skills, improve my public speaking, and grow as a leader. Just as importantly, it introduced me to mentors and community partners who helped me expand my service work, while also providing me and others with scholarship opportunities.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I wouldn’t say it’s been a completely smooth road. I’ve been competing in the MAO pageants for several years now, and with each competition, I’ve learned more about myself. After every competition, I took time to identify my strengths and weaknesses and worked hard to improve them.
When I first started, I struggled with figuring out what to present for my talent and what my service initiative should be. At the time, I was volunteering with several different organizations that focused on a variety of causes, which made it difficult to narrow my focus to one specific issue I felt most passionate about. Over time, through experience and reflection, I was able to discover which causes truly resonated with my heart.
Now, I’m incredibly grateful to use my title as Miss Wayne County to continue giving back to my community and advocating for the causes that mean the most to me.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I love to help people. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been the person others come to when they need advice, support, or help figuring something out. That’s followed me through every stage of my life. In undergrad at Wayne State University, I was elected to student senate, and students would regularly come to me with problems they were dealing with, whether that be academic, personal, or administrative. During law school, people constantly asked me for advice about applying to law school and how to set themselves up for success. Now, as an attorney, that hasn’t changed at all. I’m still the person people call when they have questions or need to be pointed in the right direction, and I genuinely love being able to help.
Outside of my career, fitness and community service are huge parts of who I am. Running has always a big part of my life. I’ve been a volunteer run lead with Detroit Muslim Run Club for the past three years, helping organize weekly runs, community events, and health-focused initiatives. That experience showed me that fitness can be about more than just physical health it can be a way to build community and give back.
That’s what led me start my initiative, Step Up and Serve, which encourages people to stay active while also serving others. Through charity runs, fundraising events, and health education efforts, I use movement as a way to make an impact. In November, I helped host a 5K where all of the funds raised were donated to the Dream of Detroit, supporting their work revitalizing neighborhoods and empowering local communities. I’ve also been involved in runs that raised money for displaced families, worked with organizations supporting marginalized women and children.
What I’m most proud of is staying committed to service, even when life gets busy or overwhelming. I am the first hijabi Miss Wayne County and the first hijab-wearing titleholder in the Miss America Organization. Representation matters to me, and I’m proud to show that you can stay true to your identity while still leading, serving, and showing up fully in every space you enter.
At the end of the day, I’m known for being reliable, approachable, and service-driven. Whether it’s through my work as an attorney, my role in the community, or my platform as Miss Wayne County, my goal is always the same to help build and uplift communities.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I don’t think there’s just one quality that’s been most important to my success. However, one quality that has played a major role is being action oriented. Many people talk about the change they want to see but never take steps to actually make it happen. I’ve always believed in following words with action showing up, doing the work, and turning ideas into tangible results.
Pricing:
- As I get ready to compete for Miss Michigan, I’m fundraising in support of heart health and the Miss America Scholarship Foundation through the AHA Go Red × Miss America partnership. If you’d like to support this cause, donations can be made at the link below. http://spot.fund/p94vcn1sc
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