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Every year, Stanly County sends a young lady to the Miss North Carolina pageant. But this year, it will also send someone to the Miss USA pageant.
The Miss Arab USA pageant, that is.
UNC Chapel Hill medical student Hadeer Metwally, whose family hails from Albemarle, was one of 20 Arab-American contestants selected for the national contest this year.
On Sept. 10 in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, she will square off in a series of contests similar to those seen in the classic Miss America contest, only with a more specific aim.
“Redefining the Arab woman as a leader and a force for good in modern society,” Metwally said.
Born in a small village in Egypt. Metwally moved to the U.S. in 1997. After operating a number of restaurants in Georgia, her parents, Sammy and Enas Metwally, decided to slow-down and move to Albemarle where they now operate a single restaurant, Palermo’s.
“My dad just loved cooking Italian food,” Metwally noted of the cuisine choice. “My mom cooked more Egyptian food.”
After a year at Albemarle High School, Hadeer was accepted at the N.C. School of Math and Science. She then attended undergrad at N.C. State University before going to medical school at Chapel Hill.
Currently finishing up her final year there and applying for residencies, Metwally said she never had an interest in being in a pageant before.
“It just wasn’t something I thought about,” Metwally said.
However, as conflict-fed stereotypes crept into her friends’ conversations over the past few years, she developed a hunger to show people something different. While searching for groups that addressed the image of Arabs in the U.S., she came across the Miss Arab USA organization and decided to give it a go.
“All we see on TV is the bad,” Metwally said. “This was my chance to show people the other side, too.”
Out of thousands of contestants, she was one of 100 selected for an interview. Of that 100, she was one of 20 to be selected for the competition.
“I’m so excited to have this chance,” Metwally said.
To further support the work Miss Arab USA does, Metwally aims to raise $5,000 for the organization before the pageant. So far she has raised about $1,000.
“I hope the people of Stanly County will support me in this,” Metwally said. “Everyone here has supported my parents for years, and I love them for that. ... I hope they can take pride in this. It’s their moment, too.”
Through the organization, she also hopes to set up a networking website to connect Arab students with Arab mentors in their field of study.
“I know first-hand how much that is needed and I hope this will be my way to help,” Metwally said.
To find out more on the project and pageant, visit her website at www.hadeer4missarab.com.
To donate, click on the PayPal Donation button at the bottom of the page or mail checks to the Miss Arab USA Organization (with the memo “In sponsorship of Hadeer Metwally”) to 420 West Roosevelt St., Phoenix, AZ 85003.
http://www.thesnaponline.com/news/local_news/student-raises-funds-for-miss-arab-usa/article_398e8588-6933-11e6-a6be-77a0cb37a193.html