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Naima Mora Profile |
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Birth Date: March 1, 1984
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Birth Place: Detroit, Michigan, USA
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Birth Name: Naima Mora
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Height: 5'9"
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Biography |
Naima Mora was born on March 1, 1984, in Detroit, Michigan.
Along with her twin sister, Naima grew up in a household
infused with multicultural sensibilities (her father is
black and Native Mexican, while her mother is Irish and
black). Naima spent much of her adolescence engaged in one
rebellious pursuit after another, and could often be spotted
clubbing at all hours of the night whilst drinking heavily
and abusing drugs. Her wild ways came to a head after she
passed out for about half an hour at a local club one
particular evening.
“I had [too much to drink] and did drugs and just collapsed
in the middle of the floor,” Naima remembers. “No one could
find me because I was in the middle of the floor. I was so
wasted, I did not even know. They peeled me off the floor
and sent me home in a cab.” Naima emerged from that dark
period in her life with a renewed sense of ambition, and
threw herself into her education. Having spent a large part
of her childhood pursuing ballet, Naima quickly enrolled
herself at the Dance Theater of Harlem and began working as
a waitress to make ends meet.
It was around that time that Naima, after being urged by her
friends, decided to audition for America’s Next Top Model.
Though it took a couple of months for her to get a callback,
Naima was soon invited to join the show’s fourth season.
With her mohawk and introverted persona, Naima was generally
thought to be a long-shot to walk away with the title of
“America’s Next Top Model” (cast mate Kahlen Rondot was the
favorite to win).
Nobody was more surprised than Naima when she wound up
taking the grand prize, which consisted of a fashion spread
in Elle, a contract with Ford Models and a $100,000 contract
with CoverGirl cosmetics.
Not surprisingly, Naima has been keeping extremely busy in
the time since America’s Next Top Model; she’s modeled for
various magazines, participated in runway shows for top
designers, acted as a judge at the 2005 Miss Teen USA
Pageant, and even tried her hand at performing (she had a
small role in an episode of Veronica Mars).
With her triumphant stint on America’s Next Top Model behind
her, Naima has been working furiously to ensure her success
and continued viability outside of the show. “I've worked so
hard to get here,” she remarks. “I don't want to let it slip
through my fingers. I plan to work as hard as I can to get
to where I want to be.” To that end, Naima continues to take
on a variety of modeling gigs while at the same time
pursuing other avenues.
In 2006, she wrapped up filming on an independent film
called Sarbanes-Oxley, and has made an appearance in a music
video for TV on the Radio’s “Wolf Like Me.” Whatever the
future holds for Naima, there’s little doubt that she’s more
than just another flash-in-the-pan reality star. “I’m very,
very proud of myself,” she says. “I don’t feel like a
teenage girl anymore. I feel like a beautiful woman and a
flower that has blossomed.” |
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Other
Information |
Her favorite TV show is "Law & Order" (1990).
Her favorite movie is Whale Rider (2002).
Trained as a dancer.
Is of Irish, African American and Mexican descent.
Has a twin sister, Nia, who is a photographer.
Was named after the John Coltrane song "Naima". |
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