Naima Mora Biography (Courtesy Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Naima Mora is an American model and actress. She was the winner of the 4th cycle of America's Next Top Model.

Biography

Early life

Naima Mora was born on March 1, 1984 in Detroit, Michigan, the daughter of jazz percussionist Francisco Mora Catlett. Her grandparents are painter Fransico Mora and sculptress, painter and printmaker Elizabeth Catlett. She grew up near West McNichols and Schaefer on Detroit's northwest side.

Named after John Coltrane's song "Naima," Mora is the youngest of four sisters, one of whom is a twin sister, Nia, a photographer in New York. Her father is Mexican, Native American and African-American, while her mother is Irish and African-American.

A serious student of ballet, Mora attended Detroit's Ballet Renaissance and was enrolled in American Ballet Theatre's Detroit summer programme. Naima graduated from Cass Technical High School in Detroit in 2002.

She also worked as a coffee shop waitress before moving from Detroit to New York to attend the school of Dance Theatre of Harlem. Mora decided to audition for America"s Next Top Model at the behest of her friends.

America's Next Top Model

With her mohawk and introverted persona, Naima was originally thought to be a long-shot to walk away with the title of "America"s Next Top Model." However, she proved her modelling ability week after week and eventually won the grand prize, which consisted of a fashion spread in ELLE, a contract with Ford Models and a $100,000 contract with CoverGirl cosmetics.

Modeling/acting career

Naima and Cycle 3's Ann Markley were Trophy Girls at the 2005 Primetime Emmy Awards.

She has made multiple appearances as a guest on The Tyra Banks Show.

She has appeared on the second season premiere of Veronica Mars, "Normal Is the Watchword".

Mora also served as a judge at the Miss Teen USA Pageant in 2005.

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."

Naima has modeled for CoverGirl, ELLE Magazine, Fuego Magazine, US Weekly Magazine, IN Touch Magazine, Star Magazine, Teen People Magazine, Split Clothing, Jazz Album Samsung. She also modelled with her sister Ife for iTunes .

Naima's runway shows include Christopher Deane Spring 2006 Collection, Gharani Strok Fall 2005, Carlos Miele Fashion Show, Walmart and ELLEgirl Presents Dare To Be You Spring 2006, and Fashion Comedy Style 2005 (Charity Event).

Family

Her older sister Ife Mora, (born 1977) is a vocalist, trip-hop, and rock experimental artist of the group livemas.

she is the inspiration for her grandmother's 2001 black marble bust entitled Naima. Catlett described it as:

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