Rima Fakih

Rima Fakih Slaiby (Arabic: ريما فقيه; born September 22, 1985) is an American former professional wrestler and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss USA 2010. Having previously been crowned Miss Michigan USA 2010, Fakih was the first Arab American woman and the third woman from Michigan to win the Miss USA title.

Fakih was a contestant in season five of WWE Tough Enough, where she trained to become a professional wrestler. In 2018, she became the national director of the Miss Universe Lebanon Organization. As a philanthropist and advocate, she has worked with numerous organizations in the United States and in Lebanon devoted to providing assistance for women and children.

Rima Fakih was born on September 22, 1985, in Srifa, Lebanon, to parents Hussein and Nadia Fakih. She is the fourth of five children. Fakih was raised in a Shia Muslim family. She spent her early life in the village of Souk El Gharb, and attended a Catholic school near Beirut.

In 1993, Fakih and her family moved from Lebanon to New York City due to the effects of the Lebanese Civil War. After arriving in the United States, the family settled in Jackson Heights, Queens. Fakih attended St. John's Preparatory School in Astoria, while her father ran a restaurant in Manhattan. In New York, Fakih's family faced discrimination, and believed that this was due to events in the Middle East. Business at her father's restaurant began to rapidly decline following the September 11 attacks in 2001.

In 2003, Fakih moved with her family to Dearborn, Michigan, home to one of the largest Arab American populations in the country. After moving to Michigan, Fakih attended Henry Ford Community College and later received degrees in economics and business management from the University of Michigan–Dearborn. Initially, Fakih had planned to attend law school after completing her reign as Miss USA. Prior to becoming a pageant titleholder, Fakih worked at the Detroit Medical Center in development and recruiting the Arab American community.

Fakih first began competing in pageantry at age 19, when she placed as the fourth runner-up at Miss Wayne County, a qualifying pageant for Miss Michigan within the Miss America system. She went on to compete in three minor international pageants.

In 2008, Fakih was selected to represent Michigan in the Miss Lebanon Emigrant pageant. The pageant was meant for women belonging to the international Lebanese diaspora, with the winner going on to compete in Miss Lebanon. Fakih placed as the second runner-up in the competition, behind winner Carina El Kaddissi of Brazil and first runner-up Jessica Kahawaty of Australia.

In 2009, Fakih won Miss Michigan USA 2010. As Miss Michigan USA, she received the right to represent Michigan at Miss USA 2010. Miss USA was held at the Zappos Theater within Planet Hollywood Las Vegas on May 16, 2010. After competing in the preliminary competition, Fakih was crowned the winner, her win ended a five-year streak of southern states winning the title. Following her win, Fakih became the third woman representing Michigan to win the Miss USA title following Carole Gist at Miss USA 1990 and Kenya Moore at Miss USA 1993, the first winner from the Midwest since Shandi Finnessey at Miss USA 2004 who won representing Missouri.