IMAN

Iman (1955, Mogadixo, Somalia) é unha modelo, actriz e empresaria. Foi a primeira supermodelo negra, nun tempo no que a xente cría que sería difícil que unha muller negra aparecese na portada dunha revista. Ó remata-la súa carreira, lanzou a súa propia liña de cosmética, pioneira en comercializar productos para mulleres de tódalas razas, con múltiples tons de pel. Tamén é coñecida polo seu traballo filantrópico, e colabora con varias organizacións coma Save the Children, UNICEF Go - 2 - School Initiative/Somalia, Dr. Hawa Abdi Foundation, e Hope for Congo. En 1992 casou con David Bowie.

O seu pai foi diplomático e embaixador, e a súa nai xinecóloga. Fala cinco idiomas, estudiou nun internado en Exipto e viviu en Tanzania e Kenia. Antes do golpe de estado de 1969 de Somalia, os seus pais estiveron involucrados no movemento pola independencia somalí nos anos 60. Eles inculcáronlle a crenza de que ninguén podía quitarlle a autoestima, e que ela, que era a única rapaza da familia, podía facer todo o que facían os rapaces, igual ou mellor. Tralo golpe de estado, a familia fuxiu a Kenia.

En 1975, Imán era unha refuxiada de vinte anos estudiando Ciencias Políticas na Universidade de Nairobi. Un día cando ía pola rúa, un fotógrafo preguntoulle se podía fotografala. Ela dubidou e comezou a alonxarse, e entón él díxolle que lle pagaría. Preguntoulle cánto diñeiro quería, e ela pediu 8.000 dólares, o total das súas taxas universitarias. Máis tarde, mudaríase a EE.UU. para comezar a traballar como modelo.

Cando comezou, as modelos negras cobraban menos cás brancas, pero ela negouse a aceptalo. A discriminación na industria da moda continúa hoxe en día, pois a maioría das modelos son de raza branca. Imán decidiu que apoiaría ás modelos máis novas para que poidesen segui-los seus pasos nunha profesión que a xente continúa crendo que non é indicada para elas.

Unha das organizacións ás que Imán presta apoio é á Dr. Hawa Abdi Foundation, que traballa para proporcionar asistencia médica, educación e agricultura a un grande número de somalís que actuamente carecen destes dereitos. Foi establecida pola doutora Hawa Abdi, unha das primeiras xinecólogas somalís e nominada ó premio Nobel da Paz. A fundación céntrase particularmente nas mulleres e nas nenas, pois actuamente Somalia está controlada polos extremistas, e convirteuse nun lugar especialmente hostil para as mulleres. A organización defendeu valentemente os dereitos dos somalís de a pé, coidando de ata 90.000 persoas a pesar dos ataques das forzas somalís.

Iman (1955, Mogadishu, Somalia) is a model, actress and businesswoman. She was the first black supermodel, at a time when people thought it would be difficult for a black woman to appear on the cover of a magazine. At the end of her career, she launched her own line of cosmetics, a pioneer in marketing products for women of all races, with multiple shades of skin. She is also known for her philanthropic work, and she collaborates with several organizations such as Save the Children, UNICEF Go - 2 - School Initiative / Somalia, Dr. Hawa Abdi Foundation, and Hope for Congo. In 1992 she married David Bowie.

Her father was a diplomat and ambassador, and her mother was a gynaecologist. She speaks five languages, she studied at a boarding school in Egypt and she lived in Tanzania and Kenya. Before the 1969 coup d'état in Somalia, her parents were involved in the movement for Somali independence in the 60s. They instilled in her the belief that no one could take away her self-esteem, and that she, who was the only girl in the family, could do everything boys could do, the same or even better. After the coup d'etat, the family fled to Kenya.

In 1975, Imán was a twenty year old refugee studying Political Science at the University of Nairobi. One day when she was going down the street, a photographer asked her if he could photograph her. She doubted and started to get away, and then he told her that he would pay her. He asked how much money she wanted, and she asked for $ 8,000, the total cost of her university fees. Later, she would move to the USA to start working as a model.

When she started, black models were paid less than white ones, but she refused to accept it. Discrimination in the fashion industry continues today, as most models are white. Imán decided that she would support younger models so that they could follow in her footsteps in a profession that people continue believing that is not suitable for them.

One of the organizations that Iman supports is Dr. Hawa Abdi Foundation, that works to provide medical assistance, education and agriculture to a large number of Somalis who currently don't have these rights. It was established by Doctor Hawa Abdi, one of the first Somali gynaecologists and nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize. The foundation focuses particularly on women and girls, because nowadays Somalia is controlled by extremists, and it has become a specially hostile place for women. The organization bravely defended the rights of ordinary Somalis, taking care of up to 90,000 people despite attacks by Somali forces.