MonaLesa Diamond Returns To Pageantry In Full Modesty

After a decade-long hiatus, MonaLesa Diamond Brackett, 36, returns to pageantry in full modesty with hijab and burkini – making history as one of the few women to represent modest fashion at this level of pageantry. She will compete in the Miss New York USA 2025 pageant this August in honor of her late mother’s legacy.

The former Miss DC America Pageant 2013 4th runner-up began her pageantry journey at the age of 16 with a start seemingly written by fate.

“I have no idea who got me started,” she said. “It is the funniest story. I was ending my junior year… and a girl came up to me.” A fellow student had shared an invitation to compete in Miss New York Teen USA which started her interest in participating in pageants.

She competed for several years, but the pageants came to an abrupt halt in 2016, when her mother was diagnosed with cancer. When she aged out of the Miss USA pageantry system, she went on to start multiple philanthropic businesses through her sorority chapter. But, wanting to compete was still at the forefront of her mind.

“I thought that I could never compete again, but it kept weighing on my heart, and I’m just like, ‘God, why are you torturing me?” she said. “Why do I keep thinking about this if I cannot have this? What’s going on?’ And then, they made an announcement that the age restrictions were removed.”

After her break from pageantry, she was worried people would tell her to “give it a rest.” To her surprise, she was met with support and donations from the communities that she serves.

Now she’s back to compete, but this time it is in honor of her mother, who worked as a hair salon owner and helped her raise funds for competition fees. MonaLesa’s mother encouraged her to believe in her potential. She passed in 2018 from colon cancer. This led MonaLesa to get tested for Gardner’s Syndrome, a rare condition linked to colon cancer. She describes her mother as someone who cared for others before herself. Although her mother practiced Christianity, MonaLesa believes her caring personality aligned strongly with Islamic values.

“She was such a good Christian that she was Muslim, she just didn’t know it,” she said. 

MonaLesa said she finds peace in her Islamic practice. She studied multiple religions before choosing to convert to Islam at age 32. She was raised in a Christian household, and notes there are minimal differences between religions. However, Islam called to her in a way others did not.

“[Islam] resonated so much more,” she said. “A Muslim is simply someone who submits their will to do God’s will.”

MonaLesa said she relies on her faith as a source of confidence. Therefore, she decided to compete dressed in full modesty, a sign of humility and a reminder of god in Islamic faith. Aside from this, her preparation for the pageant is just like any other participant – eating well and exercise. She has lost 45 pounds since realigning with her health goals, shedding the weight she gained after the passing of her mother. 

“The thing about it is I’m already a pageant girl, so I already have the experience… plus modesty,” she said. “That gives me the greatest advantage because it’s one thing to walk out in a bikini, right? However, it’s a completely different thing to come out fully covered when everyone else is in a bikini. So that’s a whole different level of confidence, to be able to stand alone and be different.”

“They will see my abs in the way I stand, the way I walk, the way I talk… my confidence when I speak,” she said. “When someone is fit, you see it when they walk in the room. I don’t care what they’re wearing, I’m working out to be my best self. Because modesty is not a cover up for a lack of hard work,” she said.

MonaLesa said her modesty gives her a sense of ‘royalty.’ When she last competed, she did not know who she was yet. She says she was not her best self. However, this time, she feels grounded.

“I feel like I needed to become this person for me to win,” she said.

The Miss New York 2025 pageant is held from August 15-17 in Albany, New York. The winner of Miss New York USA will advance to compete at Miss USA 2025 and potentially Miss Universe.