Khaliah Ali, daughter of Muhammad Ali, is an Emmy-nominated talk show host and has won the Pennsylvania Broadcaster's Award. She has also contributed to more than two dozen charities over the years. Khaliah says these organizations are in search of people with time. Near and dear to her are: National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Help USA, Project Sunshine - groups that provide free programs and services to children affected with such illnesses as cancer, AIDS, and other serious medical challenges. Other important charities Khaliah participates in include Lupus Foundation of America, Inc. --an estimated 1.5 million Americans suffer with this disease — and Soup's On, the only self-supporting project of the Salvation Army.
Khaliah's new book, Fighting Weight, was recently published by Harper Collins.
I spoke with Khaliah not long ago about her experience with Lap-Band surgery, and how it changed her life.
Khaliah, would you like to speak about how your childhood affected your weight?
Khaliah: My mom, AG Fletcher is a petite woman of Portuguese and Jewish descent. When I was young, I remember my mother with hair to her waist, wearing pearls and high heels. And in the majority of the schools I attended, I was a minority child. I looked at myself in the mirror, round and nappy - thinking, ‘why can’t I be the pretty little girl?’ As a child I told myself I wasn’t pretty, but ugly. As a plus size designer, I’ve had a struggle and a journey, but am very proud about how I’ve turned out to be. I’m very happy.
My mom was terrified with my heaviness. She didn’t understand me. I was a second grader. At age 9, I was put on the Today Show with Jane Pauley for a program piece about slimming down overweight kids. There’s danger in starting children on diets.
In your book, Fighting Weight, there is a picture of your grandmother, Mama Bird, and yourself. You two look quite a bit alike.
Khaliah: Yes, we do. It was a privilege knowing her. She was called Mama Bird and I was known as Little Bird. She’s one of my angels.
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