Fatima Siad is a well-known Somali-Ethiopian fashion model who came in third place on Cycle 10 of ‘America’s Next Top Model.’ When she starred in the American reality television series, she was already a rising model known for her exotic beauty, grace, and poise, and she received a lot of praise and sympathy for the courage with which she divulged painful personal facts about her background on the show. She was born into poverty in Somalia and grew up in a shattered family. Her mother tried to raise Fatima and her sisters on her own when her parents divorced. The family’s hardships were exacerbated by the Somali Civil War, which resulted in the deaths of her two sisters, leaving the sad young girl alone with her mother. The mother and daughter moved to the United States in the hopes of starting over. The immigrants’ first years in America were difficult, but she ultimately found friends and focused on her schoolwork. She had never considered being a model, but as fate would have it, she quickly found herself a burgeoning fashionista. She auditioned for ‘America’s Next Top Model’ on the spur of the moment and was chosen. She disclosed on the show that she was circumcised as a child in Somalia, which helped to bring attention to the terrible process that many African girls are forced to endure.
Childhood and Adolescence
She was born in Mogadishu, Somalia, on December 17, 1986, to a Somali mother and an Ethiopian father. She was one of two sisters. Fatima’s parents had a rocky marriage and divorced when she was a child.
Her early years were marred by tragedy, and she grew up in a terrible environment. During the civil war, both of her sisters were killed, leaving her alone with her bereaved mother.
She was forced to endure genital mutilation at the age of seven, a widespread but brutal procedure in several African cultures. This incident would haunt her for years before she could get the fortitude to tell the world about it.
After the deaths of her other daughters, her mother was scared for Fatima’s safety and fled to the United States to ensure the future of her lone surviving daughter. Fatima was 13 years old at the time.
Fatima became an insecure child with low self-esteem and confidence as a result of her painful childhood experiences. Her first years in the United States were challenging.
She was a high school student in Boston, Massachusetts. She attended Spelman College after high school and then Bryn Mawr College in 2004. She was slim and studious as a student, with no intention of pursuing a modeling career. She spent some time at New York University studying pre-med and political science before returning to Bryn Mawr College to complete her education.
Career of Fatima Siad
Fatima had never been a stylish young lady. When she was in college, however, some friends observed her height, shapely physique, and elegance and advised her to pursue a career as a model, a thought that had never occurred to the nerdy girl.
She was tall, thin, and had beautiful features. She had no notion, however, that she was stunning! However, at the persuasion of her friends, she began to dress more elegantly and soon gained confidence in her beauty.
When auditions for the reality television show ‘America’s Next Top Model’, cycle 10 were held in 2008, she decided on a whim to audition. She was nervous because it was a spur-of-the-moment decision. She breezed through the audition and was chosen as a candidate.
She had to drop out of college in order to continue with the show. She was first concerned about her mother’s reaction but was pleasantly surprised when she received her mother’s full support.
She received three first call-outs and four bottom-two outings during the competition. She also gets 50 more frames after winning one task.
She experienced numerous problems during the competition, including losing her travel paperwork and having to miss a photo shoot. Despite these challenges, she was able to advance further in the tournament.
She revealed that she had been circumcised as a young girl in Somalia throughout the tournament. This gutsy admission from her side drew a lot of media attention and sympathy from the general public.
She eventually came in third place on the show, behind winner Whitney Thompson, 20, and runner-up Anna “Anya” Kop. This competition aided in her becoming a well-known model, and she drew a lot of attention due to her confidence, attractiveness, and grace.
IMG Models in New York City, Paris, Milan, and London, as well as Ace Models in Athens, Greece, represent her. She walked the runway for Dries Van Noten, Andrew Gn, Moncler Gamme Rogue, and Hermès at the Spring/Summer 2012 Paris Fashion Week. ‘Look Magazine’ UK, ‘CosmoGirl’, ‘Ebony Magazine’, and ‘Women’s Wear Daily’ have all published articles about her. She also worked on Wildfox’s ‘We’re The Kids in America’ Spring Collection, Armani Exchange, and Doncaster’s Winter 2013 Collection ad campaigns.
Personal History and Legacy
Fatima’s is a classic rags-to-riches narrative. She has grown into a bold and courageous young woman after overcoming a rough upbringing. Her mother, who is her rock, is quite close to her.
She was a victim of genital mutilation as a child, and she speaks freely about it in the hopes that other girls will not have to go through what she did.
Fatima Siad Net Worth
One of the wealthiest and most well-known reality stars is Fatima Siad. Our research of Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider revealed that Fatima Siad has a net worth of $5 million.