Marwa Lahlou, a Moroccan-American, said she overcame "severe bullying" to get to where she is today. Her childhood dream became a reality when she was crowned Miss Arab USA 2022 in Arizona out of 20 exceptional Arab American women. The beauty queen is now on a quest to celebrate her life as an American while upholding her roots, a duty she claims she does not take lightly.
This July, the annual pageant made a comeback following a two-year hiatus related to the pandemic. First runner-up was American-Palestinian Joanna Rashid, and second runner-up was American-Lebanese Maria Bassil.
According to the Lahlou, the competition was fierce amid the other gorgeous and intelligent contenders. Without the support of her family and friends her dream seemed out of reach. After moving from Morocco to the USA at the age of 12, and being one of the few Arab students at her school, Lahlou was no stranger to adversity. Commenting on her pasts she said: "Unfortunately, I suffered from terrible bullying my first year there, but I was still content, proud, and fortunate to have loving parents and family.” “I made the decision not to allow that experience break me, but rather to use it to mold me into the person I am today," she continued.
Her goal is to assist those in need, including refugees, young women, children, and the homeless, as well as to serve as an advocate for those in need. She shares experiences and insights on American culture to Arab immigrants to help in their transition to the west. Her philosophies on volunteer work shone through during her time in the Miss Arab pageant.
Lahlou completed a master's program in marketing and international business management at the University of New Haven in Connecticut. She is also fluent in Arabic, English, French, and Spanish. Evidently, the young model has both beauty and brains!
