Guest blogger Keri S. from Wheaton, Illinois wrote this week's Teens with a Vision blog.
After finishing Alek Wek’s autobiography Alek: From Sudanese Refugee to International Supermodel, I was astonished. What she went through, the odds she overcame, were unbelievable. Not only did she survive the Sudanese violence in her childhood, but also she succeeded in breaking into the fashion industry and making a name for herself.
Alek was born in Wau, in the southern Sudan. She enjoyed a few years of peace with her family until war broke out. Between the ruthless militia armies and the unstable government, there was no one to be trusted and no place considered safe. After running from their homes for fear of being killed, the Wek’s fled to their tribal relatives. During this time, the health of Alek’s father was steadily deteriorating because of a hip surgery he had. It worsened to the point that the Wek family decided to return to Wau and try to catch a plane to Khartoum. The journey back was long, and treacherous; the whole family was on foot. Even after they made it to Khartoum, their situation was not much better. Her father’s condition eventually claimed his life. Left with her mother, brothers and sisters, they again decided to relocate to a safer place. Alek and her sister went to London to stay with other family.
For Alek, who had only seen two flushable toilets her whole life, flying to London was a terrifying experience. Even upon arriving in London and reuniting with her older sister, Ajok, she was still incredibly disoriented. After being thrown into “modern” life, Alek decided to get a few odd jobs to pay for her sister’s kindness. It was at one of these jobs (working in a café), that Alek was spotted by a model agent. Again, her world changed drastically. She began her modeling career a little unsure of what to expect. She was afraid that she would be taken advantage of. Even her mother, who had finally made it to London, was unsure about the situation. With strong persuasion, Alek and her mother finally came around.
Alek’s modeling career started out slowly. Designers and photographers were afraid to use a face as exotic as hers. She began to lose hope and almost left the agency because it was not going anywhere. It was only after an amazing shoot with Steven Meisel from Italian Vogue that her career began to change. Although go-sees (when models visit designers and photographers to be noticed) still filled her days, people began to take interest in her appearance. Her biggest break came when Elle magazine decided to take a chance and put her on the cover. The copy sold millions and Alek was a hit. Newspapers reported that it challenged the traditional conceptions of beauty. Alek benefited greatly from all the press. Larger names like Chanel and John Galliano hired her for shoots and runways. After a few years, Alek decided to use her supermodel status for a good purpose. With a film crew, she returned to the Sudan. Her efforts have greatly increased awareness about the grave situation in the Sudan.
Today Alek graces the pages of the most glamorous magazines, and walks the catwalk for the biggest names in fashion. She still lives in New York and has her own handbag line, Wek 1933: the name of her father and the year he was born. Even though Alek has reached superstardom, she still remembers that she only barely escaped death because of her family’s strength.
Alek Wek has started her own nonprofit organization, W.E.K. Working to Educate Kids. Read about it at alek-wek.com.
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