Ubah Hassan facts for kids

Ubah Ali Hassan (Somali: Ubax Xasan, Arabic: اوبح حسن; born 27 August 1983) is a Somali-Canadian model, businesswoman, and TV star. She has worked with famous designers like Ralph Lauren and Gucci. Ubah also created her own hot sauce brand called Ubah Hot. She is well-known for being on the Bravo reality show The Real Housewives of New York City. Ubah also helps with many charity projects.

Ubah Hassan's Early Life

Ubah Hassan was born in Somalia in 1983. She grew up in the city of Baidoa. In 1991, her mother and three sisters left Somalia because of war. They moved to Ethiopia. Ubah, her father, and her brother stayed in Somalia until 1994. Then they moved to Kenya.

Ubah later moved to Canada when she was 15 years old. There, she met her mother and sisters again. They had also moved to Canada. When they first arrived, Ubah's family lived in a homeless shelter for one year.

Ubah Hassan's Career Journey

When Ubah was 17, a photographer saw her at a park in Canada. This led her to start modeling in Vancouver and Toronto. Before becoming a full-time model, she also owned a restaurant in Vancouver. In 2007, she signed with Click Model Management in New York City. This is where she began doing big photoshoots and walking in fashion shows.

Modeling Highlights

In April 2008, Ubah was featured in Allure magazine. In May of that same year, Model.com named her their Model of the Week. She appeared in Vogue Italia two times. First, in July 2008, she was in the "Black issue." She was photographed by Steven Meisel. Then, in January 2009, she was in the "Soul Kitchen" issue. For this, she was photographed by Bruce Weber.

Ubah was the main face for Ralph Lauren's Spring/Summer 2009 clothing line. She has also worked with many other top designers and brands. These include Oscar de la Renta, Rachel Roy, Betsey Johnson, Gucci, Lucky Brand Jeans, CoverGirl, Polaroid, and Macy's. As of 2023, Ubah still works with Richard's International Model Management in Vancouver. She also works with Models 1 in London.

Documentary and Business Ventures

In March 2015, a short film about Ubah was released. It was called Ubah! and was directed by Joe Berlinger. The film showed on CNN.com. In the film, Ubah talked about growing up in Somalia. She also discussed her modeling career and her charity work in Cambodia.

Ubah is the founder and CEO of Ubah Hot. This is a hot sauce brand inspired by African flavors. It is also vegan. The hot sauce became available in June 2021. In November of that year, it was chosen as one of Oprah's Favorite Things. Ubah also appeared on the Netflix show My Unorthodox Life. On the show, she talked about her hot sauce brand. In 2023, Ubah worked with Serafina, an Italian restaurant chain. Together, they created a special pizza called Ubah Hot Pizza.

Reality TV Star

In October 2022, it was announced that Ubah Hassan would join the cast of The Real Housewives of New York City. The fourteenth season of the show, which was Ubah's first, started on July 16, 2023.

Helping Others: Philanthropy and Activism

Ubah Hassan is involved in many charity efforts. She is an ambassador for Oxfam's Sisters on the Planet. This group works to end unfair treatment against women. They aim to change laws that keep women in poverty. In 2012, Ubah worked with Oxfam to create Maji Umbrellas. This company sold umbrellas and gave some of the money to projects that bring clean water to East Africa. Ubah later received an Elle magazine Genius Award for her work with Maji Umbrellas.

Ubah also speaks out for diversity in the modeling world. She encourages companies to hire models of all races, ages, and body types. In 2009, Ubah was interviewed by fellow Somali model Iman for New York Magazine. They talked about her experiences as a Black woman in modeling.

She works closely with Toms Shoes' global charity. She has traveled to Cambodia to give shoes and other important items to people who need them. In the documentary Ubah!, she is shown raising money for the Cambodian Children's Fund. She felt she had to help the children there after her trip. Ubah also works with All Hands and Hearts. This group helps people affected by natural disasters.

In June 2023, Ubah Hassan was honored by the Gabrielle's Angel Foundation for Cancer Research. She was recognized for helping to raise money and awareness for cancer research. She said she joined this cause after her mother passed away from leukemia in 2012.

Ubah has modeled several times for Talbots and Dress for Success. These companies have a yearly charity campaign. It raises money to help women around the world who are unemployed or underemployed.

Ubah Hassan's Personal Life

Ubah Hassan is a Muslim. She is a cousin of fellow model Chanel Ayan. Chanel Ayan was one of the stars of The Real Housewives of Dubai. Ubah is currently engaged to Oliver Dachsel, an investment banker. They started dating in 2022. Ubah loves to travel and says it is one of her favorite things to do. She has named Oprah Winfrey, Muhammad Ali, Naomi Campbell, and Iman as some of her inspirations.